From the Wine Trail... Luxembourg!
Bonjour de Luxembourg!
After landing in Paris, I high-tailed it over to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It's a small country at the crossroads of many cultures, with a long history, and yet it is thoroughly modern. But take a pleasant 20-minute drive out of the city, through a comically beautiful pastoral landscape, and you'll find yourself on the steep banks of the Moselle River: wine country!
I paid a visit to Maison Viticole Schmit-Fohl and Domaine Claude Bentz--both beautiful representations of the mix of modern and historic.
Nicholas Schmit is an eight-generation Luxembourgish winemaker, with a hodgepodge of buildings making up the winery in the little village of Ahn. But he's retrofitted and updated every aspect of it to ensure that his wines are precise and expressive.
Domaine Claude Bentz is another multi-generational affair. While Carole heads the winemaking, her architect sister had designed a stunning modern facility, and her mother has spent the past 30 years designing and planting a garden worthy of the Duke's palace--intricate and full of delightful surprises at every turn.
We'll be bringing you new offers from both these wineries soon, but I have several different wines available now. There are just a few bottles remaining of each of these wines in the warehouse, so jump on these quickly before they are gone.
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1) Schmit-Fohl Riesling Wormer Koeppchen 2023-
From a small plot located just south of the winery, Wormer Koeppchen is the most driving and focused of the Schmit-Fohl Rieslings--tropical aromas of lime pith and papaya lead to a driving mineral finish with ripping acidity.
2) Domaine Claude Bentz Riesling Bech-Mâcher Naumberg 2022
Carole says this is the most forward and powerful of the three Rieslings she makes. Aromas of stone fruit and white tea, with a pleasant Meyer lemon acidity on the finish. Dry, but with a round texture.
3) Domaine Claude Bentz Riesling Schwebsange Letschberg 2022
Lean and dry, with delicate fruit, this is the most mineral-driven of the Rieslings, though you won't find the petrol-like aromas of German Rieslings with this one.
4) Domaine Claude Bentz Riesling Bech-Mâcher Gottesgôf 2022
More round and fruity than the others, the Gottesgôf is a perfect gateway to Luxembourgish Riesling, with generous fruit and floral notes, and a pleasant dry finish.
5) Domaine Claude Bentz Pinot Gris Naumberg 2022
This shows the power and focus of the Naumberg vineyard, but delivered via Pinot Gris, with autumnal fruit flavors. There's plenty of tension with the acidity, but enough flexibility to pair with a wide range of foods.
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These five wines are all a wonderful window into an extraordinary, and extraordinarily beautiful, wine region. The Rieslings of Luxembourg showcase a more approachable quality to this most distinctive of grapes. I hope you pick up one or two of these beauties and give them a try.