Two college friends, a forgotten steep slope in Reil
Tobias Treis from Reil on the Mosel and Ivan Giovanett from South Tyrol met during their studies in Geisenheim, in the academic years 2003/2004. Both still work in their parents' family businesses today: Treis at the Julius Treis winery on the Mosel, Giovanett at the Castelfeder winery in South Tyrol. Giovanett wanted to make Riesling, but it is too warm for that in his South Tyrolean sites. Treis knew the Reiler Sorentberg, a slope in a side valley of the Middle Mosel at the height of Arras Castle.
The single vineyard had been fallow for over 25 years. In 2011, the two began to recultivate it. Under thorns and scrub, they found around 1000 old vines. They were cleared by hand, the rotten posts were replaced, and in May 2012, almost all of them sprouted again. The exact planting year of the old vines has not yet been clarified.
Back to life by hand: Work on a 100-percent south-facing slope
The Sorentberg measures a total of 9.5 hectares. It is a pure south-facing slope with an average gradient of 80 to 110 percent. In the well-ventilated side valley, the climate is cool. The soil is Wissenbach slate, a red slate with shell inclusions, which, according to the winery, does not exist a second time on the Mosel.
The two cite “Grown, not made” as their leitmotif. This fits in with the near-natural cultivation and the careful handling of the old vines. The Rotschiefer (red slate) is made from the vines newly planted in 2012 using the Guyot training system. It traditionally matures in a 1,000-liter Fuder (cask) that is not toasted. Wood notes like vanilla therefore remain absent, and the wine retains its slate spice.
Rotschiefer, old vines, and Rebel: The Sorentberg assortment
The assortment consists exclusively of Riesling from the Reiler Sorentberg. The Rotschiefer is dry and shows exotic fruit, a powerful acidity, and a body with tension. The Riesling “von 1000 alten Reben” (from 1000 old vines) comes from the rediscovered stocks. Falstaff rated the 2016 vintage with 95 points and described it as dense and substantial, yet with great finesse. In addition, there are Kabinett and Spätlese with low alcohol content (8 and 7.5% vol in the 2023 vintage, respectively).
The Rebel Riesling from our assortment is a Riesling with 11.5% vol. Serve it at 10 to 12 °C.
