Le Pin doesn’t really do events. I guess it doesn’t need to. This tiny 2.7-hectare property produces on average 600 cases each year and the wines are instantly snapped up on release by collectors lucky enough to be privy to the merchants’ miniscule supply.  But FINE+RARE, after much searching, collated an extraordinary collection of Le Pin bottlings (some coming from Thienpont’s own personal cellar) right back to the inaugural 1979 vintage. The tasting consisted of 12 vintages of Le Pin, as well as three vintages from L’If, Thienpont’s relatively new project in neighbouring Saint-Emilion. We also persuaded Thienpont to come to London and share Le Pin’s fascinating story from the beginning. The setting was perfect for such an intimate event. With just a handful of guests alongside Jacques Thienpont and Diana Berrouet Garcia (MD of Domaines Jacques Thienpont), the dinner took place in Claridges’ L’Epicerie restaurant. L’Epicerie, which seats just 14 guests, is set within Claridges’ hallowed kitchens. It meant the guests could watch the chefs at work and discuss with them why they paired certain dishes with certain vintages. In hindsight, it was amazing just how versatile the Le Pin wines turned out to be. The younger vintages paired beautifully with poached lobster, fois gras terrine, black truffle and artichoke. The older vintages worked just as well with beef fillet and aged cheeses. But, however well the food worked, everyone was there to taste Le Pin.  Le Pin needs little introduction. The youngest of all the Right Bank icons, it became an almost overnight success thanks to the critical acclaim of the property’s fourth vintage in 1982. Combined with its tiny production levels and an ever-expanding collectors’ market, Le Pin became the ultimate wine collectable – and the market price of this tiny estate quickly rose to stratospheric levels.   Such are its size and popularity that it is rare to taste one bottle of Le Pin, let alone 12 vintages back-to-back. I’ve been lucky enough to taste the wine en primeur over the years, so I had some idea of what to expect, but it’s only at maturity that this extraordinary wine’s vivid personality really comes to life.  The elusive address has humble beginnings. From the 1920s to the late 1970s, the land was owned by the Loubie family. During this time, the wine was made by a contract-winemaker based in Lalande de Pomerol and was sold with little fanfare.  In 1979, Jacques Thienpont jumped at the chance to purchase the property when it came up sale, privy to the extraordinary terroir of the site, located next to his uncle Gérard’s esteemed Pomerol estate Vieux Château Certan. Thienpont named his new acquisition after a single pine tree that shaded the property. Over the years, he gradually expanded the vineyard to 2.7 hectares by purchasing slivers of land from adjacent producers.   It’s hard to imagine that a wine of such prestige came from what was – in the early days – a very basic operation. The project and space were so small that there was little flexibility when it came to vinification. Everything was done by hand and malolactic fermentation took place in barrel because Thienpont had nowhere else to store the wines (although this eventually set the trend for modern winemaking). In time, the Belgian vigneron made improvements in the winery and vineyard, including replanting a significant part of the land with new Merlot clones and re-trellising the vines. Now, 40 years later, Thienpont is as hands-on as ever, insisting he is involved in every stage of winemaking.   Wine experts consider Le Pin’s key advantage to be its unique terroir and soil composition. With sandy gravel topsoil on a pocket of gravel which runs five to 10 metres deep, the vineyard has perfect drainage. As it’s south-facing, it is a warmer site and that gives the vineyard great benefits, particularly in poorer, cooler vintages. It is notably different from surrounding vineyards. The vineyard contains a high proportion of iron oxide, aka “crasse de fer”, which Jacques Thienpont attributes to the soil’s fantastic drainage and feels helps Le Pin perform well in wetter vintages.   There are a few odd Cabernet Franc vines in the vineyard at Le Pin, but the wine is 100% Merlot. A significant portion (40%) of the vineyards were replanted in the late 1970s, and replanting has continued under Thienpont’s ownership. In fine wine terms the average age of the vineyards is relatively young. The fact that Le Pin can already produce such incredible wines suggests the future looks bright for the property.  The property produces low volumes but with great consistency, with the wine always expressing a beautiful integration of tannins, wonderful depth and detail. It also ages beautifully, as this stunning line-up showcased so well. Tasting a younger vintage (2018) earlier in the day, it became apparent how versatile Le Pin is. Despite its youth, the 2018 is drinking beautifully right now. Berrouet Garcia believes it is one of Le Pin’s trump cards – it just performs so well at any time, in its youth, at full maturity and any time in between, such is its openness and versatility.  With a couple years in bottle, the 2018 really expresses a signature trait of Le Pin, a trait that through the tasting is so distinctive and emanates from almost every vintage – a trademark tannin texture and mouthfeel. The best way I can explain it is as if the tannins are totally spherical in the mouth. There are no edges, you can feel they are there by their density on the palate. They are the “dark matter” equivalent of tannin – they are there but you just can’t feel them.  Before the Le Pin vertical, guests were introduced to Jacques Thienpont’s Saint-Emilion estate, L’If. Thienpont’s first vintage from this young estate was 2010 and the wines are the perfect antithesis to Le Pin. Whereas Le Pin is voluptuous and opulent, L’If is stricter, more linear and has amazing energy. Thienpont has fallen in love with the limestone soils of Saint-Emilion. While still similar in climate to Pomerol (warm and sunny) the limestone soils in Saint-Emilion keep freshness in the wine and importantly, in winemaking terms, the pH low.  Whereas Le Pin’s opulent levels of ripeness and high pH (due to the soils) can sometimes have problems with fermentations getting stuck (so much so from 2015 onwards that Le Pin has been fermented using a special commercial yeast that avoids this problem), L’If’s limestone soils mean they can push ripeness levels and never lose freshness. Like Le Pin, tasting through the vintages of L’If there is a strong character trait across the vintages – a vibrant energy that is just so expansive on the palate. The 2015, 2013 and 2012 all express distinct vintage traits too, the 2015 the most powerful, the 2013 lighter but beautifully clean and vertical, while the 2012 is soft and juicy with lovely floral delicacy.  Le Pin’s roundness and silk-like texture is such a lovely contrast to L’If and tasting them side by side only accentuates how different in style these two wines from Jacques Thienpont are.  The vertical of Le Pin starts with two legendary vintages – the 2010 and 2009. Strangely, the 2009 throws a lot of sediment, something not found in the other wines. It is hugely concentrated and opulent. Pushing the levels of ripeness, there is a touch of VA, but it doesn’t diminish the wine at all. Despite the richness and ripeness, it is very much on the red fruit spectrum– but the 2010 was even better. It has an electricity to it that adds another level of excitement to the dense, rich fruit and smoky tones. This electric energy was also present in my wine of the night – the 2001. This wine is so elegant and refined, and is in its perfect drinking window today, the light tertiary notes complement the exquisitely pure, fresh fruit. But it’s the clenched tautness to the wine and that extra burst of energy that makes it so special and surpasses even the hugely anticipated 2000. This too has the tension, the sinewy tannins, the textbook spherical mouthfeel but the tertiary development is more advanced than the 2001.  The 2008 was also a highlight for me. It had all the classic Pomerol hallmarks, the irony-minerality and opulent fruit. It was also impressively structured while remaining heavenly soft. It was perhaps the vintage that showed off this contrast best, but it was a trait running throughout. The 2007 was lighter, earthier even with a touch of menthol and shorter on the palate but still delightful. The 2006 for me also outshone the “better” vintage of 2005. The density of the 2006 is just so impressive. If anything, the 2005 tasted the least like Le Pin. It had an almost Cabernet-esque feel, more structured, more extracted and, in that sense, felt like the odd one out in the tasting.  The 1996 was fully developed with lovely tertiary notes and dried fruit flavours. But the spherical mouthfeel clearly synonymous with Le Pin was very much intact and there was still plenty of tension and a very long finish. The 1990 was a revelation, so light on its feet – almost Pinot Noir-like in its daintiness and purity. It had a lovely freshness still, despite the concentration from this warm vintage. Again, it is still spherical in character, with lovely mature Claret flavours.  The 1983 was slightly unclean on corking, perhaps unsurprisingly, but this blew off in the glass. It was fully mature, dominated by tertiary flavours, but the tannins interestingly were less dried out than the 1996. Finally, the inaugural 1979 vintage. Amazingly, this first vintage already has the Le Pin DNA on the palate. The spherical mouthfeel was there. It is a remarkably clean bottle considering the age. It tasted more youthful than the 1983 alongside and still had fresh fruit characters and more tertiary notes. The spherical tannins are beautifully integrated. What a wine and what condition! It’s quite incredible.  There were clear takeaways from the tasting. Firstly, Le Pin’s consistency was self-evident, performing year-in, year-out. Secondly, the DNA of Le Pin was distinct throughout the flight (bar the 2005) both in youth and at full maturity. Also, it is clear that its character, its distinctness exists right back to its humble beginnings. Le Pin is a special wine, a rare treat, but not just a wine for the well-initiated. Such is its openness, elegance and dare I say easiness, Le Pin turns out to be the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Browse all current Le Pin listings or read more Editorial

While “once-in-a-lifetime” might be overused, a vertical of Le Pin back to the inaugural 1979 vintage was just that. After tasting 12 vintages of this cult Pomerol with owner Jacques Thienpont, Gavin Smith considers what defines the property, and wine

A once-in-a-lifetime tasting of Le Pin back to its inaugural 1979 vintage held in Claridges’ L’Epicerie restaurant

Le Pin – from the beginning

Le Pin: from the beginning

Humble yet with undeniable ambition, Jacques Devauges arrived at Domaine des Lambrays in March 2019 and has wasted no time in making small but significant adjustments at the estate. His appointment was the most recent in a flurry of changes that have made waves in the quiet of Burgundy, after the property was purchased by LVMH in 2014 for an undisclosed sum – the luxury group’s first foray into Burgundy.    While the first mention of “Cloux des Lambrays” dates back to 1364, it was really in the 1980s that its modern reputation was established. The vineyard had fallen into disrepair, but was bought by Roland de Chambure and the Saier brothers in 1979. They installed Thierry Brouin as winemaker and director, together restoring the property to its former glory. Thierry, in Devauges’s words, “rejuvenated” the estate – staying at the helm for 38 years, overseeing the property under three different owners before finally retiring in 2017.  Boris Champy had already been lined up to take over, but stayed a mere two years before Devauges was poached from Clos de Tart (where he’d been since 2015, previously Domaine de l’Arlot). In the humdrum of Burgundy, Champy’s sudden departure was big news – as was Devauges’s sudden arrival, although everyone has remained suitably tight-lipped on the topic.  While Domaine des Lambrays does own some village and Premier Cru Morey-Saint-Denis, as well as some Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru, the domaine’s reputation is inextricably entwined with that of the eponymous Clos des Lambrays. This remarkable site – one of Morey’s five Grands Crus, along with Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis, Clos de Tart and Bonnes-Mares – was originally classified only as a Premier Cru. It was only in 1981, under Thierry Brouin’s tenure and significant work in the vineyard, that the site was rightfully upgraded – making it the last of Burgundy’s 33 Grands Crus to earn its status.  Such is its association with the domaine that Clos des Lambrays is often mistaken for a monopole; however it isn’t quite. One ouvrée – less than 0.2 of the total 8.84 hectares – at the bottom of the clos belongs to Taupenot-Merme. Originally a vegetable garden, it was planted with vines in 1974, and produces a tiny amount of wine (no more than one barrel in the most generous years).   Visiting in October 2020, it was clear that Jacques Devauges has big plans – and if 2019 is anything to go by, there is much to look forward to. Coincidentally, Devauges wasn’t new to the estate – having worked briefly in the winery under Brouin in 1997. He’s full of praise for Brouin’s work and clearly wishes to respect the enormous legacy he’s been handed. His aim, however, is to recreate the old Domaine des Lambrays of the early 20th century – before the vineyard fell into disrepair in the 1930s.  There have already been a few shifts, with the construction of a new winery underway and 2019 the first fully organic vintage, and the property – as of 2020 – in conversion to biodynamics. This is no small feat given some of the site’s peculiarities. After phylloxera, the vine rows were planted north to south, perpendicular to the slope. This is an angle that little machinery can handle (with a serious risk of toppling over) and as such almost all the work here has to be done by hand, however Devauges has had a special tractor made that can handle the site’s undulating terroir. A relatively large site, it’s unsurprising that the soils here vary. While broadly speaking it is a rocky clay, the bottom of the site is heavier clay and loam, while the midslope is more gravelly over deep limestone, and the very top has shallower limestone soils. As he gets to know the Clos, and differences between each sub-parcel, Devauges is vinifying each one separately, laying the barrels out in the same way as the vineyard – so he can figuratively walk the rows, identifying the character of each. For Clos des Lambrays, he has divided the site into 10 sub-plots (see the map below), however he identifies three major sections of the vineyard: the section near Clos de Tart, the middle and then the side closer to Clos-Saint-Denis.  Tasting three components of the vineyard separately, and then together, with Devauges was enlightening. First up was La Plante Dessous, on the Clos Saint-Denis side, home to some of its “youngest” vines – which are still 40 years in age. The wine produced here is tight and intense, building gradually in the mouth with silky tannins and an amazing purity of blueberry and blackberry fruit. Cerisier, a plot at the bottom of the slope near Clos de Tart, is drastically different. This is full, exotic, rich and ripe – yet with a real freshness and a chalky minerality beneath. The final section we tasted was 80 Ouvrées Dessus – right at the top, middle part of the vineyard. Angular and structured, it showed remarkable energy and intensity – a core of vibrant blue fruit and firm tannins. In the resulting final blend, you can feel every element – except with the dial turned up to max.   Unlike Brouin, Devauges feels it is important not to select the best barrels, and “blend” a wine, but to seek “as much truth as possible”. While he is declassifying the very youngest vines (those under 20 years in age) to their Premier Cru bottling, he feels that they have a responsibility to capture the site in its entirety – using whatever nature provides. “Here, we are farmers,” he says modestly, with a suitably Gallic shrug. The resulting wine is the one true expression of this site – and that’s clearly where Devauges’s focus lies, something that will doubtless evolve in the coming vintages. “Every year is a new page,” Devauges told us. If 2019 is the preface, we look forward to seeing the story unfold. Browse all wines from Domaine des Lambrays or read more Editorial 

The 2019 vintage was significant at Domaine des Lambrays not just for its exceptional quality, but as the first full year under new winemaker Jacques Devauges. We visited the property to find out more 

Exploring the first full vintage at the Burgundian estate Domaine des Lambrays under new winemaker Jacques Devauges 

Changing of the guard at Domaine des Lambrays

The latest from Latour In the wake of last week’s launch of the 2016 vintage of the First Growth’s third wine, Pauillac de Latour, the Pauillac powerhouse will be releasing the 2013 vintage of the Grand Vin, as well as 2015 Les Forts de Latour, its second wine. The 2013 is only the second vintage of the Grand Vin that the property has released since it moved away from en primeur – and there’s no doubt, despite the vintage’s sometimes maligned reputation, that this is going to be highly sought-after. New from Champagne March brings with it a bounty of fine fizz releases. Top of our wish-list are the new wines from Henri Giraud – a House that produces small volumes of outstanding, terroir-driven wines, almost all of which are oak-fermented (and is, for that reason, often compared favourably to Krug). We’ll see the latest release of its multi-vintage cuvée (described by Jancis Robinson MW as “a sort of Montrachet of Champagne”) and the new, 2013 vintage of their top wine, Argonne. Keep an eye out also for 2007 Bollinger R.D. and Pol Roger’s 2012 Sir Winston Churchill.  Single-farm spirits The unfailingly modish and exciting Irish distillery Waterford has been making waves in recent weeks, having scientifically proven terroir’s influence in whisky. This month will see the latest spirits from the Irish distillery released – two single-farm single malts that offer a chance for you to explore the concept yourself. One comes from Hook Head – a site on the southern coast with clay-loam soils, while the other hails from Lakefield, with deep loam soils in County Laois. Burgundy There are still a few 2019s emerging from the Côte d’Or – including wines from Domaine des Lambrays and Le Grappin. Clos des Lambrays was a stand-out from our trip in October last year, while Aussie Andrew Nielsen’s Le Grappin wines (a darling of London’s restaurant scene) offer brilliant value year in, year out. The 2021 collection from Maison Leroy has almost entirely sold out, however we’ll also see the latest releases from the rest of Lalou Bize-Leroy’s empire – Domaine Leroy and Domaine d’Auvenay. Available, as ever, in tiny volumes, these are some of the world’s most collectable wines, and unmissable for Burgundy aficionados. Italian icons After a series of superlative 2016s from Brunello, Tuscany is on the mind. While Castello di Ama’s 2017 San Lorenzo is already available, the 2018 vintage of the Chianti Classico property’s flagship wine, L’Apparita, will be released in the coming weeks. Tasting through a selection of the range with our team, CEO Lorenza Sebasti told us that she and winemaker Marco Pallanti feel it’s “the best we’ve ever made”. We’ll also see the new vintage of Ornellaia’s entry-level bottling – Le Volte dell’Ornellaia, which provides an affordable and earlier-drinking taste of this Super Tuscan estate, ahead of the release of Ornellaia “proper” in April.

A new month brings another flurry of fine wine and spirits releases. While Bordeaux en primeur is on the horizon, March sees new vintages from Latour and the Grandes Marques, as well as releases from Tuscany, Burgundy and Ireland’s most exciting distillery: here’s our pick of the bunch

A new month brings another flurry of fine wine and spirits releases. Here, we pick the best of the bunch – from Latour, Castello di Ama, Waterford and more 

The wines and spirits to look out for this March

What to look out for this March

Mosel and the Kingdom of Prussia At the Congress of Vienna in 1815 the Mosel region was assigned to the Kingdom of Prussia. Following this, the region went through a period of great change. Initially, the elimination of the domestic German customs borders brought high competitive pressure on Mosel from other big wine-growing areas (e.g. Pfalz, Baden, Württemberg) and prices decreased dramatically. In addition to this, bad weather conditions and the outbreak of new pests in the region, saw regular crop failures, leading to economic hardship for many winegrowers in the region.  Despite the initial deterioration of the region, the Prussian government saw Mosel as a wine region worth saving, deciding to invest heavily into the wine industry. During the 1850s the construction of the railway line along the river was completed providing faster and easier access to the German Reich´s main traffic routes and therefore hugely improving the logistics of moving wine around the country and beyond.  Additionally, government domaines were built for research purposes, further developing modern technologies that were being applied in the vineyard and wineries. The focus was set on the wine quality: winemakers should grow the Riesling grape variety, they should harvest late and be highly selective when picking the grapes to produce better quality, and the wines should be "natural“ (without any additives, without being chaptalized, etc.). In the 1880s several vintages were of outstanding quality, and the interest in Mosel Riesling grew around Europe.  By the 1890s Mosel was enjoying a golden era in which its reputation for fine wine production saw a boom in sales throughout the 1890s. Furthermore, the consumer´s understanding of taste changed from heavy red wines to light, refreshing whites, rich in aroma and acidity.  The boom led to tourism, many people from all over Europe came to the valley, including famous artists such as William Turner and poets such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Mosel Riesling was drunk by nearly all secular and ecclesiastical rulers of Europe – Berlin, St. Petersburg, London, etc. Kaiser Wilhelm II also visited the area several times. The wines were on the lists of all top restaurants around the world. Mosel was the world’s fine wine mecca.  
The wine styles of Mosel’s golden era 
By the beginning of 20th century, nearly all of the wines coming from the Mosel area were dry or maximum off-dry because there was no technical possibility to interrupt fermentation unnaturally. All of the Rieslings were fermented by natural yeasts only. They were kept in large "Fuder“-barrels – kept on their lees (sur lie – the dead yeast cells) for several months, sometimes even for more than a year, adding textural, aromatic and flavour complexity. The style of our dry and off-dry wines could be compared to the wines from 100 years ago. All of our wines ferment naturally, in the spirit of authenticity, vineyard character, complexity and longevity. No fining agents, enzymes or other additives are ever used. Most of the wines remain on their yeasts ("sur lie“) for months, gaining in mellowness and body.   During that time, winemakers did not have the technical possibility to stop fermentation earlier with a higher proportion of residual sugar. The machine needed for this procedure, containing a special filter which stabilises the wines by pulling yeasts and other solids out, only came into commercial use in the 1960s. An invention that would turn the style of the region’s wines on its head and damage its reputation as one of the world's leading fine wine regions.  In 1868 the Prussian tax authorities published the first official wine terroir classification in the world. This classification was used to set tax rates – the higher the quality of the single vineyard was rated, the higher the tax rates for the winegrowers (the darker red coloured the plots on the map – see map).  In addition, this map was an unprecedented tool for promoting wine by the Prussian government and proved a fantastically successful approach in identifying the nuances of each vineyard and was to be imitated by several other wine regions in Germany and beyond.  

Despite being 150 years ago, we think that this classification was very accurate in terms of identifying quality. The completely south-facing steep slopes are still the best to grow vines in our valley. Due to enlargements during 20th century some important vineyard sites are missing, in terms of our winery, it would be Wehlener Klosterberg vineyard which has proven to belong to the red or even dark red coloured surfaces on the map.  Due to climate change, we think that several vineyard sites which are located in side valleys or on a higher altitude have actually improved over the last decades. Nowadays they would also belong to the higher or highest-rated plots. But overall their assessment was petty accurate. The World War years
 The World Wars were obviously going to have a devastating effect on the region situated on the border of France and Luxembourg and this brought an end to the golden era. Whilst Riesling was the most planted and popular variety, Pinot Noir was also grown very successfully in the region until it was banned by the Nazis in 1933. The Nazis forbade the growing of French varieties and asked vignerons to focus on the prestigious "German“ Riesling in the Mosel wine-growing area which used to be the showpiece for them, being famous all over the world. The ban quite shockingly lasted until the end of the 1980s, therefore the tradition of red winemaking was nearly completely lost in the region. I was one of the “pioneers“ in the area to cultivate Pinot Noir again by planting the first vines in 1987 on the south-facing steep slope called Graacher Himmelreich. 
Mosel: the post-war period 
After WW II there was a huge request for fruity and light white wines and with the economic hardship that followed, a refocus towards quantity rather than quality. The Mosel Rieslings were swept up in this, predestined to produce high quantity, light, sweet wines. Winemakers
all along the river enlarged their vineyard surface, not only in the steep slopes but above all in the flat lands on the other side of the river.  Growing there was much easier and less time and work intense, and therefore also a lot cheaper. Mosel wines became famous as “sweet and cheap“ all over the world – markets were flooded. This concept based on quantity led to an enormous enlargement of vineyard area in the Mosel region from 7500 hectares to 12,300 hectares in the early 1990s. The glycol scandal (when antifreeze was discovered in bulk Austrian wine shipped to large German wineries in bulk and bottled under the German winery labels) only further enhanced the bad reputation of wines from our area.  
Mosel today: a 21st-century golden era Whilst nearly everything has changed over the last two decades the whole wine-growing area still suffers from the “Black Towers“ and “Blue Nuns“ sweet and cheap German wines that despite a drop in popularity still are made in vast quantities and exported all over the world. It is our aim to help restore the wines of our valley to their former glory, therefore we focus uncompromisingly on quality in every step of our daily work.  Luckily the understanding has changed – nearly all winemakers especially the young generation rely on the traditional ways of quality winemaking again and combine it with modern technology, new insights of research, as well as their passion for the famous steep slopes of our region. Wine lovers all over the world are recognising these changes as positive and we think we are back on the right track to regain the popularity and reputation garnered to the region during the golden era of the 1880s and 1890s. Explore more Editorial 

Markus Molitor shares the fascinating history of Mosel outlining the reasons behind the region's meteoric rise to glory at the end of the nineteenth century, its demise during the two World Wars and then its economic devastation in the 1980s.

Markus Molitor outlines the history of Mosel wines and winemaking from 1815 to 2020 – and the reasons behind the wine region's meteoric rise to glory

The history of Mosel wines and vineyards

The history of Mosel wines 1815-2020

We explore the terroir and characteristics of Markus Molitor's top Grand Cru cuvees throughout the Mosel region. Markus Molitor talks us through the terroir profile and characteristics of his top single vineyard cuvees, plotting the wines on the map as we taste the latest vintages from each site.

Exploring the terroir and characteristics of Markus Molitor's top Grand Cru Riesling cuvees throughout the Mosel region in Germany.

Markus Molitor and mapping Mosel vineyards 

Markus Molitor: Mapping the Mosel

Markus Molitor has been working in the vineyards since he was ten years old, literally becoming his father’s right-hand man after his father Werner lost his arm in an accident, “He needed support and help in the vineyard and cellar – so I became his right hand. He taught me all about viticulture and vinification and I spent every free minute with him in cellar or vineyard. I did not only learn every single step of winegrowing and winemaking, but I also took over his passion and enthusiasm.  One day we stood on the foot of Zeltinger Sonnenuhr vineyard site and looked up. My father told me about the glorious times of Mosel Riesling at the beginning of 20th century. I understood that the vines in these parcels, which were approx. 100 years old, were still the same.  So I asked myself: What has happened? Why do the wines not have the same reputation when all the preconditions have not changed at all? And that was the moment of inspiration for me. Since then my ambition has been very clear: I want to try to help restore the wines of our Mosel valley to their former glory by producing unmistakable Riesling wines true to their individual vineyard identity.” Markus took over control of the estate in 1984, which at that time amounted to just 1.5 hectares of the vineyard site Wehlener Klosterberg. Since then he has enlarged the holdings to 120 hectares comprising of many of the top Grand Cru sites on the steep slopes of the Middle Mosel and further south in Saar region. Markus Molitor is now among the largest privately owned estates in Mosel. 90% of the 120 hectares are planted with Riesling and various Pinot varieties. The goal has always been to produce very distinct expressions of each of the vineyard sites dotted throughout the Mosel  - “We try to express each individual character of vineyard in combination with each quality level, style and vintage. Therefore we harvest all of the vineyards by hand only to have the possibility of selecting each single berry in its own category. This work and time-intensive process leads to approx. 80 to 90 different wines per vintage, but each one absolutely unique in its composition and taste.” The whole team of workers in cellar, vineyards, office, warehouse and sales consists of approx. 80 people.  But this increases close to 120 people during the work intense period during the early summer months. Mapping the vineyards 1980-1990s To fulfil Markus’ ambition to reinvigorate the reputation of the great vineyards of Mosel he first began to focus purchasing the Grand Cru Sites of the Middle Mosel area beginning in the 1980s gradually buying more and more selected sites right through the 1990s. “One needs to imagine that until that time, it had been nearly impossible to obtain any plots
in these famous steep slopes.  Families passed these on from one generation to another. But in the 1980s the Mosel wine industry was completely devastated due to the glycol crisis and the overriding reputation of the mass-produced off-dry wines (highlighted in my “History of Mosel” article).  Nobody wanted to work the steep vineyards anymore. So for the first time in history, people offered it for sale or rent. I took the chance given and enlarged the vineyard surface to approximately 20 hectares in these vineyard sites.“ Asked what is so special about the steeper slopes of Mosel and the effects this has on the final wines Markus explains – “There are several advantages of steep slopes in comparison to flat vineyards. First of all the sun exposure: if the steep slope is south-facing, the sun moves
around each single vine from morning to evening. Secondly, the aeration is better because the winds blow down the slopes – the risk of frost is minimised, the heat as well as the humidity are carried away.  During the Indian summer prior to harvest, the temperatures may be quite warm during the day. The valley is narrow, so the heat is trapped in the valley. During the nights, the cold winds from the Eifel and Hunsrueck hills above fall down the steep slopes. These changes of warm and cool air contribute a lot to the formation of the unique Mosel-aromas in the Rieslings. Depending on the steepness and therefore the angle of incidence, the sunlight is reflected by the river in the vineyard and afterwards stored by the slate soil. It is the combination of all these points that leads to the unique effects of the steep slopes in our valley along with the interaction of the slate soils with the old vines."
 2000-2020 From 2000 onwards Markus started to purchase vineyards further south in the Saar Ruwer district. “I rented the first parcels in the vineyard site Niedermenniger Herrenberg in
the Saar river valley. This region really has its own character. The Saar and the Ruwer represent special variations of the Mosel Riesling. The side valleys are located at a slightly higher altitude and they are not as narrow. The average temperature is therefore a bit lower than in the Mosel region.  Due to these facts the vegetation period takes a bit longer (approx. 7-10 days). All of these components lead to Riesling wines with higher acidity, a bit more intensity, and a sharp and clean mineral expression and lighter fruit flavours than in the Middle Mosel region." In 2012 Markus was able to also secure some parcels in the famous steep slopes of Saarburger Rausch and Ockfener Bockstein in the Saar-Ruwer part of Mosel. In 2016 Markus got the chance to buy the former Staatsdomaine of Serrig which was built in 1903 by the Prussians, one of their government-led quality-driven wineries. Markus explains:  "It was 25 hectares of vineyards in one go, a unique possibility that I could not resist." As you go further east along the Mosel river and enter what is called Middle Mosel (identified into two separate regions named after the main towns of Piesport and Bernkastel and it is here the wine character changes slightly.  Markus explains: “The wines coming from Middle Mosel area are “warmer“ in taste: the fruitiness which often reminds me of exotic tropical fruits is more in the foreground, the wines are lush and rich in body. They are a bit smoother in acidity and pretty round in taste. However, it is worth noting that the differences between the areas have gotten much smaller over the last two decades due to the climatic change we are all faced by.“ In 2013 Markus expanded his vineyards east and took over parcels in the Kinheim district, namely in Kinheimer Rosenberg and Kinheimer Hubertuslay. “For me these vineyards were completely underrated and underestimated, therefore I wanted to (and I still want to) show their quality and make them famous all around the world.” During the last five years, Markus took the chances to piece together what he describes as his “personal jigsaw” of Grand Crus sites in the Middle Mosel area including the legendary Bernkasteler Doctor, Brauneberger Juffer (and Juffer-Sonnenuhr) as well as Erdener Prälat.  
 After 35 years of buying up single plots all over the region I ask what vineyards have become his favourites, he states, “It is like asking a father: which one of your children do you favour? It is hard to say which are more special than others due to the uniqueness of every single site, microclimate, steepness, slate soil composition, sun exposure, vines etc. All I can say is I believe all of them are justified to belong to the best vineyards of Mosel, of Germany, some even of the world and everyone of them has its own character. 
 Single vineyard characteristics and what defines them Identifying what is specific about the different vineyards along the Mosel is not simply geographical. Whilst Saar Ruwer is quite geographically and climatically different to Middle Mosel, each of the villages dotted along the Middle Mosel don’t simply represent different
styles of Riesling, the type of slate is perhaps a stronger factor.  Markus goes on to explain: “The character of a wine does not only depend on the village or better the vineyard site where it comes from. There are many more aspects influencing the taste and structure of a wine. The particular type of slate is responsible for the mineral and aromatics, as well as the acidity structure of the wine.  "It is distinguished by very specific local mineral compositions (mainly blue, grey and red slates, but there are many forms in between). In addition to that it depends a lot on the microclimate of the single parcel, on the slope and the sun exposure of the site, and those effects on the slate soil composition. There is also the age of the vines as well as their clones – and last but not least, it all depends on the philosophy of the winemaker. In general, we manage all our vineyards the same way. The work in the vineyard is of central importance because here the foundations are laid for physiologically ripe grapes full of extract to express their specificity of location.”
 Slate soils 
 The Mosel wine region is defined by its slate soils. All of Molitor’s vineyard soils are composed of slate – in nearly infinite variations. The main difference is the colour: grey, blue and red. But there are huge variations from vineyard to vineyard. Markus goes on “slate is a
very smooth stone which means that it can be very weathered. The stones may be splintered by hand. The vines´ roots are able to grow through the stony soil down to ten to twelve metres deep. They can collect many minerals through the different layers and transport it into the grapes (and therefore in a second step into the wines). It is distinguished by very specific local composition.  The slate reflects the sun and stores the heat so that the day and night temperature difference, especially during harvest, is not as high as in vineyards with other soils and therefore grapes do not only have light and warmth from above, but also from down below. In combination with the microclimate in the single vineyard site, the vines and the winegrowing philosophy, the wines vary from plot to plot: you may always recognise them as Mosel Riesling, but there are infinite possibilities from light to heavy, from expressive in mineral to spicy fruitiness, from cool to warm characters.”  Ungrafted vines "The character of a Riesling does not only depend on the age of vines, but also on the genetics grown in the vineyard. There can be young vines producing wines as full of character as from old vines, but these are really rare. In our vineyards we only plant selection
massalle, old genetics, because not only the age of vine, but the combination of both is crucial." "The ungrafted old vines in Mosel are getting rarer every year due to land consolidations. The winemakers are not allowed to plant ungrafted vines any longer because of the risk of phylloxera. But one is allowed to keep the old stocks in old plots. The root system of old vines is unique, it cannot be imitated.  Roots grow down to twelve metres deep in the mineral soil. They may take a lot of minerals into the grapes. The proportion of wood in comparison to the leaves and fruits is very high. Therefore the yield of old vines is extremely low – but the concentration of extracts and minerals in the juice of every single berry is extremely high. All these points lead to an incomparable structure and great texture in the wine. The balance of all components, mineral, acidity, fruitiness and sweetness is always given and inimitable." Explore more Editorial 

Since 1984 Markus Molitor has been managing his estate in Wehlener at the heart of the Middle Mosel, buying up some of the region's finest Grand Cru sites. Molitor provides a fascinating insight into these widely differing vineyards and how they have such a profound effect on the wines produced.

Markus Molitor owns several hectares of top Grand Cru sites in Mosel and Saar Germany. We explore how he has restored Riesling to its former glory.

Markus Molitor interview

Markus Molitor on his special Mosel project

Based in the village of Morey St Denis, the domaine is today run by the ever-thoughtful
Benoit Stehly, the great grandson of Georges Lignier, who has been in charge of
the property since 2007.  It remains one of the great value domaines in the Cote de Nuits and the wines are undoubtedly the top-value picks from these top sites in 2018.  This week we met with Benoit in London for a second look at his 2018s, following our initial autumn tasting at the domaine. The times are changing Benoit’s honest approach to his viticulture, his confidence to experiment and his continual
strive towards creating “thought-provoking” rather than “perfect” wines, always makes for an inspiring visit. He is not one to shy away from making changes in the vineyard in accordance with the
undeniable rise in temperatures over the last decade in Burgundy. Warm vintages are becoming commonplace and therefore he thinks a fresh approach is required to make the most of it.  Benoit is unique in Morey in keeping a permanent grass cover in the vineyard creating competition with the vines and forcing deeper root systems. It also serves to increase humidity, off-setting the heat of a hot vintage and slowing down the ripening, thus retaining freshness and protecting against the grapes cooking on the vine.  It also protects against erosion as well as creating more biodiversity in the soils. Others in Morey have since tried and failed with the same technique and this he believes was down to his own luck. First planting the grass in 2012 he was fortunate to have had three consecutively wet springs that enabled the roots to bed in. His neighbours who have since tried have seen much drier Springs in 2014, ’15, 16, ’17 and not been able to maintain them. 
In a warmer vintage like 2018, Benoit looked to similar steps he took in 2015 to best deal
with the heat. He has thrown out the rule book of picking 100 days after flowering, knowing that in vintages like these the grapes ripen much quicker.  “Two distinct style changes today exist in Burgundian Pinot Noir due to climate
change”  Benoit believes the very real effects of climate change has seen two quite different
styles develop in the Cote du Nuits and in recent vintages this has only become further
exacerbated by ever warmer summers. According to Benoit, about a third of Burgundy producers, typically the younger (or at least younger-spirited vignerons), of which he includes himself, are picking on freshness. The older generation continue to pick on ripeness – governed by the general rule of picking 100 days after flowering.  Both styles have their advantages, picking later gives you fully developed aromatic
complexity but with the risk of escalating alcohol levels and less freshness. Benoit prefers to pick on freshness, retaining “classical” alcohol levels – between 13.2 – 13.6% abv and terroir specificity, whilst avoiding what he believes is over-ripeness in the fruit flavours. The risk seems to of paid off with his 2018s.  The French government no longer calls the shots in a warmer Burgundy Picking times were regulated by the French government in Burgundy up until 2005. The
practice was discontinued following the disastrous timing by the government during the very hot 2003 vintage in which they only allowed picking to start in September (too late for many). The delay was due to government officials unable to declare until they returned from their summer holidays. Many vignerons broke the law to save their crop, others were not so lucky. Following the outcry, the government in 2004 declared that producers could pick from August 1st, effectively making their declaration pointless. Ever since, the practice has
been discontinued. However, as Benoit explains, many vignerons had become reliant on officials to tell them when to pick, rather than making their own judgements. Abandoning the declaration exposed all the vignerons that had little understanding on when was the right time to pick. It also further debunked the now outdated notion that you pick 100 days after flowering. A fresh approach 
Many of Benoit’s neighbours, even in 2018, were still picking 100 days after flowering and in his opinion were producing overripe wines with huge alcohol levels. For Benoit, Burgundy over 14% abv loses its typicity and sense of place. He states how Burgundy has always been one of the coolest regions in the world to produce Pinot Noir, and in the past the leaner, difficult vintages were all too common.  Climate change has produced warmer, riper vintages which according to Benoit has at least given the vigneron more choice in the style of wine they want to produce. With the warmer weather, one can either opt for a fresher style or a riper style and this comes down to choice of when to pick.  For Benoit, the picking time is the key factor to get right and remains the most stressful time
of the year. With high temperatures and a persistent drying wind at harvest, picking times in 2018 had never been more important. Picking just five days later saw the alcohol level rise by 1%. Fortunately, Benoit was one of the first out in the Morey St Denis vineyards beginning to pick from the 5th September, with all the grapes in within 10 days, starting with his Grand Crus and ending with his coolest Village sites. The 2018 wines Chambolle Musigny 2018 The oldest vines dating back to the 1930s gives this village wine plenty of personality coming from two plots north of the Chambolle village whose soils are rich in iron. The wine has wild floral aromas and light mineral ferric notes with silk-like melted tannins. The purity of fruit on the palate is fantastic with great mid palate weight and expansive breadth. This is excellent
quality for village level. 
Morey St Denis 1er Cru 2018 Bright translucent purple colour with perfumed notes of violets, wildflowers and red berries. The palate has a lovely spectrum of fruit from vibrant crunchy blackberry fruit to more candied red cherry and cassis. This interplays with a more Morey-esque savoury tone of fresh soil, hints of sage and bay providing more refreshing earthiness to offset the ripe fruit. The tannins are beautifully integrated and very fine, well-balanced with refreshing crunchy acids. Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru – Clos des Ormes 2018 Benoit calls this his baby Clos de la Roche, sitting directly below the Grand Cru vineyard and sharing the darker spice, brooding fruit and complex perfumes of orange bitters and sweet herb notes alongside rich plush blackberry fruit. This is a very serious gourmand style of Burgundy that is built to age and will develop beautifully in bottle over the next decade.  Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Les Combettes 2018 Surrounded completely by Grand Crus, this has a lovely elegance and sweetness on the nose,
the intensity and generous character of top Gevrey and a really wonderful balance. Red fruits, raspberry, a touch of juniper, pepper, silky tannins that are already so soft and integrated. Mulberry and macerated raspberry on the finish. Great length and freshness. This is serious. 
Clos Saint Denis Grand Cru 2018 Vines between 60 and 70 years old – powerful red fruits with fresh peppery notes and minerality on the nose. Superbly balanced tannins with a light sweetness, an expansive palate of dark berries and cherries opening to a long and elegant acidity, which amplifies the minerality of the terroir. Dry and powerful, the spine of this Clos St Denis provides amazing structure and exciting length on the finish. Will age incredibly well.

Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2018 Deep nose of blueberry and purple fruit, savoury herbs and spice. Tightly wound and intense, the palate shows a hint of dark chocolate, oak, dark cherry and red fruits. A chunky personality, touch of pepper on the finish and good length. So much potential here. 
Bonne Mares Grand Cru 2018 Grown exclusively on the red limestone soil (Morey-side) of Bonnes Mares rich in iron, from 100-year-old vines. A captivating nose of mandarin, touches of spice and a broad spectrum of red and dark berry fruits. A core of red cherry and raspberry on the palate, mouth-watering acidity balanced by sensuous tannins. Structured yet elegant with an intense fresh berry finish. Outstanding. Explore more Editorial 

Domaine Georges Lignier has some of the most enviable Grand Cru sites in Burgundy with significant holdings in Clos de la Roche, Clos St Denis and Bonnes Mares

Exploring Domaine Georges Lignier and its enviable Grand Cru sites in Burgundy in Clos de la Roche, Clos St Denis and Bonnes Mares. 

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