2010 Weingut Wittmann, Riesling, Morstein, Grosses Gewachs, Rheinhessen, Germany.
For a few years now I’ve been hearing lots of buzz about Wittmann and have been trying to get my hands on some of their wines, as they are known as one of the best estates in the Rheinhessen, and finally I got myself a bottle. While they the wine didn’t quite live up to the expectations I had built up, it was and is a fine and distinct Riesling and one I’ll buy again. The Weingut Wittmann Grand Cru dry Riesling from the Morstein starts out with very deep and mature notes, it has a golden hue and the wine is full of texture showing dried rose petals, baked apple, pear tart and apricot along with vigorous acidity. The mineral tone is low key here and the wine turns creamy giving a mouth coating feel, this is a white wine for red wine drinkers! There is exotic sour cherry, kumquat, sweet basil and persimmon notes that linger on and on, while savory elements, earth, chalk and ocean come into play as well, this wine is lavishly and thoughtfully enjoyable it just doesn’t merit it’s price when compared to some of it’s peers, though I admit 2010 wasn’t the best vintage, so I’m going to keep an open mind and try a few more years. This Grosses Gewachs is certainly serious and well made dry cru Riesling, again I’ll be drinking Wittmann wines in the future, but I’m not sure I am overly thrilled with the price and I think there are a lot of better wines in the that price range, even if this is classy stuff, drink now.
($100 Est.) 92+ Points, grapelive