2022 Weingut Von Winning, Riesling Trocken, Kirschenstück, VDP Grosses Gewächs, Pfalz, Germany.
While I’ve been privileged enough to have tasted some barrel sample 2023s, which look to be highly coveted wines, I was not able to try Von Winnings, but their 2022 GGs are awesome, and this 2022 KIrschenstück GG was darn close to perfect. Von Winnings set of GGs is almost unmatched, with Leinhohle, Langenmorgen, Grainhubel and this Ungeheuer being exceptional, along with the very famous Kirchenstück, maybe the most expensive vineyard site in Germany, and the exotic Kalkofen, to name a few. For a Riesling, there is an amazing sense of tactile pleasure in this Kirschenstück and while reductive, the greatness cannot be hidden here. There’s delicate florals, hints of hazelnut, flinty mineral and lemon curd to start with an exciting array of stone fruits, apricot, apple, tropical mango flesh and peach pit and wet rock, chalk, orange oil, brioche, a touch of wood and a tangy verbena note. The medium full palate is firm, precise and yet still elegant and full of finesse, truly great stuff here, a wine to cherish and covet. Von Winning as reported far and wide, and of course by me in recent years and prior reviews, is one of Germany’s greatest and most unique wine estates, based in the Pfalz and with a no compromise sense of purpose in everything wine they do, from their basic state Riesling to their Grosses Gewächs, like this gorgeous and textural Ungeheuer GG, and it’s worth noting they also make one of the world’s great Sauvignon Blancs along with a sublime collection of Pinot Noir and even sparkling Sekt(s)! Vigneron and cellar master Stephan Attmann has put tremendous effort and focus into the vines here with the Von Winning Riesling vines being trained in the same way as you’d find in Meursault or Montrachet and he admits he is heavily influenced by the Côte d’Or and the great wines of Burgundy. As well, the winemaking is also inspired by the fabled French region with barrel fermentation and lees aging with a very dry focus.
This last Summer I was thrilled to meet up with Stephan Attmann, director of winemaking of the famous Pfalz Von Winning estate, and taste through the latest releases, which of course included a world class set of Rieslings, especially GGs, all of which were gorgeous 2022 vintage beauties. It was a great privilege to meet Attmann and sample some of his greatest hits, including the upcoming set of GGs, which are rock star wines, in particular this, near perfection, Kirschenstück and the brilliant Ungeheuer. The highly prized Kirchenstück Grand Cru, in Forst, is set on sandy loam, red sandstone and basalt soils and is an exclusive, unique parcel and a special Plalz terroir. As noted, the historic Von Winning estate, as I’ve mentioned before many times, was founded in 1849, by Leopold Von Winning, but saw its most important evolution under Dr. Andreas Deinhard, with his commitment to excellence and improvements in vineyard management, the Deinhard’s were also a founding members of the VDP. The VDP, which focused on single cru sites, like those in Von Winning’s holdings in Ruppertsberg, Deidesheim, and Forst, has paved the way in promoting truly great dry wines in Germany and wineries like Von Winning and neighbors Mueller-Catoir of the Pfalz region are two of the shinning stars. The Von Winning winery explains that back in the 1800s, basalt from the nearby quarry was brought into the vineyard and then it was ploughed in the soil to improve it, and now it employs all sustainable and organic viticulture. Stephan Attmann’s approach to wine growing and winemaking has helped revolutionize the wines here at Von Winning, taking his inspiration for the Côte d’Or, with Attmann adopting the single cane trellising system, as his importer Skurnik Wines notes, which is quite prevalent in Burgundy, and shown to improve balancing of ripening of the Riesling and other varietals here. The Von Winning Grosses Gewächs Rieslings are fermented and lees aged for close to 24 months in 500L French oak, which leads to the texture and depth in these stunning wines, quite simply you must put these wines on your bucket list!
($149 ESt.) 98 Points, grapelive