Markus Molitor

About Markus Molitor

Today, the Markus Molitor winery owns over 100 hectares, even though the winery's namesake began his career at just 20 years old without any vineyards of his own. When he took over the business from his father, Molitor wine was grown solely on leased vineyards. Despite the winery's current size, the Molitor name stands for an almost fanatical attention to detail, strict manual craftsmanship, and a supreme talent for terroir expression. In the vineyard, the grapes are meticulously selected, with Markus Molitor always on-site and in the thick of it. Once the grapes arrive in the cellar, he continues his work: spontaneous fermentation, vinification according to site and plot, and long lees aging in, in some cases, ancient, Moselle barrels are just some of the factors that contribute to his distinctive style.

The portfolio of grape varieties is manageable: Riesling makes up the vast majority, along with a small amount of Weissburgunder and Pinot Noir. What they all have in common is that the specific characteristics of the vineyard site and the terroir of the Mosel are perfectly teased out and taken to the extreme. Even the Weissburgunder has a smoky slate note that immediately evokes memories of the Mosel's steep slate slopes. Another unique feature is the sorting according to capsule colors and stars. A white capsule means sensorially dry, and the more colorful the capsule, the sweeter the wine. Only Auslese wines receive stars, with the number depending on the extract richness and complexity of the respective wine. Accordingly, there aren't "wines with stars" every year, but only when the quality of the vintage truly warrants it.

The Molitor range is vast and encompasses the entire spectrum of German Riesling: wines from up to 100-year-old, ungrafted vines, Kabinett wines, Spätlese (late harvest wines), Auslese (selected vintages), Trockenbeerenauslese (toasted berry selections), and Eiswein (ice wines). Many of these wines need time to smooth out their initially boisterous acidity and tremendous extract and bring them into balance. Ultimately, they then prove all the more long-lasting. However, some representatives are certainly approachable even in their youth and bring great Mosel enjoyment straight into the glass. Our personal introduction to the Riesling range is the Riesling Schiefersteil , which combines the most wonderful Mosel fruit and spicy slate smoke for an incredibly fair price – the perfect everyday Riesling! The Alte Reben pair:Alte Reben Mosel Riesling and Alte Reben Saar Riesling clearly elevate enjoyment to the next level. Extremely focused aromas, combined with juiciness and drinkability, as only this growing region can produce. The Saar wines are always cooler and more linear due to the slightly cooler microclimate.

The holy trinity is made up of the three fruity-sweet Kabinetts: Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett , Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett, and Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett . This is a joy that is almost impossible to describe and a true delight for fans of the Mosel's perfect interplay of sweetness and acidity. Here we are definitely at the absolute top of German Kabinetts. After all, the Ausleses, both dry and sweet, crown our range. These are long-lasting monsters packed with extract and texture that send shivers down your spine with every sip. We understand anyone who tears up at the first sip. The Kinheimer Hubertuslay Riesling Auslese** is extremely darkly spicy and full of tension and should definitely be left to rest for a while. The Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Auslese*** 2015, on the other hand, can be opened now and reveals a firework display that is second to none. Markus Molitor: a big name, a huge range, gigantic wines.