Zilliken 2020 Estate Riesling, Mosel Germany

PRODUCER'S NOTES: "A very fruity, succulent Riesling that shows the vivacious character of the Saar valley in the refined Zilliken style. This lightly sweet estate wine is like a stroll through a spring garden. It enchants the nose with aromas of lemon balm, mint, chamomile, and juicy apricot. The taste of this Riesling delights with citrus notes, juicy, grape-like nuances, as well as an earthy minerality."

THE ZILLIKEN ESTATE: Weingut Zilliken is one of the leading wine estates of the Saar region in Germany. Renowned for the steely precision of their Rieslings grown in the very cool climate and slate soils of the area, the Zilliken estate built its reputation with intense, yet delicate and nearly weightless Rieslings that “float like a butterfly.” The Zilliken family traces its winegrowing tradition back to 1742. Since then, their winemaking philosophy has always been to carefully preserve the potential that the wine carries within itself. Their greatest effort is in the vineyards, and their approach in the cellar is traditional and simple, with fermentation, clarification and maturation all happening naturally in old Fuder casks. THE

2020 VINTAGE: We had many reasons to be thankful in 2020: In the winter, our groundwater reserves were replenished through sufficient rainfall. In the spring, the vineyards were spared late frosts and hailstorms. In the hot summer, our topsoil and cover crops once again proved their worth, ensuring that the vines had access to moisture and nutrients. On September 21, earlier than ever before, we started our harvest. Thanks to healthy grapes and gentle processing, the 2020 vintage offers accessible and animating estate wines, as well as precise, elegant, and profound Grosse Lage