Bottler: Winery Clemens Busch, Kirchstrasse 37, 56862 Pünderich / Germany
In the glass
Colour
Pale straw yellow with a clear, vibrant radiance.
Nose
A complex nose featuring apricot, apple and tart apple peel, alongside almond cream, a hint of cinnamon, mint, mustard seed, wet slate, flint and citrus nuances.
Palate
Creamy texture with a slight extract sweetness, balanced by agile acidity; juicy and substantial with yellow fruits, a touch of lees and a mineral freshness that lifts the wine.
Character
A Grosses Gewächs of depth and precision – the combination of grey slate, limestone elements in the weathered rock and careful vinification yields a Riesling of seismic minerality and crystalline structure.
Pairing
Ideal with pan-fried turbot with almond butter, herb-crusted loin of veal or mature Comté.
Notes
The grapes come from the south-facing Falkenlay vineyard site between Fahrlay and Rothenpfad, where grey slate with limestone deposits defines the terroir. Spontaneous fermentation in traditional 1,000-litre Fuder casks and the decision to avoid fining, relying instead on sedimentation, preserve the unadulterated expression of this remarkable vineyard.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Pale straw yellow with a clear, almost crystalline reflection — a wine that promises precision even in the glass.
Nose
A scent of almond cream and apricot, accompanied by apple with its tart skin, a hint of cinnamon and mint. Beneath lies something darker: crushed, damp slate, flint, a touch of lanolin and mustard seed — aromas that evoke stone and earth rather than an orchard. The yeast notes reveal the long maturation this wine has undergone.
Palate
Creamy on the attack, with a slight extract sweetness that is immediately balanced by agile acidity. It then becomes juicy and textured, with yellow fruits and a hint of yeast. The acidity currently appears almost restrained, yet the minerality and stoniness give it a palpable lift — an alliance that ensures freshness without ever becoming loud.
Finish
Long, cool, marked by slate and a saline precision that keeps the palate engaged well beyond the last sip.
Terroir & origin
The Pündericher Marienburg ranks among the great steep vineyard sites of the Mosel. The Falkenlay — situated between Fahrlay and Rothenpfad — faces south, and the soil consists predominantly of grey slate with weathered rock and limestone elements. Grey capsule, grey slate: this is the colour coding with which Clemens Busch has been distinguishing the three slate types of the Marienburg for years. The estate’s oldest vines root up to eight metres deep into the rock — made possible only because no herbicides have been used here since 1976.
Grape variety & vinification
Riesling, spontaneously fermented after maceration and slow, gentle pressing. Clarification is achieved through sedimentation, followed by ageing in traditional Mosel fuder casks of 1,000 litres. Apart from small additions of sulphur, nothing is added — no cultured yeasts, no fining. The estate has been farming biodynamically since 1986 and has held Demeter certification since 2015.
Food pairings
The combination of creamy texture, yellow fruit and cool minerality makes this wine remarkably versatile: with sole with almond butter, steamed turbot with fennel, or white meats such as veal or chicken in a light cream sauce. It is also a convincing choice alongside smoked trout or a risotto with young vegetables.
Special characteristics
What sets this Falkenlay apart is the tension between warmth and coolness: the southern exposure lends richness and ripeness, while the grey slate provides structure and an almost saline precision. A Grosses Gewächs that persuades not with power but with depth — and one that will gain significantly over the coming years.
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