St. Urbans-Hof
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Nik Weis’ philosophy, 'con natura – no invicem’, with nature not against it, becomes apparent as a rather holistic approach throughout vineyard and winery. "For me it is self-evident that great wines can only be produced, and the viticulture related cultural landscape, can only be preserved for future generations, if work is done with nature and its environment and not against it. Many of the older generation are not able to take care of their vineyards anymore. The work is physically demanding and very labour intensive, most of the wineries are looking for cost efficient ways to manage their vines. In cases where retiring growers are struggling to find successors, vineyards - and some of them are dating back to Roman times - are being abandoned. It is my objective, wherever possible, to rehabilitate and maintain these parcels to preserve not only the culture of the region, but the terroir so distinctive to our Mosel wines." Being part of FAIR'N GREEN, St. Urbans-Hof does not only commit to the protection of the environment and sustainable management, but also fair social and cultural interactions.
As a VDP member since 2000, St. Urbans-Hof has vineyards spread across 4 Grand Crus (or "Große Lage") alongside two rivers: Mosel & Saar. They are all planted with 100% Riesling on blue, grey and red slate, depending on the location. While Mosel wines usually display more feminine, softer attributes with round edges, Saar wines are known for their acidity, vivacity and lightness. Laurentiuslay on the Mosel is one of his Grand Crus. While the higher alcohol levels for these wines have some of the markers of more southerly winegrowing regions, the elegant style and fine acidity bear the unmistakable stamp of a Mosel upbringing. Wines from Goldtröpfchen Grand Cru vineyard in the Mosel are traditionally left with residual sweetness and retain their fresh and youthful flavors even after over 30 years. Located on the Saar river, Bockstein Grand Cru wines deliver floral notes and an almost salty minerality, complementing the smokiness of the slate. These are probably the most striking and polished wines the estate has to offer. As the name already indicates, Saarfeilser is another Grand Cru vineyard from the Saar and grapes are grown in one of the warmest sites. A 90° bend in the Saar occurs here, bringing together numerous soil types. The mix of young river sediments and old slate stone translates into wines of striking lightness. The Wiltinger site, not classified as a Grand Cru but nonetheless just as delightful, is beloved for its light, refreshing off-dry Kabinetts - labeled as Wiltinger "Alte Reben."
After the careful selection of fruit in the vineyard, the grapes are picked by hand and transferred to the winery. The whole bunches are gently crushed and allowed some time on skins, before a soft and long pressing takes places. Ferments start naturally and the wines undergo a gentle filtration before being bottled.
As a rule of thumb in regards to the labeling of Nik Weis wines: Dry style wines carry a white label, fruity and sweet style wines carry a black label. Dry "Große Lage" wines have to be labeled as "Großes Gewächs", meaning Großes Gewächs = dry.
After the careful selection of fruit in the vineyard, the grapes are picked by hand and transferred to the winery. The whole bunches are gently crushed and allowed some time on skins, before a soft and long pressing takes places. Ferments start naturally and the wines undergo a gentle filtration before being bottled.
As a rule of thumb in regards to the labeling of Nik Weis wines: Dry style wines carry a white label, fruity and sweet style wines carry a black label. Dry "Große Lage" wines have to be labeled as "Großes Gewächs", meaning Großes Gewächs = dry.
St. Urbans-Hof
Nik Weis’ philosophy, 'con natura – no invicem’, with nature not against it, becomes apparent as a rather holistic approach throughout vineyard and winery. "For me it...
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