2022 Wittmann Westhofener Riesling, Rheinhessen

Starting with the 2018 vintage, VDP. Ersten Lagen classifieid wines are recognized as Rheinhessen’s finest ambassadors for individual winegrowing towns and so proudly bear the name of their municipality. Selected fruit from the best vineyards of the Westhofen hills, the typical limestone minerality of the premier cru vineyards shines through. What a fascinating nose of bergamot, mirabelle and passion fruit plus dark herbal notes this stunning dry riesling has. Complex juiciness on the mid-palate, the elegant acidity and very fine tannins interlock beautifully and drive the almost perfectly balanced and stunningly refreshing mineral finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drink or hold.

95 points Stuart Pigott jamessuckling.com

Wittmann Westhofener Riesling from Rheinhessen is a captivating dry Riesling crafted by the renowned biodynamic producer Wittmann. Located in the heart of Rheinhessen, the Westhofen vineyards are celebrated for their limestone-rich soils, which impart remarkable minerality and depth to the wines. Philipp Wittmann, a winemaker dedicated to precision and sustainability, creates Rieslings that embody both elegance and power.

This wine features a pale gold hue with green highlights. The nose is vibrant and complex, offering aromas of lime zest, green apple, and white peach, complemented by hints of crushed stones and subtle floral notes. On the palate, it is concentrated and lively, with flavors of citrus, ripe orchard fruits, and a saline minerality, balanced by crisp acidity and a long, refined finish. Built for aging, it gains even greater complexity over time.

Perfect pairings include seared scallops with citrus beurre blanc, herb-roasted chicken, or a fresh goat cheese tart

“It’s more like gardening than farming. Everything has to look perfect!” says Philipp Wittmann as he leaps from a vineyard wall to clip a stray vine tip before it grows unruly. This isn’t vanity, though; Philipp is all about performance. It’s his duty to coax every vine into the most beguiling wine it can be. Organically certified since 1990 and biodynamic since 2004, Philipp’s parcels of his beloved Rheinhessen are a haven where nature thrives. Limestone rules around his home in Westhofen, whose rocks are the sensory X- factor and texture-lending lifeblood. The Wittmann family have been winegrowers in Westhofen since the 17th century, with a mind-boggling 350+ vintages under their belt. Spanning 15 generations, current custodian Philipp and wife Eva, of Weingut Ansgar Clüsserath fame, are genuine Riesling royalty and they craft wines that are pure, elegant and sophisticated (much like them!) Following in the footsteps of his father, Günter, Philipp is a perfectionist who is energised by his craft. Günter was a pioneer of dry Riesling in the region and set the estate on the path to excellence, and since taking the reins, Philipp has continued to fine tune the wines, all the while retaining the purity and ‘inner balance’ that the Wittmann estate is famed for.

The Vineyards The Wittmann family owns significant parcels in four grand-cru sites in Westhofen, with a further “GG-in-waiting” in neighbouring Gundersheim. “Everything in the Grossen Lagen is treated as GG, regardless of its destination,” says Philipp – explaining why everything from the estate wines up taste so impeccably distinctive. “I should never start to think about the cost of what I do in the vineyard. I always think about what the vines need to do it well.”

• Brunnenhäuschen: Clay marl with limestone and limestone rocks and portions of terra rossa with high iron content / 240 metres above sea level / South facing, exposed to winds from the west / Grosse Lage classification

• Morstein: Heavy clay marls, with rocky limestone deposits / 280 metres above sea level / South facing slope / GG section found on mid-slope between 180-240 metres / First mentioned in 1282 / Grosse Lage classification

• Aulerde: Heavy clayish marl with minor portions of loess-loam and limestone and gravelly sandy clays / South facing / 70+ year old vines / First mentioned in 1380 / Grosse Lage classification / Warmest GG site

• Kirchspiel: Clay marl with limestone deposits / east-southeast facing / open amphitheatre-esque site that catches the first of the early morning sun / vines planted towards top of the site / Grosse Lage classification .

A Note from Stephen Reinhart, The Wine Advocate, on Vintage 2022 “Old vines in particular withstood the summer drought of the 2022 vintage, reports Philipp Wittmann, who removed all fruit from all plants under five years old. Vine age was also a decisive selection criterion during the harvest, as old roots reach so deep that they can reach the water reserves in the soil. This kept the vines vital, "and you could see that very clearly during the harvest," says Wittmann. In the old vineyards, the must weights were 10° Oechsle higher than in the poorer and younger vineyards.

The maxim was to produce wines with finesse and elegance despite the heat and dryness, at least as much as possible. This naturally resulted in self- imposed losses in quantity, for example in Nierstein, where Wittmann was only able to harvest 28 hectoliters from 1.2 hectares of vines. "In extremely dry conditions, yields have to remain low, so we kept cutting grapes where necessary. You have to recognize the differences in the vineyard and adapt your measures accordingly. Blanket solutions would often have been the wrong ones." In order not to lose freshness, finesse and elegance in 2022, Wittmann dispensed with maceration times and instead gently crushed the grapes or processed some of them as whole grapes in the closed, barely rotating tank press at low pressure, at most after a short standing time. This resulted in musts rich in finesse, which proved particularly successful with the Pinot wines, which Wittmann is getting better and better at, including in 2022.

The Chardonnay, Pinot Banc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir were harvested on 10 consecutive days right at the beginning in "extremely dry" weather. "Without any over-ripening," as Wittmann emphasizes. Then came the first rainfall, the effect of which could not initially be seen in the vineyards, dry as they were. There were no extreme rainfalls anyway, and when it did rain, the water dried up quickly. Careful canopy management had also ensured this. At most, the harvest had to be paused for three days or used for negative pre-selections. After that, however, things continued "relaxed," says Wittmann. "The harvest weather was great and the grapes were perfectly healthy." The Rieslings were harvested in a good two and a half weeks from mid-September.

Three Auslese wines followed in early October, and the 2022 harvest was completed on October 8. The domaine's average yield was an extremely moderate 40 hectoliters per hectare and delivered "very good qualities." The Gutswein Riesling and the GGs lacked 25% of the potential yield due to early negative selections. The musts of the vintage fermented well, and the wines bottled this summer are balanced and rich in finesse and, above all, rich in aroma. Overall, Wittmann has once again succeeded in producing a great collection, with the complex yet accessible Morstein GG at the top.” 

Stephan Reinhardt robertparker.com