Riesling Marienburg Kabinett VDP Grosse Lage 2025

Wine description for Riesling Marienburg Kabinett VDP Grosse Lage 2025 by Clemens Busch

Character

An old-school Kabinett: delicately sweet, cool and of ethereal lightness. Here the natural sweetness of the Riesling meets the cool acidity of the Mosel – a tension that becomes addictive. Seismic minerality, taut drive, plus notes of citrus, white peach and wet slate. A wine that shows why the Marienburg ranks among Germany’s mythical vineyard sites.

Terroir & Origin

The Pündericher Marienburg is one of the great steep slopes of the Mosel – and Clemens Busch owns eleven of his twenty hectares there. Three slate colours shape the terroir: red, grey and blue slate, recognisable by the coloured capsules. The oldest vines root up to eight metres deep into the rock – a natural buffer against heat and drought that becomes invaluable in times of climate change.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Riesling in its most classic Mosel form. As early as 1976, the then 19-year-old Clemens Busch banished herbicides; the estate has been farmed biodynamically since 1986 and has held Demeter certification since 2015. In the cellar, patience and restraint prevail: the majority of the wines ferment spontaneously in centuries-old wooden casks, without cultured yeasts or fining, and the long ageing on fine lees lends depth and complexity. In 2023, the estate received the Robert Parker Green Emblem for outstanding sustainability.

Food Pairings

The delicate sweetness of this Kabinett loves contrasts: spicy Asian cuisine, such as Thai curry or Vietnamese summer rolls, finds its ideal counterpoint here. It is also a delightful choice with aromatic cheese, pâté or a fruit salad with citrus fruits. Served on its own, well chilled, on a long summer evening, it tastes every bit as good.