Clemens Busch Busch Riesling Felsenterasse GG tr Marienburg

The Marienburg in Pünderich belongs to the great Riesling sites of the Mosel — and the Felsenterrasse is its steepest, wildest piece: almost vertical red slate that stores heat, releases water, and gives the Riesling a mineral depth that hardly any other soil in the region achieves.

Clemens Busch has managed these parcels biodynamically for decades, harvests exclusively by hand, and ferments spontaneously in large wooden barrels. No pure yeast intervention, no technical shortcuts — the wine is created as the site dictates, not as the cellar facilitates. The result is Rieslings with distinct character and long aging potential.

In the glass, the 2016 Felsenterrasse GG shows what red slate can do: herbal spice, a hint of smoked bacon, underneath floral hints of white blossom and dried chamomile. The fruit is precise and restrained — more dried yellow plum and lemon zest than juicy pear. The acidity is taut and crystalline, without edges, with a texture that makes the wine appear light-footed despite its density. The finish is long, tart-mineral, with a salty aftertaste that demands the next sip.

• Temperature: 12–14 °C
• Food: Zander on lentils, sauerkraut cream soup, mature Munster, or tarte flambée with bacon and crème fraîche