2021-C Von Winning Estate Riesling Trocken, Pfalz, Germany (750ml)
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A Monthly Wine Club Selection
Are you one of those wine drinkers who still believes all Rieslings are sweet? Well, guess again. Pale yellow hue. Inviting aromas of apricot, citrus and wet stone. The palate is vibrant and juicy, with flavors of underripe apricot and yellow peach, Cara Cara orange and a kiss of jasmine. Beautifully focused, with great acidity and plenty of texture. A stunning example of a classic dry Riesling.
One of Germany’s oldest wineries, Weingut von Winning was originally founded in 1849. It was later revived as a family enterprise in 2007 by Achim Niederberger, who brought in the incredibly talented Stephan Attman as winemaker. This estate is creating some of the best dry wines in Germany, due in large part to the Von Winning philosophy, which is rooted in “respectful cooperation with nature.” They do not use herbicides or synthetic fertilizers in the vineyards, and work meticulously in the cellar; gentle clarification, natural and spontaneous fermentation and the abandonment of fining agents create wines with a distinct and very elegant style. There is no pumping the juice or wine in the gravity flow winery, allowing for gentle, minimalist vinification. Going against the more common use of stainless-steel fermentation, all of Von Winning’s Rieslings are fermented in oak barrels of varying sizes, which contributes to their structure and complexity.
Practicing organic, Von Winning maintains some of the oldest parcels of Grosses Gewächs (GG) vineyards—a designation used to identify the finest dry white wines of Germany. Their holdings include 40 hectares of vineyards scattered across Forst, Deidesheim, and Ruppertsberg, planted to Riesling, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Weissburgunder and Chardonnay. 100% Riesling, from multiple vineyards in Deidesheim, the grapes for this Trocken were hand-harvested, gently pressed and fermented in large oak barrels. The fermentation was long and slow, and the resulting wine was aged on the lees for over a year, producing a compelling wine that is simultaneously intense and light.