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Dr. Loosen: The Muscular Global Empire of Mosel Riesling

Dr. Loosen: The Muscular Global Empire of Mosel Riesling

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Written by Daphne Feng

What do Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sesame Street have in common? Meet Ernst "Erni" Loosen, the global powerhouse of German wine who took over his family estate in 1988 and transformed Mosel Riesling into a household name. Alongside his long-time cellar master, Bernhard "Berni" Schug, this dynamic duo has spent decades crafting wine's ultimate gateway drug. From high-octane, muscular single-vineyard masterpieces born on 130-year-old ungrafted slate slopes to incredibly accessible bottles enjoyed from Houston to Bangkok, step inside the iconic world of Dr. Loosen to see why these high-acid, energetic wines promise, "I'll be back."

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Frank Cornelissen: Radical Natural Winemaking on Mount Etna

Frank Cornelissen: Radical Natural Winemaking on Mount Etna

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Written by Daphne Feng

Frank Cornelissen is the natural wine world’s ultimate polarizing rock star. From his high-altitude perch on the northern slopes of Mount Etna, this Belgian-born pioneer tests the absolute outer limits of viticulture—including farming century-old, ungrafted vines at 900 meters above sea level. While his radical, minimalist philosophy has faced catastrophic volcanic trials, including a 70% crop loss in 2023, his cellar choices remain fiercely unique. Discover why one of the OGs of natural wine rejects wood, concrete, and amphorae in favor of fiberglass tanks to capture the purest, most transparent expression of volcanic terroir.

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