2022 Weingut Wittmann Westhofen Aulerde Riesling Trocken Grosses Gewächs BIO

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 wine growers in Westhofen since the 17th century. The experience of some 350 volumes of more than 15 generations is great in the priceless heritage of the family. Time and rest are essential ingredients for making a good wine. And this is exactly what the wines get in abundance in the vaulted cellar, built in 1829. Winemaker Philipp Wittmann watches over his wines, under constant temperature and humidity conditions, while maturing in 80 wooden barrels. The oldest of these barrels is from the year 1890 and has already housed many great vintages. Each barrel contains the harvest of 1 single vineyard plot.

Star winemaker Philipp Wittmann (responsible for the cellar and export), together with father Günther (vineyards) and mother Elisabeth (sales), have built a fantastic wine company in Westhofen, Rheinhessen. Since 1990, work has been done biologically and later biologically dynamically. The starting point for the wines is therefore: terroir expression through healthy soil. A low yield per hectare, manual selection of the best grapes and a very slow vinification with natural yeasts without the addition of sulfite on large wooden feeds do the rest. The house is 'the standard' for Rheinhessen and now also a standard for German white in general. This is evident from the enormous flow of international valuations that the wines receive, both higher and lower. For example, Philipp has already twice been named the best white winemaker in Germany by the authoritative Eichelmann in 2003 and 2013. In 2014 he received the same title from Gault Millau. Philipp is married to Eva Clüsserath who owns her own wine estate in the Moselle. Philipp is said to hate August: he has to divide his Grosse Gewächse. This is especially annoying because the demand is increasing and the supply is small. So he actually has too little for everyone. Not surprising, given that his GGs earn up to 96 points from Parker, he was crowned Germany's best white winemaker twice by Eichelmann, winemaker of the year at Gault Millau in 2014, and at Schlemmer Atlas in 2015 and annually in Mainz during the GG tasting as one of the very best!

Wittmann has consistently opted for quality, which means that he only releases the finest fruit from his vineyards as GG. The rest goes in the Westhofener and even the Riesling Trocken is partly made with this noble fruit.