Wittmann Westhofen Brunnenhäuschen Riesling Grosses Gewächs 2023

The Brunnenhäuschen lies east of the Morstein, in Westhofen, in southern Rheinhessen. Although facing due south, this VDP.Grosse Lage ripens very late: its altitude, up to 240 metres, and its exposure to the west wind maintain freshness despite intense sunshine. Clay marls mixed with limestone and limestone rocks sit alongside pockets of terra rossa, red soils rich in iron oxide that give the Rieslings a creamy minerality.

The estate farms its vines with certified biodynamic methods. In 2023, a hot summer brought ripeness forward and the harvest was completed in three weeks, with rigorous selection of the grapes, vine by vine, during the manual harvest. The gently pressed must ferments spontaneously with its natural yeasts in large wooden foudres, and the wine is then aged for several months on the lees in the cool of the vaulted cellar.

This wine reveals notes of pink grapefruit, passion fruit, lemon zest, honeysuckle, yellow peach, mirabelle plum, dried herbs and chalk. The medium-bodied, highly elegant palate conceals remarkable power and concentration behind a creamy, racy texture. The long, chalky finish has fine energy.

Germany has a long and illustrious history of winemaking. The Romans established the country's first vineyards along the banks of the Moselle River, near the present-day city of Trier. By the third century AD, vineyards had spread to various neighboring valleys, primarily those of the Moselle's tributaries. During the Middle Ages, the Christian church, particularly the Cistercian and Benedictine monasteries, had a significant influence on the development of viticulture and the production of quality wine in Germany. Germany has always been renowned for its excellent white wines: slightly sweet, low in alcohol, but always of high quality. However, in recent years, wine drinkers have tended to prefer drier wines. Consequently, the German market has evolved to cater to all tastes with some splendid dry Rieslings and other white wine varieties, such as Pinot Blanc, Gewürztraminer, and Grauburgunder. Warmer summers and milder winters have also favored rosés and reds, with Pinot Noir being the third most planted grape variety in the country. So, take your pick—from traditional Rieslings to great reds, the range is wide and still expanding. The German wine industry lost its way in terms of quality during the 20th century, expanding plantings onto less favorable sites and increasing yields to levels where quality was severely compromised. However, Germany's greatest wine producers were never completely lost, and since the end of the 20th century, considerable efforts have been made to restore Germany's former glory. Yields are now limited by law, and many leading producers have joined forces to form the VDP association (see German Wine Labels). Members of the VDP are bound by a commitment to focus their efforts on quality rather than quantity. In terms of volume, Germany ranks among the top ten countries in the world for annual wine production. Just over 60% of the wine produced is white, and it is widely acknowledged that the white wines from Germany's best vineyards and most reputable producers are among the finest in the world. German red wines are also gaining in popularity and quality, particularly those made from Spätburgunder, the local name for Pinot Noir. The second most popular red grape variety (in terms of planted hectares, at least) is Dornfelder.