Clemens Busch

Pünderich, Mosel
www.clemens-busch.de

Vineyard area: 9.5 ha
Best sites: Pündericher Marienburg und Pündericher Nonnengarten
Viticulture: Organic

The goal at the Weingut Clemens Busch is to let the wines express the place the vines are rooted in. Practicing organic viticulture for more than 20 years, the health of the vineyard as an ecological system is of high importance to him. The idea of the terroir playing a crucial role in the flavor profile of a wine is further pursued in the subdivision of Busch's vineyard Pündericher Marienburg based on the different soil types of each parcel. Fahrlay, which literally means "slate at the ferry" because the parcel is close to the river Mosel where the ferry crosses, is predominantly of blue Devon slate; Falkenlay ("slate of the falcon", being near a stone pit where falcons nest) is all grey slate; Weissenberg is the part of Marienburg with high amounts of red slate; and finally the Felsterasse, where the vines are more than 50 years old.

In the summer of 2007 Clemens Busch joined the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VdP).

Pündericher Marienburg Spätlese Fahrlay 2005

Beautiful golden color. Developed nose with a pronounced intensity of honey, white chocolate, quince and minerality. Medium sweet on the palate with medium(+) acidity, medium(+) alcohol and medium body. Pronounced intensity of quince, bitter orange marmalade and mineral flavors. Long length with a peach fruit finish. Drink now through 2025.

Swirl, take a deep breath and your nose will be deeply immersed in wonderful aromas of fruit and minerality. I was surprised to get such mature honey notes already on a wine that's barely three years old. It must be the intensity that comes from vines that are over 50 years old. Particularly charming is that whiff of peach that comes out of nowhere towards the end of the long finish. Obviously, the must-weight at harvesting must have been of very ripe Auslese level - this is a very rich wine and distinctively baroque in style. It is important to give this wine some time to warm up. Seriously. The complexity of the aromas on the nose is so much more rewarding compared to when the wine came right out of the fridge. Sit back and listen.

Vom Roten Schiefer 2005

Medium straw color. Youthful nose - very mineral with ethereal floral aromas of honeysuckle. Slightly off-dry on the palate. Medium(+) acidity. Medium alcohol and body. Pronounced intensity of floral and pear flavors. Very spicy. Medium to long length with a finish of ripe apple flavors.

Wines emanating from red slate ("roter Schiefer") are supposed to mature more slowly. If that is the case I wonder how this wine will evolve over the next ten to fifteen years. There is an astonishing amount of minerality and spice in this wine (at QbA-level!). The intensity of spice is very unusual for Riesling from the Mosel. Overall very concentrated, without feeling heavy, but still not a wine for the faint-hearted.