1997 Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler, Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese

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 ge