Dry German rieslings are now ripe for the picking Mosel Mittelrhein Rheinhessen Rheinpfalz
If you like dry whites with zesty ripeness and mouthwatering acidity, it’s time to discover Germany’s dry rieslings. Forget Gothic labels and over-sweet watery wines of old, modern German rieslings are whistle-clean, with a razorsharp crispness. German winemakers are also making an effort to ensure their labels are easier to read.
The new generation of German winemakers have worked in New Zealand, California, Australia and South Africa – and returned home to their old family estates in the Mosel and Rhine, with an understanding of the dry riesling competition. Key figures to watch are Richard Böcking and Axel Pauly in Mosel, Eva Fricke in Rheingau and Jochen Dreissigacker in Rheinhessen.
Many of the wines in our tasting came from the superb 2015 vintage, with its ripe fruits and balancing acidity. Last year was a good, but small yielding vintage.
All the wines below are in the ‘dry’ or ‘off-dry’ category so can be easily quaffed as aperitifs on their own, with summer salads, grilled fish or lightly spiced Asian dishes.
Riesling 2015 Richard Böcking
A clear winner in our tasting for its mouthwatering appeal and balance. Starts well with enticing lychees and white flower aroma, succulent ripe apple and pear flavours, very light spritz refreshing the tongue, finishing long with a minerally edge. This gorgeous ‘dry’ riesling was my top choice. Drink now or cellar for a few years to develop its honeyed flavours.
£17.95, Swig , www.swig.co.uk
Wittlicher Riesling on Slate Kabinett Feinherb 2015 Losen-bockstanz
If you see ‘feinherb’ on a Mosel riesling label, it means ‘offdry’ with a touch of sweetness. This floral riesling has delicate fruits and a sharp-sweet flavour, made by a family firm in the heart of the Mosel valley dating back to the 16th century.
Light and delicate with typical floral hints and honeyed sweet notes for drinking now. £10.99, Virgin Wines, www.virginwines.co.uk
Generations Riesling Feinherb 2015 Axel Pauly STAR
BUY
Another finely offdry riesling from the steep Lieser vineyards with its cool grey blue slate. Up-andcoming winemaker Axel Pauly trained in California and New Zealand; this wine has ripe, full fruits which work well against the vibrant natural acid. A tangy, zesty mouthfiller. £14.99, Buon Vino; Henderson Wines, Edinburgh; Valhallas Goat, Glasgow
Dry Riesling 2015 Peter & Ulrich Griebeler
The driest Mosel riesling in our tasting, tasters enjoyed the appealing ripe apples, limey fruits and stony character. Well balanced ripe fruit and mouthwatering acidity. It is good value too. £10.99/£12.99, Majestic Wine, www.majesticwine.co.uk
Riesling Devon ‘S’ 2015 Toni Jost
Flinty, finely-etched, dry riesling from the narrow valleys of the little-known Mittelrhein region, north of Mosel and Rheingau. There is also enough fruit concentration for bottle maturity to further develop those honeyed notes. £13.95, www.thewinesociety.com
Organic Estate Riesling Trocken 2016
Dreissigacker
A very popular choice from our tasters who called it a real winner. A great combination of minerality, racy acidity and succulent ripeness – very well judged. Bechtheimbased winemaker Jochen Dreissigacker scored highly in our German tasting last year with his 2014 vintage. £13.50, The Secret Cellar; The Beehive; The Cave; Drinkmonger; Cornelius Wines, Edinburgh; Woodwinters, Edinburgh & Bridge of Allan; Valvona & Crolla, Edinburgh; Aitken Wines, Dundee
Riesling Trocken 2016 Stefan Winter
This was the spritziest wine in the tasting – certainly a riesling with youthful exuberance. Tasters found it extremely dry, with limey grapefruit flavours finishing with a sharp minerally edge.
£16.95, Swig, www.swig.co.uk
Riesling Trocken 2016 Burklin Wolf
Expect a slightly riper fruit style from warmer Pfalz region. This has great potential, but is still tasting a touch young with crunchy green apple and grapefruit notes. Zippy and fresh; might be better with more bottle age. £10.95, www.thewinesociety.com
Dürkheimer Riesling Kabinett Trocken 2016 Darting Estate
This may be a Trocken, but it has a honeyed lychee sweetness with succulent ripe fruits. A touch sweeter than others in our tasting; good value too.
£10.50, Marks & Spencer
Kallstadter Saumagen Stepp ‘S’ Riesling 2015 Gerd Stepp
Rich, loamy, loess soils and Pfalz’s warmer temperatures give this riesling richer, peachier fruits; fuller mouthfeel in an off-dry style. Tasters thought this would make a good food wine – serve with seared tuna or shellfish. ■
£15, Marks & Spencer Join Rose’s South West France wine and charcuterie tasting on 6 July in Edinburgh, £42, www.rose murraybrown. com