Ivan Giovanett, of Italy’s Castelfeder winery, and Tobias Treis, of Germany’s Julius Treis winery, ventured a major re-cultivation project to bring Reiler Sorentberg, a steep slope vineyard located in a side valley of the Mosel River, into production. The south-facing mountain was abandoned 25 years ago and is famous for its unique terroir. When Ivan and Tobias found the property, they discovered nearly 1,000 ungrafted old Riesling vines that were completely covered with wild-growing spines. Though recovering every plant was a difficult and demanding project, the outcome was well worth the effort, since nearly 98% of the vines were rescued successfully. Sorentberg is the first cross-border Riesling joint venture in Germany, proving that excellence transcends geographical limitations.