As triumphant as its namesake Beethoven symphony, Eroica’s wines are a harmonious celebration of Old World traditions and New World innovations.
Few have worked harder to promote the quality and traditions of Riesling winemaking across the globe than Ernst Loosen, of Dr Loosen Estate. Deep in the Mosel valley, Germany, the Loosen family have been champions of Riesling production over 200 years, famed for their perfectly crisp and aromatic wines. Upon discovering Chateau Ste Michelle’s Cold Creek Valley in 1999, Ernst approached Bob Bertheau, white wine winemaker at the Estate, with a proposition to create a Riesling which would become world renowned. And thus, Eroica was born.
Eroica is a truly collaborative labour of love, as the duo continues to work side-by-side throughout the viticultural and vinicultural processes to produce a world-class Riesling. During their annual vineyard visits, the winemakers make joint decisions on everything, from site selection and vine management, to determining the characteristics of the upcoming vintage. In the winter, they refine the blending process, applying their combined expertise to produce outstanding vintages year after year.
The pair understands better than anyone that a Riesling can only be as good as its terroir. They were confident that Columbia Valley would offer the perfect conditions for this noble grape. Chateau Ste Michelle had already been producing the variety for over two decades, making it widely popular across America. As the Eroica collaboration evolved, the vineyard sites shifted from the warmer Cold Creek Vineyard to cooler regions of the valley. This adjustment allowed them to produce a crisper Riesling with more pronounced acidity and minerality.