Schloss Vollrads - Riesling Auslese 'white' 1973

Schloss Vollrads Riesling Auslese 1973.

Schloss Vollrads: one of the oldest wineries in the world

Schloss Vollrads is a traditional wine estate in the Rheingau, whose history is closely linked to viticulture. Viticulture was already practised here in the early Middle Ages and the oldest wine invoice dates back to 1211 . The estate is one of the few in Germany whose vineyard name (Schloss Vollrads) is allowed to appear on the label without an additional place name, which emphasises its historical significance .

The estate exclusively cultivates Riesling and produces the entire range of Prädikat wines, from Kabinett to Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein .

Classification of the 1973 vintage

Unfortunately, the specific 1973 vintage is not documented in the search results. However, the tasting notes found for other vintages, such as the 1976, give an impression of the potential and typical flavours of ripe Schloss Vollrad Auslese wines. A 1976, for example, was described as having notes of dried apricots, stewed peaches, mandarins, slate minerality and the petrol note typical of old Rieslings . These wines are often characterised by a balanced sweetness with lively acidity and can mature over many decades .

For the 1973 vintage, it is historically known that Erwein Graf Matuschka-Greiffenclau took over the heavily indebted winery in 1975. The 1973 vinification therefore took place shortly before this generational change.

What constitutes an "Auslese"?

An Ausleseis a higher quality level (Prädikat) within the German wine classification. For an Auslese, fully ripe to overripe grapes are selectively harvested by hand, which are often affected by noble rot (botrytis). This gives the wine a special concentration, intense flavours and a characteristic sweetness, which is balanced by a good acid structure . As the report on another vintage shows, the sweetness of a well-ripened Auslese can fade into the background over the years and merge with the acidity to create a delicate overall picture