Riesling Wine

Winemaker Description 

Our Columbia Valley Riesling is medium-dry style sourced from Riesling vineyards throughout Washington’s Columbia Valley. The wine offers crisp apple and white peach aromas and flavors with subtle mineral notes. This is our go to Riesling that is incredibly refreshing and flavorful and easy to match with a variety of foods.

Wine Analysis

Blend: 100% Riesling

• Winemaking Notes: Fermented at 55-60˚F to maintain freshness
• TA: 0.70g/100mL
• PH: 2.94
• RS: 2.1g/100 mL
• Alcohol: 12.0%

Our Professional Review 

Rand Sieger 67Wine.com | This is the lemonade of wine.  A super fresh and juicy summer quaffer to have with all your lighter summer foods. The first aromas that come up from the glass are crushed lilies of the valley and white pepper, followed
by citrus and fresh pineapple.  Dry, lean, fresh and juicy on the palate.

Winemaker Description 

A liter of the raciest, most energetic and appealingly mineralische Riesling imaginable. Alc: 12% Residual sugar: 7,5 g/ltr Acidity: 7,6 g/ltr Must weight: 88° Oechsle Harvest on 26th of September 2019, Temperature controlled fermentation in stainless steel. On the fine yeast until bottling in stainless steel tanks (26th of February 2021) Bright yellow colour with green highlights; in the nose aromas of apple, yellow stone fruits and freshness; on the palate very harmonic, totally dry and refreshing.

Deidesheimer Herrgottsacker is a single vineyard site with a size of 121 hectares. 10% of the vineyard site is steep, 20% hilly and 70% are flat. The soil varies between sandy loam and loamy sand, mixed with limestone rocks and red sandstone. The name “Herrgottsacker” is probably derived from the word “Gottesacker” (which is a former word for cementery) andThis interpretation from Kimich, a small, traditional, 8th generation estate, is an absurd value in the liter bottle (33% more wine)! 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2024

James Suckling 92 Points | Brimming with mandarin orange and yellow peach aromas, this is a very attractive entry-level dry riesling. Barely medium-bodied, but so effusive and elegant. Very zesty finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Vinous 91 Points | The 2024 Riesling trocken is a mix of many more sites than the usual Oberhäuser Felsenberg and Kieselberg, but it is entirely from volcanic and slate soils. An immediate touch of peach on the nose sets the scene for fruit, ripeness, clarity and freshness. The palate is totally strait-laced, zesty and ripe, with a sunny aspect. This is svelte and immensely fresh. The 2024 is an absolutely clear-cut, lip-smacking Riesling. (Bone-dry).

The Wine Advocate 90 Points | Just bottled with 11% stated alcohol, Dönnhoff's 2024 Riesling trocken VDP.Gutswein opens with a remarkably intense and aromatic yellow stone fruit aroma intermingled with complex and saline terroir notes of the middle Nahe. Fresh and savory on the palate, this is a light- to medium-bodied, straight, pure and fresh dry Riesling with remarkable intensity and sustainability on the finish and a saline and savory aftertaste. This is not as light and charming as the off-dry twin but more serious in its terroir expression. It needs some weeks or months to calm down a bit. Tasted in April 2024.

Winemaker Description 

The 2024 vintage presents itself with brilliant fruit and a lively, well-integrated acidity. Aromas of green apple, citrus zest, and white peach unfold on the palate, accompanied by a fine, salty minerality and a cool, precise finish.

Pure Riesling! Vibrant, fresh and clean. Elegant with refined fruits. This estate wine combines the two major soils that dominate the holdings for the estate, giving the drinker a look into what Dönnhoff is all about. 

A crystal-clear expression of the 2024 vintage – fresh, pure, and full of minerality. This classically dry Riesling comes from the steep slopes around Oberhausen in the middle Nahe region. The vines are deeply rooted in rock-rich soils with a high proportion of volcanic weathered rock, particularly porphyry and melaphyre, complemented by slate and quartzite.>This geological diversity gives the wine its characteristic clarity, complexity, and finesse.

A stylistically precise Riesling, typical of Dönnhoff – ideal as an elegant food accompaniment or for drinking on its own. Fermentation and aging take place in stainless steel tanks and large oak barrels, giving the wine additional complexity.  

Memo Pairing Suggestions

The slight residual sugar makes it a world-class match for spicy Thai or Indian cuisine. It also pairs beautifully with Jägerschnitzel, fresh trout, or salty cheeses.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 92 Points | This is a wonderfully fresh and expressive dry riesling with a slew of citrus aromas, but also some spring flowers and meadows. The vivacity of the medium-bodied palate is as impressive as the depth in the long, crisp finish, where it bares its Alsace soul.

Winemaker Description

Famille Hugel signature wine. This dry Riesling stands out for its finesse and frankness and is the ideal partner to fish and seafood thanks to its wonderful balance and elegance.  It is Hugel's most demanding variety as it is also the latest ripening. Dry and elegant, it expresses itself best on our steepest slopes with the most complex minerality.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 93 Points | A stunning, entry-level dry riesling with an impressive depth of stone fruit and a touch of flint that gives it energy on the medium-bodied palate. Long, compact, salty finish. A cuvee of wines that are 40% from Ruppertsberg and 60% from Wachenheim, mostly from young vineyards. From biodynamically grown grapes. Vegan.

The Wine Advocate 90 Points | The 2023 Riesling Trocken is still closed and reductive in its pretty spicy and phenolic, initially rather grassy nose that opens up in the glass to deliver ripe lemon aromas intertwined with notes of broken sandstones. Round and lush on the palate, this is a juicy, elegant and quite intense or even extract-rich Riesling with ripe acidity and good, phenolic grip. 12% stated alcohol. Screw-cap closure.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

James Suckling 92 Points | A light-bodied, fruity and elegant white with peach and honey aromas, then rich in nectarine flavors on the palate. While the wine is effusively floral and fruity, the finish is clean, dry and minerally. Drink now.

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | A vibrant, golden hue, this smells of summer in America's Northeast: lemon sorbet, freshly washed sheets hung to dry on a clothes line, a windowsill of herbs, freshly turned earth. It's dry with lovely flavor concentration, tex­tural weight and crisp acidity freshening it all up. It's somehow curvy but linear at the same time— and a total bargain for the quality. Editor's Choice. —C.P.

Winemaker Description 

#36 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2025

A combination of grapes harvested from Ravines' Limestone Springs and Sixteen Falls vineyards, this Riesling features bright crips flavors of asian pear, white peach, and soft blossom. A delicate current of flint elevates this beautiful and succulent, dry Riesling that shows terrific balance and tension from the integrated acidity.

Winemaker Description 

Crisp and vibrant with notes of green apple, citrus zest, and wet stone. This dry Riesling from the Honigsack vineyard showcases precision, minerality, and refreshing acidity — a classic example of Pfalz elegance.

Perfect with: Light seafood dishes, sushi, or fresh goat cheese.

Our Professional Review 

Rand Sieger, 67Wine Buyer: Just off-dry with delightful green apple aromas and edgy minerality.  Ends in a long, delicious apple core finish. Great value and complexity at its price point.

Winemaker Description 

It shows the style of the house and the typicality of the different soils around the winery. A dry Palatinate Riesling with fine fruit, elegant acidity and gripping minerality.

The history of the Bassermann-Jordan winery is one that is intertwined with the history of winemaking in Pfalz. In 1718, Pierre Jordan purchased the family's first vineyards in Pfalz, while Johann-Peter Jordan built the winery in Deidesheim 65 years later. Around the turn of the century, Andreas Jordan elevated quality winemaking in Pfalz by becoming one of the first growers in the area to plant single varieties by vineyard and was also one of the first winemakers to vinify each vineyard separately. A marriage between the Bassermann and Jordan families added the name Bassermann to the winery in 1883. Bassermann-Jordan is one of the founding members of the VDP, Germany's top organization to ensure quality wine.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 93 Points | Excellent Mirabelle plum, bergamot and chamomile tea aromas are married to considerable textural depth on the compact, medium-bodied palate. Stony minerality drives the long finish.

The Wine Spectator 92 Points | Ripe but nervy, with a unique combination of plump peach, apricot and nectarine notes that are carried by a taut and tangy spine of fennel, quinine and ginger. Shows a bitter orange echo on the finish.

Winemaker Description 

The Classique acts as an annual celebration of their work. It commemorates the efforts and dedication of their growers who take each vintage in stride by receiving each day with vulnerability and leaning into the gifts of Mother Nature. Their Classique is an imprint of their diverse and geologically rich region. For them, it represents the potential of Bone Dry Riesling on southeast Seneca Lake.

Memo Summary Notes

The Forge Cellars Riesling "Classique" 2023 is a benchmark dry Riesling from the Finger Lakes (Seneca Lake), New York. This winery is a collaboration between Louis Barruol (of the iconic Château de Saint Cosme in Gigondas, France) and Rick Rainey, aiming to craft "bone dry" Rieslings that rival the grand crus of Alsace and Germany.

The "Classique" is their flagship blend, representing a "tapestry" of various vineyard sites along the southeast side of Seneca Lake.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023 

Michael Alberty of the Wine Enthusiast writes 93 Points | Every year I marvel at how such a marvelous Riesling can be $20. The Poet's Leap opens with an aromatic ode to lychee fruit, honeysuckle, almond butter and a wisp of petrol. Lemony acidity curls itself around flavors like green honeydew melon, rose water and the sweetness of a slice of peach pie. The 2023 is as good as any in recent memory. Mercy.

Vinous 90 Points | The 2023 Riesling Poet's Leap is delicate and understated, with notes of shaved lemon zest, green melon, mint and hints of petrol. It mixes ripe orchard fruits and salty mineral tones with a core of brilliant acidity. This finishes with medium length and remarkable lift, leaving a suggestion of citrus sorbet on the finish.

Winery Notes

The 2023 Poet's Leap Riesling is a beautiful, vibrant wine showcasing aromas of white blossoms and ripe orchard fruits, complemented by subtle flinty notes. Exuding freshness and brightness on the palate, the wine unveils layers of flavor, notably white peach, green apple and a distinct minerality. The finish is long and satisfying, leaving a balanced impression of lively acidity and a subtle touch of sweetness.

Winemaker Description 

Lively fruit and minerality on a zesty palate. Slightly sweet, with a dry finish. Unfined, unfiltered.

Founded in 1891, the Brand winery has been producing wine in the Pfalz for five generations. Their vineyards are located on limestone-rich soils around the village of Bockenheim, in the northern part of the region, along the border of the Rheinhessen. Daniel and Jonas' father, Jürgen, always farmed their vines responsibly, but when his children took over, they immediately transitioned to organic viticulture, gaining certification in 2017. The Brothers Brand also utilize biodynamic treatments, always experimenting to discover which practices work best in their vines. All of their wines are made with little, if any, added sulfites. 

Wonderfully aromatic with lively fruit and minerality and a lovely zest and charge on the palate, perfectly balanced by the residual sugar. The Feinherb Riesling has a slight sweetness on the attack, though the sugar melds perfectly into the body, finishing dry and crisp. No fining or filtration and minimal use of sulfur.

Our Professional Review

Rand Sieger from 67Wine.com writes | 'Alte Reben' is German for 'Old Vines.'  This estate grown and bottled Riesling comes from a small family winery in the lower Mosel in the tiny village Thörnich.  Discover the beautiful balance and energy of this dry riesling that drinks way above its price point. 

Winemaker Description 

Von Winning Riesling Brut light-bodied with notes of lemon zest, yellow pears, soft bubbles, and integrated minerality on the finish.

White fruit flavors, crisp, crunchy fleshy fruit aromas, fully ripe. With air the wine gains complexity, leaning towards nectarine and crisp cox-orange apple with a nice dose of salinity in the long finish.

Winemaker Description 

This is Lauer’s Platonic ideal of what a Saar Riesling should be. If we were in Burgundy this would be the equivalent of a Bourgogne Blanc.

As an appellation-level wine, it is sourced from multiple vineyards in three different villages of the Saar. This is always a thrilling off-dry and a silly value.

Our Professional Review

Rand Sieger 67Wine.com | Only 7.5 percent Alcohol. This is about as good as a mosel riesling under $20 can be. Rarely do you find a Spätlese of this quality for such a low price. Classic mosel with bright white currant fruit, clover honey, and an energetic undercurrent of lime zest and slatey minerality. It really explodes on the palate with juicy, mouth watering fruit and the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.

Try this paired with breaded, deep-fried button mushrooms dipped in tartar sauce. The combination will make you smile.

Winemaker Description 

The Rauen family in the Mosel has been growing grapes for many generations but began bottling their own wine only in 1983. When Harald Rauen took the reins from his father more than 30 years ago, the first thing he did with their vineyards in the slate-rich soils of Detzem and Thornich was to reduce the yields in the vineyards to concentrate on quality instead of bulk. The result has been a line of classically clean and elegant Rieslings. His Spatlese is light-bodied and zesty, just a touch sweet, with notes of apricot, lime, and flint.

Warehouse stored item - please allow one to three business days to fulfill.

James Suckling 90 Points | Fresh and floral with candied lemons, quince, fine herbs and spices on the nose. Medium-bodied, polished and sleek, with mouthwatering acidity. Flavorful and refreshing aftertaste. 

Expert Review - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 92 Points | Delicate peachy fruit and racy acidity are beautifully balanced on the sleek, medium-bodied palate. Excellent mountain freshness and wet-stone minerality at the super-clean and straight finish. Sustainable. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Producer Description 

The unique traits of Wiemer’s Magdalena Vineyard are featured in this lush Riesling. A beneficial air exchange with Seneca Lake moderates the temperatures, creating a warmer and more protective site in the colder months and a cooling effect throughout the summer. The airflow keeps the vineyard dry, and deep soil provides room for spreading root growth. The lime silt loam soil that the site is celebrated for is crucial to the development of flavor intensity in the grapes. Magdalena wines are striking and powerful, and develop very well over time– whether in the glass or in the cellar.

Critic Notes 

The Wine Enthusiast by Christina Pickard writes 95 Points | Still a spring chicken, this top Riesling—if drunk now—needs a few good swirls in the glass before releasing delicate orange citrus, jasmine and honeysuckle aromas from the clutch of more reductive ones. There's richness and intensity on the dry, slippery palate, cut with citrusy acidity and a chalk dust minerality to the ultralong finish. This is a wine of complexity and class that should cellar until 2032 or longer.

Winemaker Description 

As with the Grüner Veltliner Rossatz, Fischer’s village-level Riesling is a blend of fruit from his various crus which does not quite make his rigorous cut for the single-vineyard bottlings. Bristling with kinetic energy, the Rossatz offers a hugely expressive nose of tangy yellow fruits, with a laser-like, salt-drenched palate that prompts salivation. Its acidity is juicy rather than cutting, and its 1.5 grams per liter of residual sugar are rendered completely invisible.

Expert Review - Vintage 2023 

James Suckling 93 Points | This Mosel Kabinett is very sleek and racy, with striking aromas of lime zest and cassis, Light-bodied with acidity that feels as if sparks are jumping around inside your mouth, pushing the touch of grape sweetness way into the background. I love this originality, but some may find it a bit challenging. From a unique site with quartzitic soil. Drink or hold.

Winemaker Description 

Back to the fantastic Vintage 2023, this time from the Mosel, where we find our next top wine from the classic producer Maximum Ferdinand Richter, who have owned their vineyards for more than 300 years. Ownership of the Veldenzer Elisenberg vineyard began in 1813 when Richter ancestor Franz Ludwig Niessen learned of Napoleon Bonaparte's plan to demolish the cherished Veldenz vineyard. Niessen arranged a personal payment to the General to stop the destruction. The whole slope of Veldenzer Elisenberg was given to him by the municipality as a token of appreciation, and has stayed in the family ever since. The quartz soils of the Veldenz produce Rieslings that exhibit flavors of red currant, raspberry, and blueberry… an unusual quality to find in Riesling, but also a trait that makes this wine oh-so-charming, memorable and utterly delicious.

Memo Notes

Naturally Low Alcohol at only 8 Percent!

Winemaker Description 

Generously fruit-forward and refreshingly light, the Riesling Semi-Dry displays our signature varietal's natural verve and ability to carry residual sugar with grace and balance. Sourced from early picks in vineyard blocks surrounding Seneca Lake, it offers aromas of wildflower honey and ripe Bosch pear. 

This is the perfect wine for bringing together all types of palates, and one of our favorites to bring to family get-togethers; it is always a safe bet to bring along if you're unsure of what style others enjoy.

Our Professional Review 

Rand of 67Wine.com writes | A dry-styled Riesling that is at once rustic and approachable. Rockstar wine maker Christopher Loewen raises this wine in large fuder casks, using spontaneous fermentation.  This gives the wine a beautiful complexity and mouth filling texture.  A mix of yellow stone fruit, pear, and spiced citrus is underscored by a pleasingly savory salinity.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021 

Wine Advocate 94 Points | The 2021 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett is deep and flinty but bright and clear on the refined and elegant nose with beautiful crushed slate aromas. On the palate, this is a rich, round and generous, incredibly lush and supple but crystalline and even pure Sonnenuhr with a highly stimulating, mouth-watering finish. This 2021 shows the great terroir of the cru, in particular in cool vintages due to its exposition that collects the sun's rays in the morning. 

Wine Enthusiast 92 Points | This shows very little sweetness, but is harmonious and well integrated despite the firm acidity that fuels it. Stone- and orchard-fruit notes are flecked by chrysanthemum and cardamom to create the full-spectrum. The finish is long and persistent.

Winemaker Description 

Cassis and lime zest aromas with tart, salty and slate notes.

Try with yellow curry or spring rolls.

Winemaker Description 

Light, crisp and refreshing. Honeyed peach, apples and honeydew melon notes. Off dry, with lots of stone fruit on the palate. Light in body and medium, crisp acidity.

Perfect with Asian food.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2014

Stephan Reinhardt of the Wine Advocate writes 94+ Points | The 2014 Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile is highly complex on the clear, intense and smoky, lemony nose. Clear, fresh, straight and very mineral on the nose, this is a pure but complex, intense, stony Riesling that is pretty austere at the moment. Provided with racy acidity, but concentrated and mineral on the palate, this is exceptional dry Riesling with great tension. To be served in 10, 20 and even in 30 years.  Drinking 2025 to 2040. 

Ian D’Agata of Vinous writes 94+ Points | Vivid straw-green. Delicate nuances of jasmine and lemon verbena complicate aromas of green apple, lime and minerals. Pure and penetrating on the palate, boasting superb definition to the flavors of gin, mint, minerals, violet and lemon zest. The finish is remarkably crystalline and long. This Frédéric Emile is currently dominated by its Osterberg component (the cuvée is a blend of Osterberg and Geisberg grand cru grapes), which brings chiseled acidity, as opposed to the Geisberg’s ripe fruit personality and licorice quality. Despite the difficult year, this is likely to become a memorable Frédéric Emile. So much so, in fact, that it’s currently impossible to choose between it and the more famous Clos Sainte Hune.  Drinking 2022 to 2045.

James Suckling writes 96 Points | So much mineral and sliced apple character with hints of orange and apple peel. Turns to steely character. Full-bodied, racy and bright. So lively. Great finish. Drink or hold on release. 

Jeb Dunnuck writes 92+ Points | Coming close to a decade after the vintage, the 2014 Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile is still vivid and racy, with a taut, focused, almost austere style in its ripe citrus, crushed stone, hazelnut, and smoky mineral-driven aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied and nicely concentrated, with high yet integrated acidity, this needs another 4-5 years of bottle age, as it's currently austere, firm, and inward. It will be an incredibly long-lived Riesling, but how much pleasure it will ultimately deliver might be questionable.  Drinking after 2027. 

Alison Napjus of the Wine Spectator writes 95 Points | A bone-dry, racy white, with a lovely entry point of slate, petrol and brine aromas on the nose, plus a minerally profile that underscores notes of crunchy nectarine, kiwifruit, cherry blossoms, pink grapefruit pith and fresh thyme. Firm and linear, this graceful version exhibits seamless knit and definition. Drink now through 2039.  - Wine Spectator 95

Jancis Robinson writes 17.5+ Points | To be released around 2022 or 2023. Razor-sharp nose and very tight. Lots to chew on. They could release this and no one would object but I can see why they want it to unfurl a bit.  Drinking 2022 to 2035.  - Jancis Robinson 17.5+

Winemaker Description 

Warehouse stored item - please allow one to three business days to fulfill.

The Riesling offers an elegant and classical scent with notes of tropical fruits such as pineapple and melon, complemented by green apples and citrus. It boasts an excellent balance of sweetness and acidity, making it versatile for any occasion—from an aperitif to after-dinner, and well-suited for spicy food, daily meals, or simply enjoying.

Winemaker Description 

Dry Riesling produced from grapes from a single block, delicate with tropical fruits and a crisp finish.

Awards & Ratings:

93 points, Wine Silver 2023 – International Wine and Spirits Competition (2018 vintage)

93 points / Silver Medal – Decanter World Wine Awards 2020. 

90 points / “Best Buy” – Wine Enthusiast 2020. 

90 points – Tim Atkin MW

89 points – JamesSuckling.com

Warehouse stored item - please allow two to five business days to fulfill.

Warehouse stored item - please allow two to five business days to fulfill.

Exudes flavors and aromas of ripe apples, pears, peaches, and citrus, with floral aromas. Its slight sweetness makes it a perfect match with aged cheeses as well as chicken, fish and pasta in cream sauces.

Warehouse stored item - please allow two to five business days to fulfill.

Winemaker Description 

Mülheimer Sonnenlay Riesling Zeppelin has amaizing aromas of apple, citrus and slate stone with clean and pure structure. The wine has a mineral texture with rich mouth-filling flavours of orchard fruits and juicy layers.

Shows as well zesty and spicy refreshing style. Well balanced structure, animating and the elegant fruit acid finishes with great length.

The estate of Max Ferdinand Richter has been owned by the Richter family for more than 300 years. Today this enterprise, owned and run by winemaker Dirk Richter, is one of the leading producers of top Rieslings in the heart of the central Mosel area with total holdings of 43 acres and an annual production of about 10,500 cases. Richter produces fine wines that are well known throughout the world. They produce a wide variety of wines from estate-grown grapes that reflect the individual style of each single vineyard. The terroir of their steep vineyard sites is generally fresh weathering grey slate.

Winemaker Description 

Named in honor of Eugenia Bartle Frank, the steadfast matriarch of the Frank family, this wine is a tribute to her unwavering strength, quiet determination, and essential role in building our winery’s foundation. From encouraging Konstantin to complete his degree in agriculture in the 1920s to nourishing the early winery through its most challenging days, Eugenia's devotion helped shape the American dream that became Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery.

Opens with fresh lime, ripe nectarine, and green apple, layered over a foundation of cool shale-driven minerality. On the palate, it is both vibrant and mineral, delivering profound intensity with a full, textured mouthfeel balanced by bright, clean acidity. The finish is long and refined, echoing with notes of citrus, stone fruit, and a flinty elegance. The Eugenia Dry Riesling reflects both the heritage of the site and the character of the woman it honors. 

Schloss Lieser SL Feinherb Estate Riesling has herbal and minerally aroma, really flinty on the nose. Has aromas of fruit and slate that lead to a fresh and round palate with a salty finish.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

Vinous 94 Points | The 2022 Riesling Terrassen Smaragd is from 20- to 60-year-old vines planted on higher parcels at 250-350 meters. The nose has something of an eau de Cologne sense, with its conifer and citrus spice. The palate is super slender, very linear and uncompromisingly fresh, without a suspicion of fat or any opulence. This treads a thin line on perfect tiptoe. There is a weightless quality here. This is brimming with lemon and utterly fresh.

The Wine Spectator 93 Points | With fullness to the lychee, green plum and quince flavors, this delicious, mouthcoating and salty white is laced with baking spice notes. Stays elegant and well-defined despite its plump profile, offering zesty clementine acidity, with dried sage and fresh-cut grass notes bringing a savory dimension. Drink now through 2032.

Winemaker Description 

Wachau Riesling is dry and often defined by high levels of dry extract (due to a lengthy ripening period) and a pleasing freshness (due to dramatic temperature swings between day and night). Soils of primary rock from various terraced sites give this dry Riesling subtle minerality accompanied by aromas and flavors of citrus and stone fruit.

Riesling’s high acidity makes it one of the most versatile wines at the table. Riesling can be used to cut the fattiness of foods such as pork or sausages and can tame a certain amount of saltiness. Conversely, it can highlight foods such as fish or vegetables in the same way a squeeze of lemon or a vinaigrette can.

Rudi Pichler is among the elite growers of the Wachau producing wines of precision, power, and longevity. Grüner Veltliner and Riesling make up 95% of the production with the remaining 5% shared between Weißburgunder and Roter Veltliner. Rudi Pichler belongs to the prestigious Vinea Wachau and vinifies under the strict parameters of their codex.

Yields are kept low between 30 and 35 hectoliters per hectare with botrytis carefully removed by hand.  Grapes are crushed by foot and receive between three and 36 hours of maceration on the skins. Vinification is entirely in stainless-steel tanks and malolactic fermentation is avoided.

Weingut Rudi Pichler consists of 37 acres spread between Wösendorf, Joching, and Weißenkirchen where south-facing terraces look down at the Danube River. Terrassen indicates it is a cuvée from multiple terraced sites. Smaragd is a term used by Vinea Wachau members indicating a dry wine with a minimum alcohol of 12.5%.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

James Suckling 94 Points | The intense wild herb character gives this sleek and compact 2021 Mosel GG a very striking personality. Lots of crisp pear and white peach fruit fill this picture out very neatly. The impressive length suggests this has many years ahead of it. Drink or hold.

The Wine Enthusiast 90 Points by Aleks Zecevic | Well tuned and flowing with grace, this wine delivers notes of understated passion fruit and kumquat. A stony undertow adds to the charm and complexity. This wine is not a blockbuster, but rather is for those who value nuance and subtlety. 

Winemaker Description 

Variety: Riesling • Region: Mosel • Vineyard: Niederberg Helden • Soil Type: Blue Devonian slate • Fermentation & Élevage: Stainless steel

Lieserer Niederberg Helden: Created by merging the previously separate Niederberg and Helden vineyards, this Grosse Lage vineyard is just east of the village of Lieser. With a steep slope and the typical soil type for this part of the Mosel, blue Devonian slate, Niederberg Helden is known as one of the top vineyards for producing both dry and noble sweet wines. A unique microclimate is formed here by the south facing slopes curving inward which helps to capture warmth.

Memo Summary Notes

The Riesling Niederberg Helden Feinherb 2021 is an off-dry wine from the Mosel region of Germany, produced by the world-renowned Schloss Lieser (Thomas Haag).

The "Niederberg Helden" is a legendary steep-slope vineyard known for its blue Devonian slate soil, which imparts a distinct mineral "grip" to the wine. Because 2021 was a cooler, more "classic" vintage in the Mosel, this wine has exceptional tension and energy compared to warmer years.

The Riesling Niederberg Helden Feinherb 2021 (750ml) is a high-end off-dry wine from the Mosel region of Germany, produced by the world-renowned Schloss Lieser (Thomas Haag).

In the Mosel, Feinherb is the "winemaker's choice" style. It sits between Trocken (dry) and Kabinett (semi-sweet). It is specifically designed to pair with food—the slight sweetness cuts through the heat of spicy Thai or Indian cuisine, while the acidity stands up to rich dishes like roast pork or creamy cheeses.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

James Suckling 94 Points | What a stunning village wine. The mouth-filling juiciness (think star fruit and the ripest citrus) is backed up with ample power. Creamy front palate, then the salty minerality and animating acidity kick in and push the finish way out there. A cuvee based on the Gaisbohl GG site of Ruppertsberg. From biodynamically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

The Wine Advocate 92 Points | The 2023 Ruppertsberg Village Riesling trocken opens with a remarkably coolish, pure and refined, a little crunchy bouquet with bright and elegant fruit and smoky aromas intermingled with reduced phenolic notes. Lean and elegant on the palate yet with ripe and juicy fruit, this is a very fine and elegant-finishing Riesling whose savory grip and tension will be better integrated after a few years of bottle age. 12% stated alcohol. Screw-cap closure. Tasted at the domaine in January 2025.

Vinous 90 Points | The 2023 Riesling Ruppertsberg Village was almost exclusively picked in the Gaisbohl with a small addition of Nussbien. A lovely flicker of reduction on the nose leads to an immensely juicy, rounded palate. Lemon-fresh Reine Claude plums appear in the mouth with a lovely undertow of yeast. The 2023 is absolutely bone-dry and clean on the bright finish. (Bone-dry)

Memo Summary Notes

The Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Ruppertsberg Riesling Trocken 2023 is an "Ortswein" (village-level wine) that represents a significant step up from basic estate bottlings. Dr. Bürklin-Wolf is a legendary biodynamic producer in the Pfalz region, and this specific wine is sourced primarily from the high-quality Gaisböhl Grand Cru (Grosse Lage) vineyard in Ruppertsberg.

This is often considered one of the best "value" plays in the Bürklin-Wolf portfolio. Because much of the fruit comes from the Gaisböhl vineyard (which the estate owns exclusively), you are essentially getting Grand Cru quality fruit at a village-level price.