Riesling Berg Schlossberg Grosses Gewächs 2024

A Grosses Gewächs built on structure rather than opulence: cool minerality, fine-grained acidity, dense extract. The fruit stays in the background, letting the site take the lead. With air and bottle age, the wine gains further depth.

The Berg Schlossberg lies in the Rheingau; slate and quartzite define the soil and give the Riesling its taut, almost angular character. The Peter Jakob Kühn estate in Oestrich-Winkel, founded in 1786 by Jacobus Kühn, farms 21 hectares according to Demeter biodynamic principles. Sheep grazing between the rows, horn manure and valerian were long dismissed as eccentric in the tradition-bound Rheingau; today Peter Bernhard and Viktoria Kühn run the estate in its twelfth generation.

A pure-varietal Riesling from a single vineyard, classified as Grosses Gewächs by the VDP. The same restraint applies in the cellar as in the vineyard: spontaneous fermentation, no fining, minimal use of sulphur, no heavy oak ageing. The wine is bottled dry, at 12.0% ABV.

Dry and taut, with crisp acidity and saline minerality. Lemon zest, white peach and green apple meet a fine herbal spice. Concentrated without ever turning heavy, with a long finish.

With pan-seared turbot and sole with beurre blanc, with cured char or steamed asparagus with hollandaise sauce. Equally with poultry breast in herb jus, aged hard cheese and Asian dishes with ginger and lemongrass.

The Demeter logo appears on the label; the estate has been certified since 2009. Almost exclusively Riesling vines grow across the 21 hectares, in the sites Doosberg, Klosterberg, Lenchen, St. Nikolaus, Hendelberg and Jungfer.