2018 Loosen Barry Walhalla Riesling

Ernst Loosen has been friends with Peter Barry of the Jim Barry estate in Australia for over 30 years. In 2015, they saw each other at the Riesling Downunder event, and they had the idea to do a Riesling together in Australia as in Germany. Ernst arranged to send a 3000 liter German barrel down to Australia (the barrel was given the name “Fritz” by the Barrys).

The idea was for Ernst to produce an Australian Riesling at the Barry’s estate the way he produces his dry GG RÉSERVE wines from the Mosel, while the two sons of Peter Barry produce a German Riesling in the Australian style with Mosel grapes at Dr. Loosen. The Australian Riesling that Ernst produced at the Barry’s estate is called WOLTA WOLTA, the Aboriginal name for “good water”. It is the area where the vineyard is located which was a watering place for wild animals.

The German Riesling which the Barry Brothers produced at Dr. Loosen from Mosel grapes is called WALHALLA. The grapes were harvested from the Grosse Lage (or what the French call Grand Cru), Erdener Treppchen vineyard and the wine is fermented bone dry in a stainless steel tank and then aged on the fine yeast in the tank for around two years. Additionally the wine was kept one year in the bottle before release. “Walhalla”, which is German for “Garden of the Gods” where the souls of heroes slain in battle were supposedly received by Odin and celebrated drinking sprees and feasts all day long.