We aim to have all wines be vintage specific. In the case the listed vintage is out of stock and you note you would like that particular vintage, we will inform you via email for approval to go ahead.
js95
James Suckling – “Extremely racy and extremely nuanced, this is a stunning example of the diamond-bright brilliance of the top 2021 vintage German dry rieslings! Crystalline clarity and purity. Only white fruits, but so many shades of pale. And the freshness at the finish reminds me of a shaded waterfall surrounded by ferns. Excellent aging potential.” - Stuart Pigott, JamesSuckling.com
rp93
Robert Parker/Wine Advocate – “The 2021 Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Trocken is pure and coolish on the intense and concentrated nose. From phyllite slate soils, this is a full-bodied, intense and salty-piquant, highly stimulating Riesling with lots of energy, phenolic grip and mineral tension. With fine tannin structure, the massive and concentrated body and fruit lead to a long and intense, aromatic finish. Long but still shy and still somewhat coated. Bottled at the end of June. 13% stated alcohol.” - Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate
About This Wine
As in the Klosterberg site, the vines here sit in the 30- to 50-year-old range. The name Turmberg—or ‘tower hill’—derives from the ruins of the last surviving tower of the former castle, Burg Scharfenstein (12th century), positioned dramatically atop the vineyard. The infamous German wine law of 1971 made this site a part of the neighbouring Gräfenberg. Yet, in 2005, Weil succeeded in having this 3.8-hectare monopole reinstated as an individual classified site in the vineyard register (historically, it had been a separate vineyard, reflecting the unique terroir). It’s interesting to note that while Turmberg has the official right to be classified as Grosse Lage, Weil chooses to bottle an Erste Lage from this steep vineyard. “There is only one tip on a pyramid,” he explains, referring to the Gräfenberg.
With its base of phyllite rock (metamorphosed slate) and thin topsoil, the Turmberg vineyard offers up fruit of much more mineral voltage than the Klosterberg, and in general, is a racier wine (think great Saint Aubin as opposed to great Chassagne). Again, this stunning, ultra-precise Riesling was raised entirely in doppelstückfass for ten months.
Another taut and radiant 2021, it opens with lovely, sweet citrus and floral charm complemented by blackcurrant leaf, wild herb and peppy spice. The palate plays a blinder, with impressive density cosseted by a surging chalky freshness, striking mineral focus and exceptional length. Most would not bat an eyelid if this were labelled Grosses Gewächs.
| Type | White Wine |
|---|---|
| Varietal(s) | Riesling |
| Country | Germany |
| Region | Rheingau |
| Brand | Robert Weil |
| Vintage | 2021 |
About German Wines
Germany is the world’s northernmost fine wine producing region and thus requires its vines to endure some of the coldest temperatures. Fortunately, the country’s star variety, Riesling, does well in cooler climates and can survive even these freezing winters.
Germany Riesling is classified by ripeness at harvest which is also used to indicate the wine’s level of residual sugar. Picking earlier means the grapes have less time to ripen and the corresponding wines will be on the drier side; while picking later gives the grapes the opportunity full ripen and produce a lusciously sweet Riesling. The classifications from driest to sweetest: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein (ice wine). While not as common to age white wines outside of Chardonnay, top tier German Rieslings can be aged for decades.
Other notable white grape varieties produced in Germany include Müller-Thurgau (a cross between Riesling and Madelaine Royale in the search for varieties that could withstand the extreme temperatures), Grauburguner (Pinot Gris) and Weissburguner (Pinot Blanc). The cooler German climate leads to earlier harvesting in general and gives German wines a distinctive character of higher acidity.
Historically red wine has always been harder to produce in the German climate. However, Pinot Noir grown in slightly warmer pockets of the country, has been highly successful in recent times. Going by the German name, Spätburgunder, German Pinot Noir can be elegant, structured and have vibrant acidity.
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