Schloss Vollrads, `Volratz` Rheingau Riesling Trocken

Schloss Vollrads, `Volratz` Rheingau Riesling Trocken, 2023

PRODUCER

Established in the 13th century, Schloss Vollrads, in the Rheingau, is one of the world's oldest wine estates. Their illustrious history includes being the first estate to produce Kabinett in 1716 and, over 300 years later, they continue to innovate. From 2022, all of Schloss Vollrads’ wines have been certified organic and modernising the historic winery remains a crucial goal. Future developments include implementing a new, gravity-fed cellar and focusing on renewable energy sources.

In addition, Schloss Vollards has a unique, biodiverse vineyard planted with every known Riesling clone, enabling long-term studies on how these clones adapt to climate change in the Rheingau. Schloss Vollards owes much of its modern reputation to Dr. Rowald Hepp, the estate director for almost 22 years. In 2021, Rowald took a step back while retaining an advisory role and handed the reigns to Ralf Bengel, who shares the same vision for Schloss Vollards.

The estates' 80 hectares of Riesling vineyards are planted between the Rhine River and the forest-clad hills that shelter vines from cooling winds from the north. As a result, it is slightly warmer here than in the more southerly Rheinhessen. 21 hectares of Schloss Vollrads’ vineyards are classified as ‘Grosse Lage’ (‘Grand Cru’), the best quality classification in Germany, while the soils are a mixture of weathered slate, loam, clay and loess. Strict pruning and crop thinning to reduce yields by up to 40% below the legal requirement contribute to the exceptional quality of fruit.

The estate’s 40 manual pickers leave grapes on the vine until they are fully ripe, having accumulated optimum levels of sugar balanced by a refreshing acidity. For the Auslese upwards, ‘noble rot’, or ‘botrytis’, will also develop before the grapes are picked. Sulphur dioxide levels are much lower here than in most German wines, owing to the team’s meticulous approach to hygiene and their avoidance of using ‘süssreserve’ to artificially sweeten the wines.

The dry `Volratz` Riesling is made in a traditional Rheingau style, with notes of apricots and peach, supported by a crisp and mineral core. Since this quality description was created at Schloss Vollrads, it is no wonder that the delicate `Winkel` Riesling Kabinett is the estate’s signature wine. The dry Grosses Gewächs `Schlossberg` Riesling is produced from old vines in prime locations within their eponymous vineyard, resulting in a dense body and fantastic ageing potential. Due to the specific climatic conditions required for noble rot to develop, small quantities of the Auslese are produced, making this “liquid gold” (with an extraordinary residual sugar content of 113 grammes per litre) even more precious.

VINEYARDS

All Schloss Vollrads' vineyards are planted with Riesling and are situated between the Rhine and the forest-clad hills that protect the vines from the cool, northerly winds. Strict pruning ensures that yields are 40% lower than the legal requirement, while further reductions are made by crop thinning. The soil is a mixture of Taunus quartzite, argillaceous shale and calcareous loess soil. The vineyard slopes are all south facing, allowing them to capture the best sunshine. Forests on Taunus mountain range offer protection from the northern winds and create the ideal conditions for these vines.

TASTING NOTES & TECHNICAL DETAILS