This was a tasting on the absolute top end of Von Winning Rieslings, Marmar and Ozyetra (well, these were the absolute top end until von Winning introduced the new, super-expensive OTC labels only recently).
Here we had the debut vintages of the flagship wines Marmar and Ozyetra, along with some subsequent releases of the same labels for comparative purposes. And some extra GGs and Erste Lages to flesh out the lineup. And some extra extras (for example I brought that Chidaine).
I hope everybody here knows Von Winning, but in case somebody doesn’t, here’s the short-ish version.
The history of Von Winning started off in 1848 (or 1849, depending on the source) when the esteemed Jordan estate was split into three smaller estates, which all became wineries run by the heirs of Andreas Jordan: Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan, Dr. Deinhard, and Reichsrat von Buhl. The Deinhard estate was taken over by Friedrich Deinhard and his wife, Auguste Jordan, and it became a winery run as Dr. Deinhard by their son, Dr. Andreas Deinhard.
When Dr. Andreas Deinhard’s son-in-law, Leopold von Winning, took over the Dr. Deinhard winery, it was renamed to Von Winning’sches Edelweingut. However, after von Winning’s death the estate was sold to the Hoch family, who reintroduced the Dr. Deinhard name.
When the entrepreneur Achim Niederberger acquired the Bassermann-Jordan estate in 2002, he envisioned seeing the historical Jordan estate back in its former glory. He sought out to purchase the Dr. Deinhard and von Buhl wineries, ultimately acquiring the former in 2007 - at which point the winery was yet again renamed, this time to von Winning.
However, Niederberger never got the chance to see the estate fully reunited: although he managed to purchase the von Buhl winery in 2005, Niederberger sadly passed away in 2013, only half a year before getting the full ownership of the von Buhl estate.
Although Bassermann-Jordan, von Winning and von Buhl all under common ownership today, they still operate as more or less separate entities. They all also operate with rather different producer profiles:
- Bassermann-Jordan has emphasis on more commercial wines and is aimed mainly towards larger-scale production.
- von Buhl makes more classically styled, high-quality traditional wines, plus has a special emphasis on superb premium-quality Sekt.
- von Winning makes contemporary premium-quality wines that are - rather uniquely - fermented and aged in small oak barrels, often employing a moderate amount of new oak as well.
So, in essence, von Winning wines (especially their Rieslings) are quite distinctive as they see much more oak and noticeably smaller barrels than is typical in Germany (or anywhere else, for that matter). They can be oaky, I give you that. I remember tasting these wines in 2012 for the first time and feeling a bit confused with all the oak - the wines were obviously of great quality, but all that oak felt a bit weird in the context of Riesling. Furthermore, some wines were more successful in marrying the oak than others.
Well, a lot of time has passed since. The people at von Winning have gotten more successful at marrying oak with their Rieslings, and the older vintages have evolved quite nicely. In some vintages the Coche/PYCM-styled reduction can get a bit out of hand, but I feel it is nothing that wouldn’t disappear with bottle age. All in all, these are terrific and captivating premium Rieslings that have only one little downside: they are getting quite pricey. I feel these are turning into Veblen goods by the minute, so if you want to still get into the game, it’s better to act sooner rather than later.
- 2012 von Winning Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten Riesling - Germany, Pfalz (3.8.2023)
100% Riesling from the Paradiesgarten vineyard. Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks and old oak barrels of various sizes. 12% alcohol.
Remarkably youthful and quite pale lime-green color. The nose feels youthful, somewhat sweet-toned and still slightly reductive with expressive aromas of ripe greengage and juicy citrus fruits, some creamy notes from the oak aging, a little bit of stony minerality, light spicy nuances, a hint of fresh nectarine and a faint reductive touch of smoke. The wine feels youthful, broad and fresh with a medium-to-moderately full body and dry, remarkably acid-driven flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of stony minerality, light candied primary notes of gummi bear, sweeter hints of pineapple and greengage and a subtly bitter touch of pithy grapefruit. The bracing acidity lends great sense of intensity, focus and structure to the wine. The finish is clean, ripe and focused with a rather long aftertaste of ripe white fruits and youthful tropical fruits, some grapefruity tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light stony mineral notes, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of borderline unripe red apple.
A nice, tasty and sleek Riesling that is not only surprisingly brisk for a Von Winning wine, but also shows surprisingly little oak influence - I guess these non-GG (ie. Erste Lage) wines are now slightly more oaked than how they used to be ten years ago. The wine feels super youthful even at the age of ten years - although the wine settles down in the glass and loses some of its most primary tones with air - which promises quite a lot of aging potential for this wine. It's hard to say whether the wine will just keep or will it actually evolve and improve from here, but whatever the case is, this wine is not going to fall apart anytime soon. Maybe not the most impressive wine in the von Winning range, but a lovely and wonderfully refreshing effort all the same. Recommended.
(90 points) - 2010 von Winning Forster Jesuitengarten Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Pfalz (3.8.2023)
100% Riesling from the Jesuitengarten vineyard. Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks and old oak barrels of various sizes. 12,5% alcohol.
Deep, moderately concentrated golden yellow color. The nose feels ripe, somewhat evolved and wonderfully nuanced with layered aromas of acacia honey and honeysuckle, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of pineapple, light apple jam tones, a hint of orange marmalade and a touch of savory woody spice. All in all the nose feels like a developed Riesling with faint oaky overtones. The wine feels surprisingly dense, concentrated and chewy on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense, acid-driven flavors of key lime and steely minerality, lemony citrus fruit tones, some honeyed nuances, a little bit of creamy oak, light saline undertones, a hint of pithy grapefruit bitterness and a faint touch of saffron. The bracing acidity lends tremendous, incisive energy to the wine. The finish is dry-ish, zippy and very lengthy with a brisk, acid-driven aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits, some evolved waxy tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light creamy oak nuances, a hint of bruised apple and a touch of tangy salinity.
A fine, harmonious and wonderfully structure-driven Riesling that shows the oak-influenced style of von Winning without making it The Thing of this wine. The overall feel is starting to get quite evolved and the wine has developed some aged honeyed notes and concentrated richness, which make me think this wine is not going to evolve much from here. Maybe a little bit, but that's about it. However, most likely this wine will keep just fine for at least another decade. Great stuff with tremendous acid-driven energy and finely interwoven flavors of zippy fruits, more evolved tones and oaky nuances. Recommended.
(91 points) - 2019 von Winning Forster Ungeheuer Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Pfalz (3.8.2023)
Fermented and aged for 10 months in 500-liter oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol, 5,1 g/l residual sugar and 8,1 g/l acidity.
Pale lemon-yellow color. The nose feels youthful, expressive and sharp yet moderately sweet-toned with intense aromas of ripe citrus fruits and juicy white peach, some toasty notes of singed wood, a little bit of salty liquorice, light fragrant nuances of apple blossom and other white flowers, a primary hint of grapey fruit, a touch of honeyed richness and a flinty reductive whiff of smoke. The wine feels ripe and moderately concentrated yet firm and precise on the palate with intense, dry-ish flavors of sharp Granny Smith apple and ripe lemony citrus fruits, some woody tones, a little bit of reductive smoke and dry, toasty spice, light creamy notes of oak, a hint of pink grapefruit and a touch of apple peel bitterness. With its touch of residual sugar and hefty, somewhat concentrated body, the wine could come across as rather big and heavy, if it weren't for the bracing acidity that lends great sense of freshness, structure and energy to the wine. The finish is lively, youthful and quite concentrated with a very long, acid-driven and slightly off-dry aftertaste of creamy oak and grapefruit, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of sharp Granny Smith apple, light sweeter toasty nuances, a perfumed hint of floral character and a touch of salty liquorice powder.
A big, ripe and concentrated but also remarkably firm and precise GG Riesling with a slightly PYCM-or-Coche-like streak of flinty reduction and spicy wood. All in all, the wine is like a hybrid of top-notch GG Riesling and a judiciously oaked white Burgundy. Compared to the bottle of this same vintage I tasted a little bit over a year ago, this was maybe a bit less coherent and lacking the focus and energy showed by the previous bottle - yet still this was an impressive effort all the same. Compared to the 2017 GG Ungeheuer we tasted at the same time, I felt this was maybe a bit less complex and impressive, but instead showed more energy due to its more pronounced acid structure. Although the 2017 vintage was performing better right now, it's entirely possible things will change with enough aging. This is a superb von Winning Riesling with a lot of upside.
(93 points) - 2017 von Winning Forster Ungeheuer Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Pfalz (3.8.2023)
Fermented and aged for 10 months in 500-liter oak barrels. 13% alcohol.
Moderately deep lemon-yellow color. The nose feels complex, fragrant and harmonious with aromas of ripe white fruits, some nectarine, light floral tones, a little bit of creamy oak, a perfumed hint of exotic spices and a touch of zesty citrus fruit. The wine feels surprisingly dense, concentrated and quite substantial on the palate, yet only medium in body, with intense flavors of nectarine and ripe citrus fruits, some creamy oak tones, light flinty notes of smoke, sweet hints of pineapple and honeyed richness and a vague touch of toasty oak spice. There's a lot of everything, but nothing in excess. The acidity feels moderately high - enough to keep the wine nicely in balance, but to me, such a ripe and concentrated wine could use a bit more acidity for that zip and freshness. The finish is long, ripe and complex with a very intense aftertaste of ripe citrus fruits and sweeter nuances of pineapple, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of creaminess, light apricot tones, a flinty hint of smoky reduction and a touch of tangy salinity.
An excellent, impressively concentrated and wonderfully complex vintage of von Winning's Ungeheuer. Tasting this alongside the still super youthful 2019 vintage, this one showed a bit more depth, concentration and complexity. However, the acidity here wasn't as high as it was in the 2019, which certainly evened out the situation. At the moment this 2017 seemed somewhat more impressive due to its wonderful breadth and slightly more mature fruit profile, but with its tremendous intensity, focus and structure, it is possible that with enough aging the 2019 vintage might turn out to be an even better wine of these two. However, both of these were exquisite wines and could easily hold their own against the higher-tier von Winning wines we tasted at the same time (Marmar & Ozyetra).
(94 points) - 2017 von Winning Riesling Marmar - Germany, Pfalz (3.8.2023)
The third vintage of the flagship white of Von Winning (along with the Ozyetra bottling). Forster Ungeheuer is a large Grosse Lage site at 29 ha (70 acres), but it has several smaller parcels within; Marmar is a special barrel selection, made by selecting the most promising barrel (or barrels) of wine made with fruit sourced exclusively from the tiny (0,25 ha / 1 acre), limestone-rich Dachloch parcel within the Ungeheuer vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in oak, aged on the lees for 24 months in 500-liter oak barrels. Since a VDP winery can have only one bottle of GG wine from one specific site, Marmar is not bottled as a GG Ungeheuer, but as a simple Gutswein. 13% alcohol.
Deep, luminous and youthful neon yellow-green color. The nose feels very open, expressive and quite youthful with very intense aromas of ripe lemony citrus fruits and even lemon marmalade, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of woody spice, light fragrant yuzu tones, a hint of sweet white peach, a sweeter touch of toasty oak character and a primary whiff of grapey fruit. The wine feels ripe, concentrated and quite big on the palate with a full body and quite dry, youthful and very intense flavors of lemon marmalade and incisive steely minerality, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of sweet greengage, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of exotic spice and a toasty touch of sweet oak spice. The tremendous acidity lends great sense of structure, power and intensity to the wine. The finish is ripe, powerful and quite concentrated with a long, complex aftertaste of lemon marmalade and stony minerality, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of ripe white peach, light honeydew melon tones, a hint of sweet, toasty oak spice and a touch of greengage.
A remarkably big, substantial and still very youthful powerhouse of a Riesling. Although the wine does show some primary Riesling tones, it is pretty obvious that this is a very impressive and promising Riesling made in a style very few - if any - producers can match. Tasting this along with the 2015 and 2016 vintages, it seemed this was pretty similar to the 2015 vintage, only coming across as slightly more awkward, ie. showing more candied primary tones and relatively little oak integration. The 2016 vintage was slightly lighter, more delicate and less punchy in comparison, emphasizing finesse over concentration. Based on how the 2015 vintage seemed to be a more complete wine in comparison, I'd say this wine needs at least a handful of years more, before it starts to show its best. Nevertheless, this is a superb wine already now - there are no two ways about it. I can imagine this kind of bold blockbuster Riesling with some obvious oak influence might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I feel von Winning has managed to find the perfect balance between the use of oak and punchy GG fruit. Terrific stuff, highly recommended (at least for those who are patient enough to let the wine age some more). Yet still, at 89€ the wine is starting to get a bit too pricey for my preference.
(94 points) - 2016 von Winning Riesling Marmar - Germany, Pfalz (3.8.2023)
The sophomore vintage of the flagship white of Von Winning (along with the Ozyetra bottling). Forster Ungeheuer is a large Grosse Lage site at 29 ha (70 acres), but it has several smaller parcels within; Marmar is a special barrel selection, made by selecting the most promising barrel (or barrels) of wine made with fruit sourced exclusively from the tiny (0,25 ha / 1 acre), limestone-rich Dachloch parcel within the Ungeheuer vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in oak, aged on the lees for 24 months in 500-liter oak barrels. Since a VDP winery can have only one bottle of GG wine from one specific site, Marmar is not bottled as a GG Ungeheuer, but as a simple Gutswein. 12,5% alcohol.
Deep, luminous and youthful neon yellow-green color. Looks almost identical to the 2017 Marmar that was tasted at the same time, 2016 being maybe ever-so-slightly deeper in hue. The nose feels cool, intense and more Burgundian than either the 2017 or 2015 vintages with a distinctively reductive and moderately woody nose exhibiting aromas of lemon marmalade and reduced aromas of struck match and flint smoke, some savory wood spice, a little bit of fresh red apple, light rubbery notes of reduction, a hint of exotic spice, a touch of creamy oak and a skunky, flatulent whiff of reduction. The wine feels quite ripe yet still somewhat cool and restrained with a medium body and quite linear flavors of steely minerality and saline tang, some juicy red apple tones, a little bit of smoky reduction, light woody spice, a sweeter hint of peach and a touch of tart passion fruit. The high acidity lends great sense of energy and structure to the wine. The finish is ripe yet crisp and zippy with a long, dry-ish aftertaste of steely minerality and sharp lemony tones, some ripe red apple notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, light creamy oak nuances, oaky hints of woody spice and subtle toasty character and a sweeter touch of ripe nectarine.
Of the three Marmars we tasted, this was by far the most Burgundian - up to the point that due to the reduction and oak impact, it was quite hard to identify the wine as a Riesling. The wine was excellent and obviously of great quality, but reminded me of the first vintages of von Winning when I tasted them +10 years ago, when I thought that these are really not what I want from my Riesling, because they really don't taste like Riesling. I got sorta same kind of feel from this wine as well. I mean, this is an impressive effort for a top-quality cooler-vintage white Burgundy, but not really what I'd expect from a GG-level Riesling. In the end, I found the 2015 and 2017 vintages of Marmar - which seemed more typical of Riesling - more impressive than this particular vintage in our mini-vertical of three Marmars.
(92 points) - 2015 von Winning Riesling Marmar - Germany, Pfalz (3.8.2023)
The debut vintage of the flagship white of Von Winning (along with the Ozyetra bottling). Forster Ungeheuer is a large Grosse Lage site at 29 ha (70 acres), but it has several smaller parcels within; Marmar is a special barrel selection, made by selecting the most promising barrel (or barrels) of wine made with fruit sourced exclusively from the tiny (0,25 ha / 1 acre), limestone-rich Dachloch parcel within the Ungeheuer vineyard. Fermented spontaneously in oak, aged on the lees for 24 months in 500-liter oak barrels. Since a VDP winery can have only one bottle of GG wine from one specific site, Marmar is not bottled as a GG Ungeheuer, but as a simple Gutswein. 13% alcohol.
Slightly evolved, medium-deep neon golden yellow color. The nose feels sweet, expressive and heady with open aromas of ripe apricots and lemon marmalade, some honeyed tones, a little bit of creamy panna cotta character, light spicy notes of savory oak, a hint of caramel, a mineral touch of wet rocks and a perfumed whiff of apple blossom. The wine feels ripe, concentrated and quite substantial on the palate with a full body and bold flavors of stony minerality and lemony citrus fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of cantaloupe, light sweeter nuances of apple jam and honeyed richness, oaky hints of caramel and sweet toasty wood and a faint touch of apricot. The mouthfeel is slightly viscous and oily, but fortunately the high acidity manages to keep things effortlessly in balance, lending the wine great sense of structure and freshness. The concentrated finish is ripe and juicy with a long, intense aftertaste of sweet nectarines and apricots, some pineapple tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, light woody nuances, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of crunchy citrus fruits.
A big, powerful and concentrated super-Riesling that feels big even for a von Winning wine. However, the wine also packs an appreciable amount of brisk, incisive acidity that manages to keep the wine in balance. Although the oak influence is still quite much there, it has started to recede into the background, feeling less obvious than in the 2017 vintage, or especially in the somewhat woody 2016 vintage. Stylistically this 2015 is quite similar to the 2017, only more evolved and complex in nature. Although it is entirely possible that the superb 2017 vintage might eclipse this vintage with enough cellar age, at the moment this 2015 remains the best Marmar I've tasted. Yes, it is a big, bold and concentrated wine by any standards, but it is also exceptionally balanced and harmonious for such.
(95 points) - 2015 von Winning Forster Kirchenstück Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Pfalz (3.8.2023)
Fermented and aged for 10 months in 500-liter oak barrels. 13% alcohol.
Quite youthful medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels cool, fresh and a bit restrained with aromas of zesty citrus fruits, some sweeter notes of lemon marmalade and honeyed richness, light mineral nuances of wet rocks and incisive steely character, a little bit of creamy oak and a petrolly hint of diesel. The overall aroma profile is a bit understated compared to the other Von Winning wines we tasted. The wine feels ripe and somewhat concentrated yet firm and structured on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and quite intense, dry-ish flavors of lemon marmalade, some red apple, a little bit of steely minerality, light sweeter nuances of honey and apple jam, a hint of peachy stony fruit and a touch of creaminess. The mouthfeel is a bit on the oily side, but the brisk, high acidity lends good sense of focus and structure to the wine. The finish is ripe, moderately concentrated and a bit reticent with a dry-ish aftertaste of red apples, some honeyed tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light oaky notes of creaminess and savory wood spice, a hint of juicy apricot and a developed touch of diesel.
A sophisticated, structured and rather mineral von Winning Riesling that felt a bit reticent, less oaky and more mineral than the other GG or High-end von Winnings we tasted. You can taste this wine has been aged in oak, but the overall oak influence seems slightly less obvious and more integrated here. However, the wine is somewhat understated in other departments as well. At first the wine was somewhat shut down, but it opened up with air - at least to some degree. It never became as vibrant and expressive as most von Winning wines, but at least the wine had great sense of acidity and structure while sporting a lovely mineral core. A less showy and more elegant, mineral driven take on the often rather exuberant von Winning style of GG Riesling. Nice.
(91 points) - 2020 von Winning Riesling Ozyetra - Germany, Pfalz (3.8.2023)
The fourth vintage of the flagship white of Von Winning (along with the Marmar bottling). This is a special selection of the best barrels of von Winning's Forster Pechstein GG Riesling. Fermented spontaneously in 500-liter oak barrels. Aged on the lees in oak barrels for two years. Since a VDP winery can have only one bottle of GG wine from one specific site, Ozyetra is not bottled as a GG Pechstein, but as a simple Gutswein. 13% alcohol, 8 g/l residual sugar and 7,4 g/l acidity.
Rather youthful and moderately pale yellow-green color. The nose feels youthful, flinty and quite reductive with aromas of struck match, some primary notes of peach candies, light lactic notes of pear-flavored yogurt, a little bit of creamy oak, sweet hints of honey and apple jam, a touch of fresh apricot and a whiff of toasty oak spice. The overall impression is pretty awkward and all over the place. The wine feels ripe, youthful and slightly viscous on the palate with a rather full body and bold flavors of sharp lemony citrus fruits, some creamy oak tones and toasty oak nuances, light primary notes of sour apple candies and pear-flavored yogurt, a hint of honeyed richness and a touch of apple peel bitterness. The overall feel is not just rather weighty, but also dry-ish - the wine doesn't really taste as off-dry, but it ain't bone-dry, either. Fortunately the high acidity keeps the overall feel nicely in balance, so the wine never feels too heavy. The finish is long, youthful and dry-ish with a concentrated aftertaste of ripe apricots and tart lemony citrus fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light lactic notes of pear-flavored yogurt, a hint of saline minerality and a touch of honeydew melon.
Compared to the other, older vintages of Ozyetra, this was just a rather clumsy and awkward effort, showing quite a bit of candied primary fruit character and even some atypical lactic notes. Due to the sweet, candied flavors, the residual sugar felt a bit disjointed, lending a slightly marmaladey sense of sweetness to the wine. I know Ozyetra is a superlative Riesling in its own right, but had this been my first and only experience of the wine, I would've been left baffled: "what's all the fuss about?". It's painfully obvious this wine needs a ton more age to show well; now it is just all over the place, feeling very disjointed and unintegrated. Don't touch it for years. At 109€, I've felt Ozyetra has always been a rather overpriced wine, but in its current shape, the price just doesn't make any sense.
(88 points) - 2019 von Winning Riesling Ozyetra - Germany, Pfalz (3.8.2023)
The third vintage of the flagship white of Von Winning (along with the Marmar bottling). This is a special selection of the best barrels of von Winning's Forster Pechstein GG Riesling. Fermented spontaneously in 500-liter oak barrels. Aged on the lees in oak barrels for two years. Since a VDP winery can have only one bottle of GG wine from one specific site, Ozyetra is not bottled as a GG Pechstein, but as a simple Gutswein. 13,5% alcohol, 4,7 g/l residual sugar and 8,1 g/l acidity.
Pale lemon-yellow color. The nose feels big, ripe and expressive with rich, characterful aromas of juicy peach, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light smoky nuances of reduction, a perfumed hint of wild flowers, a touch of tropical fruits and a faint lactic whiff of apple-flavored yogurt. The wine feels dense, concentrated and quite substantial on the palate with a rather full body and intense flavors of tart lemony citrus fruits and sweet apple jam, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of pithy grapefruit bitterness, light oaky notes of savory wood spice and sweet toasty fudge character, a hint of saline minerality and a creamy touch of panna cotta. There's a hint of sweetness from the residual sugar, but the overall feel is firmly dry - if not completely bone-dry. The bright, racy acidity lends great sense of freshness, structure and intensity to the wine. The finish is crisp, dry and quite complex with a long aftertaste of saline minerality and creamy oak, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a hint of salty liquorice powder and a touch of exotic fruits.
A bright, youthful and quite harmonious vintage of Ozyetra that is still a little bit awkward with its slightly primary fruit flavors, subtle lactic nuances and oak notes showing rather little sense of integration. However, compared to the 2020 vintage that was tasted alongside, this 2019 comes across as noticeably more sophisticated, positively more restrained and showing better sense of precision and structure. As the wine doesn't come across as one that is fully together yet, I heartily encourage to let the wine wait some more; this will be so much better in just a few more years - although the wine will keep many, many more years after that. A very promising wine that is slowly evolving in the right direction.
(92 points) - 2018 von Winning Riesling Ozyetra - Germany, Pfalz (3.8.2023)
The second vintage of the flagship white of Von Winning (along with the Marmar bottling). This is a special selection of the best barrels of von Winning's Forster Pechstein GG Riesling. Fermented spontaneously in 500-liter oak barrels. Aged on the lees in oak barrels for two years. Since a VDP winery can have only one bottle of GG wine from one specific site, Ozyetra is not bottled as a GG Pechstein, but as a simple Gutswein. 13% alcohol, 4,6 g/l residual sugar, 7,7 g/l acidity.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. Compared to the 2020 and 2019 vintages tasted next to this, the nose feels noticeably less sweet and more reductive with a somewhat PYCM / Coche-like flinty reduction and struck match notes along with somewhat restrained yet very nuanced aromas of ripe lemony citrus fruits and grilled pineapple, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light crunchy notes of spicy red apple, a hint of salty liquorice powder, a touch of honeydew melon and a whiff of beeswax. The wine feels dry, concentrated and somewhat reductive on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense flavors of spicy red apple and lemony citrus fruits, some reductive notes of flinty smoke and struck match, light honeydew melon tones, a little bit of salty liquorice powder, a juicy hint of peachy stone fruit and a touch of creamy oak. The overall fruit profile is drier and less fruity than in other vintages of Ozyetra, showing more emphasis on minerality and acidity. The bracing acidity lends a tremendous amount of intensity, structure and freshness to the wine. The finish is dry, crisp and racy with a very long, slightly reductive aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and smoky flinty tones, some crunchy red apple, a little bit of pithy grapefruit and apple peel bitterness, light sweeter notes of honeyed richness, oaky hints of savory wood spice and creaminess and a touch of salty liquorice powder.
A somewhat atypical vintage of Ozyetra: unlike the other vintages that were noticeably Riesling-like, the style here was more similar to a Western Australian Chardonnay or a white Burgundy made in a smoky, reductive style à la PYCM or Coche-Dury. However, the Riesling qualities emerge after some air, and even if this vintage is more about minerality and reduction than fruit, the fruit department does appear quite fully with enough aeration. Furthermore, the wine is remarkably brisk, focused and structured for a 2018 Pfalz Riesling, showing great sense of precision and aging potential. Despite its moderately reduced nature, this is a very impressive effort already now - however, I'd let the wine age for many, many years more, just to blow off some of that reduction and coax a bit more of that Riesling fruit to the fore. All in all, an excellent wine.
(94 points) - 2017 von Winning Riesling Ozyetra - Germany, Pfalz (3.8.2023)
The debut vintage of the flagship white of Von Winning (along with the Marmar bottling). This is a special selection of the best barrels of von Winning's Forster Pechstein GG Riesling. Fermented spontaneously in 500-liter oak barrels. Aged on the lees in oak barrels for two years. Since a VDP winery can have only one bottle of GG wine from one specific site, Ozyetra is not bottled as a GG Pechstein, but as a simple Gutswein. 13% alcohol, 5 g/l residual sugar.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. The nose feels ripe, rich and wonderfully complex with intense, sweet-toned aromas of lemon marmalade and creamy oak, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of ripe greengage, light oaky notes of nutty wood spice and smoky toasted character, a hint of juicy blood orange and a touch of grilled pineapple. The wine feels ripe, concentrated and silky yet dry, firm and structured on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits and crunchy quince, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of apple jam, light sweeter notes of toasty oak spice, a hint of greengage and a touch of sharp Granny Smith apple. The bracing acidity lends exceptional freshness and incisive energy to the wine. The finish is very long, ripe and harmonious with an intense, quite acid-driven aftertaste of tangy salinity and tart lemony citrus fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of crunchy quince, light nutty wood nuances, a hint of salty liquorice powder and a touch of grilled pineapple.
An exquisite vintage of Ozyetra, coming across as leaner, less weighty and more focused in nature than any of the other vintages we tasted (2018-2020), packing more flavor intensity and incisive acidity despite not being as big and weighty in overall character. The wine is not nearly as reductive as the similarly racy 2018 vintage and despite its obvious ripeness, comes across as less ripe and more dry than the weightier, more sweetly-fruited vintages 2019 and 2020. This is already now an outstanding effort and one of the best (if not the best) von Winnings I've tasted, but seeing how youthful and somewhat nervous the wine feels at the moment, I can see it evolving and improving for years more. Absolutely spectacular stuff and probably the only vintage of Ozyetra I can think of being worth its price (approx. 100€). Very highly recommended.
(95 points) - 2021 François Chidaine Touraine Rouge - France, Loire Valley, Touraine (3.8.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Franc (35%), Côt (35%) and Pineau d'Aunis (30%). Fermented spontaneously and aged in stainless steel tanks for 9 months. 12% alcohol, 5,5 g/l acidity.
Youthful, slightly translucent and somewhat purplish blueberry juice appearance. The nose feels youthful and primary with aromas of brambly raspberries and fresh bilberries, some herbaceous notes of leafy Cab character, a little bit of earth, light peppery tones, sweet primary hints of blackberry jelly, a touch of ripe black raspberries and a whiff of ink. The wine feels lively, dry and crunchy on the palate with a light-to-medium body and fresh flavors of brambly raspberries, tart lingonberries and crunchy crowberries, some leafy herbaceous tones, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light earthy nuances, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of bell pepper. Although the overall feel is pretty light and nimble, the wine still packs relatively much structure for its size, thanks to its high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is dry, long and somewhat grippy with a fresh, crunchy aftertaste of tart lingonberries and cranberries, some brambly raspberry tones, a little bit of leafy greenness, light earthy tones, a herbaceous hint of bell pepper and a touch of peppery spice.
A nice, fresh and very old-school Loire red that feels light, crunchy at at times just barely ripe, yet packs impressive amount of fruit, structure and flavor intensity for such a seemingly delicate wine. This is noticeably lighter and less ripe than, say, a similarly made Chinon, yet wouldn't suffer in a side-by-side comparison! Of course people who find even minute amounts of herbaceous pyrazines objectionable might have serious problems with this wine, but for me, this was an archetypal Loire red. If anything, the wine was too young and primary to be enjoyed now; I'd let the wine age for a few years more - just so it could lose those sweet, jellied primary fruit flavors. Although not a grand vin, the wine was a superb everyday red, and at just 10,80€, a bargain (with lots of upside). Recommended.
(89 points) - 2013 Emrich-Schönleber Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Nahe (3.8.2023)
9% alcohol.
Intense yellow-green color. The nose feels a bit restrained but immediately recognizable as a classically styled Riesling with aromas ripe citrus fruits and floral notes of apple blossom, some peachy tones, a little bit of apple jam, light mineral notes of wet rocks and a sweet hint of tangerine. The wine feels crisp yet concentrated on the palate with a light-to-medium body and precise, medium-dry-to-medium-sweet flavors of steely minerality and lemony citrus fruits, some bittersweet notes of grapefruit marmalade, a little bit of youthful grapey fruit, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a sweet hint of apple jam and a touch of apple peel bitterness. The brisk, high acidity lends great sense of energy to the wine and offsets most of the residual sugar sweetness. The finish is crisp, long and palate-cleansing with a medium-dry aftertaste of lemon marmalade, some grapefruit, a little bit of nectarine, light sweeter notes of apple jam, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of youthful grapey fruit.
A refreshing, brisk and harmonious Riesling that is much younger one would expect from a 10-yo Riesling! The wine is all about very youthful fruit, not showing any developed signs - but instead still retaining some primary notes of sweet, grapey fruit - and coming across as drier one would expect a Spätlese to be! I'm pretty sure the wine is higher in residual sugar than it feels like, due to its racy acidity that offsets most of the sweetness so well. The wine is drinking really well right now, but based on how super youthful it is at the moment, I can see it evolving and improving for many, many years more. Terrific stuff, recommended.
(92 points) - 1985 Selbach-Oster Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (3.8.2023)
Medium-deep honey-yellow color. The nose feels evolved, somewhat odd and moderately funky with aged aromas of Gorgonzola-like blue cheese, some lemon marmalade tones, a little bit of creamy richness, light mineral notes of chalk dust, hints of wet rocks and salty ocean air and a touch of woolly funk. The wine feels bright, aged and racy on the palate with a light body and intense off-dry flavors of steely minerality and dried Granny Smith apple, some evolved creamy tones, a little bit of ripe lemony citrus fruit, light funky notes of blue cheese, mineral hints of wet rocks and tangy salinity and a touch of lime marmalade. The bracing acidity lends the wine tons of energy and a rather incisive structure. The finish is long, crisp and evolved with a rather dry and racy aftertaste of lemon marmalade and key lime, some tangy saline notes, a little bit of developed creaminess, light incisive steely mineral nuances, a hint of tart Granny Smith apple and a touch of aged, cheesy funk.
A characterful and rather old Kabinett Riesling that is starting to fade away. The high acidity lends enough intensity to the fruit flavors that they still manage to shine through, but the overall feel is more or less dominated by mineral non-fruit flavors and funky aged tones that take a toll on the freshness and brightness of the wine. However, the wine is not unpleasant in any way - maybe a bit too old, if one happens to like youthful, fruit-forward Rieslings, but a perfectly fine aged white if one enjoys older wines. The brisk acidity does call for something to done down the incisive energy of the wine, though. Fun stuff, but it is high time to drink up - this wine is not going to benefit from any additional aging.
(90 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
