Producers

Domaine Ciringa

This Article Contains People Focus Country Region Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like? Wines on Offer

People |

Armin Tement, his wife Monika and brother Stefan

Focus |

One grape - Sauvignon Blanc. One vineyard - Ciringa (Zieregg in German). Three expressions - purity.

Country |

Slovenia

Region |

Štajerska:

Climate |

Three competing weather patterns converge in Styria.

• Wet, warm air from the mediterranean in the south. Very high precipitation annually and all the disease pressure to go with it.
• Hot, dry air from across the Pannonian plane to the east. Helps with ripening, concentration and disease pressure.
• Cold breezes from the west and north flow down the alps, ensuring bright acidity and freshness in all the wines.

Vineyards |

20 ha

• Ciringa/Zieregg: Arguably the best Grand Cru site in Styria/Štajerska, no matter which side of the border you are on. In fact, the border runs directly down the middle of Zieregg cutting it in half. It has a huge variance in elevation from feet to 1,470 feet. The temperature drops every 300 feet or so, making ripening times different along its face. This is a south-facing slope and covered in coral limestone, similar to that of Sancerre, Chablis and Champagne, but about 200 million years younger. On top of that are layers of marl (like in Tuscany) and clay, giving different dimensions to the Sauvignon Blanc. Wines are about as perfect as they come, combining elegance, finesse, intensity, concentration, and length.

Grape Varieties |

• Sauvignon Blanc
• Far from its home in the Loire Valley, Sauvignon Blanc has found a foothold in the rolling limestone hills of Styria with a few vineyards in Burgenland and the Niederösterreich (Lower Austria). 
• Globally, consumers have divided this aromatic variety into two distinct styles: Sancerre and New Zealand. 
• But what if I told you, there is more this grape can do? The loud varietal characters are present but are balanced with a clear sense of place, not piercingly green, or passion fruit laden, but delicate and mineral driven.

Farming |

Biodynamic

• Certified by both Demeter and Respekt in 2022
• Farmed Organically since 2005

Cellar Work |

• Parcels are harvested separately in the early morning
• Everything vinified on its own
• 12-36 hour skin contact
• No sulfur during vinification
• Fermented with wild yeasts in barrel
• Can take as little as 7 days, up to 3 months
• Sometimes they stop with the winter and restart in the spring
• No temperature control, but the cellar is cold
• Malolactic fermentation happens in the the spring or summer
• First racking before the next harvest
• Barrels are made by a local cooper with local wood
• Seasoned 7-10 years before cooperage
• 700-4,000L sizes
• Entry level wine spends 1 full year on full lees in oak, then 1 year fine lees in stainless steel
• Breg Reserve are the three best casks allowed to age a 2nd year on the full lees, then another year in stainless steel.
• Pruh is a single parcel of pure limestone soil, single cask in the best years. The 2015 spent 66 months on lees.
• Deserto is 20% botrytis grapes, fermented in barrel, 60 g/l RS and 10TA - BA meets a Sauternes
• No fining, no filtering

About the winery |

Welcome to Tement’s other half.

Manfred Tement was the first of his kind, favoring Sauvignon Blanc and Morillon over Welschriesling. Before he started in 1986 this was an innocuous, bulk wine region, with most wine being consumed by the locals at the charming Heurigen and Budenshank (wine taverns) spread across the beautiful countryside. His commitment to quality took 5 years for anyone to notice, at which point a German wine magazine declared Tement to make the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc. 

That’s a lot of praise to live up to, but the family has not tired from always raising the bar and keeping their much deserved attention. Manfred’s sons Armin and Stefan have taken on the task with gusto. Farming has been a huge priority, not only hand harvesting, but conversion to organics and now biodynamics. Ask any farmer in the Finger Lakes, Bordeaux or Galicia, all very wet regions, about the difficulties or organic farming and most will tell you it's just impossible. Especially on 80 hectares in a remote region rife with super steep slopes. They persevere.

In the winery they’ve pulled everything back from their father’s day. Ripeness levels, skin maceration, new oak, temperature control, filtering and sulfur. Today these are as pure an expression of place over winemaking as one can get. 

Why aren’t they more famous here? My theory is two fold. Austrian wines in general do not get the attention they deserve. This may be a hold over from the 1984 wine scandal (happened in a totally different region), or assumptions of over ripe-styles based on now outdated Parker years, or just a general aversion to German words and bottles. 

The second half is Styrian wine is expensive and they need champions. These are difficult, remote terrains to work and the thirsty locals could consume everything, if we let them, meaning it's often more economical to sell domestically. 

When Armin came on board they purchased the other half of Zieregg, also called Ciringa in Slovenian and decided to keep the Slovenian wines under their own name. Nearly everything is the same, except Armin makes these wines to his own vision and is not beholden to the legacy of his father. These are some of the very best Sauvignon Blanc’s for the money, from anywhere in the world.

What do the wines taste like?

Sauvignon Blancs unlike any we have tasted; they are deep, resonant wines that somehow defy gravity.

Wines on Offer |

 

Bründlmayer

This Article Contains People Focus Country Region Village Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like? Wines on Offer

People |

Willi Bründlmayer & Andreas Wickhoff MW as General Manager

Focus |

Country |

Austria

Region |

Kamptal

Village |

Langelois

Climate |

Cool Continental

• Defined as very cold winters, hot, short, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• Now: winters are usually not as cold, summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem 4 or the last 5 years, autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• Kamptal is cooled by air coming down from the north, especially the valley’s and surrounding forest. But warmth comes in the form of hot eastern gusts, helping to ripen the grapes and keep disease at bay.
• There is a big diurnal shift (difference between day and night temperatures) starting in the fall. This extends the growing season and gives Austrian wines their signature balance of freshness and ripeness, opulence and grace.
• Cool climate wines are high in acid, low in alcohol, light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors rather than fruit.
• Usually white wines are made, but some light reds, like Pinot Noir can also ripen well.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines.

Vineyards |

90 ha. Many vineyards  over 50 years old and a plot on the Heiligenstein that was planted in the 1920’s.

• Heiligenstein: Most famous site in Kamptal and one of the great vineyards of Austria. This terraced hill is an outcropping of 270 million year old unique formation of red sandstone and conglomerate with volcanic permian rocks. Superb Riesling is to be found here. Some plots are up to 60 years old.

• Steinmassl: Gneiss and mica slate

• Veltliner finds ideal conditions on these deep, south-facing loess-loam terraces, to produce a particularly complex and expressive wine.

• Langenloiser Berg-Vogelsang: A variety of mica schist called “Gföhler Gneiss” some of the amphibolite stones in the vineyards even contain garnets.

• Käferberg: The soils are variable, with different underlying bedrock: within a small area one can find crystalline rocks such as amphibolite, gneiss, and mica schist, alternating with much younger clay marl, sands, and rare gravels that were deposited in the ancient Paratethys Sea 16 million years ago.
• Lamm: Kammerman Village. Southeast of the Heiligenstein vineyard is the Ried Lamm. The deep loess-loam formation is interspersed with volcanic rock with a distinctive silt component. Grüner Veltliner finds ideal conditions on these deep, south-facing loess-loam terraces, to produce a particularly complex and expressive wine.

Grape Varieties |

• Grüner Veltliner: 
• A true Austrian treasure. Grüner is rarely planted outside of its home country, but is revered the world over. 
• Mainly grown in the Lower Austrian region (Niederösterreich) with some vines in northernmost Burgenland, it holds 30% of the country’s vineyard area. 
• Grüner is dynamic making it known for easily quaffable fresh and fruity wines. But, it just as easily becomes Austria’s most famous long-lived, mineral-laden beauties and some delicious sekt (wine made with bubbles). 
• Wines from Grüner Veltliner have continuously taken top marks in blind tastings against Chardonnay from Burgundy and California, displaying a richness and concentration sans the oak barrels its competitors rely on. 
• Its flavors range from stone fruit, fresh pear, lemon, green herbs, arugula, and spicy white or black pepper. The best versions can age for decades and develop complex notes of honey, toast, chutney and wax.

• Riesling
• The King of White Grapes
• You’ll find it on the peaks of high, rocky, steep vineyards in the Wachau, Kamptal and Kremstal.
• What they lack in vineyard area, these wines make up for in pure, clear, undeniable quality. 
• The best examples show the beauty that can come from a perfect marriage: these wines bring the acidity of the Mosel, matched with the density of Alsacian Grand Crus, but are always dry and ready to age for decades. 
• They often benefit from 5-10 years of bottle age, but your patience is greatly rewarded with a kaleidoscope of flavors and textures. 
• Fruits span the rainbow depending on the site, style and vintage, from green melon, lime and herbs, yellow peaches and lemons, orange zest and marmalade, pink grapefruit, even a touch of cherry on occasion. But the real beauty lies in the non-fruit notes. Especially with age, you can get stony minerality, petrol, honey, toast, salt, marzipan and so much more.
• Pinot Noir
• Brought by the same Cistearcian monks with the rest of the Burgundy varieties
• Burgenland and Thermenregion. 
• There are beautiful examples especially on limestone soils with careful winemaking

• Chardonnay 
• Another grape brought over by the Cistercian monks so it’s had a long time to make a home for itself. 
• Grown across the country, it is made in styles that range from light, unoaked, and Chablisienne to big, broad and toasty. 
• There are some beautiful examples, Burgenland, Vienna, Lower Austria and especially the Steiermark.
• 17% other varieties

Farming |

Organic

• No chemical fertilizers or herbicides for 40 years
• Organic since 2015
• certified organic by LACON, an outside, objective, certifying body
• 17 ha are trained in the Lyre method, which Willi helped create.

Cellar Work |

Modern - Low Intervention

• All hand harvested
• Multiple selections through the vineyard are made
• Botrytis is never accepted
• Majority of grapes are not de-stemmed or crushed
• Grapes are handled as minimally as possible
• A tiny portion of grapes are held back, de-stemmed, and macerated for 12 hours; used as ‘seasoning’ during blending to add another dimension and tonality to the final wines.
• Very gentle 1 bar pressing
• Fermented in stainless steel or wood
• Temperature control, but cool, not cold
• Wines age on lees 3-18 months depending on wine
• Sparkling wines can age for years in the cellar
• Hand riddling
• Cellar is gravity fed, to avoid pumping
• Photovoltaics on the roof for electricity
• Geothermal pipes below for heating

About the winery |

Brundlmayer is among the greatest estates in Austria and arguably among the very greatest white-wine producers in the entire world. Quality has gradually increased even further under the watchful eye of Andreas Wickhoff, MW, who took the helm from Willi Bründlmayer in 2014. 

The entry level wines are the purest examples of straight-up Kamptal Riesling and Grüner you could hope for. But the fancier bottlings are truly next level, transmitting the multi-faced soil, aspect, elevation and micro climates throughout the Kamptal. The estate is always pushing the boundaries of what one could expect from their vines and with great effect.

What do the wines taste like?

A huge variety of wines and styles to choose from. Light and bright Grüner, Riesling and rosé. Mid-tier lunch wines, a little more serious, a little more structured. The single vineyards are deep, elegant, focused and ageworthy. The reds are old-world, earthy, with supple tannins. 

Sparkling wines are the Champagne method and share all their best qualities: creamy, elegant, brioche, lees, freshness and liveliness.

The magic of this estate is how incredibly good the wines are and consistent, considering just how large a production they have. Team members here work together under great leadership. There is something for everyone

Wines on Offer |

 

Bründlmayer, Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Reserve, NV $79.99 $70.39

"April 15 tirage – disgorgement September 2022, 100% Ch from Steinberg, behind Steinmassel, bedrock, some lyra trained vines. A portion in oak, 50% large old casks and 50% stainless, all MLF, 4 . this is a really serious Sparkling wine, this reminds me of Hebrart’s BdB, but drier. This is excellent, stony, but not salty." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

 

Bründlmayer, Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut Reserve, 2016 $94.99 $83.59

"Moved back price wise, 2016 vintage Reserve, not Grosse Reserve because not all from a single village (Langenlois) two winters in the cellar and Feb 2022 disgorgement. This has some savory elements, but not mushroom-y! Full of character, earthy and a little tighter, leaner in this direction, not as “rustic” as the 2015. This is tasting more complete in the Dollerer glass." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Bründlmayer, Brut Reserve, NV $48.99 $43.11

Bründlmayer, Brut Reserve, NV (1.5L) $105.99 $93.27

“Bründlmayer's recent disgorgement of the NV Brut Reserve is predominantly based on the fruits of the 2017 harvest and was disgorged in March of this year after 47 months sur lattes. This is a fruit-intense yet fine and purely aromatic assemblage of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Grüner Veltliner that opens intensely fruity as well as toasty and with brioche as well as iodine aromas. Seriously complex! Full-bodied and quite rich on the palate, this is a mouth-filling, intense yet pure and saline-finishing Brut Reserve with structure, finesse and a dry kind of roundness. This is an impressive aperitif that certainly goes well with oysters, tapas, antipasti, shrimp skewers, salmon tartare, fish, poultry... 92 pts” — Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Bründlmayer, Brut Rosé Reserve, NV $51.99 $45.75

Bründlmayer, Brut Rosé Reserve, NV (375ml) $34.99 $30.79

Bründlmayer, Brut Rosé Reserve, NV (1.5L) $97.99 $86.23

“Disgorged after three years sur lattes in April this year, Bründlmayer's NV Brut Rosé Reserve is an assemblage of separately fermented Blauburgunder (a.k.a. Pinot Noir), Zweigelt and St. Laurent. Predominantly based on the 2018 harvest, the wine has a bright salmon color and opens with a clear and intense yet pure and very elegant bouquet of red fruit aromas with floral as well as whole-grain bread notes. Round and intense on the palate, this is a mouth-filling, rich and fruity but pure, fresh and elegant, well-structured and saline-finishing rosé Brut that doesn't taste as light as the stated alcohol volume of 11.5% might persuade, but it reflects the 2018 vintage on a very high level. Tasted in October 2022. 92 pts” — Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Bründlmayer, Zweigelt Rosé, 2022 $23.99 $21.11

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bründlmayer, Chardonnay Steinberg, 2021 $73.99 $65.11

"This is crushed before pressing – this is not done for the rest, 4-8hrs maceration in the press. 300L casks, pressed for three hrs from 8:30 on pressed and then settled overnight but then stirred and full turbidity into cask, in oak then 5 months in stainless steel. Seductive and delicious, showing a bit of reduction and the Burgundian vinification and influence of Lamy on Willi almost 40 years ago. As far as this variety goes, this is the finest form I’ve tasted in this country." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Bründlmayer, Extra Brut Reserve, NV $48.99 $43.11

“Bründlmayer's recent release of the NV Extra Brut Reserve is predominantly based on the 2016 harvest of Blauburgunder (a.k.a. Pinot Noir) and Chardonnay and was disgorged after 50 months on the bottle lees in September last year (2021). The wine has a radiant, bright white-golden color and reveals delicate sur lie (brioche) aromas intermingled with perfectly ripe but fresh white fruit aromas and delicate notes of fruit bread and apple sauce. Textured and very delicate on the palate, this is a dry but perfectly round and elegant Extra Brut that is not only pure but also fleshy and round. A single gram more of dosage would have been too much for me, but this is a gorgeous Sekt from several of the Kamptal's southeast-facing, limestone-dominated sites. The salivating finish reveals a firm and persistent structure that remains in the background and makes this not only a great aperitif but also a sparkling wine that goes well with lighter dishes based on fish, seafood, white meat, cheese or even desserts (if not too sweet). A perfect assemblage! 12% stated alcohol. Tasted in October 2022. 93 pts” — Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Bründlmayer, Grüner Veltliner Kammerner Lamm 1 ÖTW Kamptal DAC, 2021 $98.99 $87.11

"30th of April – this has some of the energy and vinification kind of characteristics of the Spigel, but with an even deeper kind of complexity. This is out of control. I knew that this wine would be a stunner in this vintage given the barrel tasting last year, but this has surpassed all expectations. A masterpiece. This is a masterful wine with a wider frame than the Spiegel. With this kind of coiled energy, you can feel the character of the vineyard shining through. Nothing else tastes like Lamm." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Bründlmayer, Grüner Veltliner L & T, 2022 $21.99 $19.35

"A bit more aromatic than in the previous tasting in the office, showing a little bit more of the phenolic kind of side here for this wine, but with a light touch of citrus. L&T is always a little bit slimmer and milder than KT, which has more overall intensity." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

 

 

Bründlmayer, Grüner Veltliner Langenloiser Alte Reben Kamptal DAC, 2022 $64.99 $57.19

"Bedrock, Wachau style Gruner, but cooler, sharper and a bit more transparent, riper and more fruit direct and really showing this kind of granny smith type ripe acid 2/3 in big casks, this has a touch of really pretty reduction too. Acacia and lemon flower, meadowy, but a bit more sapid and structured than Vogelsang. The structure is coming from the site, not the elevage." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

 

Bründlmayer, Grüner Veltliner Langenloiser Berg Vogelsang Kamptal DAC, 2022 $35.99 $31.67

"Culinary herbs, sweet, medowy GV character and textbook Vogelsang, and crisp. Always shows that hint of spiciness underlying the ripe citrus of this and 100% stainless." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

 

 

 

Bründlmayer, Grüner Veltliner Langenloiser Käferberg 1 ÖTW Kamptal DAC, 2021 $89.99 $79.19

"This has a lot of extract and is richer, but with good acidity. Burgundian 300 used and a big new 2500 and this is showing a bit more of the sweet fruited character of the oak but also some spiciness, ginger and lime leaf, some movement and should be more put together and complete in the next few months." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Bründlmayer, Grüner Veltliner Langenloiser Loiserberg 1 ÖTW Kamptal DAC, 2021 $37.99 $33.43

“From gneiss soils and vinified in large old-oak vats, the 2021 Grüner Veltliner Ried Loiserberg 1ÖTW was whole-cluster pressed with no destemming and combines aromas of fresh-cut grass with aromas of ripe and elegant seed fruit. Lush and elegant on the palate, this is a textural Veltliner with fine phenolic grip and stimulating salinity on the finish. This very elegant and balanced Veltliner was bottled in July of this year. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in September 2022. 92 pts” — Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Bründlmayer, Grüner Veltliner Terrassen Kamptal DAC, 2022 $30.99 $27.27

Bründlmayer, Grüner Veltliner Terrassen Kamptal DAC, 2022 (375ml) $18.99 $16.71

"This is nice and aromatic, fresh and showing good fruit (green pear, crisp mac apple), but not overripe, ripe, fresh. Between 2020 and 2021. Classic and incredibly open at the moment." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

 

Bründlmayer, Grüner Veltliner Vincent's Spiegel 1 ÖTW Kamptal Reserve DAC, 2021 $84.99 $74.79

"All 300 liters – little more coffee and the more Burgundian vinification direction. This is really exceptional. This is more in the dense area, not malty and feels a bit leaner in the fruit direction. More precise and elegant." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

 

 

Bründlmayer, Pinot Noir, 2019 $47.99 $42.23

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bründlmayer, Pinot Noir Reserve, 2019 $79.99 $70.39

“Entirely from the gravelly part of the Käferberg and predominantly based on Dijon clones 777 trained in a lyra system, the 2019 Pinot Noir Reserve offers a noble, pure, fresh and elegant, slightly toasty and even flinty bouquet of dark berry aromas. On the palate, this is a full-bodied, quite rich but elegant and fleshy Pinot Noir with juicy fruit and fine tannins as well as lingering, stimulating mineral acidity. The finish is powerful and intense but still clear, cleansing and provided with clear and crunchy tannins. This is an excellent, very promising Pinot Noir with a very good and sustainable finish. 13% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in September 2022. To be released in November. 94 pts” — Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Bründlmayer, Riesling Alte Reben Zöbinger Heiligenstein 1 ÖTW Kamptal DAC, 2021 $127.99 $112.63

"This is a bone dry version of this wine, Andreas wanted to see what the Rotfels from Hannes was so good and this was because there was more sugar. This is more tight, linear and intense, this is not generous, but incredibly deep and intense. It is funny to go from the more friendly and open, it is more austere and not “delicious” or “juicy” but it is an undeniable sibling to the Lamm. Steinwand on its own as a barrel sample – this is incredible, not as deep as the AR, pure and more ripe fruit, this is excellent, not as puristic in as the AR, but more fruit, less sugar." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Bründlmayer, Riesling Langenloiser Steinmassl 1 ÖTW Kamptal DAC, 2022 $44.99 $39.59

“Crystalline rocks. Lemon smoke and crushed stone. On the palate, ripe grapefruit and a delicate green and savoury character. Some lemon zest and white flowers. Unyielding acidic backbone straighter than a soldier standing at attention. Long, grippy finish. 17 pts” -- Paula Sidore, Jancis Robinson.com

 

 

Bründlmayer, Riesling Terrassen Kamptal DAC, 2022 $30.99 $27.27

"This is very good, a little more structured than 2020 - Steinberg as well as young vines from Heiligenstein – classic, not overripe or with the characteristics of a hot year, more citrus than pit fruits, yellow color spectrum and a bit of leesy character still." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

 

 

Bründlmayer, Riesling Zöbinger Heiligenstein 1 ÖTW Kamptal DAC, 2021 $56.99 $50.15

“Bründlmayer's 2021 Riesling Ried Heiligenstein 1ÖTW is the second edition that contains the pickings from the former Heiligenstein Lyra that was bottled alone for many years until the 2019 vintage. So, there are just two selections remaining from the Kamptal's oldest and finest Riesling grand cru, where Bründlmayer holds 69 of the 200 total terraces in the central part of the site. Cultivated on perm sandstone soils, the 2021 Heiligenstein opens with a clear and intense nose full of ripe and elegant Riesling aromas intertwined with weathered stone and slightly flinty and saline aromas. Full-bodied, intense and powerful on the palate, this is a rich yet elegant and persistent Heiligenstein that was entirely vinified in stainless steel. The finish is long, tight and complex, very saline and indicates great aging potential. 13% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted in October 2022. 95 pts” — Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

Bernhard Ott

This Article Contains People Focus Country Region Village Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like? Wines on Offer

People |

Bernhard Ott

Focus |

The absolute greatest Grüner Veltliner. Wines that transcend variety and highlight with dazzling complexity the outstanding quality of the Wagram.

Country |

Austria

Region |

Wagram

Village |

Feuersbrunn

Climate |

Cool Continental

• Defined as very cold winters, hot, short, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• Now: winters are usually not as cold, summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem 4 or the last 5 years, autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• Wagram is exposed to the cold northern gusts and hot eastern gusts depending on the time of year
• There is a big diurnal shift (difference between day and night temperatures) starting in the fall. This extends the growing season and gives Austrian wines their signature balance of freshness and ripeness, opulence and grace.
• Cool climate wines are high in acid, low in alcohol, light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors rather than fruit.
• Usually white wines are made, but some light reds, like Pinot Noir can also ripen well.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines.

Vineyards |

• Feuersbrunner Rosenberg: The oldest vines here were planted in 1954, soil is very deep loess which is a very light windblown sand from the last ice age and contains a high lime content. 
• Feuersbrunner Spiegel: The soils here are a mix of deep, chalky loess and red gravel – a sort of mix of the two soil types from Rosenberg and Stein.
• Engabrunner Stein: Kamptal. Gföhler gneiss at the bottom, red sands, white sands, a layer of chalk and a little loess on top.

Grape Varieties |

• Grüner Veltliner: 
• A true Austrian treasure. Grüner is rarely planted outside of its home country, but is revered the world over. 
• Mainly grown in the Lower Austrian region (Niederösterreich) with some vines in northernmost Burgenland, it holds 30% of the country’s vineyard area. 
• Grüner is dynamic making it known for easily quaffable fresh and fruity wines. But, it just as easily becomes Austria’s most famous long-lived, mineral-laden beauties and some delicious sekt (wine made with bubbles). 
• Wines from Grüner Veltliner have continuously taken top marks in blind tastings against Chardonnay from Burgundy and California, displaying a richness and concentration sans the oak barrels its competitors rely on. 
• Its flavors range from stone fruit, fresh pear, lemon, green herbs, arugula, and spicy white or black pepper. The best versions can age for decades and develop complex notes of honey, toast, chutney and wax.

Farming |

Biodynamic

• One of the leaders of Biodynamic farming in Austria
• Formed the producer certification groupe Respekt Biodyn
• Dry farmed
• Shallow plowing
• All hand harvested
• Made the switch after a visit to DRC with Aubert de Villaine and his best friend Hans Reisetbauer
• Makes his own compost - his prized possession.
• Compost helps with water retention and grapes ripen without excessive sugar.

Cellar Work |

Traditional - Low intervention

• Strict selection in the vineyard
• Grapes are crushed in the press and macerated, length depends on style of the vintage
• Whole cluster pressing
• Usually pneumatic, but in 2022 everything was hand pressed in an old basket press
• Browning out of the must
• All native yeasts
• Fermented in stainless steel or large Stockinger barrels
• Starting in 2018 everything is aged in large Stocking barrels
• No temperature control
• Very minimal sulfur additions at harvest and bottling
• Malolactic fermentation is inhibited by the cold cellar
• Single vineyard wines on full lees until the following summer.

About the winery |

When the 21-year-old Bernhard took over from his father in the early 90s, he did so with the rebellious confidence reserved for the young. He tossed out his fathers old wooden casks and invested in shiny stainless steel tanks. The wines of the Wachau, a few miles upriver, were garnering the world’s attention for their power and longevity.

But no one was crafting world-renowned wine in his home base of the Wagram; in fact, it wasn’t even called the Wagram by anyone but the farmers who lived there. These south-facing slopes on the north bank of the Danube were lumped in with the sprawling, undistinguished Donbas region, and the wine was largely drunk by crowds of Viennese driving up to picnic in the vineyards. 

 

It wasn’t until 2007, thanks in part to Bernhard's efforts, that the Wagram was delineated, named, and recognized as a place of quality. He knew his vineyards, especially the Rosenberg, with its 30 meter deep loess (a fine calcareous windblown sand) were prime real estate for the type of Grüner he wanted to make. 

 

For this, he was going to need more than fancy tanks. You can only make perfect wine from perfect grapes, and the conventional wisdom of conventional farming wasn't going to cut it. It was a trip to DRC in 2007 — hosted by Aubert de Villaine — where Bernhard was introduced to biodynamic farming. If it was good enough for Aubert, it was good enough for Bernhard.

 

His vines have responded to their change in care. The grapes ripen fully, both with sugar and physiologically. They are healthier, adapting to the changing climate with ease. They differ in the cellar, demanding a malleable mind to respond accordingly. In 2018, realizing his father may have been right after all, he brought back large wooden casks. This was the correct change — the wines are perfect.

What do the wines taste like?

Stunningly pure wines, like the great Burgundies of the world, these have a perfect expression of site. But unlike those wines they rely less on the direct influence of oak flavors and more on perfectly farmed fruit, which is really more like perfectly farmed minerals in grape form.

Wines on Offer |

 

Bernhard Ott, Grüner Veltliner Am Berg, 2022 $27.99 $24.63

"5 ha from organic from the father of vineyard manager, some - this is delicious, crisp and pure with excellent light grip the wine feels relaxed and confident rather than intense and nervy. This is so satisfying, it has a kind of crisp and dense fruit (Braeburn apple ripe lemon with herbal touches and deep loess-y character. The attack is all spiciness which gives way to fruit. Uses a little bit so2, that’s it." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Bernhard Ott, Grüner Veltliner Der, 2021 $44.99 $39.59

“From younger vines, the 2021 Grüner Veltliner Der Ott offers a clear, intense and aromatic, pure and elegant bouquet of ripe pears. On the palate, this is a rich and intense, fresh and very elegant Veltliner with a long, aromatic and intense finish with fine, phenolic grip and a saline aftertaste. A spectacular wine, of which 45,000 bottles were filled in late spring of this year. 13% stated alcohol. Screw cap-closure. Tasted at the domaine in September 2022. 91 pts” — Stephan Reinhardt

 

Bernhard Ott, Grüner Veltliner Fass 4, 2022 $35.99 $31.67

"This has much more complexity than Am Berg, a departure from the 2021 vintage when these two wines seemed closer together in the 2021 vintage. it is more visceral and open, fresh and bright but with more ripe green elements. 12.2% alc this is just fantastic wine, this is packed with flavor. This is not showing the hedgerow character yet that this wine often does with 6 months in the bottle, but you can feel the undercurrent here." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Bernhard Ott, Grüner Veltliner Rosenberg 1ÖTW Wagram, 2021 $84.99 $74.79

“Basket-pressed and aged in large oak, the 2021 Ried Rosenberg 1ÖTW Feuersbrunn Grüner Veltliner is pure and intense on the nose and offers a clear, ripe, elegant and slightly lactic bouquet. Rich and round on the palate, this is a silky-textured and grippy, quite powerful and saline Veltliner with a long and powerful finish. Tasted as a barrel sample in September 2022. 94 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Bernhard Ott, Grüner Veltliner Spiegel 1 ÖTW Wagram, 2021 $77.99 $68.63

“The 2021 Ried Spiegel 1ÖTW Grüner Veltliner is crazy in its richness and salinity as well as flinty purity. Rich and intense on the palate, this is a powerful, refined and elegant Veltliner with lingering salinity and mineral tension. This is a powerful, dense and sustainable wine with a long and powerful finish. Tasted as a sample at the domaine in September 2022. 95-97 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Bernhard Ott, Grüner Veltliner Stein 1 ÖTW Kamptal DAC, 2021 $77.99 $68.63

“Tasted as a sample, the 2021 Ried Stein 1ÖTW Engabrunn Grüner Veltliner offers a deep, fresh and flinty/stony bouquet of ripe fruits and smoky bacon. Full-bodied, rich and dense on the palate, this is an opulent but elegant, fresh, savory and salty Veltliner with spectacular grip and tension. A fascinating wine. Tasted as a sample in September 2022. 95-96 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Bernhard Ott, Rosalie Rosé, 2022 $30.99 $27.27

Alzinger

This Article Contains People Focus Country Region Village Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like? Wines on Offer

 

 

People |

Leo & Katarina Alzinger

Focus |

Riesling & Grüner Veltliner in the Wachau that express the essence of their ancient steep, terraced vineyards. These are wines with very little in the way of fruit flavors and instead showcase purity, clarity and minerality. 

Country |

Austria 

Region |

Wachau

Village |

Durnstein

Climate |

Cool Continental

• Defined as very cold winters, hot, short, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• Now: winters are usually not as cold, summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem 4 or the last 5 years, autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• Wachau is cooled by air coming down from the forest and along the Danube valley from the west. But warmth comes in from hot eastern gusts, which start to lose their power as they head down the valley. 
• The Danube also acts as an HVAC, keeping temperatures along its bank more steady than elsewhere, with reflection from the river helping ripen fruit more.
• There is a big diurnal shift (difference between day and night temperatures) starting in the fall. This extends the growing season and gives Austrian wines their signature balance of freshness and ripeness, opulence and grace.
• Cool climate wines are high in acid, low in alcohol, light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors rather than fruit.
• Usually white wines are made, but some light reds, like Pinot Noir can also ripen well.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines.

Vineyards |

11.5 ha of mostly old vines on choice parcels

• Loibenberg: South facing and one of the warmest sites in the Wachau, deep loess on the lower terraces, and stony, shallow, baron soils on the top terraces.
• Steinertal: Very stony, shallow Gneiss soils, with some loess on the lower terraces. Cooler microclimate, very high acid, almost austere wines.
• Liebenberg: Amphibolite and mica-schist

Grape Varieties |

• Grüner Veltliner: 
• A true Austrian treasure. Grüner is rarely planted outside of its home country, but is revered the world over. 
• Mainly grown in the Lower Austrian region (Niederösterreich) with some vines in northernmost Burgenland, it holds 30% of the country’s vineyard area. 
• Grüner is dynamic making it known for easily quaffable fresh and fruity wines. But, it just as easily becomes Austria’s most famous long-lived, mineral-laden beauties and some delicious sekt (wine made with bubbles). 
• Wines from Grüner Veltliner have continuously taken top marks in blind tastings against Chardonnay from Burgundy and California, displaying a richness and concentration sans the oak barrels its competitors rely on. 
• Its flavors range from stone fruit, fresh pear, lemon, green herbs, arugula, and spicy white or black pepper. The best versions can age for decades and develop complex notes of honey, toast, chutney and wax.

• Riesling
• The King of White Grapes
• You’ll find it on the peaks of high, rocky, steep vineyards in the Wachau, Kamptal and Kremstal.
• What they lack in vineyard area, these wines make up for in pure, clear, undeniable quality. 
• The best examples show the beauty that can come from a perfect marriage: these wines bring the acidity of the Mosel, matched with the density of Alsacian Grand Crus, but are always dry and ready to age for decades. 
• They often benefit from 5-10 years of bottle age, but your patience is greatly rewarded with a kaleidoscope of flavors and textures. 
• Fruits span the rainbow depending on the site, style and vintage, from green melon, lime and herbs, yellow peaches and lemons, orange zest and marmalade, pink grapefruit, even a touch of cherry on occasion. But the real beauty lies in the non-fruit notes. Especially with age, you can get stony minerality, petrol, honey, toast, salt, marzipan and so much more.

Farming |

Conventional

• 1,200 hours’ work for every hectare
• Green space between vines for biodiversity

Cellar Work |

Traditional

• Later harvest, although low sugar ripeness
• Crush whole clusters
• Short maceration before pressing
• 24 hour sedimentation
• Age on lees till the following spring
• Mature in large, old wooden casks

About the winery |

Leo Alzinger is not just one of the great Wachau producers, he's one of the world's best producers of white wines. Vintage after vintage, Alzinger’s wines have the magical zip that gives his wines a sense of life — and remind us why the Wachau really is Austria's best region.

 

Alzinger's style is one of perfect balance. His methods preserve the cut of natural acidity and keep alcohol in check. Some winemakers achieve this by picking fruit early, before the increased sugar levels overpower its ratio, a technique that forces a grower to choose between the fully developed flavors that come with longer hang times, and the loss of freshness overripe fruit can bring.

But Alzinger has found another way. He doesn’t harvest early; in fact, he often harvests later than his neighbors. It's partly his terroir – much of it is on steep terraced vineyards, at high elevation and with strong air currents, and sites that don't necessarily get full sun, all day long. It's partly his old vines, which naturally control vigor and the accumulation of too much sugar too quickly. And it's partly his experience farming these precious vines in these storied sites since childhood.

Or maybe it’s his winemaking. With his perfectly ripe fruit he isn’t afraid of a little skin contact. He crushes whole bunches of fruit and allows for a short maceration which picks up extra flavor and structural elements from the skins. Post fermentation he employs big, neutral Stockinger barrels offering a peaceful place to rest and harmonize for an exquisite mouthfeel.

What do the wines taste like?

Air.

Transparent, sanguine, calm.

Wines on Offer |

Alzinger, Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Federspiel, 2022 $41.99 $36.95

"This is tighter grained than the Muhlpoint in its structure, but then also more broad in terms of its texture and fruit component. It doesn’t have the fruit component of the Durnstein, but it is richer and riper. It has the Loibenberg character, direction of tobacco leaves and herbs, quite an elegant wine. 1,100 bottles for the US." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Alzinger, Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Smaragd, 2022 $64.99 $57.19

Alzinger, Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Smaragd, 2022 (1.5L) $129.99 $114.39

Alzinger, Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Smaragd, 2022 (3L) $330.00 $290.40

"★★ This has the deep loess aroma of this site, it is classic and again, quite open for this period of the year. This has more of that Tobacco leaf character and it – in total 35 ha, most of the colleagues are planting GV in the amphitheater section where most of the loess has blown in. this is a delicious wine, in this kind of high acid year there is more elegance and doesn’t have the viscosity that you find sometimes in warmer years." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Alzinger, Grüner Veltliner Mühlpoint Federspiel, 2022 $35.99 $31.67

"★ This has a more spicy character than Hochstrasser, but has a really beautiful fruit character. This is more understated than the 2021 vintage. Very nice edition of this wine and a medium weight." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Alzinger, Grüner Veltliner Mühlpoint Smaragd, 2022 $48.99 $43.11

"★★ It has a lovely aroma, it is excellent, these are balanced, harmonious, and open already. I am really interested in the way that these wines are immediately showing the kind of open character for the most part. Riper, but not a rich state. 2020 of this wine felt richer and denser. This is always the earliest to show, but this is incredibly open." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

 

Alzinger, Grüner Veltliner Steinertal Smaragd, 2022 $73.99 $65.11

Alzinger, Grüner Veltliner Steinertal Smaragd, 2022 (1.5L) $163.99 $144.31

Alzinger, Grüner Veltliner Steinertal Smaragd, 2022 (3L) $400.00 $352.00

"★★★ Smells already cooler and with more of a mineral touch, this doesn’t have the overt floral or ripe fruited character of the Loibenberg. This has a wonderful seamless and detailed character, the texture that moves to Riesling, it has such a beautiful character here. The fruit is shimmering and transparent, ripe. 21 is not more plush, but more concentrated in structure and has higher alc. This is always the coolest, most Riesling-like of the GVs." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Alzinger, Riesling Dürnstein Federspiel, 2022 $35.99 $31.67

"★★(★) Classic Riesling aroma, in the mouth, white tea, just-ripe peach, mouth water and fresh and beautiful and clear. This is again, really open, much more than the 21 was at this time last year. This has a cooling character on the palate, it is bringing so much freshness to the wine and finishing very dry and yet not austere. It is not generous, but very lively, snappy. This is fantastic. – hedging only because it might not be long enough at the moment but will change with time." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Alzinger, Riesling Höhereck Smaragd, 2022 $64.99 $57.19

"This has a riper fruit, deeper and denser. Similar to Steinertal, poor soils, 40csm then rock. Steinerthal has a lower avg temp conditions, so leaner, but Hoereck has more opulence of fruit. Riper and more overt than Steintal this is excellent and again the fruit is very snappy – there is a crisp characteristic to the fruit that keeps it from being overfilled, but more a fruit with a hard, just-ripe character. A little more red fruit than white or green. More detailed and very open." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Alzinger, Riesling Hollerin Smaragd, 2022 $59.99 $52.79

"As always, Hollerin is the more fruit driven wine of the single vineyards on the opposite side of the Kellerberg terraces. This has the kind of fruit component of the Durnstein, but with a riper kind of level, this is broader and riper, with a bit of the Loibenberg structure, but a lighter fruit touch here and excellent freshness. Here you have ripe apricot, some floral, apple blossom components, spring flowers and the sweetness of flowers rather than the true sweetness of fruit. This is an excellent vintage of this wine." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Alzinger, Riesling Loibenberg Smaragd, 2022 $64.99 $57.19

Alzinger, Riesling Loibenberg Smaragd, 2022 (1.5L) $133.99 $117.91

Alzinger, Riesling Loibenberg Smaragd, 2022 (3L) $330.00 $290.40

"This is still from Rauneck – half steinertal. The fruit character of Loibenberg is always taking the front half of the wine and is fruit driven in a way that Steinertal is much more mineral driven. This is like a fresh bouquet of wildflowers in a bowl of ripe white peaches. There kind of herbal character here is providing left to the wine and is just an accent, a background. The fruit is very bright and intact, feels like it was pulled right from the tree. Meditative and quiet to begin, soaring and intense in the finish." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

Alzinger, Riesling Steinertal Smaragd, 2022 $81.99 $72.15

Alzinger, Riesling Steinertal Smaragd, 2022 (1.5L) $169.99 $149.59

Alzinger, Riesling Steinertal Smaragd, 2022 (3L) $400.00 $352.00

"This is the most closed in terms of aroma, not showing the kind of overt character that Loibenberg is showing, this is really the mineral side of the wine. This is not austere, but it has that same character that the Heiligenstein AR had at Brundlmayer – the fruit is going to take some time to be released from the grip of the mineral fence that has been built, like a stone wall." — Gabriel Clary, Skurnik Wines

 

von Winning

 

This Article Contains People Focus Country Region Village Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like? Wines on Offer

People |

Stephan Attmann - General Manager, Andreas Hütwohl - Deputy General Manager, Export Manager, Kurt Rathgeber - Head Winemaker

 

Focus |

Rieslings made through a historical lens, in wood, with long aging on the lees, from the greatest collection of Pfalz vineyards. The range is expansive from everyday quaffers, to wines you can forget in your cellar for decades.

Country |

Germany

Region |

Pfalz

 

Village |

Deidesheim

Climate |

Cool to Moderate Continental 

• Cold winters, hot, medium length, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• This is the warmest region in Germany with more Mediterranean-like temperatures. You can even find fig and olive trees growing among the vines.
• Winters are usually not as cold as they were historically. Summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem, and autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• Moderate climate wines are relatively high in acid, with lower than average alcohols, medium to light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors along with ripe fruit notes. 
• White grapes are the majority but there are some great light reds, like Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier that can also ripen well.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

Vineyards |

40 ha across most of the major villages of the Pfalz -- Haart, Konigsbach, Ruppertsberg, Deidesheim, and Forst.

• Bürgergarten: Haardt, Erste Lage. At the southern end of the Pfalz on a low south-east slope up to the forest line. Sandy loam over sandstone with lots of clay. The lighter, more floral and delicate side of the warmer Haardt.
• Herrenletten: Haardt, Erste Lage. Southern end of Haardt, just north of Bürgergarten. South, south-east exposition with sandy loam over red sandstone, with lots of clay and a high limestone content. An intensely aromatic and flavorful wine. There is plenty of water from natural springs under the vineyard ensuring healthy grapes and boisterous wines in even the driest vintages. 
• Haardter Herzog: Haardt, Erste Lage. The southernmost site for von Winning. Steep (for the Pfalz) and southeast facing with sparse top soil of gravel, sandy loam over sandstone. Wines tend to be very complex from white and green fruit to ripe yellow and orange, lots of acidity and elegance and demands a long decant.
• Idig: Königsbach/Neustadt, Erste Gewächs. North of Haardt and one of the newest acquisitions for von Winning and a top site facing due south up to the edge of the forest for a cooling influence. Lots of limestone and clay with sandstone subsoil. Very mineral, high intensity wines, with intense, exotic aromatics, salty, spicy, nutty palate. Christmann’s top wine is from here. V
• Ölberg: Königsbach/Neusadt, Erste Lage. The southernmost site in Konigsbach, between it and Ruppertsberg. East, southeast facing and very hot with lots of limestone, marl and sandstone. Big wines, opulent, complex, spicy.
• Nussbien: Ruppertsberg, Erste Lage. Right below the Reiterpfad with a southeast-east facing slope up that goes right up to the cooling influence of the forest. Loamy sand over red sandstone. Often lighter, salty, green, long, spicy and fresh.
• Reiterpfad: Ruppertsberg, Erste Lage. A very large 86 ha low slope with a southeast exposition. A very warm site due to a sandstone wall surrounding the vineyard. Diverse soils with sand and sandy loam over red sandstone, limestone and loess throughout. Wines tend to be very dense and long lived for an Erste Lage site.
• An Den Achtmorgen: Ruppertsberg Erste Gewächs. Inside the Reiterpfad, this 1 ha site is mostly south facing with high density planting of 6,000 vines/ha and sandstone over limestone. It's a warm site for lots of concentration with excellent structure thanks to the limestone.
• Paradiesgarten: Deidesheim, Erste Lage. Sloping site west of the village, right up against the cooling influences of the forest with an east, south-east exposition. Named in the 50’s by the then owner of von Winning (Weingut Dr. Deinhard) for its perfect location. Soil is very deep loam, sand and loess over sandstone. One of my favorite 1er Crus every year for its lithe, tensile structure and delicate minerality. Always salty and happy.
• Langenmorgen: Deidesheim, Erste Gewächs. A semicircle of a vineyard surrounded by the Paradiesgarten, next to the cooling forest, with a southeastern slope. The site was first mentioned in 1491 and the name refers to the amount of land a man can work with a horse in a day. Top soil is loam with high limestone content over deep loess, red and white sandstone. A lighter, brighter GG.
• Leinhöhle: Deidesheim, Erste Lage. Long felt to be the best GL in the village because of its southern exposition, which meant it was warm enough to ripen grapes nearly every year. Even now with the warmer temperatures it's still favorable, with structure helped along by the plentiful limestone in the soil, along with sandstone. Often juicy and dense with stone fruit and herbs.
• Kieselberg. Deidesheim Erste Gewächs. A plateau right above the village with full sun exposure, with a mix of gravelly, sandy, clay and loam soils with sandstone and weathered limestone. Mentioned first in 1234, the wines are always fully ripe, but tense, with concentration and complexity.
• Grainhübel: Deidesheim, Erste Lage. A strip of a vineyard right behind the von Winning winery, facing south-southeast, with lots of humus topsoil and clay and loam with limestone subsoil. Opulent and juicy wines.
• Kalkofen: Deidesheim, Erste Gewächs. Once a lime kiln and source of limestone bricks, now a warm south facing site with plenty of limestone and marl soils. Wines are super mineral with a Burgundian structure. This is one of my favorite sites in the Pfalz. VW vines are 65 years old and the level of intensity is really turned up a notch.
• Mäushöhle: Deidesheim, Erste Lage. Northwest of the village, and cooled by the forest to the west. One side has lots of loam and sand and the other loess and sand with weathered limestone and sandstone beneath. A source of brighter, lighter wines, notes of green apple and herbs.
• Herrgottsacker: Deidesheim, Erste Lage. A huge vineyard between the village of Deidesheim and Forst, with the forest to the west and Ungehueuer to the east. The most north-facing vineyard in the Pfalz. Once owned by the church this site has a mix of basalt and sandstone under loamy sand. It imbues a perfect mix of the elegance of Deidesheim and the juicy citrus of Forst.
• Ungeheuer: Forst, Erste Gewächs. A basalt laden vineyard, but with complex soil structure including limestone, rubble, sandstone and with dense clay meaning access to water for more nutrition and excellent mineral underpinning to the wines. The south-east slope gives ample sun and being at the foot of the Haardt Mountains, gives cooler airflow and brighter acidity. 

• Kirchenstück: Forst, Erste Gewächs. “The Montrachet of the Pfalz”, surrounded by the other GC vineyards. The only site rated with the top score of 65 by the Bavarian vineyard classification of 1828. This is a southeast slope with basalt rock, limestone scree, red sandstone, dense clay and sand giving it minerality and access to enough water even in the hottest of years. A vineyard known for complexity, elegance, brilliance, unmatched power and expression like nowhere else. Wines need decades in the cellar to unfurl.

• Jesuitengarten: Forst, Erste Gewächs. The second best vineyard after Kirchenstück. Eastern facing slope with Basalt and limestone mixed, the best of both worlds!

• Pechstein: Forst, Erste Gewächs. Southeast facing slope with high proportions of black basalt for a flinty intense minerality mixed with limestone from an ancient coral reef for structure and sandstone for good measure.

Grape Varieties |

Riesling

• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

Pinot Noir / Spätburgunder

• German Pinot Noir wines are vinified as dry red wines with complex cherry aroma with subtle hints of smoke and almond, slight tannins, and high acidity, with a long finish.
• Had a poor reputation thanks to high yielding, work-horse, clonal material.
• Now Burgundy clones dominate vineyards for the best producers showcasing this incredible variety's true potential.

Sauvignon Blanc:

• High acid
• Semi aromatic
• Light to medium in body depending on location and oak application
• Originally from France
• Does extremely well in the Pfalz climate on limestone soils.
• Varies in style from Sancerre knock-off or Pavillon Blanc stand-in.

Farming |

Organic / Biodynamic

• Many old vine plots
• Lots of high density planting

Cellar Work |

Old traditional

• Spontaneous fermentation
• Turbid must during fermentation, for lots of phenolics, helps with longevity
• No temperature control
• Aged in 500L and up wooden barrels, mix of new and used
• Some stainless steel for the village, Erste Lage and sweet wines, but usually a mix of vessels
• Erste Lage age a minimum of 1 year on the lees
• GGs for at least 1.5 years
• Top “special bottled” wines at least 2-3 years.
• Only wracked off the full lees before bottling for very reductive wines.
• Very minimal intervention, some sulfur at bottling

About the winery |

The estate of von Winning is old — about 160 years old. And the name von Winning is oldish — Leopold von Winning was a leader in Pfalz’s quality wine movement of the early 1900s. But the estate has only been named for von Winning since 2007, when Achim Niderberger purchased the property (then known as Dr. Deinhard) and hired Stephan Attman to run the show.

A revolution at Deidesheim ensued. Attman transformed farming, adopting organics and many biodynamic techniques. In the winery, out went the shiny steel tanks and in came old-fashioned wooden casks (fuder). Winemaking became intensely pre-modern and minimalist. After a few years of tinkering, von Winning began to produce truly brilliant wines.

Von Winning is now, simply put, an estate that all wine lovers must get to know. 

What do the wines taste like?

A huge range is available, really a something-for-everyone type of winery. From the best deal in super dry sekt, to a slurpable off-dry summer Riesling, to a vast exploration of terroir from every major vineyard in the Pfalz.

The intention at the estate is to make wine as it was 100 years ago, with the use of oak, so expect some toasty notes in the GG’s, if you open them young. But even with a bit of spice they are some of the most elegant, intense wines, opulent but always balanced.

The Erte Lage set offers some of the best values in the region, showcasing the wildly diverse possibilities of terroir without the heavy price tag. But whether EL or GG you can really taste the differences: Closer to the forest? It's gonna be lighter and fresher wine. On a plateau; hot and dense. Sandstone soil; get ready for yellow and red peaches with a lot of sunny characteristics. Limestone; Here comes the salt and structure. Let us not forget Basalt; an inimitable flinty character for some of the most delicious and intense Rieslings out there.

And lest we forget to mention them. The Sauvignon Blanc, while not native, have found a worthy home.

Wines on Offer |

von Winning, Chardonnay Royale, 2021 $30.99 $27.27

 

von Winning, Grauer Burgunder, 2022 $25.99 $22.87

 

von Winning, Pinot Noir An den Achtmorgen Grosses Gewächs, 2018 $123.99 $109.11

  

von Winning, Pinot Noir Imperiale, 2021 $73.99 $65.11

 

von Winning, Pinot Noir Rosé, 2022 $21.99 $19.35

 Always a winner from rosé land. Great bright pink color with matching freshness, a bit of texture to give it structure.

 

von Winning, Pinot Noir Royale, 2021 $41.99 $36.95

 The entry Pinot Noir. 10 years ago they pulled out the old German clones of Spätburgunder and replanted with high quality ones from Burgundy. Excellent!!! Even better than I remember from last year. Very balanced cherry fruit, with limestone minerality. 100% destemmed fruit in mixed size and use barrels.

 

von Winning, Riesling Deidesheimer Trocken, 2021 $30.99 $27.27

 “Von Winning's 2021 Deidesheimer Riesling trocken comes from the best sites of Deidesheim and ferments for the most part in large oak barrels. The wine opens with a clear and very elegant bright fruit aroma intertwined with substantial, slightly iodine-inflected soil, herbal and lemony notes. Full-bodied, intense and even slightly creamy on the palate, this is a vivacious, elegant and mouthfilling Riesling with vibrant acidity and a finely grippy, tart and saline finish. 12% stated alcohol. Screw-cap closure. Tasted at the domaine in November 2022. 90 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

von Winning, Riesling Estate Trocken, 2021 $23.99 $21.11

 100% stainless steel fermented and aged. Sourced from around Forst and Deidesheim. Crisp, pretty, chalky, flinty, easy to drink, steely, just what I’ve come to expect from this wine.

 

von Winning, Riesling Forster Trocken, 2022 $28.99 $25.51

 From the younger vines of the GG vineyards so they have basalt, a bit of limestone, and a little more sandstone. Sleek, silky, smoky, lemon, white fruit, yellow peach, you can feel the cut of limestone structure. 100% oak fermentation and aging in an 11,000 L barrel.

 

von Winning, Riesling Herrenletten Erste Lage Trocken, 2021 $39.99 $35.19

 “The 2021 Haardter Herrenletten Riesling trocken VDP. Erste Lage offers a deep, pure and concentrated, almost rich but very elegant and even refined bouquet of iodine and ripe fruits. Full-bodied, intense and remarkably concentrated on the palate, this is a dense, saline and refreshingly mineral Riesling from the Letten Keuper soils in Haardt. The finish is long, fresh and complex and reveals fine tannins. This is another excellent, age-worthy 1er cru from Stephan Attmann that deserves the highest interest. 12% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in November 2022. 93 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

von Winning, Riesling Herrenletten Erste Lage Trocken, 2022 $39.99 $35.19

 2021 was the first vintage they made the Herrenletten from a vineyard in Haardt with limestone soils. They always had this vineyard but used it to blend until it was reclassified as an Erste Lage. Limestone structure and precise mineral core, with a fruity, fine yellow peach finish.

 

von Winning, Riesling Leinhöhle Erste Lage Trocken, 2022 $37.99 $33.43

 North of Langenmorgen, below Kieselberg. Mainly fermented and aged in stainless steel and is the first bottled at the end of July. The roots have a hard time digging into the hard sandstone. Smells steely with yellow and red berries, mineral, pixie sticks, core of vibrant acidity surrounded by but fruit layers, chalky, sandy, textural chewy finish.

 

von Winning, Riesling Mäushöhle Erste Lage Trocken, 2022 $37.99 $33.43

 North of the GG’s Kieselbergerg and Kalkofen with some basalt. Mainly fermented and aged in stainless steel plus 1 used 500 L, four to five year old barrel. Spicy, waxy, yellow peaches, blueberries, raspberries, crazy, cola, floral and dry, cotton candy, a bit of potpourri.

 

von Winning, Riesling Paradiesgarten Erste Lage Trocken, 2021 $37.99 $33.43

 😀🩷🩷A special parcel named by Dr. Deinhard because it really does feel like Paradise. It surrounds the GC Langenmorgen, which is right at the base of Hart Mountains. Here the sun sets behind the mountain so it is the first vineyard in the shade, coupled with the surrounding forest, making it the coldest site. 100% Oak fermentation and aging. Always so good! Lemon, lime, tart apple, sour cherry, pithy, salty, silky smooth. Opening up quickly in glass, even more aromatic, delicious, with delicate floral and tropical notes after just a few minutes. (Barrel sample)

 

von Winning, Riesling Reiterpfad Erste Lage Trocken, 2022 $37.99 $33.43

 Under cork. Very complex layers of tropical yellow mango and pineapple, a bit of cotton candy, but seriously structured like a GG. This is a huge vineyard, 80 ha so a lot of diversity to blend in. Hidden right now, a little muted, but very smooth. Fermented and aged in a mix of dopplestück and tonneaux. (Barrel sample)

 

von Winning, Riesling Sekt Extra Brut, NV $28.99 $25.51

 Two years on the lees, always different blend of sites, but always a tart, lime skin, salty margarita, yummy. Best Deal in bubbles.

 

von Winning, Riesling Ungeheuer Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $79.99 $70.39

“Tasted as a barrel sample in November of this year, von Winning's 2021 Ungeheuer Riesling trocken VDP. Grosse Lage is deep, very fine and clear on the elegant and balanced saline nose that is nothing less than spectacular in its seamless and pure appearance. Round and lush on the palate, with a salty piquancy and a dense, still yeasty texture with very fine tannins, this is a generous and complex Riesling from the famous Forster Ungeheuer that has been appreciated from wine geeks such as Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Otto von Bismarck and Robert M. Parker Jr. 95-96 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

von Winning, Riesling Winnings, 2022 $21.99 $19.35

 Fermented and aged in stainless steel, for the US market only. I’m a super fan of this wine. Just yummy A.F. Peach juice, stoney minerality, heady pea flowers, and even more complex than I remember from last year.

 

von Winning, Rosé Brut, NV $61.99 $54.55

 Subtle and salty, this is a light, refreshing traditional-method sparkler with lots of tart cherry fruit. The herbal notes bring the pinot noir flavors extra freshness. -- Wine & Spirits

 

von Winning, Sauvignon Blanc 500, 2021 $79.99 $70.39

 A selection of the best 2 barrels for only 3,000 bottles may. Definitely my favorite, way more elegant, integrated, brighter, like Pavillon Blanc, white Bordeaux or Alfonse Mellot. A super-duper wine.

 

von Winning, Sauvignon Blanc I, 2021 $39.99 $35.19

 100% oak fermented and aged in 500 L, second and third use barrels. Mostly sourced from the cool Paradiesgarten vineyard. Green pyrazine, toasty, concentrated, lively. Give this 7-8 years before you drink it. But buy it now or you will miss out.

 

von Winning, Sauvignon Blanc II, 2022 $21.99 $19.35

 Fermented and aged in stainless steel. This is always a fun, delicious wine. Passion fruit with a dry, powdery minerality, saline, purity a little more New Zealand than I remember.

 

von Winning, Sauvignon Blanc Lime Rift, 2022 $28.99 $25.51

 Jalapeño! Get me some poppers and call it a day. Intense lime, lime, lime and green and acid. Somewhere between the II and the I, only for states. Fermented and aged mostly steel.

Spreitzer

This Article Contains People Focus Country Region Village Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like? Wines on Offer

People |

Brothers Andreas and Bernd Spreitzer  

Focus |

Textbook Rheingau wines, deep, and layered but also joyful and delicious.

Country |

Germany

Region |

Rheingau

Sub Region/Village |

Oestrich-Winkel

Climate |

Moderate Continental 

• Relatively cold winters, hot, medium length, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• This is a special climate for wine in Germany because of four main factors: Aspect, Elevation, and exposure and the River.
• Historically this was the greatest region for white wine in the world. It is warmer than the Mosel, so vintages were more consistent but Its northerly latitude still put it in the cool continental climate zone. This meant perfectly balanced wines with high acid, but ripe intense fruit concentration and the ability to age for… well…ever. 
• A bend in the Rhein river means almost the entire Rheingau hillside faces due south, picking up the maximum amount of sunlight and heat available. 
• Its moderate to steep slope also helped push ripeness higher, and being along a very wide river, meant reflection of the sun onto the vines for a boost from below.
• Today, what was once a boon, has helped in its waning reputation. Many winemakers continued to push for ripeness in the warming age of climate change, meaning that wines were over ripe, high in alcohol, with low acidities, were generally unbalanced, and not as ageworthy.
• Top producers, like Georg Breuer, have always sought balance above all else, and are one of a handful of estates making brisk, intense wines, which reflect place, but are not over-wrought or flabby.
• White grapes are the majority but there are some great light reds, like Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier that can also ripen well.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

Vineyards |

30 ha in the heart of the Rheingau

• Oestricher Lenchen: Grand Cru, deep löss, veins of sand and marl
• Winkeler Jesuitengarten: Grand Cru, calcerous löss, loam, clay, sand, gravel
• Oestrich Rosengarten: Grand Cru, calcerous loam and shell limestone
• Hallgartener Hendelberg: 1er Cru, multi-colored slate and quartzite

Grape Varieties |

Riesling

• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

Pinot Noir / Spätburgunder

• German Pinot Noir wines are vinified as dry red wines with complex cherry aroma with subtle hints of smoke and almond, slight tannins, and high acidity, with a long finish.
• Had a poor reputation thanks to high yielding, work-horse, clonal material.
• Now Burgundy clones dominate vineyards for the best producers showcasing this incredible variety's true potential.

Farming |

Sustainable

• Alternate cover crops of herbs, greens, and lentils in the summer with grains in the winter

Cellar Work |

Traditional

• Whole cluster, gentle pressing
• Overnight sedimentation
• Long fermenations in temperature controlled stainless steel and old 1,200 L Stück
• Rests on gross lees
• Only filtered once before bottling

About the winery |

Brothers Andreas and Bernd Spreitzer have embraced their wealth of resources to produce Rheingau Rieslings of incredible balance, a feat they liken to walking a tightrope. 

With a generational total of 379 years making wine, the Spreitzers have had plenty of practice. Even with all that experience, great balance requires great vineyards. The Spreitzers own prime real estate throughout their sub-region of Oestrich, including the Lenchen vineyard and its most famous parcel, Eisenberg. The secret weapon of Lenchen is its series of underground streams, guaranteeing balance even in the hottest years, an asset in this age of climate change. 

With these great terroirs and that generations-long attention to balance, the Spritezer’s achieve some of the most delectable wines in the entire Rheingau, at once beautifully delicate and opulently concentrated.

What do the wines taste like?

Fruity and rich, with a playful, unpolished feel, yet clean and sound. These are wines you want to drink, not fuss over. Excellent with food and capable of long aging in the cellar.

Wines on Offer |

Spreitzer, Riesling 101, 2021 $20.99 $18.47

 Sweetie, sweetie, sweetie purple fruit, orange texture, less acid, like a candy-wine, uncomplicated a perfect primer on Rheingau.

 

Spreitzer, Riesling Estate Trocken, 2021 $20.99 $18.47

 New clones from Geisenheim with looser berries and clusters, mean less disease pressure, sometimes longer hang time. Peach, earth, yellow stone fruit, apple. Almost a Domprost flavor, with a Rheingau structure. Hand-picked, 5 to 6 g of RS.

 

Spreitzer, Riesling Geisenheimer Schlossgarten Clos Alte Reben Trocken, 2021 $35.99 $31.67

 

Spreitzer, Riesling Hallgartener Hendelberg Alte Reben Erste Lagen Trocken, 2022 $35.99 $31.67

 Floral, white peach, lighter, less concentration but easy drinking. Highest altitude vineyard, Phyllite soils, longer hang time, and a cooler feel, 10% are from younger vines.

 

Spreitzer, Riesling Oestrich Alte Reben Trocken, 2022 $25.99 $22.87

 ★ Muschelkalk, limestone, near the river which equals loam, loess, clay. limestone = Zippy clean, clear brighter, same fruit but sharper structure. Good value, 5 to 6 g/l residual sugar.

 

Spreitzer, Riesling Oestricher Klosterberg Alte Reben Erste Lagen Trocken, 2022 $35.99 $31.67

 50 year old vines on terraces with a southwest exposure at 250 to 210 m elevation. Pretty and elegant structure with a whiff of a spicy, exotic finish. Cohesive, well knit, creamy but not overly ripe, salty, orange sunshine.

 

Spreitzer, Riesling Oestricher Lenchen Kabinett, 2022 $25.99 $22.87

 Oh Yum, lemon, yellow peach, fresh and delicious, great Kabinett, lighter than most, elegant, with less RS than I remember. 8.2 total acidity (that's high) 45 g/l residual sugar.

 

Spreitzer, Riesling Oestricher Lenchen Spätlese 303, 2022 $54.99 $48.39

 ★★ So Rheingau = silky roasted peaches. Eisenberg was allotted its name two years ago after the consolidation of 1972. In 1920 their grandfather picked a TBA with sugar concentration at 303 Oschel = 600 g/l of sugar (150 is required for TBA) and it was the record holder until 2003. They honor him with this wine. Only 3 vineyards in Rheingau have red slate and this is one of them. Harvested in October. Spicy, sanguine, meaty, elegant, decadent, please give me some spicy food to eat with this!

 

Spreitzer, Riesling Rosengarten Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $59.99 $52.79

 Scotch-like, oak, dense, yellow, tropical flowers, very rich, spicy, peppery, nutty, with less acid and more typical for Rheingau. Was a monopole labeled Rosengarten until 1971 but then the law changed and it was too small, just over 1 ha, to get a single vineyard name. Everything under 5 ha was consolidated then in 2013 they were granted the right to label with Rosengarten again.

 

Spreitzer, Riesling Winkeler Jesuitengarten Alte Reben Feinherb, 2022 $35.99 $31.67

 Favorite vineyard of the Jesuits right by the Rhein river. I’m calling it the Brücke of Rheingau. Much darker than the Lenchen, spicy, exotic, nutty, tropical, oxidized, finishes dry, syrupy, complex.

 

Spreitzer, Riesling Wisselbrunnen Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $64.99 $57.19

 ★ Even though this is 2021 it feels so dense and Rheingau, but a cooler, lime skin white fruit than the overripe peach. Silkier, herbal, more acid. Quartz veins, loam, loess, and clay soils.

 

Schlossgut Diel

This Article Contains People Focus Country Region Village Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like? Wines on Offer

People |

Caroline Diel and husband Sylvain Taurisson-Diel

Focus |

Rieslings with a heavy French influence in winemaking, yet they explore their terroir in the very German method of every ripeness levels from all top sites. Also, some outstanding sparkling wine.

Country |

Germany

Region |

Nahe 

Village |

Burg Layen

Climate |

Cool Continental

• Defined as very cold winters, hot, short, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• Until climate change this was the very northern edge of where grapes could ripen fully, but only about 7 out of 10 years.
• Now: winters are usually not as cold, summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem 4 or the last 5 years, and autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• The unpredictability of the weather is what makes wines especially vintage sensitive and creates havoc (and high costs!) for winemakers.
• Nahe is a little warmer on average than the Mosel and cooler than most of the other wine regions in Germany. There are some very warm vineyard sites, giving an almost mediterranean feel, but also with a few cooler, almost Saar-like areas as well. 
• Cool climate wines are high in acid, low in alcohol, light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors rather than fruit.
• Usually white wines are made, but some light reds, like Pinot Noir can also ripen well.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

Vineyards |

25 hectares from Erste Gewächs and Erste Lage vineyards.

• Dorsheimer Goldloch: A Grand Cru site, stony soils with a layer of loam and gravel, very steep (45-55%) with terraces. Their prized vineyard.

• Dorsheimer Pittermännchen: A Grand Cru site, heavily weathered Devonian grey slate, on top of Rotliegend conglomerate with gravel, and quartzite. The smallest slope of the estate. Very fine, mineral Riesling.

• Dorsheimer Burgberg: A Grand Cru site, loamy, iron-rich soils with a high proportion of quartzite. These need extra time in the cellar but reward with outstand complexity.

Grape Varieties |

Riesling

• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

Pinot Blanc / Weissburgunder

• A white skinned mutation of Pinot Noir
• The secret weapon of the Teutonics. They make the best versions of this grape, and they don’t share them.
• Germany is now the world’s leading producer of Pinot Blanc
• pale to straw yellow in color, and delicate on the nose. A slightly nutlike aroma is typical. Vinified dry, its medium to full body and fine acidity complement many types of food.
• Good examples age very well, although generally made with the aim of everyday fresh and dry wines in mind. Even these seemingly innocuous wines have the ability to age over decades..

Pinot Gris / Grauburgunder

• A pink-skinned genetic mutation of Pinot Noir.
• Likely introduced from across the border in nearby Alsace by Cistercian monks. 
• Takes on many styles in Germany. 
• The country is the world’s third-largest producer of the grape.
• Typically dry and can range from light and fresh to rich and oak-aged. 
• Most of the time, these wines are more concentrated and flavorful than Pinot Grigio of Italy, with notes of apple, pear, and nuts.
• Because of its pink skins, Pinot Gris also makes delicious orange wines. 

Pinot Noir / Spätburgunder

• German Pinot Noir wines are vinified as dry red wines with complex cherry aroma with subtle hints of smoke and almond, slight tannins, and high acidity, with a long finish.
• Had a poor reputation thanks to high yielding, work-horse, clonal material.
• Now Burgundy clones dominate vineyards for the best producers showcasing this incredible variety's true potential.

Farming |

Sustainable

• Practicing organic in most vineyards
• Hand harvesting
• Every site is picked multiple times throughout the harvest season

Cellar Work |

Traditional Mosel with some French Influence

• No recipes, Caroline follows her gut with every vintage and every wine.
• Fruit is whole cluster preseed or destemmed by hand if the vintage requires it
• Short maceration
• Gentle pressing
• Overnight sedimentation
• Spontaneous fermentation
• Vessels vary from stuckfass, doppelstuck, cement tanks and small barrels for red wines.
• Long aging: Whites for a minimum of 10 months before bottling.
• Reds are 75% hand destemmed with 25% whole cluster
• 18 months in barrel
• Bottled unfiltered.
• Sparkling is Champagne method with 5- 15 years in the bottle
• Hand riddling 

About the winery |

Caroline, the 7th generation to run the estate, has always pushed against the grain. In highschool she decided she wanted to be anywhere but the Nahe and jumped ship for a boarding school in Pebble Beach California.

She eventually returned and after graduating from Geisenheim interned around the world in California, Burgundy, Champagne, South Africa, Burgenland, New Zealand and elsewhere in France.  Estates included Domaine de la Romanee Conti, Pichon Lalande, Dr Deinhard, Ruinart, and Rebholz. And because her devotion to learning and Champagne knows no bounds she even got another internship with Hure Freres in 2020.

She’s a bit of a renegade, but is devoted to both her family and her inherited family legacy. She pulls out the stops to attain quality and pushes the other estates in the VDP to do the same. These wines were some of the biggest surprises on this last German trip and deserve your attention.

What do the wines taste like?

Her methods and wines feel very French in their on minerality over fruit. But she also embraces Rieslings ability to make great wine in every style fromfocus bone dry to superbly sweet and everything in between.

Do NOT miss out on her Sparkling wines. These are the best non-Champagne sparklers from anywhere, in fact, I’d say they are better than many Champagne available on the market.

Wines on Offer |

 

Schlossgut Diel, Diel de Diel, 2021 $23.99 $21.11

 Name is a spin on Gavi di Gavi for something that is simple, straight forward, bright and delicious. The first vintage was used in Lufthansa business class. Juicy, dry, moderately rich, medium + acid, spicy, a Pinot chalky texture, fine riesling fruit, touch of reduction.

 

Schlossgut Diel, Goldloch Riesling Sekt Prestige, 2013 $84.99 $74.79

 Out of this world. I thought the Pinot de Deil was incredible, but this is just the bees knees, cat's meow and who knows what else. 2013 was such a magical vintage in Champagne and Germany and its the perfect one to make a perfect wine like this. The depth of concentration, with the evaborative effect of German wine is on full display. Showing just a bit of maturity, but only now coming into play. Just stunning.

 

Schlossgut Diel, Pinot de Diel Brut, NV $37.99 $33.43

 😀😀 Pinot Cuvee = Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and a dash of Riesling. A 2020 base, lovely, like really good, the best sparkling in Germany, better than many Champagne. Just a bare touch of fruit with mostly rich, deep reserve wine, toasted brioche, loads of umami, perfectly pixelated, pinpointed bubbles, creamy mousse.

 

Schlossgut Diel, Pinot Noir Caroline, 2020 $123.99 $109.11

 Lovely wine, Germany is really stepping up their Pinot game with these better clones and warmer weather. This is a wine made by someone who loves Burgundy and it shows.

 

Schlossgut Diel, Riesling Burg Layen Trocken, 2021 $32.99 $29.03

“The 2021 Burg Layen Riesling is deep, pure and intense on the nose that shows iodine notes and a coolish but ripe fruit aroma. Lush and savory on the palate, with intense, concentrated and juicy fruit, this is a saline, fresh and intense, persistent and aromatic dry Riesling with lots of music and slate tension. A gorgeous wine. 12% stated alcohol. Screw-cap closure. Tasted at the domaine in August 2022. 93 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Schlossgut Diel, Riesling Burgberg Grosses Gewächs, 2019 $98.99 $87.11

 Spends an extra year in barrel, then is racked to stainless steel with the lees. From a 2 ha amphitheater with vines planted in the late 60s on iron rich, clay, quartzite soils. Still so young, sponti and reduction (will shed), phenolic, richer, a bit disjointed right now, but it was just bottled. Loads of mineral, way less fruit and what is there is all white with a strip of red in the background. A very promising wine = stony pure.

 

Schlossgut Diel, Riesling Dorsheimer Goldloch Kabinett, 2021 $35.99 $31.67

“The openhearted 2021 Goldloch Riesling Kabinett opens to ripe and lush as well as well concentrated yellow stone fruit aromas intertwined with coolish and spicy notes of crushed rocks. Pure, saline and refined on the palate, this is a mouth-filling Kabinett with ripe and lush fruit but also crystalline acidity that cuts the fruit into mineral-scented slices. Aged in large, traditional oak, this is an excellent and moutwatering Kabinett from a grand cu vineyard. 8% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in August 2022. 92 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Schlossgut Diel, Riesling Dorsheimer Pittermännchen Auslese, 2012 $84.99 $74.79

 

Schlossgut Diel, Riesling Dorsheimer Trocken, 2021 $32.99 $29.03

“The 2021 Dorsheim Riesling is pure, deep, intense and perfectly ripe on the slatey nose that shows concentrated and spicy fruit. Lush and round on the palate, this is a fine, crystalline, elegant, piquant and persistently saline Riesling with a long, pure, crystalline and aromatic finish. The acidity is really sharp but ripe and accompanies a ripe, elegant fruit. 12% stated alcohol. Screw-cap closure. Tasted at the domaine in August 2022. 92 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Schlossgut Diel, Riesling Eierfels Trocken, 2021 $41.99 $36.95

 

Schlossgut Diel, Riesling Goldloch Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $77.99 $68.63

 Pebbly Permian soils. Yellow fruit and flint, spicy baked strawberries and peach pie, a little more dense but with a ton of acid to hold it up, while it sheds the fat. I want to drink this in five years. These have all been elegant and finessed wines with good juice to mineral balance.

 

Schlossgut Diel, Riesling Nahesteiner Trocken, 2021 $23.99 $21.11

“Caroline Diel's 2021 Riesling Nahesteiner offers a clear, brilliant and aromatic bouquet of ripe white stone fruits and pure notes of crushed stones. This is coolish, spicy and finely concentrated. Lush, refined and savory on the palate, this is a light but intense and juicy-piquant Riesling with a long and pretty complex finish. 12% stated alcohol. Screw-cap closure. Tasted at the domaine in August 2022. 92 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Schlossgut Diel, Riesling Pittermannchen Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $79.99 $70.39

“The 2021 Pittermännchen GG offers a deep, pure, intense, flinty-scented bouquet of ripe mirabelles and crushed stones. Very firm and tight on the palate, this is a pure and saline yet currently ascetic and even drying Riesling with a long and tensioned finish yet still not showing the dimensions it really has. 12% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in August 2022. 96 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Schlossgut Diel, Riesling Schlossberg Erste Lage Trocken, 2021 $54.99 $48.39

 ★ From a site with old, weathered, decomposed red slate along with a bunch of other bits, south-east to south-west aspect. Feminine, jasmine, tropical flowers, (any of you ever smelled a puakenikeni?) blood orange, very spicy finish, purely mineral, less fruit, but what is there is just ripe, and white flower perfumed finish. So juicy and complex for and Erste Lage. It is young and lacks some cohesion but also has such youthful exuberance, a rainbow of colors of fruit flavors; white, green, yellow, orange, red all in the background.

 

Schlossgut Diel, Rosé de Diel, 2022 $27.99 $24.63

 What a happy delicious rose. perfect for our lunch outdoors, drink with good company and yummy food, it almost doesn't matter what.

 

Schlossgut Diel, Von der Nahe Feinherb, 2021 $25.99 $22.87

Theo Minges

This Article Contains People Focus Country Region Village Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like? Wines on Offer

People |

Theo Minges, his wife Martina and their daughter Regine Minges

Focus |

A range of Prädikat and dry single vineyard wines from some of the best vineyards you’ve never heard of in the Pfalz. Mineral and fruity, balanced and ageworthy. Lot’s of energy.

Country |

Germany

Region |

Pfalz

Village |

Flemlingen

Climate |

Cool to Moderate Continental 

• Cold winters, hot, medium length, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• This is the warmest region in Germany with more Mediterranean-like temperatures. You can even find fig and olive trees growing among the vines.
• Winters are usually not as cold as they were historically. Summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem, and autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• Moderate climate wines are relatively high in acid, with lower than average alcohols, medium to light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors along with ripe fruit notes. 
• White grapes are the majority but there are some great light reds, like Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier that can also ripen well.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

Vineyards |

25 hectares in their home village of Flemlingen

• Gleisweiler Hölle: Red sandstone, limestone. a hollow site undulated with streams, brooks, and vegetation more similar to that of Northern Italy than the flat-ish Pfalz.
• Burrweiler Schloßgarten: Loam, limestone
• Weyhrer Michelsberg: Slate
• Flemlinger Vogelsprung: Loam
• Schäwer
• Unterer Faulenberg

Grape Varieties |

Riesling

• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

Pinot Noir / Spätburgunder

• German Pinot Noir wines are vinified as dry red wines with complex cherry aroma with subtle hints of smoke and almond, slight tannins, and high acidity, with a long finish.
• Had a poor reputation thanks to high yielding, work-horse, clonal material.
• Now Burgundy clones dominate vineyards for the best producers showcasing this incredible variety's true potential.

Chardonnay

• Moderately high acid
• Neutral in aromatics
• Responds well to winemaking, no matter the method
• Originally from Burgundy, France
• Does well on the limestone soils

Pinot Blanc / Weissburgunder

• A white skinned mutation of Pinot Noir
• The secret weapon of the Teutonics. They make the best versions of this grape, and they don’t share them.
• Germany is now the world’s leading producer of Pinot Blanc
• pale to straw yellow in color, and delicate on the nose. A slightly nutlike aroma is typical. Vinified dry, its medium to full body and fine acidity complement many types of food.
• Good examples age very well, although generally made with the aim of everyday fresh and dry wines in mind. Even these seemingly innocuous wines have the ability to age over decades..

• Scheurebe
• A crossing of Riesling and Bukettrebe (until 2012 thought to be Silvaner)
• Scheurebe was created by Georg Scheu in 1916. 
• Though it was first bred in the Rheinhessen, it quickly became a favorite across the country when it was released to the public in the middle of the 20th century.
• Regions: Most of Scheurebe’s plantings are still in the Rheinhessen, though it’s also grown in the Pfalz, Nahe, and Franken.
• Styles: Initially bred to be an aromatic variety, Scheurebe is known for its pronounced, fruity aromas.
• It has fresh acidity and is often made as a lusciously sweet wine, though dry versions are becoming more common.

• Muskateller
• Ancient variety
• Highly aromatic
• Low in acidity
• Makes for great sweet wines, but the Germans and Austrians make even better dry wines from them. 
• They can taste like a day at the beach.

Farming |

Organic

• Biodynamic practices
• Most vines planted 40 years ago
• All Mosel clones of Riesling
• Cover crops between rows.

Cellar Work |

Traditional - Low Intervention

• Light crushing
• Few hour maceration
• Gentle pressing
• Spontaneous fermentation in stückfass or stainless steel
• an extra long time on gross lees, at least one year
• extremely minimal sulfur use, and only at bottling.

About the winery |

A family winery since the 16th century now in the hands of the enigmatic Regine Minges and her father. The wines are classic interpretations of the relatively unknown, but worthy, southern Pfalz vineyards. But they seem to have a new energy and luster to them since Regine finished her studies at Geisenheim and joined her father at the winery.

These were some of the biggest “re-discoveries” for me on this last trip to Germany. Single vineyard, organically farmed grapes, made with low intervention techniques, sound, clean, pure, expressive for a fraction of the price of our beloved von Winning and Dr. Bürklin-wolf.

I went back to them again and again at lunch and I highly recommend they be given a chance for those looking for an entry way into the Pfalz without the hefty price tag.

What do the wines taste like?

Clean, pure, fruity, mineral, wholesome, not overly polished, but sound and energetic. The sweet wines are very balanced and not overwrought and the dry wines have the concentration to age without being austere.

Wines on Offer |

 

Minges, Riesling Froschkönig, 2018 $41.99 $36.95

 

Minges, Riesling Gleisweiler Trocken, 2022 $21.99 $19.35

 From a sandstone vineyard near the village. Dry, bright, great acid, white apple, linear, very crisp, waxy, good texture, salty, simple in the best way.

 

Minges, Riesling Pfalz Halbtrocken, 2022 (1L) $21.99 $19.35

 Earthy, dusty nose, zingy acid, lemon and orange citrus, medium length. Simply gluggable. From the village of Flemingen, clay soils, 11% abv.

 

Minges, Riesling Pfalz Kabinett, 2021 $21.99 $19.35

 A medium-density Kabinett, not fully Pfalz weight but a little heavier than in the north. Simple slurpable peach juice. From Geisweiller with sandstone soils. 8.5% abv

 

Minges, Riesling Pfalz Spätlese, 2022 $25.99 $22.87

 

Minges, Riesling Schäwer Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $48.99 $43.11

 ★★★ 12.5% abv. There are only 2 slate vineyards in Pfalz and this is one of them. Was previously owned by someone who only made bulk wine. He knew the Minges would cherish it and do something great with it, so even though a lot of people wanted it, he gave it to them. They got to work adjusting it for quality wines with lower yields. Super unique wine for the Pfalz, but gosh does Riesling love slate! White peach, apple, creamy but tart, mineral in a salty slate-y sort of way. Delicate texture, lifted structure, really good. Age at least 10+ years.

 

Minges, Riesling Unterer Faulenberg Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $48.99 $43.11

 ★ Has been made as a GG since 2012. Spontaneously fermented in stainless steel (will inoculate if it is stuck before dryness), no battonage, on fine lees until bottling, which is in July. 12. 5% abv from a vineyard near the forest with lots of cold air, sandstone soils warm the roots but there is not a lot of water access. Perfume, flint, ornate yellow and orange tree fruit, raspberries, mineral, for a spicy and highly texture wine. Great concentration, long aging potential, good structure, very young, has a long way to go. Punchy.

 

Minges, Scheurebe Feinherb, 2022 $25.99 $22.87

 Ripe grapefruit, steely, waxy, short finish, hiding, not as good as the dry right now, needs time. She says 20+ years aging potential, this is what they open at weddings.

 

Minges, Scheurebe Gleisweiler Trocken, 2022 $23.99 $21.11

 White flower, slight green, passionfruit, grapefruit, plenty of acidity. Actually very good, balance structured, I see where the Sauvignon Blanc comparison comes in. They claim it will age for decades, and should.

Künstler

This Article Contains People Focus Country Region Village Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like? Wines on Offer

People |

Gunter Künstler

Focus |

Pinot Noir and Riesling with lots of “heart and soul”. They have character and are not overly polished.

Country |

Germany

Region |

Rheingau

 

Village |

Hochheim am Main

Climate |

Moderate Continental 

• Relatively cold winters, hot, medium length, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• This is a special climate for wine in Germany because of four main factors: Aspect, Elevation, and exposure and the River.
• Historically this was the greatest region for white wine in the world. It is warmer than the Mosel, so vintages were more consistent but Its northerly latitude still put it in the cool continental climate zone. This meant perfectly balanced wines with high acid, but ripe intense fruit concentration and the ability to age for… well…ever. 
• A bend in the Rhein river means almost the entire Rheingau hillside faces due south, picking up the maximum amount of sunlight and heat available. 
• Its moderate to steep slope also helped push ripeness higher, and being along a very wide river, meant reflection of the sun onto the vines for a boost from below.
• Today, what was once a boon, has helped in its waning reputation. Many winemakers continued to push for ripeness in the warming age of climate change, meaning that wines were over ripe, high in alcohol, with low acidities, were generally unbalanced, and not as ageworthy.
• Top producers, like Küstler, have embraced the changes, replanting to red grapes like Pinot Noir and making incredible, balanced wine, reflective of terroir through a more appropriate grape for the climate.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

Vineyards |

35 hectares in Hochheim

• Domdechaney: Hochheim, Grand Cru, Löss, loam, gravel and marl. Concentration and body with stunning minerality. Needs at least 2-5 years of development before opening.
• Kirschenstück: Hochheim, Grand Cru, heavy lime bedrock, with löss, loam, and sand. Protected from the north by Hochheim, on a south facing slope. Wines are light and lively with notes of melon and peach.
• Hölle: Hochheim, Grand Cru, Very steep site with clay, marl, lime. A light slope with lots of clay for deep dense wines that can show gorgeous complexity with enough time in the cellar.

• Steilweg: Hochheim, Grand Cru. Heavy loam and clay with sand. 50 year old vines give wine with both a fine grained texture, fruity exuberance and enough complexity for aging.

• Berg Rottland: Rudesheim, Erste Gewächs. Some deep löss, moving into shallow gravel soils with slate and sandstone. A very steep site, in a protected natural basin with great access to water. Stony, salty wines with body and power.

• Berg Schlossberg: Rudesheim, Erste Gewächs.The steepest hillside in the Rheingau with very hard quartzite and slate. Snappy, savory, delicate, lacy with high acidity and beautiful minerality. Some of the finest Riesling on earth. 

Grape Varieties |

Pinot Noir / Spätburgunder

• German Pinot Noir wines are vinified as dry red wines with complex cherry aroma with subtle hints of smoke and almond, slight tannins, and high acidity, with a long finish.
• Had a poor reputation thanks to high yielding, work-horse, clonal material.
• Now Burgundy clones dominate vineyards for the best producers showcasing this incredible variety's true potential.

Riesling

• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

Sauvignon Blanc

• High acid
• Semi aromatic
• Light to medium in body depending on location and oak application
• Originally from France
• Does extremely well in the limestone soils of the Rheingau.

Chardonnay

• Moderately high acid
• Neutral in aromatics
• Responds well to winemaking, no matter the method
• Originally from Burgundy, France
• Does well on the limestone soils of Rheingau

Farming |

Organic Practicing & Sustainable

• Fair n Green certified
• 11 hectares are worked organically
• No herbicides have been used anywhere since 1992.
• The two rivers create a very humid environment making several parcels impossible to work without fungicides.

Cellar Work |

Modern

• Musts settle by gravity and are pressed clear
• Cultured yeasts are used because of the high temperatures at harvest, which risk high volatile acidity if done spontaneously. 
• Most wines are in old cask, with some stainless steel employed.

About the winery |

Established in 1648 north of Vienna in Moravia. After WWII he was forced to expatriate and in 1965 re-established the family business at the confluence of the rivers Mains and Rhein.

What do the wines taste like?

The wines are very pure, clean, and precise, without tasting as though they’ve been sanitized and had the character stripped out of them. They are detailed and meticulous, but also delicious and satisfying.

Wines on Offer |

Künstler, Pinot Noir Dry Tradition, 2021 $37.99 $33.43

 

Künstler, Riesling Berg Rottland Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $89.99 $79.19

 "this smells more golden, riper, pit fruits and ripe nectrarine with an underlying slate-y-ness and more base note. Savory, but still full of fruit and bone dry. This feels the most calm and open at the moment - large oak – this is my second favorite of the range of Rudeshiem wines. I like the mid-pal density and this yellow raspberry lick of flavor balancing the strong mineral imprint of the wine." -- Gabe Clary, VP Skurnik Wines

 

Künstler, Riesling Erbacher Macrobrunn Auslese, 2021 (375ml) $104.99 $92.39

 "smells quite clear with just a touch of volatility, deep, red peach flavors, the acid actually doesn’t feel searing as it is enclosed by this excellent structure, great density, but not too heavy. 125 ochs, 140 RS, it is not a searcher – this is very overt and is not mysterious in the way that these great wines can be." -- Gabe Clary, VP Skurnik Wines

 

Künstler, Riesling Erbacher Macrobrunn Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $139.99 $123.19

 "★★ very clear, balanced between this haunting kind of mineral imprint, planted 1946 and 1974 – this is excellent and gaining depth as the wine gets a bit more air. It has more power and density than Pfaffenberg, the juiciness of fruit is coming out here. It is structured, but with a nice sense of fruit sweetness to balance all of that power." -- Gabe Clary, VP Skurnik Wines

 

Künstler, Riesling Estate Trocken, 2022 $27.99 $24.63

 "(barrel sample) – this smells quite good, aristocratic and classic here in its aroma. The balance of fruit and mineral flavors is very good – not overt and juicy - 20% large oak and 80% Steel, reduced a bit the oak for this vintage to conserve the freshness of the vintage. It is not a searing wine in terms of acidity, but it is quite saline. A med weight Estate Riesling." -- Gabe Clary, VP Skurnik Wines

 

Künstler, Riesling Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg [Monopole] Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $89.99 $79.19

 "this smells a little nostalgic, like something warm from a house, a really even keeled and balanced expression of this site. This is not a wine about power, but about elegance and length. With Schlossberg and Kirchenstuck, this is another exciting jewel in the crown of outstanding vineyard sites with a completely different expression." -- Gabe Clary, VP Skurnik Wines

 

Künstler, Riesling Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Spätlese, 2021 $104.99 $92.39

 "this is very clear, there seems to be a little bit of botry, but not much, this is a pre-harvest, so they cut off the botry and did whole cluster, clear, lean for this type of wine at this address. I suspect that Gunter is still feeling out these two most impressive and famous sites in Rheingau. It must be like a dream to work with these vineyards. TA is 9.9, RS 105." -- Gabe Clary, VP Skurnik Wines

 

Künstler, Riesling Hochheim Kirchenstück Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $89.99 $79.19

 "★★ this smells wonderful, bright, red fruited and delicate, an elegant Hoch wine, bright and the mirror to Schlossberg in a bigger frame planted 1969 and 1971." -- Gabe Clary, VP Skurnik Wines

 

Künstler, Riesling Hochheimer Domdechaney Erste Lage Trocken, 2021 $56.99 $50.15

 "darker fruited and ripe, but again, not overripe, the finish here is excellent, with the finish moving in an orange direction, almost red fruited. This has more amplitude than Stielweg and feels wider and more structured. The Hochheim wines all have this depth and aristocratic poise." -- Gabe Clary, VP Skurnik Wines

 

Künstler, Riesling Hochheimer Hölle Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $84.99 $74.79

 "★★ this actually has a tiny bit of parm character on the nose, this is the most savory tasting and so far. This wine is completely full of umami and is a wine for lovers of non-fruit flavors." -- Gabe Clary, VP Skurnik Wines

 

Künstler, Riesling Hochheimer Kirchenstück Im Stein Erste Lage Trocken, 2022 $39.99 $35.19

 "all stainless steel - this as the most elegant vineyard in Hochhiem, this is the old name of this parcel and stainless steel preserves the fruit character. This smells very good – orchard fruits again, a ripe, but not overripe pear, crunchy Orleans reinette apple. There is a touch of ginger here in the nose too, spiciness punctuating a more broad and textured wine. The style of the wine is very relaxed and even." -- Gabe Clary, VP Skurnik Wines

 

Künstler, Riesling Hochheimer Mainterassen Trocken, 2021 $30.99 $27.27

 "Ortswein – This smells quite good. I liked this wine a lot in 2020, but it had a much riper fruit character and this made the wine more approachable, more round. This vintage the wine is a bit more pointed, more angular and less charming than the previous vintage. The level of acidity is making the wine play at a slightly higher register." -- Gabe Clary, VP Skurnik Wines

 

Künstler, Riesling Hochheimer Stielweg Alte Reben Erste Lage Trocken, 2022 $47.99 $42.23

 "this is a bit drier and more extract, a bit fuller here in comparison to the Im Stein wine 60-72 years old, this is quite good in terms of texture – again, this kind of poised aristocratic nature. More round, but not soft. All large oak casks. The empty glass here smells great, more yellow fruited and mellow." -- Gabe Clary, VP Skurnik Wines

 

Künstler, Riesling Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Grosses Gewächs, 2021 $114.99 $101.19

 "★★ this shimmering aroma of Schlossberg, super pure and transparent. This is head and shoulders above the other two Rudesheim sites – large oak. Very good, even with another 20 mins in the glass, it is still showing the purity of fruit here coupled with the sensation that only Schlossberg brings – like a cool but brilliantly sunny Spring day. Not nearly as weighty and textural as the Hochheim wines but with an even deeper resonance." -- Gabe Clary, VP Skurnik Wines

This Article Contains People Focus Country Region Village Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like? Wines on Offer

People |

Gerd Gross, his wife Andrea, and their son Johannes

Focus |

A cooler-style of fine, elegant fruit and great clarity Rieslings and Pinot Noir.

Country |

Germany

Region |

Rheingau

 

Village |

Johannisberg

Climate |

Moderate Continental 

• Relatively cold winters, hot, medium length, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• This is a special climate for wine in Germany because of four main factors: Aspect, Elevation, and exposure and the River.
• Historically this was the greatest region for white wine in the world. It is warmer than the Mosel, so vintages were more consistent but Its northerly latitude still put it in the cool continental climate zone. This meant perfectly balanced wines with high acid, but ripe intense fruit concentration and the ability to age for… well…ever. 
• A bend in the Rhein river means almost the entire Rheingau hillside faces due south, picking up the maximum amount of sunlight and heat available. 
• Its moderate to steep slope also helped push ripeness higher, and being along a very wide river, meant reflection of the sun onto the vines for a boost from below.
• Today, what was once a boon, has helped in its waning reputation. Many winemakers continued to push for ripeness in the warming age of climate change, meaning that wines were over ripe, high in alcohol, with low acidities, were generally unbalanced, and not as ageworthy.
• Top producers, like Georg Breuer, have always sought balance above all else, and are one of a handful of estates making brisk, intense wines, which reflect place, but are not over-wrought or flabby.
• White grapes are the majority but there are some great light reds, like Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier that can also ripen well.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

Vineyards |

12 hectares of vines from Johannisberg, Winkler and Geisenheim in the middle Rheingau. All higher elevation, up to 660 feet, cooler sites.

• Johannisberger Goldatzel: Loam, loess, quartzite, Southeast facing at high elevation for highly mineral, taut wines.
• Johannisberger Vogelsang: Gravel, sandy loam. Very stony soils with not a lot of water retention. Vines are 70 years old and dig deep to survive. The wines are complex but delicate, finessed and pure.
• Johannisberger Hölle: Loam, quartz and some iron rich earth. Steep, stony and lots of mixed soils, not a lot of water access. Fruity, fresh and playful wines.
• Winkeler Hasensprung: Deep loess, loam with chalk, quartz and slate. gentle slope, exposed to cool westerly winds for light, tight wines.
• Geisenheimer Kläuserweg: Loam, marl, chalky clay. Deeper, denser wines with more power.

Grape Varieties |

Riesling

• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

Pinot Noir / Spätburgunder

• German Pinot Noir wines are vinified as dry red wines with complex cherry aroma with subtle hints of smoke and almond, slight tannins, and high acidity, with a long finish.
• Had a poor reputation thanks to high yielding, work-horse, clonal material.
• Now Burgundy clones dominate vineyards for the best producers showcasing this incredible variety's true potential.

Other varieties

Farming |

Sustainable

• Soil health is extremely important
• No insecticides, botryticides, and copper are ever used.
• herbicides are avoided unless absolutely necessary. 
• Manure is spread in all the vineyards
• cover crops grow between the vines to protect the healthy humus formed below
• hand harvested
• rigorous selections happen in the vineyards

Cellar Work |

Traditional

• Wine moved by gravity, the most gentle handling
• whole cluster press of grape
• Fermentation  in stainless steel or Stückfass, depending on the character of the wine
• No temperature control
• Time on the lees is not an exact science, instead decided by taste and feeling
• Typically bottled on the early side to preserve the freshness of the fruit

About the winery |

A new discovery on this trip to Germany!

This small family winery is striving to do everything right. For centuries the vineyards at the top of the Rheingau were too cold to be given Grand Cru status, but in the age of climate change, the Gross family have a treasure trove of excellent sites on their hands.

They’ve been making wine in this same village since the 1500’s. Today father, wife and son work together in the vineyards, cellar and homie tasting room to craft small production, excellent wines.

If you like wines of class and minerality these are for you.

What do the wines taste like?

These are some of the prettiest, most delicate and elegant wines from the Rheingau. This is thanks to a collection of sites at higher elevations, away from the river, where cool air and stony soils lead to wines of intense minerality and lots of acidity.

These are made in traditional methods, have just enough polish, but a bright shining soul lingers in your glass.

Wines on Offer |

Goldatzel, Riesling Geisenheimer Klauserweg Spätlese Trocken, 2022 $41.99 $36.95

 Grand Cru, super steep, warm site. Bigger, riper, spicier, dense, peach, phenolic, bold, creamy and young.

 

Goldatzel, Riesling Glanzstück Rheingau Trocken, 2022 $23.99 $21.11

 

Goldatzel, Riesling Johannisberger Bestes Fass Spätlese Trocken, 2022 $35.99 $31.67

 ★★ Tangerine, mineral, pretty, elegant, dry, herbal, minty, and overall coolness to the wine. From one vineyard, the oldest, best plots, with 50 year old vines, and harvested two weeks later than everything else. Fermented and aged in different sized barrels.

 

Goldatzel, Riesling Johannisberger Hasensprung Grosses Gewächs, 2022 $54.99 $48.39

 ★★★ From the best parcel of 40 to 50 year old vines, in a small valley with south-southwest exposition, cool evenings, harvested last. Racked once, just one barrel blended with one stainless steel tank, will be bottled in September. VERY complex, lemon and white peach and orange, mineral and slate, acid and structure, food wine, outstanding wine. (Barrel sample).

 

Goldatzel, Riesling Johannisberger Hölle Kabinett, 2022 $27.99 $24.63

 10% abv 30 g/l residual sugar. Vineyard with sandy light topsoil, harvested earlier, a bit of a hotspot. A touch clunkier than the rest, ripe peach, smokey, dense, fruity and powerful. Much more Rheingau.

 

Goldatzel, Riesling Johannisberger Kabinett Feinherb, 2021 $27.99 $24.63

 ★ 😀 Yellow tones, lighter, floral, powdery minerality of stone and slate. Very dry Kabi, herbs, complex 16 g/l residual sugar but a dry finish, really balanced, steely, more body than the Mosel, but not sweeter. A very unique wine with a long finish. Do not miss.

 

Goldatzel, Riesling Johannisberger Vogelsang Alte Reben Feinherb, 2022 $48.99 $43.11

 😀😀 SchlossJohannesburg has quartz and reddish loam with 90 to 100 year old vines, (it was too sleep to bother reconstructing). 10 g/l residual sugar. So pretty delicious, elegant…just right. Mineral core, a lot of acid, fine filigreed flavors and edges, sage and pepper happiness.

 

Goldatzel, Riesling Winkeler Hasensprung Kabinett Trocken, 2022 $27.99 $24.63

 ❤️ Wow, just a whole other level of pretty. Mineral, bright acid, light weight, white fruit, sparkle, white flowers, phenolic, structure, a core of concentration. Big site lower down on the hill with deeper soils, mix of different parcels, stonier, cooler. 7.8 TA 5.8 g/l residual sugar.

 

Goldatzel, Riesling Winkler Hasensprung Spätlese, 2022 $32.99 $29.03

 Hasensprung means""jumping hair”. Very delicious, not as sweet as the kabi, more acidity, very refreshing especially for a Spät. Balanced, mineral cool tone, tropical grilled pineapple, somehow just ripe and slurpable.

 

Goldatzel, Spätburgunder Alte Reben Trocken, 2021 $27.99 $24.63

 Easy, simple, but super stony, tropical guava (just bottled), cotton candy, fresh fruit, very elegant, well integrated oak. Clones from Geisenheim, now 40 year-old. 20% whole cluster, spontaneous fermentation, racked once, mix of barrels,bottled unfiltered.

 

Goldatzel, Spätburgunder Trocken, 2021 $52.99 $46.63

 

Georg Breuer

This Article Contains People Country Region Village Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like? Wines on Offer

People |

Theresa Breuer, her uncle Heinrich Breuer, Hermann Schmoranz, the Estate Manager and Marcus Lunden, Cellar Master for 20 years.

Focus: Super fine, elegant, dry Rieslings from Rheingau. Founders of Charta, who focus on that particular style and champion the ranking of vineyards based on geological features and historical precedent.

Country |

Germany

Region |

Rheingau

Village |

Rudesheim

Climate |

Moderate Continental 

• Relatively cold winters, hot, medium length, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• This is a special climate for wine in Germany because of four main factors: Aspect, Elevation, and exposure and the River.
• Historically this was the greatest region for white wine in the world. It is warmer than the Mosel, so vintages were more consistent but Its northerly latitude still put it in the cool continental climate zone. This meant perfectly balanced wines with high acid, but ripe intense fruit concentration and the ability to age for… well…ever. 
• A bend in the Rhein river means almost the entire Rheingau hillside faces due south, picking up the maximum amount of sunlight and heat available. 
• Its moderate to steep slope also helped push ripeness higher, and being along a very wide river, meant reflection of the sun onto the vines for a boost from below.
• Today, what was once a boon, has helped in its waning reputation. Many winemakers continued to push for ripeness in the warming age of climate change, meaning that wines were over ripe, high in alcohol, with low acidities, were generally unbalanced, and not as ageworthy.
• Top producers, like Georg Breuer, have always sought balance above all else, and are one of a handful of estates making brisk, intense wines, which reflect place, but are not over-wrought or flabby.
• White grapes are the majority but there are some great light reds, like Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier that can also ripen well.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

Vineyards |

42 hectares, mostly in Rudesheim

• Berg Schlossberg: Rudesheim, Erste Gewächs.The steepest hillside in the Rheingau with very hard quartzite and slate. Snappy, savory, delicate, lacy with high acidity and beautiful minerality. Some of the finest Riesling on earth. 

• Berg Rottland: Rudesheim, Erste Gewächs. Some deep löss, moving into shallow gravel soils with slate and sandstone. A very steep site, in a protected natural basin with great access to water. Stony, salty wines with body and power.

• Berg Roseneck: Rudesheim, Erste Gewächs. Deep Phyllite, clay and quartz slate.

• Nonnenberg (Monopole): Rauenthal, Erste Gewächs. South facing site, deep Phyllite soils with gravel deposit. 15 km east/inland from the winery.
• Lorch: 15 km from the winery to the west, around the bend in the Rhine and down a side valley

Grape Varieties |

69% Riesling

• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

11% Pinot Noir / Spätburgunder

• German Pinot Noir wines are vinified as dry red wines with complex cherry aroma with subtle hints of smoke and almond, slight tannins, and high acidity, with a long finish.
• Had a poor reputation thanks to high yielding, work-horse, clonal material.
• Now Burgundy clones dominate vineyards for the best producers showcasing this incredible variety's true potential.

10% Pinot Blanc / Weissburgunder

• A white skinned mutation of Pinot Noir
• The secret weapon of the Teutonics. They make the best versions of this grape, and they don’t share them.
• Germany is now the world’s leading producer of Pinot Blanc
• pale to straw yellow in color, and delicate on the nose. A slightly nutlike aroma is typical. Vinified dry, its medium to full body and fine acidity complement many types of food.
• Good examples age very well, although generally made with the aim of everyday fresh and dry wines in mind. Even these seemingly innocuous wines have the ability to age over decades..Pinot Gris / Grauburgunder

• A pink-skinned genetic mutation of Pinot Noir.
• Likely introduced from across the border in nearby Alsace by Cistercian monks. 
• Takes on many styles in Germany. 
• The country is the world’s third-largest producer of the grape.
• Typically dry and can range from light and fresh to rich and oak-aged. 
• Most of the time, these wines are more concentrated and flavorful than Pinot Grigio of Italy, with notes of apple, pear, and nuts.
• Because of its pink skins, Pinot Gris also makes delicious orange wines. 

Ancient grapes: Orléans, Heunisch

Farming |

Organic practices

• Certified by Fair n Green
• Top sites/wines have yields of 15-25 hl/ha (very, very low for Germany)
• Village and Estate wines yield 45 ha/ha on average (still low for Germany)
• Grapes are picked for physiological and aromatic ripeness, not sugar ripeness
• Botrytis is avoided
• A goal of biodiversity rather than monoculture, part of the AmBiTo project.
• Cover crops employed
• No herbicides or pesticides

Cellar Work |

Modern

• Quick press up to 2 bars
• Settle in dopplestück or stainless steel
• Juice browns out, to help with stability later on
• Inoculate with cultivated yeast for clean, quick fermentations, and to avoid malolactic fermentation
• Experimenting with spontaneous fermentations
• pH of Rheingau Riesling is too high to prevent naturally
• No temperature control, but the cellar is very cold. 
• Fermentations get up to 26 degrees celsius.
• Battonage on the fine lees
• Filtered before bottling.
• Reds are kept separate to avoid ML as well
• Reds are low extraction, fermented in open top fermenters
• All top wines are expected to age 

About the winery |

Founded in 1880 and slowly expanded over the next 100 years. Bernard Breuer, Theresa’s dad, was the driver behind the Charta organization. Started to promote dry, elegant wines in the Rheingau, and to classify vineyards based on old site names (rather than the land consolidation of 1971). 

He was also the first to export the wines internationally. In Europe and domestically these are some of THE most sought out and prized dry wines in Germany. Somms and collectors go crazy for them, a phenomenon that has yet to catch on here in the states.

Sadly, Bernard passed away suddenly  at 57 in 2004. Since then his daughter Theresa, with the help of family and a long time, dedicated team have kept up the good work. These are some of the finest dry Rieslings in the Rheingau, from incredible, mostly cooler sites, with very little in common with the historical sweet wines of the region.

What do the wines taste like?

Like nothing else in Rheingau, and really nothing else in Germany for that matter. These wines encapsulate purity with the differences in site being expressed by slightly different impressions on the palate. Layers of filigreed texture, stones and salt, cream and silk.

Everything in the lineup is thrilling, linear and precise, from the regional charm wines to the single vineyard bottlings. There are few things as special as the late release project, which give a glimpse into the staying power of these wines. I drank a Schlossberg 2017 in Mainz and it was an unforgettable experience of restraint and power.

Wines on Offer |

Georg Breuer, Riesling GB Charm [Off-Dry], 2021 $23.99 $21.11

 More phenolic, slightly softer, chewy same blend as the Sauvage but stainless steel tanks that don't finish fermenting.

 

Georg Breuer, Riesling GB Charm [Off-Dry], 2022 $25.99 $22.87

 

Georg Breuer, Riesling GB Sauvage Trocken, 2022 $23.99 $21.11

 ★ Mineral, slatey, lasers, cut, lean, almost no fruit, waxy-limey finish but not candied or fruit forward at all. One of the very best dry wines I’ve had this entire trip. Whole cluster pressed at low pressure, sedimentation to clarify juice, no S02, no temperature control. It’s rare for me to enjoy the dry version of something over the off-dry, but this is just singing.

 

Georg Breuer, Riesling Lorch Pfaffenwies Trocken, 2021 $109.99 $96.79

Georg Breuer, Riesling Lorch Pfaffenwies Trocken, 2021 (1.5L) $210.00 $184.80

 

Georg Breuer, Riesling Lorch Trocken, 2021 $32.99 $29.03

 Searing, cutting, no fruit, all rocks. LASER BEAMS. salty. The slate here is called Hunstruck, it is a different type with a unique minerality, combined with the cold side valley of Lorch and you get to enjoy this outstanding ode to stones.

  

Georg Breuer, Riesling Rauenthal Nonnenberg [Monopol] Trocken, 2021 $129.99 $114.39
Georg Breuer, Riesling Rauenthal Nonnenberg [Monopol] [Trocken], 2021 (1.5L) $240.00 $211.20

 ★★★★★★ Heavier soils, earthier, austere, grippy, focused, currywurst, spicy, meaty, funky, flowers, high intensity, so concentrated. A pretty perfect wine.

 

Georg Breuer, Riesling Rauenthal Trocken, 2022 $32.99 $29.03

 Set back from the Rhine river with heavier soils, lots of loam and marl. This is warmer, easier, fuller by no means full bodied, the idea of a fruit cup, with some exotic, oriental spices.

 

Georg Breuer, Riesling Rüdesheim Berg Roseneck Trocken, 2017 $119.99 $105.59

 😀😀😀 LOVE this, like what you want Savennieres to be (and Boudignon is). A crazy, waxy texture, salty AF, melon beeswax, floral, rocks, high intensity mineral core and finish! Tastes like breathing out a feeling of calm reflection and inner peace. This is one of my favorite wines of the entire trip.

 

Georg Breuer, Riesling Rüdesheim Trocken, 2022 $32.99 $29.03

 Slate, loess and quartzite vineyards. Almost fruity, almost yellow, medicinal, smoky yellow curry, wild, white peach, a creamier leesy, textural wine, very balanced, great acid, easy “Drinky”.

 

Georg Breuer, Riesling Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland, 2021 $109.99 $96.79

Georg Breuer, Riesling Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland, 2021 (1.5L) $210.00 $184.80

 From the warmest of three main vineyards with weathered blue slate. This is deeper, darker, earthier and more umami.

 

Georg Breuer, Riesling Terra Montosa Trocken, 2021 $54.99 $48.39

Georg Breuer, Riesling Terra Montosa Trocken, 2021 (1.5L) $200.00 $176.00

 Wow, that smells great! Yeast, white fresh cut apples and grass, jalapeño, steel cut edges, waxy, lemon pledge, creaminess, roundness. This is the “2nd wine” (like in Bordeaux) or a “regional” wine like Bourgogne Blanc. Steep site bare soil, the best barrel from each village goes to the top wine, then this is a blend of three villages with the barrels left over.

  

Georg Breuer, Spätburgunder GB Rouge, 2019 $30.99 $27.27

The wines are deep, rich, powerful and dramatic...pinnacles in the history of dry German Riesling. -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf

This Article Contains People Focus Country Region Village Climate Vineyards Grape Varieties Farming Cellar Work About the winery What do the wines taste like? Wines on Offer

People |

Bettina Bürklin-von Guradze: Owner, Nicola Libelli: Cellar Master, and Jan Hock: Viticulturist.  

 

Focus |

Dry, Crystalline, Traditionally crafted Rieslings from an incredible collection of Pfalz vineyards

Country |

Germany

Region |

Pflaz

Village |

Wachenheim

Climate |

Cool to Moderate Continental 

• Cold winters, hot, medium length, fairly rainy summers, with long, cool, dry autumns.
• This is the warmest region in Germany with more Mediterranean-like temperatures. You can even find fig and olive trees growing among the vines.
• Winters are usually not as cold as they were historically. Summers are much hotter, drought is a serious problem, and autumns start later and are often much wetter than they used to be.
• Moderate climate wines are relatively high in acid, with lower than average alcohols, medium to light in body, and often show a lot of mineral flavors along with ripe fruit notes. 
• White grapes are the majority but there are some great light reds, like Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier that can also ripen well.
• Warmer vintages: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 produce wines with lower acidity, higher alcohols, and richer fruit flavors.
• Cooler vintages: 2021, 2013, 2010, 2008 produce what are now considered “classic” cool-climate wines
• 2022 is an enigma. It was hot and very dry for most of the growing season, but rain and long cold fall ended up giving us wines that taste more like “classic” cool-climate wines than rich, ripe wines.

Vineyards |

86 hectares in 3 villages. In 1990 they started classifying all of their vineyards in the Burgundian format of Village, 1er Cru (PC) and Grand Cru (GC). They’ve kept these labels even as the VDP has now classified the same sites as Erste and Grosse Lage.

• Kirchenstück: Forst, Erste Gewächs. “The Montrachet of the Pfalz”, surrounded by the other GC vineyards. The only site rated with the top score of 65 by the Bavarian vineyard classification of 1828. This is a southeast slope with basalt rock, limestone scree, red sandstone, dense clay and sand giving it minerality and access to enough water even in the hottest of years. A vineyard known for complexity, elegance, brilliance, unmatched power and expression like nowhere else. Wines need decades in the cellar to unfurl. Their .5 ha was planted in 1985.

• Pechstein: Forst, Erste Gewächs. Southeast facing slope with high proportions of black basalt for a flinty intense minerality mixed with limestone from an ancient coral reef for structure and sandstone for good measure. B-W owns 2.33 hectares with vines planted in 1978.

• Ungeheuer: Forst Erste Gewächse. A basalt laden vineyard, but with complex soil structure including limestone, rubble, sandstone and with dense clay meaning access to water for more nutrition and excellent mineral underpinning to the wines. The south-east slope gives ample sun and being at the foot of the Haardt Mountains, gives cooler airflow and brighter acidity. B-W .9 ha were planted in 1985.

• Jesuitengarten: Forst, Erste Gewächs. The second best vineyard after Kirchenstück. Eastern facing slope with Basalt and limestone mixed, the best of both worlds! Because of replanting in 2015, B-W is not bottling this as a single vineyard GC wine.

• Hohenmogen: Deidesheim GC. From the Mittelhaardt on a warm slope with sandstone and a band of limestone. This gives the wines from here both power and a linear focus. B-W has .9 ha planted in 1979.

• Langenmorgen: Deidesheim, Erste Gewächs. A semicircle of a vineyard surrounded by the Paradiesgarten, next to the cooling forest, with a southeastern slope. The site was first mentioned in 1491 and the name refers to the amount of land a man can work with a horse in a day. Top soil is loam with high limestone content over deep loess, red and white sandstone. A lighter, brighter GG. B-W has .68 ha planted in 1976.

• Kalkofen: Deidesheim, Erste Gewächs. Once a lime kiln and source of limestone bricks, now a warm south facing site with plenty of limestone and marl soils. Wines are super mineral with a Burgundian structure. This is one of my favorite sites in the Pfalz. B-W has .7 ha planted in 1973.
• Gaisböhl (Monopol): Ruppertsberg GC. 7.5 ha planted in 1977, 5.2 are classified as GC. South facing slope at the foot of the Mittelhaardt. Gravel and clay over red sandstone give them an especially powerful elegance that can take time in the bottle to really come to life.
• Reiterpfad: Ruppertsberg, Erste Lage. A very large 86 ha low slope with a southeast exposition. A very warm site due to a sandstone wall surrounding the vineyard. Diverse soils with sand and sandy loam over red sandstone, limestone and loess throughout. Wines tend to be very dense and long lived for an Erste Lage site. B-W has .83 ha planted in 2004. 
• Goldbächel: Wachenheim PC. Southern exposure with red and yellow sandstone over a layer of river rocks, which allow the wines greater access to water. A boon in the dry years. 
• Rechbächel (Monopol): Wachenheim PC. Very similar to the Goldbächel in soil make up.
• Gerümpel: Wachenheim PC. A unique site in the Pechstein that shares similarities to Pechstein in Forst with lots of black basalt.
• Altenburg: Wachenheim PC. A top site in Wachenheim since the Middle Ages. This east facing (cooler) slope is right by the forest, giving it lots of sunshine in the morning but earlier shading in the afternoon. The wines are brighter and more linear.
• Böhlig: Wachenheim PC. South east facing with red and yellow sandstone, but a high level of limestone as well, which is rare for the village.
• Hohenburg: Ruppertsberg PC. At the foot of the Mittelhaardt with white and red sandstone. 

Grape Varieties |

Riesling

• The King of White Grapes. 
• High acid, semi aromatic
• A huge variation in style potential from very light and dry, sparkling to the most unctuously sweet wines on the planet. 
• Divisive for its high acidity and sugar retaining capabilities
• Perfect in its dynamic nature, ability to transmit the slightest nuance of terroir and being capable of aging for hundreds of years. 

Farming |

Biodynamic

• One of the first certified Biodyn along with DRC in France.
• Hand harvested for the PC and GC.

Cellar Work |

Traditional - Natural

• Fermentations are spontaneous and can take as long as they want
• No or little temperature control 
• PC & GC Riesling only large oak from 600-3,000L: Stockinger from Austria, Mattern, from Pfalz, and Assmann from Franconia
• They spend 6 months to a year in cask on their fine lees. 
• Because of the thick staves and humid cellar they can actually become relatively reductive.
• Sweet and off-dry wines are in a mix of stainless steel and barrel

About the winery |

One of the most historic estates in Germany is making its best wine today. This is thanks to the forward thinking Bettina Bürklin-von Guradze who took over from her father in 1990 and recommitted to making wine at the highest quality.

She undertook the process of ranking all their vineyards into a Burgundy village, then in an effort to preserve the soils for future generations, converted to organics. After being introduced to Biodynamics and Nicholas Joly, they decided they needed to take everything a step further and now all 65 hectares are certified Biodyn as well, a true feat.

It’s often thought that estates of this size are just not capable of making wine at this level, they just can’t put the attention and man hours needed for craftsmanship. It's also difficult to coordinate between a viticulturist and a cellar master, as they often have two sets of goals. But Bettina is blessed with an incredible team, whose enthusiasm for their job and ability to work as a cohesive unit is unmatched in wine. 

Nikola Libelli, from Italy works in tandem with Jan Hock whose lives and breaths vineyard work. This magic team imbues itself into the wines, they are serious and yet have a playful energy coursing through them. Bettina for her part trusts, them to try to continuously refine their methods, in and out of the cellar. The results are some of Germany’s greatest wines.

What do the wines taste like?

The majority are dry, complex, structured, and overtly textural. The best are power-houses of sinewy density and mineralic concentration. All possess that inherent steely spike of acidity, a signature of German wines. 

The off-dry and sweet wines are also stunning. I only wish they made more of them as this style is not in fashion and the house wants to focus on its terroir expressive dry wines. 

These were some of the most enthralling wines I've had this last trip to Germany.

Wines on Offer:

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Estate Blanc, 2022 $21.99 $19.35

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Estate Rouge, 2020 $20.99 $18.47

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Deidesheimer Trocken, 2022 $30.99 $27.27

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Estate Trocken, 2022 $23.99 $21.11

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Estate Trocken, 2022 (1.5L) $54.99 $48.39

 From young vines in 1er Cru and Grand Cru vineyards, fresh, zippy, yellow fruit, peaches, sandstone, bitter finish, lots of structure, easy, simple, delicious, great value.

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Forst Trocken, 2022 $41.99 $36.95

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Forst Trocken, 2022 (1.5L) $91.99 $80.95

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Gaisböhl [Monopol] Trocken GC, 2021 $94.99 $83.59

“From up to 44-year-old vines in the estate's 7.55-hectare monopole, the 2021 Gaisböhl G.C. opens with a pure, fresh, intense, slightly reductive, lemon-scented nose of ripe fruit aromas and flinty notes. Saline, fresh and tensioned on the palate, this is a full-bodied, rich and and substantial, vital and tensioned Riesling with a dense, saline and savory finish that reveals great aging potential. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in November 2022. 95 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Hohenmorgen Trocken GC, 2021 $129.99 $114.39

“The 2021 Hohenmorgen G.C. offers a clear and pure yet intense and finely reductive nose of crushed stones and concentrated but coolish fruit aromas. Fresh on the palate, this is a pure, persistently saline and finely grippy Hohenmorgen with concentrated but still vivacious Riesling fruit. Very long, vital and saline. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in November 2022. 94 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Hommage à Luise, 2021 $23.99 $21.11

 😀30 g/l residual sugar. Light, bright, joyous, fresh peach juice, sunshine, so balanced, lifted and fun. The source of the vineyard changes every year depending on conditions 9.5% abv.

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Kalkofen Trocken GC, 2021 $146.99 $129.35

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Kirchenstück Trocken GC, 2021 $210.00 $184.80

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Langenmorgen Trocken GC, 2021 $123.99 $109.11

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Pechstein Trocken GC, 2021 $170.00 $149.60

“Bürklin's 2021 Pechstein G.C. shows a deep, pure, intense and saline, very complex and elegant bouquet of concentrated tropical fruit aromas intertwined with flinty, iodine and citrus aromas. Pure, very intense and concentrated on the palate, this is a full-bodied, rich, iodine-inflected and stimulatingly saline Pechstein with fine tannins and a long, dense, complex and tensioned finish. 12.5% stated alcohol. Tasted at the domaine in November 2022. 96+ pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Reiterpfad Trocken GC, 2021 $104.99 $92.39

“From the In der Hohl plot, Bürklin's 2021 Reiterpfad G.C. exhibits a pure, ripe, concentrated, saline and elegant bouquet of crushed stones and ripe, concentred Riesling fruit. Full-bodied yet pure and fresh on the palate, this is a saline, savory and finely tannic Riesling with a long, intense and still shy but promising finish. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in November 2022. 93+ pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Ruppertsberg Trocken, 2021 $30.99 $27.27

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Ruppertsberg Trocken, 2021 (1.5L) $59.99 $52.79

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Ruppertsberger Hoheburg Trocken PC, 2021 $59.99 $52.79

 Of the total of 20 hectares of vines in this Ruppertsberg top site, Bürklin holds 4.68 hectares. Located at the foot of the Mittelhaardt on red and white sandstone, the premier cru benefits from favorable microclimatic advantages. The 2021 Ruppertsberger Hoheburg P.C. is intense but also coolish and clear, with cold, gravelly notes intertwined with ripe yellow apple aromas. Full-bodied, intense and textured yet structured by vivacious acidity and phenolic grip, this is a young and untamed dry Riesling with an intense, saline and still biting finish. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork stopper. Tasted in November 2022. 92+ pts -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Ungeheuer Trocken GC, 2021 $144.99 $127.59

“Bürklin's 2021 Ungeheuer G.C. is clear, deep and intense as well as flinty on the saline and lemony nose that combines richness and intensity with precision and freshness. Pure, saline and very fresh on the palate, this is a full-bodied, dense and savory, enormously tight and even finely tannic Ungeheuer with fine grip and a saline finish with ripe, concentrated fruit. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in November 2022. 96 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Wachenheim R Trocken, 2018 $37.99 $33.43

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Wachenheim R Trocken, 2018 (1.5L) $64.99 $57.19

 Three years in barrel, chunky, ripe, toasty, lower acidity after all these 21s and 22s. Peaches spicy, a little overripe. Made for the first time in 2013, use very little SO2.

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Wachenheim Trocken, 2022 $30.99 $27.27

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Wachenheim Trocken, 2022 (1.5L) $64.99 $57.19

 From five of seven premier crew parcels, all sandstone vineyards with deep roots. Red and yellow fruit, reduction, cool pickle juice, yellow crushed sweet peppers, little under ripe.

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Wachenheimer Altenburg Trocken PC, 2021 $69.99 $61.59The first mention of the Altenburg in Wachenheim dates back to the High Middle Age, and this is definitely not the last one. The coolest site of the domaine that holds 1.22 hectares in this eastern slope that is immediately located at the edge of the forest and thus shaded earlier than other crus of the domaine delivered a pure and coolish 2021 Wachenheimer Altenburg P.C. with delicate flinty as well as fruity notes that are fine and integrate the forest flavors. This is fascinating in all its finesse and elegant purity. The palate is round, elegant and lush but bone-dry, savory, saline and citric on the finish. This is a lean and straight but intense and saline Riesling classic from a site whose best age has just started. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork stopper. Tasted in November 2022. 93 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Wachenheimer Böhlig Trocken PC, 2021 $59.99 $52.79

“The 2021 Wachenheimer Böhlig P.C. offers a deep, clear, fresh, elegant and intense, complex, lemony, iodine-scented and stony bouquet that is scratching the back of the domaine's grand crus. On the palate, this is a full-bodied and rich yet, at the same time, pure and elegant Riesling with a dense, elegant texture, vibrantly fresh acidity and phenolic structure. The wine is extraordinary and reveals a long, saline and elegant but pure, tight and tensioned finish that replays lemon and saline notes. A fascinating 1er cru! 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork stopper. Tasted in November 2022. 93 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Wachenheimer Gerümpel Trocken PC, 2021 $59.99 $52.79

“The 2021 Wachenheimer Gerümpel P.C. is super clear, precise and fresh on the elegant, dense and substantial nose that intertwines ripe bright fruit aromas with the coolish finesse of the sandstone geology of this rather warm site. Pure, saline and tensioned on the palate, this is a dry, grippy and mouth-cleansing yet not lean Riesling that doesn't show the intensity and generosity of 2020 but the tension and purity of 2021. Stay tuned for what is still to come. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork stopper. Tasted in November 2022. 94 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Wachenheimer Goldbächel Trocken PC, 2021 $59.99 $52.79

“2021 Wachenheimer Goldbächel P.C. has a fascinatingly deep, pure and flinty bouquet of crushed (basalt) stones and intense fruit aromas, predominantly ripe lemons. Obviously vinified in newer oak, this is a round, lush, elegant and refined yet textured, a bit sweetish and pretty von Winning-like Riesling whose terroir expression is still dominated by oak flavors, especially in the Bürklin context where oaky notes like this don't play an important role like here. This is an excellent wine for sure, but it doesn't taste as if it was from the Bürklin stable—or even a Goldbächen? 12.5% stated alcohol. Diam cork stopper. Tasted in November 2022. 92 pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

 

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Riesling Wachenheimer Rechbächel [Monopol] Trocken PC, 2021 $59.99 $52.79

“The 2021 Wachenheimer Rechbächel P.C. Monopole offers naked terroir features on the complex and coolish nose that comes along pure, fresh, saline and stony, intermingling iodine and gravelly notes with lemon juice and marjoram aromas. Stunningly rich and intense on the palate, this is a full-bodied, dense and even powerful yet not alcoholic Rechbächel with remarkable finesse. The youthful phenolics have still to be integrated, but in five years or so, this should be a thrilling Riesling classic. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork stopper. Tasted in November 2022. 92+ pts” -- Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate