Kastanienbusch Riesling GG 2022 1500ml Magnum

A bone-dry Grand Cru that doesn't draw its power from alcohol: 12.5% vol. is enough here for spice, depth and drive. When young the wine appears closed and distinctive, needing air above all.

The Kastanienbusch lies west of Birkweiler in a basin that completely shields it from the cold air flowing in from the Palatinate Forest. The estate's historic parcel, more than two hectares in size, occupies the uppermost section of the site: a south-southeast-facing slope, up to 35% steep, at 280 to 320 metres above sea level, making it the highest-altitude Grand Cru vineyard in the Palatinate. The soil consists of Upper Rotliegend, loose 280-million-year-old deposits of angular granite, schist and melaphyre. Its high iron content colours it dark red and gives it very good heat-retention capacity.

Riesling from biodynamic cultivation, selectively hand-harvested in several passes. After destemming, the grapes spent 24 hours on the skins, followed by gentle pressing and pre-clarification through natural sedimentation of the must sediment. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, five months on full lees, racked in March 2023, bottled in July 2023.

After sufficient aeration it shows apple, citrus and vineyard peach, alongside earth, smoke, tree bark, wild herbs and pepper. The markedly fresh acidity provides a counterpoint to the spicy, earthy components. Over several days after opening it gains in elegance and complexity, which is why at this youthful stage it should be opened and decanted early.

With peach tart with cream cheese and pine nuts, with grilled salmon on saffron linguine and with pumpkin stuffed with minced lamb couscous.

The entire holding of more than four hectares owned by the Rebholz family lies exclusively within the 20.8-hectare core of the site. The Kastanienbusch Riesling GG received 100 points from Gault&Millau for the 2017 vintage. This bottling comes as a Magnum with 1500 millilitres.