Winemaker Notes
Whereas Eins Zwei Dry is the “estate" dry riesling, the Rüdesheimer is the “village- level” dry wine for Leitz. The fruit is sourced entirely from Drachenstein—a Grosse Lage parcel at the height of the Rüdesheimer Berg. This wine is declassified and serves to bridge the entry level Eins Zwei Dry to the single vineyard wines. Dynamic and graceful, this is a smashing deal for grand cru fruit!
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Rüdesheimer Riesling Trocken offers a beautiful bouquet that intertwines the crystalline and slightly smoky/herbal terroir aromas of Rüdesheim with perfectly ripe and elegant Riesling aromas. On the palate, this is a full-bodied, fresh, lush and elegant yet precise, salty-crystalline and piquant Riesling whose long and intense, well-balanced and concentrated finish balances the 13% alcohol with great ease. This 2018 reveals exceptional purity, tension and finesse as well as complexity and persistent expression. Leitz's 2018 Rüdesheimer "GGs" will be released later this year, but his Rüdesheimer village wine is more than just a small consolation. It's pretty spectacular! Tasted from AP 12 19.
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.
Practically one long and bucolic hillside along the northern bank of the Rhein River, the Rheingau stretches the entirety of the river’s east to west spread from Hocheim to Rüdesheim.
Variations in elevation, soil types, and proximity to the Rhine cause great diversity in Rheingau Riesling. Some of the better Rieslings in warmer years come from the cooler and breezier sites at higher elevations. In cooler years, sites closer to the river may perform better.
In the village of Rüdesheim, slopes are steep and soils are stony slate with quartzite; Rieslings are rich and spicy, intense in stone fruit and show depth and character with age. World class Rieslings come from farther east on the river through Geisenheim, Johannisberg, Winkel, Oestrich and past Erbach as well, where soils of loess, sand, and marl alternate. Long-living, floral-driven and mineral-rich Rieslings come from the best of these sites.
Rheingau growers became early activists in promoting the dry style of Riesling, low yields and the classification of top vineyards, or Erstes Gewächs (first growths). Proximity to the metropolitan markets of Mainz, Wiesbaden, and Frankfurt keeps Rheingau in high reputation. While dry wines are the style here, Rheingau isn’t short of some amazing Auslesen, Beerenauslesen, and Trockenbeerenauslesen.
Rheingau doesn’t mess with many other grapes—in fact 79% of its total area is dedicated to Riesling. But it produces some fine Pinot noir, especially concentrated in Assmannshausen, a bit farther west from Rüdesheim.