Christmann 'Olberg-Hart" GG Riesling 2020

The heart of the Ölberg vineyard in Königsbach is one of the highest-rated sites in the Palatinate and can be found in the Royal Bavarian Soil Survey of 1828.
The ground is comprised mainly of limestone marl, the so-called “terra fusca”. In the upper layers of the soil this is mixed with red sandstone, eroded from the Haardt hills over millennia and deposited on the hillsides of Mittelhaardt. The vineyard is situated high up on the Haardt hillside, at the end of the Klausen Valley that runs through the Palatinate Forest. As a result of this favourable position the vineyard enjoys sunlight from early in the morning. In the early evening, at the end of a hot day, the vines recuperate in the shade provided the hills. At night a cool breeze blows from the valley through the vineyard. All these factors combine to produce a denseness and complexity that nevertheless reside within a delicate wine, full of minerality.
The peach and apricot flavours that are typical of Palatine wines are present in this wine in a reduced form. These flavours are complemented by delicate notes of flint and the minerality, lending the wine its depth and a more serious elegance. While young the wine does of course delight with its youthful aromas but the wine’s truest qualities are released only after being stored for some years. – Steffen & Sophie Christmann

If you’re a Barolo fan, then here’s a dry Riesling for you! The first impression is silky and suave, but then the massive structure - including tons of fine tannin - asserts itself. The mirabelle and citrus notes just emerging from this deep cave, but the promise is there! From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drinkable now, but best from 2023. 95 points. Stuart Pigott, jamessuckling.com July 2021