We have been thrilled by the response to the 2021 vintage in Germany – truly a dazzling, electrifying vintage that will delight Riesling lovers, in a style that is becoming far less frequent. Today we spotlight some truly exceptional Rieslings that one really ought not to miss. This may be the last chance you have to buy them.
Please note that we will be releasing our Spatburgunder 2020 offer next week including Huber, Furst, Battenfeld-Spanier and Kühling-Gillot.
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Zellertal, Riesling, Trocken, Battenfeld-Spanier, 2021, 6x75cl [35-22]: £170 per 6 bottles IB.
The young vines of the famous Kreuzberg vineyard (that of their Auction bottling fame) that go into the Zellertal cuvee are already 15 years old. A wine of great purity and complex minerality. Very intense, fine grained, long, with complex peach skin flavours, very salty and really beautifully balanced intensity; the palate is powerful but so harmonious. Not so much a village wine as a baby Auction wine with a huge amount going on in a very finely pitched package.
Hipping, Riesling, Grosses Gewachs, Kuhling-Gillot, 2021, 6x75cl [47-22]: £250 per 6 bottles IB.
A touch of spontaneous fermentation frames the nose before exotic red slate notes appear then clear, energetic, wild white berry fruit, a touch of sweet peach. On the palate, a lick of fizzing, wild, hard to pin down fruit; yellow fleshed, with red slate spice. This is very intense yet also quite gentle structurally. A justly famous, steep, south-east/east facing vineyard on red slate – along with Pettenthal, one of the key sites in the Roter Hang.
Kastanienbusch, Riesling, Grosses Gewachs, Ökonomierat Rebholz, 2021, 6x75cl [21 22]: £345 per 6 bottles IB.
The great Kastanienbusch vineyard rises from 150m above sea level to over 300m and is formed of red iron rich soils that are around 320 million years old. It tends to produce complex powerful Riesling that is nevertheless transparent and full of energy. The GG is a very much dialled-up version of the Ortswein, being intensely ferric and slightly wild, with plenty of tropical fruits such as guava and pineapple, with peach, herbs, aloe and a great wash of citric acidity which zings across the palate. This is an animated, playful, fairly boisterous and hugely fun GG that tastes like little else in Germany.
Off-Dry / Fruity
Maximin Grunhauser, Riesling, Feinherb, Von Schubert, 2021, 6x75cl [8 22]: £85 per 6 bottles IB.
Grünhaus in a glass! Nicely defined and crisp with a racy, limey freshness, cooling wild herbs; thistle, bramble and grass, with a salty, slatey finish, there is a wonderful lift and drinkability to this Feinherb.
Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Riesling Kabinett, JJ Prum, 2021, 6x75cl [09 22]: £150 per 6 bottles IB.
Already displaying genuine complexity on the nose, with smoky sleek mineral notes over sun dappled yellow fruit. Complex and broad, with a fabulous beam of acidity underpinning the stone fruit notes. This has a little more texture and breadth than the Himmelreich, but the wonderful 2021 acidity keeps it pert and nimble. Absolutely gorgeous, with noble layering and clarity of flavours leading to a fine focussed finish. A very serious bottle of Kabinett.
Brauneberger, Juffer, Sonnenuhr, Riesling Spatlese, Fritz Haag, 2021, 6x75cl [07 22]: £100 per 6 bottles IB.
Pungent slate notes combine with smoky spontaneous aromas in this excellent Sonnenuhr Spätlese. Such fine minerality here, with a touch more spark and more extract than the Kabinett – and generally more persistence. This has real crystalline fruit, intensity and focus, yet also weightlessness.
Please note that all prices are listed under bond. The wines are abroad and expected to ship Winter 2022.