{"id":252,"date":"2011-07-31T21:01:42","date_gmt":"2011-07-31T20:01:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.northeastwine.org.uk\/Blog\/?p=252"},"modified":"2012-06-09T21:10:38","modified_gmt":"2012-06-09T20:10:38","slug":"die-riesling-manufaktur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.northeastwine.org.uk\/Blog\/die-riesling-manufaktur\/","title":{"rendered":"Die Riesling Manufaktur"},"content":{"rendered":"

Johannes Schmitz isn\u2019t your typical Moselian, his Rebenhof winery<\/a> on the southern edge of \u00dcrzig is testimony to that. In contrast to an otherwise traditional Mosel village his glass, steel and concrete monument to the 21st Century proudly pronounces the establishment as a \u201cRiesling Manufaktur\u201d.<\/p>\n

As a self-confessed Riesling lover I\u2019ve known about \u00dcrzig and its W\u00fcrzgarten (Spice Garden) vineyard for many years, so I was thrilled when I saw the name appear on the Sat-Nav screen as I drove up the Mosel, heading for the town of Bernkastel-Keus. The scenery matches much of the region – slopes with impossible angles rising from the riverside, carpeted with vines \u2013 but stands out more than most with gashes of red on the cliff-face as the river loops past the village of Erden, on the opposite bank (famous for its Pr\u00e4lat and Treppchen vineyards).\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s the rock colour that helps make \u00dcrzig wines distinctive from the neighbours; the W\u00fcrzgarten grows on Permian (299 to 251Mya) sandstone, volcanic rhyolite and red Slate, contrasting the primarily Devonian (416 to 359Mya) blue-grey slate that much of the Mosel (-Saar-Ruwer) sits atop. The dark, iron-rich soil retains heat well and affects Riesling\u2019s flavour profile, giving an earthy spiciness that explains the vineyard name.<\/p>\n

A short walk around the village initially didn\u2019t throw any surprises;<\/p>\n