Germany ~ Reil Mosel Sorentberg

Tobias Treis (Reil/Mosel) and Ivan Giovanett (Neumarkt/South Tyrol) have re-cultivated the almost forgotten single vineyard Reiler Sorentberg after 25 years of fallow land. The steep southern slope lies in a side valley on the Moselle and is famous 

for its long-lived wines. The red Wissenbach slate can only be found there and gives this Riesling its distinctive spice.” The Sorentberg is unique with its total area of 9.48 hectares. Its terroir is an interplay of many factors that result in a remarkable whole: 100 percent southern slope extreme gradient with an average gradient of 80 to 110 percent, cool climate, because the mountain lies in a well ventilated side valley at the Mosel river unique soil type, the so-called Wissenbach slate (red slate with shell inclusions), which is unique on the whole Moselle. In the course of the re-cultivation work on the Reiler Sorentberg, almost 1000 old vines were discovered in the upper, extremely steep part of the vineyard. Despite extensive research, it has not yet been possible to determine the exact year of planting.

As far as the further development of the wines is concerned, the two young winegrowers have clear ideas. They want to proceed according to traditional methods.

Rather, they are relying on the classic winemaking virtues, such as respect for the terroir, priority given to vineyard work, rigorous hand-picking in several harvest stages, gentle treatment of the grapes, spontaneous fermentation in traditional wooden barrels and the renunciation of wine treatment agents.
“Tradition obliges”, says Treis, “we want wines that tell of their origin. We are convinced that the personality of Sorent will be expressed more strongly in this way. In addition to the up to 100-year-old 1,000-litre wood-burners of his great-grandfather Julius, new un-toasted Moselle wood-burners from Palatinate oak are also used.

They do without mass production methods such as temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and cooled fermentation with pure yeasts.