Clemens Busch Winery - Marienburg 'Falkenlay' GG 2023

ID:
• Origin: Mosel, Germany
• Appellation: VDP.GROSSE LAGE
• Grape Variety: 100% Riesling
• Alcohol Percentage: 12.5%
• Style: Dry, refined and aromatic, slate-mineral, spicy and precise
• Aging Potential: 2028 to 2038
• Rating: 96/100 Vinous

The Marienburg Falkenlay GG 2023 comes from a grey slate parcel within the Marienburg and combines tension with a strikingly aromatic, almost “spicy-floral” finesse.

The nose offers notes of grapefruit, wet slate, and jasmine, complemented by subtle spiciness and a creamy, almond-like nuance that adds depth without making the wine heavy. The palate is layered: riper yellow fruit and fresh citrus are supported by taut acidity and a clear stony, saline backbone. The finish lingers long, with herbs, citrus, and slate in perfect balance.

Vinification.
The grapes are hand-harvested and gently pressed. Fermentation starts spontaneously with indigenous yeasts and takes place in traditional oak barrels (large, old Fuder), often resulting in slow, even fermentation and extra texture. The wine then ages on its lees to enhance complexity and precision, with minimal intervention.

The Estate.
Weingut Clemens Busch in Pünderich is one of the reference points of the Mittelmosel and at the same time one of the pioneers of sustainable viticulture in the region. Clemens Busch began pursuing a radically different approach in the vineyard in the mid-1970s: he stopped using herbicides early on, switched to organic cultivation, and later evolved to biodynamic principles. Today, work focuses strongly on living soils, biodiversity, and maximum resilience of the vines, with certification according to organic and biodynamic guidelines.

Their core holdings are in the spectacular Marienburg vineyard: extreme slopes, terracing, and different types of slate (red, blue, and grey), each imparting its own signature. Through extensive manual labor, late harvesting when necessary, and minimal intervention in the cellar, the wines have built a reputation for precision, texture, and pronounced terroir—both in dry and classic "fruity-style" Mosel.