2023 Riesling Niersteiner Hipping Grosses Gewächs

Two lucky escapes characterize 2023 at Battenfeld-Spanier. Carolin Spanier reports that the dryness of the early part of the summer barely affected the deep-rooting vines in the Red Slope. Rain started in July and was frequent in August, but the estate’s policy of de-leafing before flowering afforded thicker grape skins that are more resilient. A second de-leafing took place in July, and Spanier says: “Our grapes stood so loosely that the rain could not damage them.” However, hail struck in a 1am storm in the night from August 25 to 26, doing much damage in Hohen-Sülzen but not in the Grosse Lagen. Harvest started on September 10, and although hail usually never hits the same site twice, on September 12, large grains pounded Hohen-Sülzen again–thankfully where the fruit had already been mostly picked. From the Hohen-Sülzen damaged fruit, Spanier decided to make a Rosè instead of a village Pinot Noir. For Riesling, any hail damage was sorted out with much effort. Spanier also notes that all the wines–both for Battenfeld-Spanier and Kühling-Gillot (the wines of both estates are made at the Battenfeld-Spanier winery in Hohen-Sülzen)–were fermented dry by the first week of January. The 2023 Rieslings set a new paradigm of precision and site expression, contrasting the two estates’ core characteristics of Red Slope savoriness and lemony limestone coolness. The 2022 Pinot Noir GGs are of exquisite elegance.