Riesling Tertiär 2024

A Riesling that puts texture and structure front and centre: fine grip, noticeable salinity, an acidity that is both silky and vibrant. In the glass, a bright golden yellow, fuller than the 11.5% ABV would suggest. The fruit is intense, the wine remains dry and lean.

The grapes come from the Herxheim domaine, from the "Im Steinberg" site, where tertiary limestone with up to 40% active lime is found. This soil is new to Odinstal's portfolio. The VDP estate above Wachenheim otherwise farms a forest-enclosed hollow 350 metres above the Rhine valley, where four types of rock are spread across five hectares. The estate has been Demeter-certified since 2013.

Pure Riesling. One third of the grapes fermented on the skins, and the entire wine subsequently matured in oak. Estate manager Andreas Schumann follows a principle of non-intervention in the cellar: spontaneous fermentation without temperature control, extended lees ageing, minimal use of sulphur. The wines end up as dry as they naturally want to be.

Intense and inviting from the outset: yellow apple, quince and mirabelle plum, along with kumquat zest, shortbread and a touch of apricot jam. The entry is generous, the minerality deep, and the high active lime content lends an electrifying tension. The texture feels silky and sensuous, the finish remains saline.

The soil's active lime content of up to 40% is remarkable and shapes this wine's tension. Skin fermentation of one third of the grapes and full oak ageing give it its fullness. The label carries the Demeter logo.