Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
This is a nice, generous dry Pfalz riesling with plenty of apricot and some exotic-fruit character, but there’s a hint of butter (malolactic fermentation?) at the front of the palate and the wine comes off a shade soft. I like the stone-fruit flavors on the back palate a lot, but this could have been even more exciting. Drink or hold.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
This sunny and relatively dry region served for many years as a German tourist mecca and was associated with low cost, cheerful wines. But since the 1980s, it has gained a reputation as one of Germany’s more innovative regions, which has led to increased international demand.