MARKUS MOLITOR - Zeltinger Sonnenuhr - Riesling - Auslese ** 2015
Weingut Markus Molitor is located in Rheinland-Pfalz, in the Mosel region of Germany. The winery was acquired by Markus Molitor in 1984, who carried out extensive renovations between 2009 and 2012. The estate and its eponymous proprietor gained worldwide attention in 2015 and the nickname "Herr 300 Punkte" (Mr 300 Points) when three Auslese Rieslings from the 2013 vintage received 100-point ratings from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. The estate cultivates vineyards in 15 different sites in the Mosel and Saar, the vast majority being planted with Riesling. Markus Molitor uses colour-coded packaging according to the style of the wine: white capsules denote dry wines, off-dry wines have a gray-green capsule while naturally sweet and botrytis wines have a gold capsule.
The grapes are fermented slowly using indigenous yeasts in large barrels at low temperatures, often slowing to a pause in winter, then finishing off in the spring. The wines are then aged either in wooden vats or stainless steel tanks.
The term Zeltingen Sonnenuhr describes a German vineyard in Zeltingen, a district of the municipality of Zeltingen-Rachtig on the Moselle. The wines (mainly Riesling) are grown in this 21.5-hectare single site. The single layer of Zeltinger Sonnenuhr is part of the large Münzlay area.
Auslese is made from grapes that have a sweetness level of 83–110 Oechsle (the hydrometric scale measuring the density of grape must) which is equivalent to 191–260 g/L of residual sugar, and where the grapes are hand-selected and have noble rot.
Grape variety: 100% Riesling