# Riesling Alte Reben (2022)

- **Producer:** Weingut Carl Loewen
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Riesling
- **Region:** Mosel, Germany
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €16
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** peach, apricot, apple, pear, ginger, fennel, biscuit, bread, dried apricot, honey

## About this wine

Weingut Carl Loewen, located in the Mosel village of Leiwen, dates back to 1803 when the family acquired historic vineyard parcels following the secularization of church property under Napoleon. Today, the estate is managed by Christopher Loewen alongside his father, Karl Josef. Christopher's non-interventionist approach has earned him significant acclaim, including being named Winemaker of the Year. This 'Alte Reben' (Old Vines) bottling is a village-level cuvée sourced from steep-slope vineyards in Leiwen, Longuich, and Detzem. Sourced from vines averaging 70 years of age, this wine showcases the unique depth and resilience that old root systems draw from the classic Devonian slate soils, offering a level of concentration and mineral complexity rarely found in estate-level wines.

## Interesting facts

- The estate's history began in 1803 when the Loewen family purchased historic vineyard plots sold off during the Napoleonic era.
- While most entry-level estate wines use young vines, this bottling is crafted from vines averaging 70 years of age.
- The wine undergoes a remarkably slow spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts that can last up to 100 days.

## Food pairing

The wine's high acidity and subtle residual sugar (9.4 g/L) make it incredibly versatile. The acidity cuts through the richness of freshwater fish and pork, while the touch of sweetness beautifully balances moderate chili heat, ginger, and lemongrass in Asian cuisine. The intense minerality also complements earthy, delicate vegetables like white asparagus.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process at Carl Loewen is defined by minimal intervention and traditional methods. Grapes are entirely hand-harvested to select optimal, small-berried fruit. Following a gentle, low-pressure whole-cluster pressing, the juice undergoes spontaneous fermentation using only native, indigenous yeasts. This fermentation is exceptionally slow, often lasting up to 100 days, allowing for deep flavor development. The wine is aged on its fine lees (sur lie) in a combination of temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and traditional, neutral 1,000-liter German Fuder oak casks. It is kept on the lees until shortly before bottling, undergoing only natural settling and light filtration without fining.