Riesling Marienburg Grosse Lage „Rothenpfad“ Reserve 2020

Wine Description for Riesling Marienburg Grosse Lage „Rothenpfad“ Reserve 2020 by Clemens Busch

Colour & Appearance

Pale, sparkling golden yellow – clear and luminous in the glass, with a depth that already hints at the extended maturation.

Nose

The nose is captivating in its complexity: ripe orange and lime meet candied apricot and a whisper of pineapple, underpinned by delicate honey notes and airy floral aromas. Beneath this runs a precise, multifaceted slate minerality – that unmistakable mineral signature of the Mosel – like a golden thread through the entire aromatic profile. Refreshing herbal notes lend the nose additional elegance and tension.

Palate

On the palate, the wine unfolds with remarkable precision: A fine, almost tender residual sweetness – barely more than a whisper – stands in elegant dialogue with a vibrant, nervy, cool acidity. The interplay is harmonious, never one-dimensional. The texture is creamy and dense, a result of the extended time on lees, yet the wine remains consistently lively and possessed of great freshness.

Finish

Long, saline-mineral and characterised by fine slate minerality. The finish concludes with citrus-fresh acidity and leaves behind a pleasant, stimulating mouthfeel – a sign of great ageing potential.

Terroir & Origin

The parcel „Rothenpfad“ lies in the steepest section of the Marienburg Grosse Lage, opposite Pünderich, high above the railway viaduct. The soil consists of soft, weathered red slate – light, well-draining and nutrient-poor. The extreme steepness makes any mechanisation impossible; soil compaction simply does not occur here, offering the vine roots ideal conditions for deep, healthy growth.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pure Riesling, made as a Reserve: Clemens Busch selects for this bottling a single barrel of Grosse Gewächs quality. The wine matures for at least 24 months on full lees in barrel – an exceptionally long maturation for the Mosel, which gives the wine its creamy depth and complexity. It is then bottled unfiltered to preserve its full potential. Alcohol: 12.0% vol.

Food Pairing Suggestions

For those wishing to enjoy the wine now, choose dishes that play with spice and sweetness: Peking duck, Thai curry with coconut milk, pan-seared scallops with mango-chilli salsa or a classic Alsatian tarte flambée with pear and Gorgonzola. With a little patience – and it is well worth it here – it unfolds into an even more multifaceted companion for aged Munster cheese or lobster with bisque.

Special Characteristics

This wine is a prime example of the quiet revolution that Clemens Busch is driving forward on the Mosel: no compromise between origin and craft. The unfiltered bottling after exceptionally long maturation on lees makes the „Rothenpfad“ Reserve one of the intellectually most compelling Rieslings in the region – a wine that demands time and rewards it.