Georg Breuer Terra Montosa 2001
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Montosa commemorates the terracing of the Rudesheimer Berg by the Archbishop of Mainz in 1074. Selected healthy grapes from steep mountainside vineyards - including the Grand Crus Berg Schlossberg and Nonnenberg - are harvested at optimum maturity. An interplay of Rudesheims characteristic mineral aromas with the citric, floral flavors of Rauentahl: the essence of great and ageworthy Rheingau Riesling.
To further the selection of the top CRU to the highest level, we introduced in 1990 a "second wine" in the Bordeaux Grand Cru tradition. Montosa–or Terra Montosa-stands for "steepest slopes". This notion has been first used in 1074 a.c. when for the first time vineyards were planted in the until than uncultivated mountenous hillsides in Rüdesheim. The patchwork of soilstyles in the Rüdesheim Berg vineyards with their high potential to reach top maturity every year are married together in this Cuvée of greatest complexity. Eric Asimov of the New York Times writes: "Dry yet full of complex mineral and fruit flavors, excellent balance".
"Cantaloupe and orange scents. In the mouth, caraway and candied orange peel with the bittersweetness and oiliness that these flavors entail. Formidably dense but sappy and juicy, not too austere in its dryness, and possessed of some fascinating hints of flowers and musk. Full yet fresh."
-International Wine Cellar
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Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
Practically one long and bucolic hillside along the northern bank of the Rhein River, the Rheingau stretches the entirety of the river’s east to west spread from Hocheim to Rüdesheim.
Variations in elevation, soil types, and proximity to the Rhine cause great diversity in Rheingau Riesling. Some of the better Rieslings in warmer years come from the cooler and breezier sites at higher elevations. In cooler years, sites closer to the river may perform better.
In the village of Rüdesheim, slopes are steep and soils are stony slate with quartzite; Rieslings are rich and spicy, intense in stone fruit and show depth and character with age. World class Rieslings come from farther east on the river through Geisenheim, Johannisberg, Winkel, Oestrich and past Erbach as well, where soils of loess, sand, and marl alternate. Long-living, floral-driven and mineral-rich Rieslings come from the best of these sites.
Rheingau growers became early activists in promoting the dry style of Riesling, low yields and the classification of top vineyards, or Erstes Gewächs (first growths). Proximity to the metropolitan markets of Mainz, Wiesbaden, and Frankfurt keeps Rheingau in high reputation. While dry wines are the style here, Rheingau isn’t short of some amazing Auslesen, Beerenauslesen, and Trockenbeerenauslesen.
Rheingau doesn’t mess with many other grapes—in fact 79% of its total area is dedicated to Riesling. But it produces some fine Pinot noir, especially concentrated in Assmannshausen, a bit farther west from Rüdesheim.