Burg Ravensburg 2020 Riesling Kapellenberg Grosses Gewaechs
We had been coveting the Riesling from this tiny filet vineyard since we first encountered it, but had to wait for the luscious 2015 to get any. Kapellenberg enjoys a combination of limestone-sandstone and volcanic soil unique among the holdings of the estate. It gives rise to a ravishingly aromatic wine, more on the “green” than the “yellow” side of Riesling.
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Wine Specifics
WineWise Code | GBR-RIK20 |
Country | Germany |
Region | Baden - Kraichgau |
Color/Style | White |
Destemming | Whole Cluster |
Fermentation Vessel | Barrels |
Additional Fermentation Notes | Destemmed berries
24 h standing time
Spontaneous fermentation |
Aging Vessel | 50% Used Barrique, 50% Stainless Steel |
Aging Duration (months) | 13-15 months total |
Filtered? | No |
Fining Agents | None |
Yeast Protocol | Spontaneous |
Malolactic Conversion | Yes |
Additonal Maturation Details: | Fermented in barrels
7-8 months full les ageing in
wood, followed by 6-8
months fine lees ageing in
stainless steel |
Added Sulfur | Yes, 104 mg/L |
Varieties | 100% Riesling |
Residual Sugar | 2.5 |
ABV | 12.89 |
Acidity | 6.5 |
Closure | Natural Cork |
Annual Production | 2500 cases |
Certified Vegan | No |
Other Wine Facts | Riesling grapes are subjected to whole cluster pressing with no skin contact. The grapes are pressed very gently for 3 hours, followed by natural sedimentation and then spontaneous fermentation in 500 I previously filled barrels and no temperature control. The wine is fermented until 1 June, racked on the yeast throughout August and bottled in September. |
Primary Vineyard Name | Eichelberg Kapellenberg (chapel on top) |
Soil Types | Limestone, Volcanic Rock |
Elevation (meters) | 300 |
Vine Age | 20 |
Yields (hl/ha) | 35 |
Farming Practices | Certified Organic, Certified Biodynamic, Certified Sustainable |
Harvest Method | Hand-harvested |
Additional Harvest Notes | Single Guyot |
Other Vineyard Details | The south-south-east facing Kapellenberg vineyard was already discovered for viticulture by the Romans. The Benedictine monks of the Wigoldesberg monastery already regarded the
site as one of the best vineyard locations in Kraichgau. In 1748, the then master cooper Jo-
hannes Emmerich built St Michael's Chapel, which still bears his name today, at the highest
point. Our highest and steepest vineyard is located above the village of Eichelberg on a
ridge crowned by a mixed beech-oak forest. The speciality of the soil is the 160 million year
old Stubensandstein with volcano that only occurs there. The high proportion of sandstone
results in a very barren soil. |
Notes from the Producer: The Kapellenberg is our only Grosse Lage not situated directly on the castle hill. It is located approx. 15 km (9 miles) north of the Husarenkappe Grosse Lage. We now hold a 2 ha (h acre) block at the top, with the 2014 vintage Burg Ravensburg’s first to be grown here. The inclines range up to 70%, making the vineyard as steep as it is unique. The south-facing vineyard is also our highest, at 304 meters above sea level. This combination of height, steepness and exposition lends an unmistakable tension to the wine. The Kapellenberg’s terroir is also notable: the “Berg” (ridge) was formed by volcanic activity that pushed up the limestone and mixed it with volcanic rock into a light but highly complex soil. The name refers to a chapel on top, built in 1748 in honor of St. Michael. The first documented mention of the vineyard came in 1225 in relation to the Wigoldesberg Monastery.
