2015 Riesling Winnings

Stephan Attmann is up to his usual tricks at this once staid and established, now self-consciously hip but genuinely exciting and inspiring estate. I am very aware that the use of small (mostly 500-liter) barrels and consequent woody notes in many young Von Winning Rieslings remain controversial, so I feel it necessary to lay my cards on the table yet again and note that I find these oaky elements generally discreet and well-integrated when the wines are young and, crucially, not tending to deprive their finishes of primary juiciness. I should also note that in re-tasting over the past 18 months a number of wines from the new regimen (vintages 2008-2014), I am increasingly impressed by how distinctly delicious and site-specific the Von Winning Rieslings remain and how well any oak is “digested.” Interestingly, the 2015 series of dry site-specific bottlings (fewer than half from officially “Erste” and the majority from officially “Grosse Lagen”) displays a narrow range of finished alcohol centering on 12.5 percent. There is a sense of looseness to a few of them, but it’s quite disarming and reflects the welcome degree to which cellarmaster Attmann is willing and able to let dry Pfalz Riesling unapologetically exude charm.

(For much more on the history of this estate – long known as Dr. Deinhard – its recent stylistic innovations, and its current young team, consult the introduction to my report on its 2014s. I did not have a chance over the past year to taste any of those primarily residually sweet wines that are still vinified here under the Dr. Deinhard label. And while I tasted the bulk of the current Von Winning lineup, I passed on the opportunity to taste either a pair of Chardonnays or a white and red multi-cépage blend. Also, since I canvassed an impressive range of Pinot Noirs for my previous report, this year I took a break from those, too.)