Weingut Monchhof Mosel Erdener Pralat Riesling Auslese 2018

The Prälat is a true icon and one of Germany's most famous and expensive vineyards. This tiny 1.5-hectare site is nestled in the steepest and most extreme of the hill, between the Grand Crus: Würzgarten and Treppchen. The steep slope faces south with near-perfect exposure to the sun and has a unique terroir blending blue-grey slate elements of the Erdener Treppchen with iron oxide elements of Ürzig. The parcel is planted with 120-year-old Riesling vines that, year after year, deliver the best vintage grapes. The vineyard is the last to be harvested each year, as the berries hang loosely and ripen for a long time. The old vines are trained using the traditional single-pole system that is characteristic of the Mosel, which allows for a greater planting density, and under healthy competition, their roots extend deep into the soil to find water and nutrients – some are over 15 metres deep. Cultivated by hand, the soils are loose and healthy and can absorb rainwater easily. Only Auslese is made from the Prälat vineyard and still features the original label from the 1930s.