Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling ‘Feinherb’ 2019

Description

The large, south-facing Steinberg vineyard has a storied history, dating back to the planting of the first vines there at the start of the 13th century. To protect them from grape thieves and game, the monks built a wall up to five meters high and almost three kilometers long around their favourite vineyard, which was completed in the 18th century and has surrounded the vineyard like a monastery wall ever since. The wall also protects the vines from the cold air off the Taunus mountains, which form the backdrop to the historic Eberbach Abbey.

These Steinberger Riesling grapes are picked at full ripeness, gently pressed and fermented with natural yeasts in stainless steel, resting for a few months on the lees prior to bottling.

This off-dry version is marked by an exquisite balance of concentration and elegance. Sweet apricot and pineapple aromas intermingle with floral notes and citrus, the palate is lush and weighted, a crystalline minerality running through it like a glacier stream, ripe, concentrated stone-fruit with secondary layers of musky spice and honey. The finish has a slight sweetness with around 17g residual sugar per litre, but it’s kept light and fresh by a zippy acidity.