Pinot Noir Brauneberger Klostergarten*** - 2017 - Markus Molitor

100% Pinot Noir, from vines planted in deep soil composed mainly of decomposed slate, on the finest plots of Brauneberger Klostergarten (a three-star vineyard site!). The vineyard is worked meticulously, with harvesting done by hand and rigorous sorting, to select only healthy, fully ripe grapes. The grapes are almost entirely de-stemmed, followed by a slow fermentation thanks to indigenous yeasts. After gentle pressing in a vertical press, the wine is matured in French oak barrels for 24 months. Bottled on the estate without fining or filtration.

Markus Molitor is undoubtedly the most emblematic figure of Germany’s Mosel wine region. He embodies the continuation of a winegrowing tradition spanning eight generations – centuries of men and women, nurturing the same family vineyards now under his care. Today, as the head of Weingut Markus Molitor, Markus oversees some 38 ha of vines. How far we have come since his first vintage in 1984, when a 20-year-old Markus took over just 7 ha of Riesling. But his precise, meticulous work, in the vineyard and winery alike, soon earned him accolades from the world’s leading wine guides. Today, German Mosel owes its prestige around the globe largely to this man. His achievement is all the more remarkable considering that his plots are worked entirely by hand, on vertiginously steep slopes (up to 80%). To classify his exceptional crus he uses a 3-star system, noting the number of stars on each wine. The estate produces some insanely complex Pinot Noir, which represent only 3% of the vineyard. What’s it like in the glass? A revelation.