# Gottesfuß Alte Reben GG (2022)

- **Producer:** Van Volxem
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Riesling
- **Region:** Mosel, Germany
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €45
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** peach, apricot, lemon, grapefruit, apple, blossom, ginger, cream, bread, honey, petrol

## About this wine

Van Volxem, located in the historic wind-swept Saar valley, is one of Germany's most prestigious estates, revitalized by Roman Niewodniczanski. The Wiltinger Gottesfuß is a legendary, extremely steep south-facing vineyard characterized by red Devonian slate soils. The 'Alte Reben' (old vines) here are up to 120 years old, many ungrafted, digging deep into the rock to yield a wine of immense mineral depth and historical significance.

## Interesting facts

- The Gottesfuß vineyard features extremely steep slopes of up to 60% incline, requiring entirely manual labor.
- Many of the vines in the Gottesfuß vineyard are ungrafted and over 100 years old, surviving the phylloxera epidemic.
- Owner Roman Niewodniczanski is a passionate historian who maps ancient Prussian vineyard classifications to restore the Saar's prestige.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and intense minerality of this dry Riesling cut beautifully through rich, fatty dishes like pork belly or buttery sauces, while its subtle stone fruit and citrus notes complement delicate seafood and poultry. The wine's structural density also allows it to stand up to mild aromatic spices.

## Wine making process

The grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness, often very late in the season. In the cellar, winemaking follows a minimalist philosophy: gentle pressing, spontaneous fermentation using wild yeasts in large, neutral oak casks (Fuder), and extended lees contact. This traditional Saar method enhances the wine's natural texture, complexity, and aging potential without adding overt oak flavors.