2020 Zilliken Saarburg Rausch Riesling Spatlese, Saar

The whole spectrum of tropical and citrus aromas with hints of jasmine and orchid. Excellent concentration and all the brilliance you expect from the Saar, the mineral acidity and delicate fruit character balanced on the point of a needle. Very long and pure finish. Drink or hold.

95 points jamessuckling.com

On the nose, this Spätlese enchants with its stony and smoky notes, encircled by vineyard peach and juicy, dried apricot as well as delicate floral nuances of white lilac. It is incredibly dense on the palate, with the stimulating taste of white peach. The play of aromas of raspberry leaves and spearmint is particularly exciting. We attest great storage potential and look forward to a long journey with this fine specimen.

Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese is a fine German wine that has a rich and complex taste. It is made from Riesling grapes that are grown in the prestigious Saarburger Rausch vineyard, located in the Saar region of Germany. The grapes are left to ripen on the vine until they have reached the perfect point of maturity, resulting in a Spätlese (late harvest) wine that is full of ripe fruit flavors. The wine has notes of apricot, peach, and honey, with a refreshing acidity and a long, lingering finish. It is a great wine to serve as an aperitif or paired with spicy foods.

The history of Zilliken begins with the traces and roots of the Zilliken family and continues to do so to date. The family’s vine-growing and wine-making past goes back as early as 1742. It starts with the early generations working selflessly in Ockfen and Saarburg.

However, the groundwork and foundation of the grand estates in the regions of Mosel and Saar got laid by Ferdinand Geltz, a Royal Prussian Forest Superintendent. He was the co-founder of an organisation named Vereins der Naturweinversteigerer Großer Ring. Today, it goes by the name of VDP Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. The organisation raised the fame of superior unchaptalised wines and promoted their sale in the international and domestic markets. It was responsible for making Rieslings a world-famous name.

After Ferdinand Geltz’s death, his vineyards got divided between Ella and Antionette, his two daughters. The Forstmeister Geltz estate later changed its name to Forstmeister Geltz Krick to honour the demise of Antionette’s husband. In the next generation, Henriette and Marianne, Ella’s two daughters, received ownership of their share of the land and property. In 1944, the estate and its cellar got severely damaged in a bombing raid. However, Marianne remained determined to preserve and continue the family’s wine-growing history and tradition. In 1947, she tied the knot with Fritz Zilliken and changed the estate’s name to Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken. They purchased a cellar in 1950; it still serves as the core of the winery’s operation.

Zilliken works while respecting nature and its characteristics. The winery believes that slow ripening and maturation are the keys to producing excellent, aromatic wines. Thus, it does not interfere much with the vineyards, allowing the region’s cool climate to work wonders. On top of that, the area’s steep slopes and superior soil allow the planted grapevines to grow healthy and with sweet, plump fruits.