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Lorch is a very special place.
Everyone following the course of the Rhine river understands this. The valley narrows dramatically and forces the river to flow through breathtakingly steep cliffs, upon whose slate surface the maximum power of the sun is attracted. Could there be a better place for Riesling? Hardly so, as the grape has felt completely at home with us since 1826 when the Altenkirch vineyard was founded.
An eternity ago, the Rhine forged its route and like a diamond drill bored its way deep into the slate mountains. Lorch is exactly here, at one of the narrowest parts of the Rhine valley which guards over a real treasure of steep slate slopes with different types of soil. This makes it worthwhile investing the enormous amount of manual work, without which no vine would grow in this steep area. Manual work also means hand picking. In this age of industrial production, manual work is the first and last priority in growing a top quality wine. It is in every sense a hand crafted product. Or in other words, a made-to-measure piece of individuality.
Good wine grows.
Sounds simple – but it’s not.
After all, it reflects the realization to accept the grape as the ultimate measurement. Whatever we may do, we can never rule over nature. Thank goodness!
It all starts with the vine roots. Having gathered all elements of taste deep in the soil the roots encase it in the grapes and concentrate the aromatic variety of each year in the power of their flavours. Our task is, without interference, to bring this potential out as perfectly as possible.
Each of our wines has its distinct face – also thanks to Tomoko Kuriyama. In vineyard and cellar she makes sure that her wines develop the maximum of character. Our Geisenheim-trained oenologist firmly believes in the potential of our vineyard and in the unique growing conditions in Lorch.
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