Clemens Busch, Marienburg 'Raffes' GL, 2020
Clemens Busch, Marienburg 'Raffes' GL, 2020
- White Still
- 75.0cl
- 8.5%
- Organic
- Biodynamic
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Riesling
The Marienburg is one of the Mosel's great monopole vineyards, wholly owned by Clemens Busch, and the Raffes parcel is arguably its most dramatic expression. Grown on vertiginous red slate above Pünderich, this is a Grosses Lage Riesling of real structural ambition — dry, precise, and built around a mineral backbone that feels almost architectural.
The 2020 vintage brought generous ripeness without softening the wine's fundamental tension, and Busch's biodynamic farming keeps everything feeling alive and unmediated.
- ❖ ABV: 8.5%
Grapes
Riesling
Vintage report
The 2020 Mosel vintage caught everyone off guard with its sheer abundance after a string of smaller harvests. A warm, dry summer pushed ripeness levels higher than usual across the slate slopes, whilst September rains arrived just in time to refresh the vines before a lengthy, sunny harvest period. Growers who held their nerve and waited were rewarded with fully ripe fruit that retained the acidity essential for proper Riesling balance.
What emerged from the cellars surprised even the most optimistic producers: wines with more immediate fruit sweetness than the region typically delivers, yet still unmistakably Mosel in their mineral backbone and citrus precision. The vintage produced exceptional kabinett and spätlese wines that drink beautifully now but will cellar confidently until 2035, whilst the dry rieslings show a rare combination of richness and freshness that makes them particularly appealing to newcomers. We find ourselves reaching for these wines constantly—they capture everything we love about Mosel riesling whilst wearing their considerable charms rather more openly than usual.
Tasting Notes
AppearancePale gold with a faint green tinge, bright and clear in the glass.
NoseRed slate and wet stone are the first things you notice — that distinctly Raffes mineral signature that smells almost ferrous. Behind it, white peach, dried apricot, and a squeeze of yuzu add fruit without sweetness. There is something smoky and almost matchstick-like that lifts the whole thing.
PalateDry and taut, with an acidity that is electric without being harsh — it runs through the wine like a wire. The fruit is concentrated but lean: nectarine skin, grapefruit pith, and a subtle beeswax texture from the slate. The body is deceptively light given the depth of flavour.
FinishLong, saline, and mineral, with the slate character persisting well after the fruit has faded.
Overall impressionA wine of real intellectual rigour that will outlast most of what is in your cellar.
Food Pairings
On the Mosel, this style of dry Riesling is the natural companion to fresh river fish — pike-perch, trout, or zander, often simply pan-fried in butter and served with parsley potatoes. The wine's acidity cuts beautifully through anything rich or slightly oily, making it a classic match for freshwater crayfish with a mustard cream sauce. Locals also drink it alongside Moselle-style onion tart or a plate of aged Gouda-style cheeses, where the slate minerality provides a counterpoint to the fat. The low alcohol makes it a wine you can drink through an entire meal without tiring of it.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at 10-12°C — cold enough to preserve the freshness but not so cold that the mineral complexity closes down. No decanting needed; this is a wine that opens gradually in the glass over 30-40 minutes, so pour and return to it. A tall, narrow Mosel-style Riesling glass works perfectly here, directing the aromatics upward and keeping the wine cool for longer.
The Marienburg rises steeply above the Mosel bend at Pünderich, with the Raffes parcel sitting on deep red Devonian slate — a warmer, richer substrate than the blue slate found elsewhere on the hill. The aspect is south to south-west, maximising sun exposure on a gradient that makes mechanical farming impossible. This combination of warm slate, extreme slope, and the river's moderating influence produces Rieslings with a particular density and spice that distinguishes Raffes from the cooler, more austere Fahrlay parcel on the same hill.
The Marienburg is classified as a Grosses Lage under the VDP classification system, Germany's most rigorous hierarchy of top vineyard sites, broadly equivalent to Grand Cru in Burgundy. Wines labelled Grosses Gewächs from these sites must be dry, harvested by hand, and meet strict minimum must weights. The Mosel is famed above all for its slate soils and steep riverside sites, which produce Rieslings of piercing acidity and extraordinary longevity at naturally low alcohol levels that are essentially impossible to replicate anywhere else.
The 2020 Mosel vintage caught everyone off guard with its sheer abundance after a string of smaller harvests. A warm, dry summer pushed ripeness levels higher than usual across the slate slopes, whilst September rains arrived just in time to refresh the vines before a lengthy, sunny harvest period. Growers who held their nerve and waited were rewarded with fully ripe fruit that retained the acidity essential for proper Riesling balance.
What emerged from the cellars surprised even the most optimistic producers: wines with more immediate fruit sweetness than the region typically delivers, yet still unmistakably Mosel in their mineral backbone and citrus precision. The vintage produced exceptional kabinett and spätlese wines that drink beautifully now but will cellar confidently until 2035, whilst the dry rieslings show a rare combination of richness and freshness that makes them particularly appealing to newcomers. We find ourselves reaching for these wines constantly—they capture everything we love about Mosel riesling whilst wearing their considerable charms rather more openly than usual.
FAQs
What does the Raffes GL taste like?
Dry, precise, and deeply mineral — this is Riesling defined by its slate soils rather than obvious fruit. Think white peach and grapefruit underpinned by a ferrous, almost smoky mineral quality. The acidity is electric, the body is lean, and the finish goes on and on. It is the opposite of a crowd-pleaser and all the better for it.
Is this wine dry or off-dry?
Fully dry. As a Grosses Gewächs from the VDP classification, it must be vinified dry, and Clemens Busch has always worked in this style. There is no residual sweetness here — any impression of richness comes from the slate and the concentration of the fruit, not sugar.
When is the best time to drink it?
It is approachable now in 2026 and genuinely enjoyable, but we would advocate patience. Give it until at least 2028-2030 for the complexity to fully unfold, and expect the sweet spot to run from the early 2030s until around 2040. Well-cellared bottles will hold until 2045.
What food should I serve with this?
River fish is the classic match — trout, pike-perch, or zander, simply cooked. The acidity also makes it a superb partner for anything with cream or butter sauces, freshwater crayfish, or aged semi-hard cheeses. It is also excellent on its own if you want to pay attention to what is in the glass.
How should I serve it?
Serve at 10-12°C in a tall Riesling glass. No need to decant — just pour and let it open gradually over the first 30-40 minutes. Resist the temptation to serve it too cold, as that will shut down the mineral complexity that makes this wine worth drinking.
Why is the Marienburg Raffes parcel significant?
The Marienburg is a monopole — Clemens Busch owns the entire hill — and Raffes is one of its most distinctive sub-parcels, grown on red Devonian slate that gives the wine a warmer, spicier, and denser character than the blue slate parcels nearby. It is one of a handful of sites in the Mosel that can genuinely claim Grand Cru-level complexity, and Busch's biodynamic farming ensures nothing gets in the way of that.
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