2022 Riesling Rüdesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Beerenauslese

In 2023, the Barths celebrated their 30th anniversary of making Sekt – Norbert Barth was one of the first in the region to revive bottle-fermented Rieslingsekt and make a name for himself with sparkling wines. Norbert Barth also was a founding member of the Rheingau’s Charta movement. Since 2009, Christine and Mark Barth have been on board and took over in 2017. They farm 23 hectares in Hattenheim, Oestrich, Hallgarten and the Magdalenenkreuz in Rüdesheim. Eighty percent of their holdings are Riesling, 10% Pinot Noir with the rest covered by Pinot Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Scheurebe and Chardonnay. The vineyards have been certified organic since 2013. Forty percent of production is dedicated to Sekt and is increasing, and will be tasted for a separate report. For years now, the Barths have released their GGs two years after harvest – which is now the rule in the Rheingau – but they also delay the release of all their other wines above the estate wines. Readers should note that three years ago, the Barths started to release parcels of mature vintage releases of 120 bottles at least. The 2022 harvest started in mid-September, and rain meant that strict sorting was necessary. They concluded in mid-October and managed to select a Beerenauslese. During my visit, I tasted Rieslings from 2021, 2022 and one from 2011. The still wines express the rounded generosity of the deeper soils of the Middle Rheingau but come with plenty of texture and contour.