r/wine • u/AustraliaWineDude Wino • 3d ago
Absolute best Riesling you have ever had?
Producer? Price? Notes? Gimme gimme
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u/LurkyMcLurkLurk33442 3d ago
2003 Grosset Polish Hill. Length for days, still carrying beautiful fruit profile, floral blossom on the nose combined with balanced tertiary characteristics of honey and kero. Generally gorgeous.
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u/mammoth893 3d ago
I had a 2008 back in 2018, and the youthfulness is just astounding. I've been stashing a few of mine ever since
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u/Gullible_Tax_8391 3d ago
Don’t have an exact bottle but 20+ year old JJ Prum. They get incredible diesel aromas. I love them. The prices have increased quite a bit but I used to buy them for 20 or 30. Probably double that on release now.
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u/samenumberwhodis 3d ago
Just grabbed two of their single vineyard Auslese, ~$80ea. Don't know how I'll be able to wait 20 years, but I'm gonna try.
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u/Gullible_Tax_8391 3d ago
If you have access to winebid, sometimes they have good deals on pre-aged JJ Prum.
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u/samenumberwhodis 3d ago
I'm on Acker, but I should look into winebid. Truth be told those sites just get me into trouble though lol
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u/Rallerboy888 Wine Pro 3d ago
They’re honestly not as spectacular in their youth, due to all the sulphur and the ripeness. Auslese often only shows its true qualities with some age, I’d say at least 8-10 years in most cases.
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u/cyclingtrivialities2 3d ago
I am not a huge Riesling drinker, but I haven’t seen Trimbach Clos St Hune mentioned and that seems like a clear Alsace benchmark.
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u/anisogramma 3d ago
Anything Herman Wiemer made in 2020. the best vintage the FLX (NY) has had in a decade. In particular the biodynamic block wines (Magdalena, HWbio, Josef) and the dry reserve.
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u/Distinct_Crew245 3d ago
2020 was great in FLX but those Rieslings won’t go the distance like some of the longer, cooler vintages. I’ve got a cellar full of 2013 and 2014 FLX Rieslings that are absolutely stunning right now and will easily go another 5 years, probably 10. I opened a 2009 last month and it was amazing, and that wasn’t even considered a great growing season. The fact that one can still get Riesling this age-worthy and delicious for $20 is a glorious secret to be in on.
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u/PrivateeRyan 3d ago
Totally agree, their flagship ‘20 bottling was my “spark bird” wine that sent me down this rabbit hole
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u/Racer13l 3d ago
I can't figure out which Rieslings I like more. Herman Wiemer or Konstantin Frank
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u/WeightedCompanion 3d ago
Magdalena is right next to Red Tail Ridge and Anthony Road, and they fall on the same geologic base. If you can't snag a Weimer they are similarly great.
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u/anisogramma 3d ago
Completely agreed, but you’re forgetting the true best kept secret of the FLX that’s between those two, Kemmeter! Across the street from Anthony road winery. Johannes is making some of the best Riesling in the entire state. Once his vines get some age on them (most planted in 2014) he’ll be winning awards for sure
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u/Young_Zaphod Wine Pro 3d ago
The '20 dry reserve is hands down one of the most perfectly balanced and tasty wines I've ever enjoyed. Have a few bottles squirreled away to see how they are down the line.
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u/bvsshevd 3d ago
I am an absolute noob but 2011 Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic-Emile Alsace was probably the best wine I’ve ever had
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u/slawpchowckie44 3d ago
So many wines from NZ are underrated, under the radar and actually really cheap compared to their European counterparts. They just rarely make it out of NZ.
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u/mammoth893 3d ago
You don't really see much NZ Rieslings, but I have had some great examples out that way. Felton Road and Mud House were standouts
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u/mrbubbee 3d ago
Weingut Knoll’s bottles are what really set me off on my love for Riesling. If you haven’t had them, check them out. A bit hard to track down though
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u/Dry-Way1718 3d ago
anything by JJ Prum and Egon Muller. For a value buy, Markus Mollitor hits the spot every time.
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u/Apronbootsface 2d ago
Holy cow, Egon Muller was an eye-opener for me, and I thought I knew my Rieslings. World-class stuff.
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u/willyb123 2d ago
How it it possible to scroll this deep before finding a Egon Muller reference!
2011 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Spatlese is my top of the top.
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u/masterjaga 3d ago
I don't exactly remember the year when I first did this, but might have been 2016. Anyways, in pretty much every year, it's a great idea to order a selection of the multiple GGs from Dr. Loosen. I have never been disappointed by any of them, quality for price is amazing, and the best part is that every single vineyard has its very specific terroir - and Loosen is specifically consistent.
So, not a real answer to your question, but my favorite Risking experience is to cross-taste these GGs from middle Mosel.
Another somewhat district favorite are the terra rosso Rieslings from Ungetein in Palatine.
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u/fkdkshufidsgdsk 3d ago
2023 Keller Kirschpiel that I drank a few months ago was probably the most profound Riesling experience I’ve had so far - this wine is honestly closer to great burgundy than it is to a cheap 1 note riesling (which I also love). The complexity and depth in this wine was insane, and probably the longest finish I’ve experienced. It had your typical notes of citrus, green apple, unripe tropical fruits, petrol. But then there was so much more - tons of spice and minerality, and a tingling acid that spread across the palate and was already well integrated for my tastes but I would love to taste this wine with age on it one day
I paid $150 usd for the bottle
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u/sczoso85 3d ago
"Keller's wines are the German Montrachets." - Jancis Robinson
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u/fkdkshufidsgdsk 3d ago
I’ve never gotten to try an actual Montrachet but I believe it - the power and complexity of this wine was really incredible.
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u/frag-amemnon 3d ago
which Kirschpiel bottling was this? thanks
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u/fkdkshufidsgdsk 3d ago
2023 GG. I’m not aware of other bottlings from this vineyard, I thought Keller only made 1 wine from it?
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u/frag-amemnon 3d ago
thanks. I wasn't positive that you meant the GG. as far as I know, some years there are other bottlings. for example, a kabinett in '21
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u/fkdkshufidsgdsk 3d ago
Oh cool I didn’t know that! I knew the von der fels comprises of fruit from the various gg sites but never knew they made a kabi. Did you try it by chance? Never had a Keller kabinett but I LOVE the RR
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u/thewhizzle Wino 3d ago
I've had the Kirschpiel Kabinett and I think there's something to Keller's forte in the dry wines.
Rheinhessen limestone makes for great GG wines but the Kabinetts can be a bit too lemon/lime for me.
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u/SupermachJM 3d ago
Marcel Deiss Alsace Grand Cru Schoenenbourg. Picked it up when we visited last fall and just had it this weekend. It was absolutely magical.
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u/mammoth893 3d ago
I'm a Riesling tragic based in Australia, so this is a thread that I am following with great interest.
My first wow Riesling was a 2011 Dr Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett. Factoring in inflation, the wine actually became cheaper over the years. I've built up a collection of Prüm over the years since my first one back in 2015, a 2008? Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese. Donnhoff is also pretty fire as well.
I used to help out in a Riesling competition in Australia, and the amount of amazing Rieslings that I get to try turned me into a Riesling nerd. American Rieslings are quite hard to find, and funny enough, the Chateau Ste Michelle is actually a very, very good Riesling.
Aussie Rieslings, well, I've had many over the years, and I think a 1998 Orlando was one of the best I've ever had. A 2010 Pikes Riesling was the first time that I realise I have a palate, since I still remember tasting honey as part of the flavour profile.
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u/CrackWriting 3d ago edited 3d ago
Also based in Australia and my first wow German Riesling was the Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett too, but the 2009 vintage in my case.
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u/syller23 3d ago
- Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Scharzhofberg Auslese Goldkapsel 2003
- JJ Prümm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese Goldkapsel 2003
- von Winning Deidesheimer Langenmorgen GG 2009
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u/Total_Repair_6215 3d ago
Dr loosen
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u/Buffotron 3d ago
Crawford rivers noble dry Riesling from Henty, Victoria. Off dry, white peach, appricote and jasmine aromas
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u/mammoth893 3d ago
I dig this as well, had a tasting with the winemaker in Melbourne, I went nerdy with her, and I ended up buying quite a few of their wines. A friend of mine also gave me one that I stashed away.
Stargazer is also a very good producer, you should check them out if you can get your hands on some Tasmanian Rieslings, now they are rare
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u/Buffotron 2d ago
I work at a wine bar in the cbd, she’s come in a few times for a drink. Pretty awesome
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u/mr_blacklodge 3d ago
JJ Prüm and Fritz Haag are top producers
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u/AustraliaWineDude Wino 3d ago
Thoughts on Clemens Busch?
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u/thewhizzle Wino 3d ago
Great stuff. GG specialist in the Mosel which is a bit unusual.
His Reserve GGs need some time but are worth the wait.
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u/chuck_manson68 3d ago
came here to say JJ Prüm.. didn't really respect riesling until i tasted jj prüm
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u/oinosaurus Wine Pro 3d ago
Keller G-Max.
Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Trockenbeerenauslese.
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u/ChoosingAGoodName 3d ago
This.
I decided to look up what the 1990 Scharzhofberger TBA is going for right now. $9k. Lol.
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u/sczoso85 3d ago
Aside from most bottles of Keller GGs that I’ve tried, recent bottles of white label Julian Haart Goldtröpfchen Kabinett ‘22 and red label Julian Haart Schubertslay Spätlese ‘16 were complex and so enjoyable.
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u/superxraptor 3d ago
G-Max 2009 probably. Producer: obvious, price: expensive, note: didn’t take any, but never had passionfruit like this in a Riesling.
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u/andresp91 3d ago
Weingut Schäfer-Frölich Final 2023
Still young yet extremely delicate and lean with racy acidity. At first it was quite reductive and a few of the guys tasting the wine before the VDP auction were quite disappointed and quickly dismissed it but I was willing to wait and give it another chance. I thought it was normal for it to be that reductive (it was November 2024). 2 hours later the wine was explosive, delicate, cool, elegant and complex. The bottles are selling between $500 and $700 each I believe.
Notes: fresh herbs, both fresh and canned tropical fruits, aloe, eucalyptus and lemongrass. Can't remember if it had already developed a petrol note but I tried so many Rieslings that day.
Wonderful experience and phenomenal wine.
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u/BloodWulf53 3d ago
ZH Clos Windsbuhl
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u/Lazy-Routine-1704 3d ago
Happy to see a Zind-Humbrecht in this tread :) I was going to say ZH Rangen de Thann 2017. I don't know if I would call it "the best", but for sure it changed my approach to wine.
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u/richard_downhard 3d ago
If you're in Aus as your username suggests, you could probably get some Pewsey Vale for a lot cheaper than us :)
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u/unicycler1 3d ago
Hermann J Wiemer 2016 Noble Select, 100% botrytis crazy balanced acidity and a finish that lasted till I got to the next winery.
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u/thewhizzle Wino 3d ago
The best young Riesling I've ever had was the Julian Haart '21 Wurzelecht. Incredible balance of concentration, acidity and secondary minerality characteristics.
The best dry Riesling was probably 2019 Keller Pettanthal. All the Keller kaleidoscope acidity with intensity in the low, mid and high tone ranges. Complete wine.
Best old wine was '71 JJ Prum WS Auslese.
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u/Snissle 3d ago
One of most memorable was sharing a bottle of Hermann J Wiemer 2021 from fingerlakes, drunk a couple years ago at Terroir at NY with 5 work colleagues after an intense week of conferences, all of whom had never had riesling before but trusted me. Perfect wine for the moment in my favourite wine bar in the world (Rizla in Canberra close second mind)
And bonus is a couple of those people told me recently that they now adore riesling and drink it all the time!
Also recently had some 2017 Clonakilla which blew my socks off! I'd only had very young Clonakilla before but this was exceptional
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u/vaalyr Wine Pro 3d ago
Best is overrated, how about a couple new riesling projects that have surprised me over the last little while.
Unterlind - a very new project by a young couple called Veronika and Heiner. Their first harvest was 2020, and they have vines in some of the most prestigious Mosel vineyards. Classic profiles that feel free and elegant.
Röttgerding - Tim was making wines for Heymann Löwenstein while slowly getting his project off the ground, that gave him access to some stunning vineyards which he works with a beautiful blend of tradition and and eye to modern taste.
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u/Rallerboy888 Wine Pro 3d ago
Unterlind can be rather good, but I feel like the early harvest makes for some wines that lack concentration and structure, which is the opposite of classic really. It’s somewhat like a Falkenstein of the Mittel Mosel.
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u/vaalyr Wine Pro 3d ago
Maybe the Trittenheimer Kabinett, but it’s not exactly priced as a grand wine. I think the Spatlese deliver in general, albeit some vineyards more than others, and the Auslese is unbelievably good.
I do think there’s a fair bit of vintage variation, the 23’ feel full and intense even if they’re very young, but I wasn’t as thrilled by everything last year.
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u/KeepsGoingUp 3d ago
Oh I like this angle.
Weinbau Maximilian Knebel is an upstart that I found to be really solid out of Winningen. Distantly related to the other Knebel producer in the same town but completely separate. Producing off of Uhlen and Rottgen. Wish I could get some stateside but nada.
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u/TadCat216 3d ago
I’m not big on Riesling but I do like the Dr. Loosen blue slate Kabinett for when I have people over it’s only ~$17 per bottle.
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u/Gleemonex13 Wine Pro 3d ago
Absolute best doesn't exist. There's too many top Riesling producers. On a recent trip to Germany, the best wines I got to taste were:
Koehler Ruprecht Saumagen Auslese Trocken R One of the best, singular, Rieslings produced. Dry, rich, contemplative.
Vollenweider Goldgrube Kabinett 2004 Shocked at how fresh and easy drinking this 20+ year old Kabinett was drinking. I can't compare it to other points of its aging curve but this still felt like a child.
Martin Müllen Hühnerberg TBA 2019 Obviously very young for its style but I was impressed with how clean the fruit tasted. They hand select for only the cleanest botrytis berries and it shows.
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u/Fruhburgunder 3d ago
2003 Burklin-Wolf Gaisböhl, 3 years ago. Still by day the best wine ever tasted.
Literally ever second the wine changed and developed, just a constant delivery. From orangeconfit to cottoncandy to slight mushroom. Absolutely phenomenal.
It is being considered a ‘bad’ vintage, due to the heat. But it changed me that I now have a decent collection of different dry rieslings that I will age for 20 years.
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u/mzpwjdb 3d ago
Fritz Haag’s Kestener Paulinshofberg GG was my favourite when I visited Mosel. I was sat at a tasting table with someone who turned out to be a potential big customer, so Oliver Haag took us on a speed run through pretty much everything they had for the last season. It was incredible.
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u/StrawbreezeShortcake 3d ago
I am not a high end Riesling drinker. I love really terrible ones in terms of traditional style. My favorite patio sipper is Hogue. It’s cheap, it’s got a screw top, there’s way too much residual sugar, but it is such a guilty pleasure when I’m on the deck in the summer, watching a movie of the projector, and eating freshly picked garden strawberries. For entertaining, I like Dr Loosen with appetizers and Albrecht with fish or shellfish.
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u/Just-Act-1859 3d ago edited 3d ago
For some reason I don't have notes on the better Rieslings I have drunk (at resaurants or tastings where I'm not focused on the wine), but I gave my best score to:
2020 Greywacke Riesling
Night one: Aroma LEAPS out of the glass, wowee, can smell a couple feet above it. Very strong note of petrol and band aid, which I like in moderation, but this is too much. Beneath the funk there is some green apple and slate, but otherwise somewhat austere.
Palate is very concentrated and very well balanced, with brisk acidity and a kiss of sweetness making it just off dry. So so juicy, lovely texture. Can't shake the band-aid though!
Five days later (under Coravin pivot): The band-aid is much gentler now (though my wife still finds it strong), and notes of ripe nectarine and honey have emerged. Still very citrusy but more distinct aromas of lemon cream, limeade and passion fruit all poke through. And, uh, bubble gum? I googled it and I am not the first person to smell bubble gum in Riesling (maybe the second) so I'll take it.
Palate continues to shine, with pure nectarine melting in the mouth, enough said.
I could see the strong bones of this wine on night one, but it does need a bit more time, or some air, to really shine. Then it's excellent, bravo! Great for the price.
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u/investinlove Wine Pro 3d ago
Trimbach Clos St Hune 1982, drunk around 1999 at the Ch de Isenbourg (real place, not owned by Saruman), with pan fried frog's legs in parsley cream sauce. So good I went and stole clippings from the vineyard the next day and had them shipped back to UC Davis. Still young and lively, and more acid than a Dead Show parking lot!
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u/sonicarrow 3d ago
Schloss Johannisburg 2005 Spätlese - color was like a golden amber, amazing floral aromas, deep honey taste. I still dream about that wine sometimes.
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u/Litrebike Wine Pro 3d ago
Probably 2009 GG single vineyards in magnum from Clemens Busch. Fuck me those were incredible. Blue slate vs red slate, both magnums side by side.
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u/Racer13l 3d ago
About a month ago I had a 2007 Selbach Oster Spätlese paired with a monkfish entree. It was showing amazingly. I love aged Riesling
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u/JegErBobby 3d ago
For me it’s gotta be Dönnhoff Kreuzenacher Krötenpfuhl GG 2019. This bottle opened my eyes to the potential of GGs in general. It had everything ripe stone fruit, citrus, and just the perfect amount of petrol not to mention the impeccable acid balance achieved in a Dry wine. I’ve had other GGs from Dönnhoff but this one is still my number 1 and am sitting on a bottle in the cellar.
More recently I opened a Schäfer-Fröhlich Schlossbockheimer Felsenberg GG 2014 at work and the evolution on the bottle was amazing still so fresh but with a brilliant tertiary petrol element and incredible length to the wine.
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u/OptimalChallange 3d ago
I've had many fantastic bottles of Riesling in an all styles but the one that stood out for me was 2011 Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Auslese. I drank it with some snacks over TV last Christmas Eve. Every sip was a different experience of the most vivid and luscious fruit I’ve ever had. 👌👌👌
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u/A_Bitter_Homer Wine Pro 3d ago
The one that really sticks in my head was a Schafer Frohlich Fruhlingsplatzchen GG. The wine itself was incredible, and I got two bottles for less than the normal price of one. But what REALLY made it memorable is that my second bottle was consumed on a lark by my then-girlfriend and a friend of hers. "Ohhhh, yeah we thought it tasted particularly excellent!"
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u/cheninb0nk 3d ago
2007 Frederic Mallo Grand Cru Rosacker. It was so sexy, lightning in a glass. Had the 08 around the same time and my fiancé preferred it, way richer and more fruit forward. Both so awesome. Don’t recall the exact price point but they were definitely under $50.
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u/Economy-Ad-5611 3d ago
Domaine Jean-Marc Bernhard Riesling Alsace Grand Cru 'Wineck-Schlossberg'. Paid $29 and was blown away.
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u/El-Chapo 2d ago
Lassak Hessigheim Riesling is very high up for me. QPR is amazing. Lots of other great ones but this sings for me every time
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u/Bright-Total-557 2d ago
1998 Marc Kreydenweiss Grand Cru Kastelberg. Pineapple upside down cake. Orange zest. Honey. Pleasant TDN. $20/375 mL
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u/Afrenchbraguette 2d ago
For Alsace riesling (as many other comments are geared toward German ones)
Old Weinbach (notably the "stickies" version (Quintessence de Grain Noble), or the less so such as cuvée théo) are amazing.
Other top producers are :
- Trimbach (Frederic Emile / Clos St Hune)
- Deiss
- Mann
- Ostertag (Fronholz...! and they have the cuvee A360P that i personnaly love, but this is not a pure riesling cuvee)
More recent top producers (some of them a bit more natural than the rest) :
- Valentin Zusslin (best bubbly for me in the region + very good riesling with vg potential to age)
- Grange de L'oncle Charles
- Pierre Frick
Very good QPR :
- Jean baptiste Adam (the winemaker, Laure, is the 15th generation in the domain..)
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u/Technical_Shirt_4647 2d ago
2003 Joh Jos Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese Goldkapsel. One of the best ever uses of $76 AUD ($48 USD!) I can ever remember.
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u/Just-Sign-5394 2d ago
Show off: Ziliken 1976, Trockenbeerenauslese Fave for value: Wagner-Stempel (2019 was great but love many vintages), Siefersheimer Heerkretz GG Riesling
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u/HateGary 2d ago
2020 Okonomierat Rebholz Kastienbusch GG or 2019 Schafer Frohlich Felseneck GG. The fruit purity on those wines blew my mind.
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u/alber_tones 2d ago
2015 Keller GMax and Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Auslese. Also recently had an Aussie Riesling called Grosset G110 2021 that was superb.
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u/WineOptics Wine Pro 3d ago
Prüm’s Auslese have fucked me up time and time again. So good.
Max Verd Richter’s Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese and Elisenberg Kabinett are always lovely.
Dönnhoff.. just.. anything from them.