Winemaker Notes
The Westhofener Riesling bears the new VDP Rheinhessen designation, “Aus Ersten Lagen,” which simply means “from premier cru vineyards.” This is analogous to the Burgundian use of “Premier Cru,” without vineyard designation, when the wine is a blend of two or more climats. These wines may also contain declassified fruit from grand cru sites, however, which is exactly the case with the Westhofener. This wine was selected from maturing parcels (15 years or older) in the Morstein and Brunnenhäuschen vineyards, both of which are classified as Grosse Lage.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2025 Riesling Westhofener trocken is made from satellite parcels of the GG parcels of Morstein and Brunnenhäuschen; this is the final blend. A lovely scent of lemon balm, almost a touch of nettle, perfumes the nose. The palate sports juicy apple, white peach and wonderful coolness, all wrapped in citrus with a real sense of pithiness. (Bone-dry)
Range: 91-93
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.
