MAKING THE BEST FROM STEEP SITES
For Nik Weis viticulture is a specialized form of agriculture; the focus isn't upon exploiting high yields but for encouraging high quality.
It's a combination of art, science, work, intuition, precision, responsibility for the environment, and personal belief. Those who let this special culture decline into an industrialized process will then be left with simple, uninspired results. This low budget viticulture, while suitable for many good wine regions, doesn't excel in the Mosel; the Mosel demands much work to get the best from it.
It's this hand cultivation which encourages the soil to release its minerals to the vines, the minerals which are the foundation of Mosel wines' character.
St. Urbans-Hof's vineyards are fertilized exclusively with manure and organic humus. Only healthy and well-balanced soils can bring expressive, powerful wines with finesse. Herbicides are eschewed and appropriate canopy management techniques employed to allow maximum sun exposure for ripening.
These methods require much effort and artisan skills.
Severe summer pruning (green harvest) focuses the full power of the vine to concentrate itself into fewer grapes, necessary for Nik and his team to eke out lower yields. It's important to them that harvest begins as late as possible, allowing grapes to ripen slowly so as to ensure maximum aromatic potential.
Under the watchful eyes of Hermann Jostock and Nik, 100% of the harvest is done by hand and loaded into traditional bins called "hotten", an ancient but tested and true method of gathering, then transferred to the winery.
Ideal Foundation for Riesling
Slate soils imprint wines with character unlike
anywhere else. read more
Slate soils imprint wines with character unlike
anywhere else. read more
Artisans Working Together
To turn a philosophy of quality into reality requires
careful thought and determined planning.
read more
To turn a philosophy of quality into reality requires
careful thought and determined planning.
read more
Traditional Trellising for Perfect Mosel Wine
The steeply-sloped St. Urbans-Hof Riesling vines
are upon trellises favored for centuries in the Mosel.
read more
The steeply-sloped St. Urbans-Hof Riesling vines
are upon trellises favored for centuries in the Mosel.
read more
