Riesling Birnbaum Reserve 2022

A dry Riesling from the Mosel at 11.5% ABV that expresses its origin through structure rather than fruit. Cool clarity, smoky depth, silky texture and a long, saline finish.

Clemens Busch farms 20 hectares of steep vineyards in Pünderich on the Mosel. The slate there occurs in three colours, red, grey and blue, each shaping the wines differently. Because no herbicides have been used since 1976, the roots of the oldest vines reach up to eight metres deep into the rock. This depth buffers heat and drought, giving the 2022 vintage its mineral backbone.

100% Riesling. In the cellar, 80 percent of the wines ferment spontaneously in century-old 1000-litre oak casks, without cultured yeasts, without enzymes, without fining; some fermentations take over a year. Extended ageing on the fine lees gives the wine its texture, while sulphur is kept to a minimum.

Taut yet juicy. Ripe apple and yellow pear meet lemon zest, underpinned by smoke and herbal spice. The acidity carries the wine without ever turning sharp, and the finish stays cool and saline.

Pan-fried pike-perch on lentils, seafood, pheasant breast and delicate veal dishes. Against an aged mountain cheese, it sets a cool counterpoint.

Clemens Busch runs the estate in its seventh generation, today together with Rita Busch and son Johannes. The estate has farmed biodynamically since 1986. The wines feature on the lists of five three-star restaurants.