Discover GG Rieslings, Germany’s Very Own Grand Crus
Hong Kong
Tasted June 30, 2022 by El_Dougo with 106 views
Introduction
Tutored tasting class put on by AWSEC of Hong Kong for the less experienced Riesling drinkers. All tasting notes under the guidance of the very experienced instructor (basically I wrote down everything she said :)
Grosses Gewächs, or “great growths,” (GG) is Germany’s top designation. They are always vinified completely dry with very high acidity which can make for exceptional aging. The riesling varietal is a hardy, frost resistant grape ideal for cool climate. Also, it is sensitive to to the various soil types (and there are a lot of them across Germany’s 13 wines regions), resulting in varied and nuanced wines.
Flight 1 (5 notes)
Aged in neutral oak barrels
This young-ish wine is a pale lemon in glass with faintly olive hue. Low intensity on the nose not uncommon with Mosel Rieslings. Mineral due to poor nitrogen content in slate soil.
Palate classically high acidity, notes of green fruit: green apple, pear, peach, and sweet spice. Mineral toward the end.
Classic Mosel Riesling: Floral, peach, elegant, mineral. Light body, long finish. WOTN.
This particularly wine comes from red volcanic soil leading to lots of minerality. Vines 25-30 yrs old. Fermented in classic oak barrels.
Pale lemon in glass, warmer climate likely leading to the slightly more gold intensity than previous Mosel wine.
Nose more intense with flinty, petrol aroma attributed to volcanic igneous rock. Touch of toast from oak barrels (note: not vanilla, which would be from newer oak).
Palate: High acidity. Ripe Thai lemon, apricot, ripe peaches. More stone fruit because warmer climate.
Medium finish.
Medium intensity on the nose. Flinty and mineral attributed to Schlossberg location. Fresh pineapple, ripe yellow peach attributed to more sunshine.
Palate is high acidity with a little spice. Rounder, fuller in body, characteristic of Rheingau.
Slate soil, matured in wooden barrels.
Nose very smoky, flinty & sulphuric, turning off many in the wine class. Backed up with secondary hints of white flowers and peach.
Full body but linear. A punch of mildly tropical fruit with nothing to follow.
Short finish lacking complexity.
320m above sea level on 30% steep slopes. Red sandstone soil often yielding apricot and peach flavors.
Kastanienbusch means chestnut bush in English. Drier region = more sunshine = less fungal risk, allowing for more organic properties such as this one.
Golden intensity in glass, possibly due to age.
Nose is yellow flowers instead of white from previous wines in flight. A little mineral, slightly flinty. A little pineapple. Ripe apricot and yellow peach.
Palate is very dry, very full body, some dried apricot.
Long finish.
Closing
In all a very educational night. Not sure these wines are the best of the GG offering, as AWSEC typically focused on typically rather than standouts, but the education was certainly worth it.
Dr. Loosen Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Alte Reben 2018 was my wine of the night.