Rediscovery of a Lost and Forgotten Sparkling Wine Legacy
By Fran Bridgewater FCIM
In the picturesque Ürzig Würzgarten of Germany’s iconic Mosel, renowned wine trade veteran Dr. Enno Lippold is on a dedicated mission to revive a once world-class category of sparkling wines. He refers to this as «lifting the veil of oblivion» from Sparkling Hocks and Sparkling Moselles, which were so highly esteemed in the Victorian and Edwardian eras and he takes seriously his title of “Saviour of Riesling” as bestowed upon him by the late, great Steven Spurrier.
Dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sparkling Rieslings from the Mosel were celebrated on the same level as Champagne. These wines triumphed at international exhibitions, including those in Philadelphia (1876), Melbourne (1880) and Paris (1900), praised for their firm minerality, elegant complexity, fine effervescence and balanced style.
In England, the Royal Household and high society often preferred Sparkling Rieslings to Champagne. The 1901 wine list of The Savoy Hotel in London regularly featured Sparkling Hocks and Moselles, priced on par with renowned Champagnes such as Charles Heidsieck, Roederer, Ruinart and Bollinger. Queen Mary’s personal favourite, Deinhard Sparkling Moselle Green Foil, was apparently a staple in her daily routine, served by her butler James, right up until her demise in 1953.
The Rise of Riesling
Leading wine critics, Oz Clarke OBE and Anne Krebiehl MW regularly praise Riesling for its poise, fresh acidity, and finesse, deeming it perfect for crafting superior sparkling wines and elegant Sekt. Paula Sidore recently highlighted in Jancis Robinson.com that “Germany’s time has come for great sparkling wines,” noting the sleek, defined, and deeply aromatic nature of contemporary Sekts.
Dr. Lippold aims to provide additional momentum to this Riesling movement, supported by the sommelier community. A recent ‘Judgement of Paris style’ masterclass in London, chaired by Christopher Burr MW, featured a blind tasting of four sparkling wines: two Champagnes and two Sparkling Rieslings from the Mosel. The Rieslings were compared head-to-head with Blanc de Blancs, and the professional votes were almost equally split.
The blind tasting candidates comprised:
1) Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Brut NV
2) Dr Lippold Sparkling Moselle Riesling Brut 2019
3) Delamotte Blanc de Blancs Brut 2014
4) Dr Lippold Crémant de Moselle Brut 2017
Margaret Rand praised Lippold’s Crémant de Moselle, highlighting its «aromatic notes of marzipan, very tight, structured, poised; it has moved a long way from the primary fruit. Energetic and alive. Hugely characterful and assured.” Daria Antonenko, founder of Caviste Wine School, was impressed by the «beautiful acidity and elegant autolytic notes» and Mikey Clark of Vin de Plume remarked that Lippold’s premium Mosel sparklers «blew the champagnes out of their usually untouchable orbit!»
Meanwhile, Matthew Whale DipWSET of London Wine Tasting affirmed that the «divine aroma and complex palate of Lippold’s Sparkling Moselle Riesling Brut 2019 and Crémant de Moselle 2017 overshadowed the Champagne counterparts, demonstrating that Riesling-based sparkling wines, especially those crafted by passionate artisans like Dr Lippold, can surpass some of the greatest sparkling wines in the world.”
Christopher Burr MW concluded: “I think we will all agree, the results of our light-hearted straw poll clearly demonstrate how these impressive Rieslings live up to even one of the best Grande Année Blanc de Blancs on the market. Clearly the quality of the Riesling variety and its origins, on the same 50th parallel as Champagne, was prevailing today … as it did 150 years ago.”
Breathing New Life into Sparkling Moselle
Dr. Lippold is committed to revitalising this noble beverage, on a global scale. His estate in the Würzgarten, protected by a natural wall against the north winds, rain and snow and enriched by red slate bedrock with volcanic rhyolite, produces grapes with distinctive minerality and exotic aromas, most notably ripe mango. He quotes that back in 1804, when ‘La Moselle’ was part of the French Empire under the reign of Napoleon, the Weltersberg parcel was classified as Grand Cru and the cooler Neuberg parcel as Premier Cru.
Embracing organic practices, Lippold deploys traditional methods meticulously on his ungrafted, original Selection Massale old vines (aged on average between 40 and 70 years) and releases the wines only after extended ageing, ensuring they are at their optimal drinkability.
As a passionate advocate for Old Vines and one of the few true ‘Parcellaires’ in Germany, Lippold’s portfolio of still and sparkling wines stands as a testament to the Mosel’s distinctive character. His wines masterfully showcase terroir expression and vintage typicity, with a prime focus on purity, intricacy, and supreme elegance.
For more information, visit Dr. Lippold’s website: www.drlippold.com
By Fran Bridgewater FCIM
andes@andeswines.com
