In each year, and at each individual picking time, the ripeness of grapes in each vineyard is subject to some variation. One or two picture-book Sundays more or less, one rainy day more or less, a period of mist and fog at either the right or the wrong time, a hailstorm – there are countless imponderables that can either positively or negatively influence the quality of the grapes in each vineyard. Add to this the decision by the winemaker, sometimes purely by chance, to harvest on the right day or in the right week, to preselect, or to harvest selectively. In most of our vineyards, we consider it normal to pick a vineyard in three or four sessions. All this contributes to the quality of each wine from each vineyard, often producing a series of different wines, and countering all attempts to categorize a specific vineyard as producing a specific character in the wine. This is wishful thinking by the producers of branded products, which, if applied to wine, would rob it of its individual soul.

Unlike the results obtained in other regions, and using other grape varieties, we are fortunate that the Riesling from our slate-dominated steep vineyard slopes produces wines that can produce a wonderful quaffing wine, a naturally light, dry Kabinett, from quite low must weights, and with an alcoholic strength of only 9%, that requires no concentration in terms of chaptalizing with sugar, or using any of the concentration procedures. On the other hand, in the ideal case our rigorous selection can produce big, concentrated dry Auslese wines with an alcohol level of 13%. Between these two extremes lies a wide spectrum of styles and weights, including particularly the dry Spätlese wines, which enjoy tremendous popularity.

In addition, Riesling from the Mosel has the ability, virtually unique in the world, to bring into play with style and finesse its wonderful rich mineral notes and lively, vibrant acidity even in the classically off-dry, sweet and botrytis dessert categories.

It really is quite a miracle that such a small patch of the Earth, stretching for only a few kilometers, should bring forth such a variety of wine characters as we are able to produce – and this with totally natural means. The predicate descriptions we use to categorize our wine range are the result of a tradition of natural wine that developed to a high level in the Mosel region as early as the 19th century. For us, these terms remain the ideal structure to express the differences of early and late picking, and the natural ripeness of the grapes on the label.

In addition, this established system of categories is an aid both for us and for our customers, since it allows one to select a variety of wines to match any occasion and mood (and budget, too) by choosing wines from different classes of „fighting weight“.

There is a fairly widespread trend particularly in the dry category to do away with the lighter Kabinett wines, and also the other predicates, and to pump up the wines by means of chaptalization and concentration to an artificially full-bodied style. This is a procedure we cannot and do not follow. We stick strictly to the natural stages of grape ripeness, and ask why the differentiation between lighter and more full-bodied wines should be restricted to the sweet categories.

The individual stages of ripeness (predicates) are explained in small information boxes, listed alongside the wine categories.