Winemaker Notes
The wine shows a perfect balance between ripeness and minerality, fruit and acidity as well as density and elegance. Typical for the vineyard side the smell is on one hand side embossed through the soils mineralic aromas – smoke, pepper, Flintstone, hay, tea and spices – on the other hand through the typical aromas of the grape variety Riesling – citrus, apple, peach and apricot. Also on the palate it has the same balance between soil and grape variety: The soil creates the mineralic spicy notes, the variety the fruitiness. The wine – like all Rebholz wines – has a really high aging potential.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Unlike anything else from the Pfalz. The enveloping, exotic (mango, Thai basil) nose sucks you into this diamond-bright and diamond-dense dry riesling that somehow remains cool and delicate, in spite of all the ripeness. Astonishing interplay of intense, herbal and mineral notes and tart, exotic-fruit flavors through the super long finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Kastanienbusch Riesling GG has a very clear and fine, detailed and precise, rather cool nose of herbs and light-colored fruits. It comes entirely from the Kastanienbusch vineyard in the Rotliegend. On the palate, it is elegant, juicy and balanced, almost creamy, but characterized by crystalline acidity and stimulating salinity. This is very long and dense yet weightless and full of tension.
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Wine Spectator
Starts on the slightly austere side, but opens up with air, expressing a mineral element that is joined by complex flavors of white peach and grapefruit allied to a supple texture. This has a vibrant structure that keeps it all intact, cruising to a long, floral- and stone-filled aftertaste. Needs more time, but should develop beautifully.
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.