Lauer Riesling Grand Cru Unterstenberg NO.12 2020

Notes from the importer:

Winemaker: Florian Lauer
practicing organic
wild yeasts

country: Germany
appellation: Saar
village: Ayl
main vineyard(s):Ayler Kupp, Schonfels, Saarfeils

Summary:

For purists, there is nothing like the Saar. The magic here is intensity without weight, grandiosity without size: rocks and acidity. Lauer is currently one of greatest estates in this sacred place. The style here is 180 degrees removed from his famous neighbors Egon Müller and Zilliken. The focus here is on dry and dry-tasting Riesling. While the source of most of the bottlings is the famed Ayler Kupp, Florian uses the pre-1971 vineyard names – Neuenberg, Stirn, Unterstenberg. Rigorous vineyard work, indigenous yeasts and spontaneous fermentations mean the wines find their own balance. The results are undeniable: depth, texture, dimension, clarity, CUT.

For Lauer, the large site of the Ayler Kupp has many different terroirs rather than a single, defining character. Soil composition, exposition, altitude, and microclimate in combination with vine age all make contributions to the individual character of each wine.

size: 8 hectares
key grape varieties: 100% Riesling
soil:slate, alluvial soils (Feils Vineyard)
vine age:10-100+years old, with ungrafted vines in many cuvées.

All vineyard work is done by hand due to the incline of the vineyards. Absolutely no use of insecticides/pesticides or fertilizers; the work is completely organic but not certified as such because Florian refuses to spray copper on the vines. He is alarmed and disturbed by the amount of copper buildup in many organic vineyards and the impact the copper has on the microorganisms in the soil.

vinification: Whole-cluster grapes are pressed directly in a pneumatic press, with the juice occasionally pumped back in for a short maceration. All fermentations take place with native yeasts and no fining agents or any other elements or products are ever added. Wines mature in a mixture of stainless steel, fiberglass and traditional Fuder for 1-6 months on the lees, depending on the cuvee. No fining agents are used. The wines are lightly filtered with diatomaceous earth; all wines are vegan.