Geil Bechtheimer Scheurebe Kabinett 2020
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Seductive notes of grapefruit, cassis and opulent fruit flavors, tempered by a playful balance of acidity and natural sweetness. The finish is lovely, lingering and unforgettable.
Johannes Geil-Bierschenk, who farms 30 hectares of Riesling and many forgotten varieties in the village of Bechtheim, is an emblem of the new generation in the Rheinhessen committed to lower yields and higher quality. His ancestors were some of the very first to cultivate and bottle wine here; indeed, plantings in Bechtheim were recognized as superior in the region in the early tax maps of 1780. Geil possesses a diversity of grape material while most vineyards in this region are dominated by high yielding müller-thurgau; Johannes’ plantings include riesling, scheurebe, silvaner, kerner, huxelrebe, muskateller, st. laurent, pinot noir, pinot blanc, and rieslaner. Top sites of the estate include Bechtheimer Geyersberg, sheltered terraces of chalky marl with 35 year-old Riesling vines, and the Bechtheimer Rosengarten, a site heavier in clay soils. In the vineyard Johannes utilizes aggressive pruning and green harvesting to reign in his yields, in some cases to as low as 50 hectoliters per hectare. Once the fruit is picked, Johannes believes in immediate pressing to maintain the liveliness of the juice, and favors ambient yeast fermentations, both utilized to preserve what Johannes believes is the most important aspect of a wine – its aroma. Minimal skin contact, cold fermentations in steel and oak, gravity clarification, racking immediately after fermentation, and fine lees contact all contribute to Johannes’ clean and expressive wines. As he says, "Every year we are trying to make one less mistake… or maybe two." Johannes Geil was the Gault Milleau’s 2004 Discovery of the Year Award recipient.
Like its parent Riesling, Scheurebe is an aromatic variety made in a range of styles from bone-dry to lusciously sweet. Either style will show high acidity, but not quite as high as Riesling. Crisp and pleasant, it features citrus fruit from lime to grapefruit, as well as pear, blackcurrant, herbs and honeysuckle. It thrives in cool climates, and is most popular in Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Franken and Nahe regions of Germany, as well as Austria, Slovenia and Switzerland