Winemaker Notes
Hints of pine frond, earth and smoke entice on the nose of this unusual, remarkably well-priced Riesling. Semi-sweet in style, it’s rich and creamy on the palate with luscious peach and grapefruit flavors. It’s surprising nuanced too, exposing layers of steel, crushed mineral and acid that meld beautifully through a long finish.
A perfect match for strong Indian and Asian spiced dishes. Also fantastic with a spiced duck leg, dishes with acidic sauces, roasted vegetables and soft cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
While aromatically subdued, this semidry, late-harvest Riesling is surprisingly exuberant on the palate. Sunny and bright grapefruit and apricot flavors coat the tongue in rich, almost creamy, layers, lingering through a bracing lemon-lime finish.
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Wine & Spirits
From the deep red soils under Nierstein’s famed Röten Hang, or red cliff, this is immediately winning in its fresh, ripe fruit. That fruit feels pristine and well-shaped, the pineapple notes framed by a cool, sparkly acidity and earthy richness. Play up its savory richness with soba and sautéed mushrooms.
Recognized as a top quality grape here since the Middle Ages, Germany retains its high reputation as a premier source of the finest Riesling. Heavily planted throughout the Rheingau and Mosel, Riesling responds splendidly to these regions’ extreme climatic and topographic challenges. Cold-hardy enough to survive freezing winters, and sturdy enough to withstand the warm sun, Riesling has enough natural acidity to maintain balance, even in wines with the highest levels of residual sugar. While high quality is possible in all points of the sweet to dry spectrum, Riesling typically produces wine with relatively low alcohol, high acidity, steely minerality, stone fruit, citrus, spice and floral notes. With age, Riesling can become truly revelatory, developing unique, complex aromatics, often with a hint of petrol.