Riesling Auslese Jungfer 2018

This cuvée comes from the village of Hallgarten, in the Rheingau, Germany's historic Riesling region. The vineyard stretches along the banks of the Rhine, where the river bends westwards, so that the village's slopes all face south. The grapes come from the Jungfer lieu-dit, one of the highest slopes in the Rheingau, renowned for mineral Rieslings with ageing potential. The slate soils give the wines singular elegance and minerality.

As the Auslese designation requires, this Riesling comes from a selection of very ripe bunches, picked as a late harvest. Fermentation is managed so as to retain a large share of the grape's natural sugars, around 73 grams per litre, for a moderate alcohol level. This approach preserves the purity of the fruit and the acidic tension typical of Rheingau Riesling, which balances the sweetness. From the excellent Jungfer cru, the wine can thus be expected to develop favourably over some ten years.

This wine reveals notes of lemon, grapefruit, white peach, apricot, green apple, honey, linden blossom and flint. The very bright lemon-yellow colour precedes a delicately fruity nose where minerality already shows through. The sweet, silky palate is tightened by lively acidity that balances the sweetness. The finish stretches out beautifully on fresh citrus.

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.