Retail Savings $32.00 $40.00 20% 2015 Blees-Ferber Auslese Rieslingproduct-timed-pdf - Piesporter Gärtchen Vnyd, Mosel, Germany - Single Vnyd | Noble Sweet | 500mL Bottle Why We're Drinking It Among the high peaks of the Mosel, Stefan Blees is an "under the radar" badass known for his grower-producer Riesling. This noble grape with a reputation for transcending time and place takes on new depth in the 2015 Blees-Ferber Piesport Gärtchen monopole bottling. A late harvest, dessert wine stunner, it’s a taste of the good life in every sip. Where the treacherous slate of Mosel’s vineyards meets the tread of a boot, you’ll find great terroir. Stefan’s Piesporter Gärtchen vineyard is a singular wonder (within the famous Piesporter Goldtröpfchen vineyard) for growing expressive, transportive Riesling. The ethereal lightness of acidity perfectly balances the palate of baked peaches and heady Gala apples. Minerality laces every moment, carrying this wine from the mountain tops of its origin to an experiential luxury you can enjoy. Named for its small size and hidden-garden style vineyard practices, the Piesporter Gärtchen (little garden of Piesport) is the site from which Stefan produces most of his dessert wines. And the crowning glory of his bottlings is this Estate Auslese that has us hoping for more grower-producer goodness from Blees-Ferber in years to come. For now, we’re happy to share this rarified treasure with our members! _________________________________________________________________ Why we love it: ● The Piesporter Gärtchen vineyard offers up a singular vision for Stefan Blees. He owns the entire parcel and each grape makes its way into his sublime, singular visionary bottles of Riesling. ● Germany’s Mosel region is hallowed soil for Riesling lovers. The layers of slate crumble just underfoot and are rumored lend the strong sense of minerality to the noble bottles of golden goodness. ● Late harvest is overtime for winemakers. Stefan waits until well after all the other Riesling is harvested before daring to touch those bunches left on the vine long after fall descends on the region. The overripe grapes lend themselves to this unctuous and gloriously rich bottle of Auselse. ● Goldkapsel - gold capsule (GKA - GOLD KAPSULE) - SWEET A golden capsule or foil on the bottle. Denotes a wine considered better by the producer. Usually means a Prädikatswein that is sweeter or more intense, or indicates an auction wine made in a very small lot. Fun Story: The region around Piesport was settled as early as Roman times by the Romans. “Like an amphitheatre’s rows”, wrote the poet Ausonius, the vineyards framed the place. Between the centres of Alt-Piesport and Ferres, the biggest Roman wine pressing facility north of the Alps was unearthed in 1985, and partly reconstructed. It is the focus of the yearly Römisches Kelterfest (“Roman Wine Press Festival”) held on the second weekend in October. Other Roman finds have led to the conclusion that the village was once an important port. It was dedicated to Bigontius, a local deity, whence the name Porto Pigonto was derived, which eventually mutated into “Piesport”. Tasting Notes VARIETAL Aroma of fresh cut tropical fruits and unfolds in the mouth with flavors of Riesling cotton candy. Aromas of ripe citrus and vanilla, showcasing the distinctive APPELLATION Mosel minerality. Flavors that resemble the childhood fair with notes of sour Mosel, Germany apple and cotton candy on the finish. ALCOHOL 7.50 SIZE Auslesen are sometimes considered a German dessert wine, especially the 500ml wines made from botrytis infected bunches, though it is not as sweet as BLEND Eiswein, Beerenauslese (BA), or Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) dessert Riesling wines. FERMENTATION sees only steel PRODUCTION only 50 cases imported The Story to Know The Blees-Ferber estate is located on a hill above Leiwen in the Bernkastel area, showcasing a beautiful view of the Mosel and the surrounding vineyards. Since winemaker Stefan Blees has taken over production of this family-owned estate in the mid-nineties, he has successfully increased the quality of the estate’s wines year over year. Today, he has a reputation as a phenomenal grower-producer of Riesling, the most noble German grape variety. The estate’s vineyards stretch over a total territory of only 10.5 hectares, producing an annual average of 55,000 bottles. Like most Mosel vineyards, the winery produces mainly Riesling, which makes up 90% of its portfolio, followed by Rivaner, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc. 75% of the wine is dry or semi-dry and 25% is sweet or dessert wine. Educational: Auslese (literal meaning: "selected harvest"; plural form is Auslesen) is a German language wine term for a late harvest wine and is a riper category than Spätlese in the Prädikatswein category of the Austrian and German wine classification. The grapes are picked from selected very ripe bunches in the autumn (late November-early December), and have to be hand picked. Generally Auslese wine can be made in only the best harvest years that have been sufficiently warm. A small proportion of the grapes may be affected by noble rot in some regions although this never dominates the character of the wine. Rheingau winemaker Schloss Johannisberg is generally credited with discovering Auslese wine in 1787. How was the 2015 vintage overall? It is the perfect vintage for its moment. The quick-and-dirty headline is, 2015 is very good, and it contains many great wines. 2015 presents as a strong, even robust vintage, muscular and ripped. It’s easy to see into, easy to grok, but while the wines are sturdy they are rarely brutish. As a rule they aren’t lacy or filigree, though they are often seriously complex. ~Terry Theise, Respected Importer Video: What is Auslese (by a German Winemaker) Perfect Pairings While best enjoyed alone some Pastries, fruit-based or creamy desserts go well with Auslese. I on the other hand enjoy contrast, spicy food is perfect! Try some Mango Chipotle Shrimp flatbread with some cilantro and a kiss of lime. Thai food and Indian food come to mind immediately. Ratings A RARE Find with almost NO Retail Presence & Best $$ (Only 50 cases imported) 95 Insider Points Reviews Another stunning fine Riesling from the Mosel that makes Sommeliers drool. Quality over quantity from a fantastic producer! It is an honor to be in the presence of high class German Riesling at a VERY Reasonable price point. Fruit from the Piesporter Goldtröpfchen vineyard usually demands very high prices so i'll continue to maintain that German grape growing standards are the best in the world and this 2015 Blees-Ferber is a fine example. From a prestigious vineyard in the ancient Piesport, full of endless nuances, I just adore this wine. The bouquet is laced with beautiful flowers with orange blossom and honey suckle but none of that off-putting petrol gasoline perfume (showing it was also carefully crafted). This Auslese is a pretty straight shooter just like me, and on the palate it's loaded with ripe sliced peaches, sour apple, cotton candy & slatey minerality. It is lighter and crisp and perfectly balanced with its elegant sweetness (not over the top viscosity and definitely not syrupy). That shows me classy, well-made/balanced wine that hits on all fronts. Much lighter than a Sauternes and a tad sweeter than any Spatlese you've had. The star of the show is the lively acidity that jumps around the glass like the best apple you've ever had! Very versatile with spicy food, desserts or as an aperitif. Drink now or age for 40 years! .