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Merkelbach, Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese, 2024

White Wine from Mosel, Germany
$38.99
Use code 10OFF to get 10% off 12+ bottles
This is Spätlese the way it used to taste: mineral, archetypal and full of rapturous fruit, with none of the extra weight that has crept into the category over the past few decades. Alfred and Rolf Merkelbach spent their whole lives in Ürzig, in a family house at the foot of the Würzgarten (the "spice garden") that had been theirs for seven generations. They picked each parcel all at once "in the old way" and rarely let must weights creep above what their Prädikat called for. Their vines grow in stony, weathered red slate, and they escaped the replanting that swept most of the hill, so they still stand on their own ungrafted roots. In 2016 the brothers asked Johannes and Barbara Selbach to carry the estate on. Rolf died in October 2023 and Alfred in May 2024, so this 2024 was harvested after both brothers had gone, and it was made just as they would have made it, except for native-yeast fermentation in old Mosel Fuder casks, a change the Selbachs brought. You don't often get old-school Mosel Riesling from ungrafted vines with a story like this one, and you rarely get it this accessibly.

Shipping

Every step of the journey is managed to uphold the integrity of each bottle.

  • Nationwide Access: Flat-rate shipping available to most U.S. states with delivery in 3-5 business days.
  • Temperature-Monitored Shipping: We closely monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions to ensure shipments travel safely, with insulated packaging and refrigerated transport available when required.
  • Wine-Specific Protective Packaging: Specialized materials designed to maintain label integrity and prevent breakage during transit.
  • Provenance Assured: All wines are maintained in climate-controlled conditions at our shop until the moment of dispatch.

Returns & Exchanges

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  • Corked wine? Full refund or exchange within 60 days
  • Damaged shipment? Contact us within 48 hours
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Saturday: 10am - 9pm

Email: help@flatiron-wines.com
Phone: (212) 477-1315


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More about Merkelbach

Time travel in tiny cellars. The Merkelbach brothers (now continuing under the Selbach family) crafted Mosel Rieslings the way they were meant to be—fresh, delicate, true. They fermented in traditional 1200-liter oak casks, aged on original rootstock, and didn't fiddle. Their vines averaged 45 years old; their approach even older. In a region chasing glamour and oak, Merkelbach kept the faith in pure, salty refreshment.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Riesling

  • Vintage

    2024

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Traditional

  • Style

    Crisp

  • Sweetness

    Off-Dry

  • Body

    Medium Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Thai larb or green papaya salad, Sichuan dan dan noodles, roast pork belly with braised apples, Alsatian-style smoked ham and sauerkraut, or a wedge of Roquefort.

Tasting Profile

Expect the classic Ürziger Würzgarten profile: ripe peach, apricot and citrus with the exotic spice and smoky, stony minerality that red slate typically brings. Off-dry and light on its feet in the old-school Spätlese style, it typically pairs gentle sweetness with bright, racy acidity and finishes long and clean, never heavy.

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WINE GUIDES

German Wines

Is there a better grape than Riesling? Is there a better value? Its fruit purity, its perfume, and its mineral nuance are all unparalleled. And for centuries, the top German Rieslings were priced accordingly: at least as expensive as the top red wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy. But nowadays you could spend a lifetime exploring Germany’s great Riesling-producing regions while staying well within your budget. You might take an occasional break to try Germany’s other white grapes or perhaps a glass of Spätburgunder (the local name for Pinot Noir). It’s time to get started!

Learn more about German Wines