Origin

This 63hectare (157 acres) steep slope adjacent to the Saar is southwest-facing composed of weathered grey slate and greywacke (quartz-rich sandstone in places transformed into quartzite). Wines from the Ockfener Bockstein are powerful and full-bodied, typically zesty in a distinctive interplay of yellow fruits and minerality.

Vinification

At the end of October, the grapes were harvested and stringently sorted by hand. This resulted in 100% healthy berries, that were gently crushed and macerated for several hours on their aroma- and mineral-rich skins. The must fermented slowly and spontaneously at low temperatures so that the wine’s multi-faceted fruity aromas could develop perfectly. Subsequently, the wine was carefully matured on the lees in a concrete egg over an extended period of time.

Tasting Note

Vinified in a single 1,000-liter concrete egg, the 2021 Riesling Ockfener Bockstein Auslese *** (White Capsule) is a beautiful palate cleanser that will show all its true class only in about a decade, but the wine outperforms the most expensive wines here in that vintage. It opens with a beautifully pure, fresh and refined, highly elegant nose of bright fruits and crushed slate, with great purity and finesse. Full-bodied, intense and saline on the palate, this is a lush, very dense but also pure, refined and very precise Bockstein with a stunningly complex, long and saline finish with fine phenolic grip. The acidity is severe and straight but keeps the wine lean and elegant. This is a fabulous, crystal-clear yet intense and sustainable Bockstein with remarkable potential. A classic to be cellared for two and more decades. 12% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in May 2023. Drink Date: 2030-2060 (S. Reinhardt – Wine Advocate)