This scintillating wine leaps out of the glass with bright intense flavours of lime, lemon, honeysuckle, red apples and fresh-cut-herbs. The complexity is matched by charm and poise with mouthwatering acidity and perfectly balanced ripeness.
This is a Riesling-lover's Riesling, but will also convert those who may yet be shy or stuck with Sauvignon Blanc... it really is a superb, generous and layered wine that shows why this village is so highly regarded.
It is a new one to me - and to the winery - as it is their response to the relatively new German laws that mirror the Burgundy classification, in ascending order, of region, village, singe vineyard and grand cru. This is the Village-Level wine, from the Breuer's home town of Rüdesheim, the real capital of the Rheingau, at the point of the river where the Nahe joins on the long, flat east-west axis that allows the sun to reflect back up into the vines and retain the water's heat.
Georg Breuer is the winery to which many refer as a touchstone for the revival of German wines and the Rheingau in particular. Their focus on dry styles pioneered a renewal of interest in Rieslings and their (self-confessed "conceited") move away from the strict laws of the VDP has allowed them to create their own vision of their soils and vines. Famed for their Grand Crus, specifically Berg Schlossberg, the developing commercial relevance of entry-level wines has never once diluted the quality that the winery seeks to maintain. The continued evolution of the wine landscape (not to mention the changes in climatic influences) is something that Breuer have mastered to a tee.
Made from Riesling grapes grown in the various soil types - quartzite and slate
soils, as well as loamy gravel - that the very best and most famous vineyards of Rüdesheim possess. The town faces the monastic settlement of Bingen as the river flows quietly past, loaded with traffic of low and long ships carrying their goods from the heart of Europe to Rotterdam. It's a very beautiful place, blessed by an unrivalled pedigree of very fine winemaking.
Nerd-alert - this wine is bottled in the even more old-fashioned type of Riesling bottle, slightly straighter than the others they use in the winery, and in made with blue glass - both features being a reflection of the history and traditions of Rüdesheim. Nice!
Region: Rheingau
Country: Germany
Grape(s): Riesling
Style: Vibrant, Refined, Pure, Mineral, Medium-Light, Iconic, Fruity, Fresh, Engaging, Elegant, Electric, Dry, Crisp, Complex, Bright, Balanced
Best food matches: Squid, Spicy, Seafood, Scallops, Sausages, Salads, Poultry, Pork, Mature Cheeses, Hard Cheeses, Fine Dining
Alcohol: 12.5%
