Rating German GG Riesling vintages

I don’t have much experience in this area, how would you rate the vintages this decade (2010-2018) for GG Rieslings? I know there could be differences between regions, just looking for a rough guide.

Hard to generalize all of Germany you would really need to region by region.

Some quick thoughts:

2018 - should be great

2017 - great vintage but very small volume

2016 - overall great vintage, drinking well young

2015 - extremely ripe vintage but very balanced acidity. Should be one for the ages.

2014 - early drinking not my favorite vintage, lacks the tension and excitement of other vintages, top
producers did well

2013 - HIGH acid vintage, my personal favorite but not for everyone

2012 - great vintage close to 2015, currently closed

2011 - not a great vintage in my mind. The top producers did fine just like 2014

2010 - great vintage, also long aging potential

Speaking to Robert’s comment about needing more granularity, 2014 was a wonderful GG vintage in the Pfalz.

Thanks Robert and David. Now if you had to rank them, how would the order be?

YES, you’re right.

I beg to differ, but you and I have never been aligned on anything.

Thanks to climate change there is no bad vintage in Germany since 2001. Fair to say 2003&2006 is not a hallmark vintage in Germany.

You have to find out what you prefer, I prefer cool-climate vintages with high acidity and pure style like 2008&2010&2013 and 2017. But fruit-driven vintages like 2007&2009&2012 can be also also quite nice. I am remembering a remarkable elegant 2009 Dönnhöff “Hermannshölhe” GG around 1-2 years ago which impressed me deeply. Normally 2009 is really not my favorite vintage.

I would rather recommend to search for the winemaker style you prefer. This is more helpful than vintage characteristics . All the german Top winemakers make good GGs every year.

I have to confess you’re right. 2014 is really a great vintage in PFALZ.

I just looked at my BerlinRieslingCup and 2014 Bürklin-Wolf “Pechstein” was the winner. von Winning 3rd place.

I’m trying to understand the nuances within each vintage. If producer and site are the same how would you distinguish a 2010 from a 2016 or a 2017? All are talked about as a good vintage. How are they different?

Its quite easy, 2010 is all about acidity and purity. Long-aging potential. And such young the GGs right now, wait 5 more years for the first bottle.

2016 is more a fruit-driven vintage, more charming. Also quite good vintage, early accessible. I would recommend to open 2016 GGs right now. Find out which region&winemaker style you prefer.

Thanks Martin, how about 2017? Is it also similar to 2016? Accessible as well?

I agree with Martin - due to a combination of global warming and the extreme focus of German winemakers there really not been any bad vintages. It really comes down to personal preference and what is drinking well - for example I love the high acid of 2013 but as I said it is not for everyone. I also like cooler climate regions (e.g. Saar) in hotter years. The overall quality and depth of German wine is truly staggering. In my mind it is the only country in the world where a lot of great wine is not even imported to the U.S. and there are new domains (some old that have been take over by the next generation) popping up all of the time.

I found most of the 2017 GGs quite closed in autumn. 2017 is a cool-climate vintage and therefore they need a lot of time. For example in case of 2017 Keller “Kirchspiel” GG I will open my first bottle after 10 years.

BTW, I had some 2016 GGs also in autumn, as some producer like Bürklin-Wolf, Breuer, von Winning, Gut Hermannsberg etc release their GGs or Top Rieslings one year later. It was a joy to taste. Of course 2016 is more accessible than 2017, but the one year more in the cellar or bottle was helpful too.

On the other hand it was obvious that I could buy a Bürklin-Wolf Pechstein&Kirchenstück and Breuer Schlossberg&Nonnenberg every vintage no matter what the characteristics or how good the the vintage is. They are great Rieslings every year.

…

Thanks Martin!

I’d have to agree with this based on the number of 2012 Dönnhoff Hermannshohle Riesling Großes Gewächs that I’ve been drinking pretty regularly) since 2016. I’ve had 7 bottles in the last 2 years and this wine seems to have never needed time or patience to be a rewarding and lovely bottle of wine. On the other hand, the 2012 Wittmann Morstein Riesling Großes Gewächs feels like it will need several more years of patience. Yet, also the Keller GG’s from 2012 that I have had have all been accessible and delicious. For me it really is wine to wine more than region to region.

Germany, the new California. All vintages are great.

Tongue-in-cheek Howard! You have a lot more experience with this region. Would love to know your thoughts.

I don’t drink GG wines so I cannot be of help. Sorry.