2009 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese #6

Fritz Haag traces its history to the 16h century when the Haag family was already growing grapes in the Mosel region. By the 20th century the family had acquired numerous vineyards and the estate was eventually divided between two sons, Fritz and Willi. Today Fritz Haag is run by Oliver Haag and his wife Jessica. The estate makes numerous Rieslings. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “few Rieslings more successfully marry richness with elegance and finesse.” In 2008 the winery won the top award presented by Gault-Millau, one of the most respected German wine journals.

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer is Germany’s most prestigious wine region and it is comprised of the vineyards surrounding the Mosel River and its tributaries, the Saar and Ruwer. This region is the northernmost of Germany’s primary viticultural areas, located on the western edge of Germany just above the northeast corner of France. Internationally Mosel Rieslings are considered among the finest white wines in the world. In Germany and elsewhere, the region’s name is often shortened simply to Mosel, and in fact since 2007 Mosel has been the formal name of the region for viticultural purposes. The references to Saar and Ruwer were dropped for ease of marketing. The distinctively crisp, mineral tasting, acidic Rieslings produced in Mosel are attributed partly to the region’s slate soils and extremely vertiginous vineyards. Many vineyards are on 60 to 80 percent cent inclines along the three rivers. Riesling grapes represent more than half of all the grapes grown in Mosel, followed by Muller-Thurgau, a white wine grape related to Riesling, and Elbling, an indigenous white wine grape often used for sparkling wines.

This white variety originated in Germany. It’s known for its strong flowery aromas and high acidity. Please note Rieslings can have dramatic differences as the grape can be used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling wines.