White Wine

Riesling

A stunning variety made in a bewildering array of styles from crisp, dry to off-dry and incredibly sweet.

Beyond style, the variety has incredible ability to be consumed young or very old, producing some of the most long-lived white wines of any variety. The sweet German Rieslings also rate as some of the worlds most expensive.

Where is it grown?

In Europe we see plantings in Alsace, France, across many regions in Germany from the Mosel to the Rheinhessen and the Pfalz. Along with Grüner Veltinger, Riesling is widely planted in Austria.

In South Australia, the Clare Valley’s, Polish Hill and Watervale produce stunning Riesling. You’ll find great Riesling coming from the Eden Valley SA, Central Victoria, Canberra, Tasmania, and, from the Great Southern in WA.

There are some cracking Rieslings coming out of New Zealand too!

What does it taste like?

Fresher dry styles tend to have citrus aromas and flavours with floral blossoms. Riper styles introducing stone fruit.

From region to region winemaking changes from simple pressing of fruit and fermentation to dry in stainless steel to use of skin contact and maturation in oak. Layering in different textures and flavours.

Shifting gear to Germany and Alsace the game of balancing sugar, alcohol and acid comes into play. From dry 12.5-13% wines we shift to lower alcohol dry wines and then the freshest of the sweet wines, the Kabinett styles. Coming in with as little as 7.5% sugar the trick is achieving balance with higher acidity. From Kabinett we mover through an array of styles increasing in sweetness and alcohol, heading all the way to the very sweet botrytis style Trockenbeerenauslese & Icewein made from frozen grapes.

You can read more about the different styles of Riesling made in Germany in the Wine Bites Mag articles exploring Riesling.

Off-dry Riesling lends itself beautifully to pairing with many Asian foods. Aged, sweeter, botrytis styles are perfect with cheese and fresher fruit desserts. Fresh, citrus styles are perfect with seafood and lighter poultry.

2017 Riesling Sensations

Germany Dry

Delicious!

Wagner-Stempel Riesling Porphyr 2017

Riesling | Siefersheim, Germany

Beautifully balanced, it rests toward the acid side of the scales, with a touch less alcohol, taming rich luscious fruits. We often get seduced by opulence. Daniel's 2015's from sites yielding some of the ripest fullest fruit in the Rheinhessen certainly have such seduction. The 2016 Porphyr, beautifully balanced, it rests toward the acid side of the scales, with a touch less alcohol, taming rich luscious fruits. Such a sophisticated wine of great line and length.

$59

$56ea in any 3+

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Wagner-Stempel Riesling Heerkretz 2017

Riesling | Rheinhessen, Germany

White peach, apple and lime are accented by their pits and pits as well as by raw almond on an enticing nose highly reminiscent of that exhibited by the corresponding 2016. Scents of Ceylon tea and spring beauty (Claytonia) add inner-mouth allure. The feel is flatteringly silken, notwithstanding the persistence of stimulating piquancy. Infectious juiciness, along with an invigoratingly tactile, active sense of crystalline stony impingement, dramatically sets this wine’s vibrant, bell-clear fin

$125

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DRY

Clemens Busch Riesling Marienburg 1er Grosses-Gewächs ‘Fahrlay Terrasse’ 2017

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

The 2017 Marienburg Riesling Fahrlay Terrassen opens with a bright, very clear, fresh and stony bouquet of concentrated white fruits and lemon notes intertwined with crushed slate aromas. On the palate, this is a highly finessed and elegant Riesling from vines that are 100+ years old. This 2017 serves intensity, power and complexity in a subtle way. The wine has a subtle tannin grip that makes this like a white Pinot Noir. Salty and crunchy and highly finessed, this is a powerful but elegant and

$174

$167ea in any 3+

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DRY

Clemens Busch Riesling Marienburg ‘Raffes’ 2017

Riesling | Mosel, Germany

The 2017 Pündericher Marienburg Riesling Raffes is the essence of gray slate. Bright in color and flavors but also intense and intermixed with lemon-fresh stony notes, this is a concentrated yet pure, fresh and finessed, highly intense and refined Riesling with great length and an endless finish. This is a powerful but Auslese-styled Riesling with concentration, finesse and lots of power but no alcoholic impression. The wine was bottled with 13% alcohol and almost nine grams of residual sugar.

$280

$270ea in any 3+

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Germany Off-Dry

Max Ferdinand Richter Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett 2017

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Seriously! How often to Graacher and Wehlener just come up with the goods. This is a superb Kabinett. It has that slide flinty, reductive edge, less so than Prüm's Graacher. Huge energy here with a sense of translucence somehow coming through over the divine fruits. Reminds me of Clemens Busch. It has incredible length, with a pinch of salt to finish. Refreshing, mouthwatering, succulent juice, just as a good Kabinett should be! From 70- to 80-year-old vines, the 2017 Graacher Himmelreich

$49

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Selbach Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling 2017

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

This is a beauty, graceful with a certain transparency to it. The freshness, combined with excellent depth and length is classic Kabinett. Like Max F Richter, the use of large old wood for fermentation and maturation harmonises the wine beautifully. A joy to devour! “Great Mosel Kabinett should be like drinking cool spring water; thirst quenching and delicious.” Johannes Selbach

$58

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Max Ferdinand Richter Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslese 375ml 2017

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Yes! Stunning gear. I think the guys from Mosel Fine Wines calling it and Auslese Lange GK style is bang on. Lange GK = Long Gold Capsule and reference to the Reserve of the Reserve wines in Aussie vernacular. Give this 10-20 years and you'll be climbing a stairway to heaven! The 2017er Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Auslese was harvested at well over 110° Oechsle. It offers a very classy and elegant nose of apricot blossom, whipped cream, almond, smoke and fine herbs. The wine proves highly

$71

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Only 70L Made!

Max Ferdinand Richter Wehlener Sonnenuhr Beerenauslese 375ml 2017

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

The 2017er Wehlener Sonnenuhr BA was harvested at a full 150° Oechsle. The wine proves still rather restrained yet already more than hints at gorgeous TBA-like notes of honey, raisin, baked spices, apple jelly, orange zest, toffee, and nut paste come through. These scents lead to stunningly creamy and honeyed notes including raisin, baked spices and apple jelly on the palate. A refreshingly acidity makes gives this superbly oily wine the great zesty side of an Eiswein (no wonder as this wine ha

$420

$405ea in any 3+

$390ea in any 6+

A.J.Adam Dhroner Hofberg Kabinett Riesling 2017

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

The guys from Mosel Fine Wines have nailed it! This is superb. When you listen to Andreas speak of the unique cooler climate of the site this all makes sense. Andreas and Barbara have achieved outstanding balance here. The vinosity with 8.5% alcohol is there, not always the case with young Rizza from this neck of the woods. The clean, refreshing acidity plays beautifully with the moderate residual sugar. Lythe with a divine set of flavours it's fantastic to see this a couple of years on and it w

$66

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A.J.Adam Dhroner Häs’chen Kabinett Riesling 2017

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

A fascinating comparison to the Hofberg. An edge of reduction a la Prüm's Graacher Kabinett on openning. A little more richness comes across here by comparision with the Hofberg. The balance and vinosity making for a complete wine loaded with personality. The MFW guys have nailed it. Chuck it in a decanter to get it moving! AP 11.18 The 2017er Dhroner Häs’chen Kabinett was harvested at 85° Oechsle. Still marked by residues of spontaneous fermentation at first, it delivers a gorgeou

$73

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A.J.Adam Dhroner Hofberg Spätlese Riesling 2017

Riesling | Mosel, Germany

AP 12.18 The 2017er Dhroner Hofberg Spätlese was harvested at 92° Oechsle in a prime parcel planted in the 1950s. It delivers a beautiful nose of whipped cream, vineyard peach, smoke, almond, earl grey and yellow plum. The wine offers great, almost concentrated presence on the mid-palate, yet a juicy and racy kick of acidity adds layers upon layers of freshness and intensity to the finish. This is a great success! 2027-2047 Jean Fisch & David Rayer, Mosel Fine Wines 94 Points

$93

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Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese** 2017

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Gold Cap - Fruchtsüss! A richer and nobly sweet style of Riesling. "The 2017 Riesling Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese ** (Golden Capsule) displays a concentrated yet highly refined bouquet of orange, lemon and grapefruit aromas intermixed with delicate and refreshing slate notes. Lush, piquant and salty on the elegant, pure, even weightless palate, this is a crystalline Auslese with great finesse, grip, tension and highly stimulating salinity. This is a finessed, gorgeous beauty, and it almost ma

$115

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Alsace Dry

Divine, Pure, Delicious!

Trimbach Clos Sainte Hune Riesling MAG 2017

Riesling | France, Alsace

Ask any Riesling tragic the Top 5 Rieslings in the World & they'll have Clos Sainte Hune on their list! Each region around the world has epic producers, in Alsace you think of Albert Mann, Zind Humbrecht, Ostertag and always Trimbach. Trimbach has certainly had plenty of practice. In only nine years they’ll celebrate the families 400thyear making wine! The first celebrated release of Clos Ste Hune was in 1919. "Vivid straw-green with gold highlights. Highly aromatic on the nose, revealing

$1,390

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Alsace Off Dry

OFF-DRY

Domaine Marcel Deiss 1er Cru ‘Burg’ 2017

White Blend | Alsace, France

Premier Cru action from Deiss! A blend of 12 Alsatian Varieties! I haven't had the chance to try this yet. Given the rest of the 2017 are looking great this should be excellent too. D'Agata's note below if for the 2012. (a mixture of all the usual Alsace varieties, with a predominance of Gewürtzraminer, Riesling and Pinot Gris): Bright golden straw-yellow. The opulent nose features marmalady botrytis, honeyed tropical fruit and and sweet spice aromas. Densely packed, intense and showy, with

$138

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OFF-DRY

Domaine Marcel Deiss 1er Cru ‘Grasberg’ 2017

White Blend | Alsace, France

Premier Cru action from Deiss! Riesling ~ Pinot Gris ~ Gewurztraminer I haven't had the chance to try this yet. Given the rest of the 2017 are looking great this should be excellent too. Notes from the last Grasberg I drank: Something quite special here. A unique wine of immense character. The botrytis play with spice, fresh apricot and almond / marzipan sits delicately with citrus, flowers, grapefruit and beyond. Off dry it sits balanced, with fresh acidity dancing over the light sweetnes

$138

$133ea in any 3+

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Austria Dry

Schloss Gobelsburg Tradition Heritage Cuvée 3 Years Edition 850 NV

White Blend | Kamptal, Austria

Following on from the epic 50 year version of this wine, Michael Moosbruger plans to now release both a 3 year and 10 year version annually. Read more of the technique below. The Cuvée 3 Years Edition 850 is a blend of : Vintage: 85% 2018, 10% 2017, 5% 2016 Grapes: 80% Grüner Veltliner, 20% Riesling This is an epic wine of intensity yet delicacy. Perfumed with incredible complexity and a seamless mouthfeel. Entrancing, divine wine that require deep thought and patience to make. Soft

$100

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Gunderloch 2019's

What a Difference 3 Year Makes!

Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Riesling Kabinett 2019

Riesling | Rheinhessen, Germany

I love seeing Kabinett styles from the different regions of Germany. Gunderloch's from the Rheinhessen is an absolute cracker! So playful. This is an excellent wine. Complex with beautiful acid, a divine texture. Delicious. A beautiful expression. Compared to the Kabinett of Loosen in the Mosel you see and extra 2.5% alcohol, half the residual sugar and 1.5g/L less acid yet both are balanced. The extra fermentation raising the alcohol adds vinosity and more immediate approachability to the wine.

$42

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Gunderloch Als Wär’s Ein Stück Von Mir Riesling 2019

Riesling | Rheinhessen, Germany

A previous vintage of this wine was Johannes' 1st chance to make a wine on his own. Its success marked the changing of the baton from his father who granted him full control of all winemaking after tasting it! This was my note from the 2018 - Excellent personality, so much going on. Texturally insane. Great core of fruit. No sulphur to the juice allows the phenolics from the skin contact to oxidise and fall out leaving just the right amount of phenolic grip from the few days of skin contact the

$47

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Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Spätlese 2019

Riesling | Rheinhessen, Germany

A juicy wine for the category with plenty of cassis character, but that doesn’t mean it’s really full-bodied. In fact, at the finish it’s quite a light and austere wine with a lot of herbal and green-leaf tea flavors. Drink or hold. Stuart Piggot

$78

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DRY

Clemens Busch Riesling Marienburg 1er Grosses-Gewächs ‘Rothenpfad’ 2020

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

"Dry Wine of the Vintage!" Jean Fisch & David Rayer, Mosel Fine Wines AP: 16 21. The 2020er Marienburg Rothenpfad GG, as it is referred to on the main part of the label, was fermented spontaneously in traditional oak casks from fruit harvested in an iron-rich part of the Marienburg vineyard. It offers a great nose made of pear, vineyard peach, strawberry, laurel, cinnamon, and fine smoky elements. The wine proves impeccably balanced on the dry but not bone-dry palate. A ripe sense of zest provid

$134ea in any 3+

$127ea in any 6+

Joh Jos Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Auslese Riesling 2021

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

The Graacher is incredibly powerful with broad shoulders “The 2021er Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese proves hugely refreshing as intense scents of mint, green herbs, and smoke first come through. With more airing, it shows almond cream, tangerine, lead pencil, and flint stone. The wine shows a lot more presence and ripeness as rich and almost exotic flavors of tangerine, candied pineapple, honeyed peach, and a hint of apricot. The finish is very precise and long, and the after-taste is c

$141

$136ea in any 3+

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DRY

Müller-Catoir Bürgergarten ‘Im Breumel’ Grosses Gewächs Riesling 2019

Riesling | Pfalz, Germany

In the context of fine wine today, this presents incredible value! After tasting the Erste Lager, I can't wait to see what the GG has to offer! "The 2019 Bürgergarten 'Im Breumel' Riesling GG is deep, clear and pure on the aromatic, elegant and mineral nose with its ripe and concentrated aromas of yellow stone fruit. Full-bodied, round and juicy on the silky-textured palate, this is an intense Im Bremen with stewed mirabelle aromas on the finish. Very elegant and with fine tannins, this

$145

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DRY

Clemens Busch Riesling Marienburg 1er Grosses-Gewächs ‘Falkenlay’ 2022

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

The 2022er Marienburg GG Falkenlay, as it is referred to on the main part of the label, was fermented spontaneously in traditional oak casks from fruit harvested in a grey-slate infused part of the Marienburg vineyard. This white-hay-colored wine offers a superb even if still rather reduced nose made of pear, floral elements, a hint of herbs, and reductive scents of spices and wet stone. It proves beautifully focused and impeccably balanced on the palate and leaves a simply stunningly airy, inte

$141ea in any 3+

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DRY

Müller-Catoir Bürgergarten ‘Im Breumel’ Grosses Gewächs Riesling 2021

Riesling | Pfalz, Germany

In the context of fine wine today, this presents incredible value! After tasting the Erste Lager, I can't wait to see what the GG has to offer! Catoir's Haardter Riesling 2021 Bürgergarten "Im Breumel" GG VDP. Grosse Lage opens with a deep, clear and aromatic yet also elegant, pure, refined and complex bouquet of ripe and juicy fruits intermingled with iodine and even some flinty notes. Juicy, round and savory on the palate, with animating saline and grippy minerality, this is a dense, t

$147

$142ea in any 3+

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Egon Müller Wiltinger Braune Kupp Riesling Kabinett 2021

Riesling | Saar, Germany

The Godfather of the Saar makes truly special wine deserving of the title. AP: 02 22. The 2021er Wiltinger braune Kupp Riesling Kabinett is a fruity-styled wine with a subtle nose of peach, citrusy fruits, herbs, and a hint of creaminess and apricot blossom. The wine proves incredibly playful and precise on the palate, where its creamy side is wrapped into beautiful acidic and fruity elements. The finish is simply stunningly pure, focused, and silky. A kick of acidity then provides the right

$149

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A.J.Adam Dhroner Hofberg Auslese* Riesling 2019

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

AP 18.20 The 2019er Hofberg Auslese *, as it is referred to on the consumer label, is a selection of botrytized grapes (40%) harvested at 116° Oechsle from the main hill of the vineyard, and was fermented to down noble-sweet levels of residual sugar. It offers a beautifully restrained yet finely aromatic and complex nose of minty herbs, spices, candied pineapple, smoke, lead pencil, pink grapefruit, a hint of apricot, and greengage. The wine proves superbly balanced on the sweet palate, whe

$150

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Robert Weil Rheingau Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Auslese HALF 2019

Riesling | Rheingau, Germany

On a spectrum of boldest to most elegant, the Rheingau sits in the middle for me, making cracking dry Rizza with plenty of tension whilst have the balance to produce superb off-dry to sweet wines. "The 2019 Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Auslese is precise and flinty on the nose that displays very fine raisin and honey aromas, spiced with notes of crushed slate. Charmingly round and elegant on the refined palate, this is a salty-piquant and stimulating Auslese with remarkable grip and finesse. A

$156

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Clemens Busch Riesling Marienburg Auslese 2019

Riesling | Mosel, Germany

AP: 15 20. The 2019er Marienburg Fahrlay Riesling Auslese, as it is referred to on the main part of the consumer label, was made from a selection of partially (10%) botrytized fruit picked at 108° Oechsle in this sector of the vineyard on blue slate and was fermented down to noble-sweet levels of residual sugar. It offers a beautiful nose made of pear, mirabelle, almond paste, smoke, fine spices and a hint of dried fruits. The wine is nicely zesty on the almond-infused and spicy palate and leav

$151ea in any 3+

$144ea in any 6+

DRY

Clemens Busch Riesling Marienburg 1er Grosses-Gewächs ‘Falkenlay’ 2020

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

"Dry Wine of the Vintage!" Jean Fisch & David Rayer, Mosel Fine Wines AP: 18 21. The 2020er Marienburg Falkenlay GG, as it is referred to on the main part of the label, was fermented spontaneously in traditional oak casks from fruit harvested in a grey-slate infused part of the Marienburg vineyard. It proves still rather backward and only gradually reveals some nice flavors of smoke, pear, mirabelle, vineyard peach, cassis, herbs, and spices. The wine is beautifully juicy on the dry (but not bon

$153ea in any 3+

$148ea in any 6+

DRY

Clemens Busch Riesling Marienburg 1er Grosses-Gewächs ‘Fahrlay’ 2020

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

"Dry Wine of the Vintage!" Jean Fisch & David Rayer, Mosel Fine Wines AP: 17 21. The 2020er Marienburg Fahrlay GG, as it is referred to on the main part of the label, was fermented spontaneously in traditional oak casks from fruit harvested in a blue slate part of the Marienburg vineyard. It offers a superb nose made of lemon zest, white flowers, raspberry, fine spices, and herbs. The wine is beautifully precise and playful on the nicely dry palate and leaves a superb feel of fresh fruits and su

$153ea in any 3+

$148ea in any 6+

Robert Weil Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Spätlese 2020

Riesling | Rheingau, Germany

“The 2020 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Spätlese offers a deep, complex and refined bouquet with flinty aromas. Highly refined and elegant on the palate, this is a salty-piquant, fresh, vital and energetic Gräfenberg with a long, piquant and salty finish. Very young but really fascinating in its brilliance, piquancy and salinity” Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate

$159

$152ea in any 3+

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Weingut Nikolaihof Ried Vom Stein Riesling Smaragd 2019

Riesling | Niederösterreich, Austria

Nikolaihof’s Smaragd level the ripest of the classifications. Vom Stein: This site is a sub-site of the larger Silberbichel vineyard. Located south east of the village, this is just 5.25 Ha and is a slight incline, sloping east, on the easternmost border of the Silberbichel vineyard. The soils are gneiss with mica inclusions; there is a layer of loess and topsoil here – 60-120cm before you start to hit primary rock. Nikolaihof is the only winery to bottle this site on it’s own, but i

$169

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Robert Weil Kiedrich Gräfenberg Grosses Gewächs Riesling Trocken 2021

Riesling | Rheingau, Germany

Taut and complex, apricot stone, crisp pear, lemon – yet ultimately more savoury spice than ripe fruit. Lifting ethereal elements of pine needles, nutmeg and white pepper. Defined shoulders and tensile power, with a shockingly fine and elegant grip. Cool and considered on the long, lingering finish. Don't let the outer calm fool you, this is not a Riesling to be trifled with. Nor to be touched for another few years.” JancisRobinson.com 18+ Points “The 2021 Kiedrich Gräfenberg

$172

$165ea in any 3+

$158ea in any 6+

DRY

Clemens Busch Riesling Marienburg 1er Grosses-Gewächs ‘Fahrlay Terrasse’ 2017

Riesling | Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

The 2017 Marienburg Riesling Fahrlay Terrassen opens with a bright, very clear, fresh and stony bouquet of concentrated white fruits and lemon notes intertwined with crushed slate aromas. On the palate, this is a highly finessed and elegant Riesling from vines that are 100+ years old. This 2017 serves intensity, power and complexity in a subtle way. The wine has a subtle tannin grip that makes this like a white Pinot Noir. Salty and crunchy and highly finessed, this is a powerful but elegant and

$174

$167ea in any 3+

$160ea in any 6+

Dr Bürklin-Wolf Riesling Ruppertsberger ‘Gaisböhl’ Grand Cru 2021

Riesling | Pfalz, Germany

Here we go! Complete, harmonious, fine, long & even with midpalate depth & layering. Funk in balance with excellent zippy acid. Excellent shape and flow, citrus, green white stone fruit. Funktified. Mineral acid feel. This is very, very good! From up to 44-year-old vines in the estate's 7.55-hectare monopole, the 2021 Gaisböhl G.C. opens with a pure, fresh, intense, slightly reductive, lemon-scented nose of ripe fruit aromas and flinty notes. Saline, fresh and tensioned on the pa

$193

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