The Mittelmosel is famous for outrageously steep slopes where vines grow on soils of almost pure slate–with shards littering the ground beneath the vines. It’s downright treacherous work in these vineyards, but the result is some of the world’s most ethereal and pristinely balanced wines. The creme de la creme of these vineyards are clustered around Bernkastel, and of those Juffer-Sonnenuhr is among the steepest of the steep. It has a gradient of 70-85%, and lies between 110 and 185 meters above sea level. The name “Juffer” is usually translated as an unmarried woman, and likely refers to a long ago owner whose three daughters did not marry.
Dr. Peter Pauly knows this vineyard and the surrounding ones as well as anyone alive. The spry octagenarian is descended from two of the more important families in Mittelmosel: Prum and Bergweiler, and he has been farming these treacherous slopes for many decades now. There are no tricks or fancy adjustments in the cellar, just the careful and gentle treatment of the laborious clusters of berries. Fermentation is in small steel tanks, by sub-plot, and is slow and cold.
The Pauly-Bergweiler estate makes the full range of table and Pradikat wines, but their later harvest bottlings are their true calling card. This 1997 Spätlese is a testament to the age-ability of Riesling grown on those steep, sun-soaked, slate-laden slopes. Though nearly 30 years old now, it still requires a 20-30 minute decant to wake it up from its slumber. As the nose opens you’ll find many layers of white peaches, nectarine, yellow apple, marmalade, lime cordial, white flowers, saffron, and of course the tell-tale petrol and forest earth of aged Riesling. However, the palate is still incredibly fresh, zippy and finishing with loads of minerals and acidity, so much so that the relatively high amount of residual sugar is wiped entirely clean and the wine feels barely off-dry. It’s a wine to contemplate over several hours, or days, with some simple cheeses. That said, it would also make a terrific pairing for a feast of Thai or Vietnamese street food. Given the extremely fair price, you can and should buy several bottles and do all of the above!
