Bruno by Karthauserhof 2018 Slate Riesling Spatlese, Mosel

The distinctive neck label on a Karthäuserhof wine bottle is a unique trademark that originated as a practical solution for cooling the wine in a river. In the 19th century, a previous owner, Wilhelm Rautenstrauch, would chill his bottles in the cold Eitelsbach stream (a tributary of the Ruwer river) that flows through the estate's garden. He found that the main body labels would regularly come off in the water, making it impossible to identify the wines. His ingenious solution was to place a single, small label high on the bottle's neck, which would remain above the waterline while the bottle was cooling in the stream. This practical fix became a signature and globally unique trademark for the winery, used for over a century.