2020 Weingut Wittmann Gundersheimer Riesling Aus Ersten Lagen BIO

Demand for the wines of this top producer from Rheinhessen is constantly increasing, partly due to the many rave reviews. It would have been easy to capitalize on this success, buy a few more vineyards, and ride the wave of success. As a purist seeking absolute quality at the highest possible level, Philipp is taking the opposite approach: by reducing yields and selecting the fruit, he produces fewer bottles labeled below the highest level, further enhancing the overall quality of the "Estate" wines. The most significant change is the introduction of three "Aus Ersten Lagen" wines: Gundersheimer, Westhogener, and Niersteiner. These wines bear the name of their respective municipalities but come from one or more vineyards labeled "Erste Lage." These wines are released one year after harvest, the same time as the Grosses Gewächse were previously launched. These latter top wines are now released six months later.

After two fantastic years, 2020 completed the hat trick of warm and good vintages, a relatively easy feat for a winemaker. The drought of previous years didn't hinder this year, nor was there excessive heat. Rain fell in abundance, but not at the wrong times. This means Philipp was able to harvest perfectly ripe and healthy grapes. The resulting wines have the aromatic expression of 2018 with the mineral sharpness of 2019. A vintage they are very proud of!

The Gundersheimer is a typical Riesling that lives up to its character. Beautifully concentrated, powerful, complex, and minerally. Produced biodynamically by the high-quality Weingut Wittmann winery in the Rheinhessen region. The Wittmann Gundersheimer Erste Lage borders the Morstein GG. It is a fresh and taut wine with a firm mineral structure and relatively slim for Rheinhessen. The Gundersheimer Riesling "Aus Ersten Lagen" is quite open and absolutely sexy on the nose, combining the purity of chalky soils with the attractive fruit of deep chalky soils. Very elegant on the palate, this is a pure, deep, and juicy yet refined dry Riesling with fine tannins and a persistent salinity. Very compact yet broad and playful enough to be immediately appealing, it can also easily age for 10+ years. 93/100 Suckling

Located in Westhofen in the Rheinhessen wine region, Weingut Wittmann produces biodynamic wines with terroir expression and extreme precision. The Wittmanns and their ancestors have been winemakers in Westhofen since the 17th century. The experience of some 350 vintages from over 15 generations is a significant part of the family's priceless heritage. Time and tranquility are essential ingredients for making a good wine. And this is precisely what the wines receive in abundance in the vaulted cellar, built in 1829. Winemaker Philipp Wittmann watches over his wines under constant temperature and humidity conditions as they mature in 80 wooden barrels. The oldest of these barrels dates back to 1890 and has housed many great vintages. Each barrel contains the harvest from a single vineyard plot.