Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Bold, compact and concentrated, this astonishing dry riesling GG makes a very serious statement. It also remains cool and restrained, with a glittering thread of flint winding through the textural complexity on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Try to be patience, because this is delicious now, but the tension in the extremely long finish and the youthfulness of the aromas speak of wine with decades of life ahead of it. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drink from release.
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Vinous
The 2023 Riesling Westhofener Aulerde Grosses Gewächs is made from vines planted in the rich marls Aulerde in 1949 and 1951, at a then-unusual density of 8,000 vines per hectare. Wittmann says that this is the earliest ripening site, yielding tiny, ripe grapes year after year. A touch of mellow, ripe, yellow apple appears alongside gentle lemon on the nose. The palate also has that beautiful yellow apple spice and lovely juiciness and texture. The serene and smooth yet hearty palate radiates coolness. (Bone-dry)
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.
WBO30329403_2023 Item# 4130172