Dr Bürklin-Wolf Riesling Hommage à Luise 2022 1.5 litre (screw cap)

A new addition to the Bürklin-Wolf range and a return to the delicate Kabinett style not produced here for some time. The wine honours Luise Wolf (1847-1925), grand-daughter and heiress of Johann Ludwig Wolf, the owner of ‘outstanding vineyard sites in Wachenheim, Forst, Deidesheim and Ruppertsberg’ to quote a merchant of the day. In 1875 Luise married Dr Albert Bürklin from Karlsruhe-Durlach, giving rise to the winery’s current name. Following their marriage, Albert moved to Wachenheim and helped expand the Estate to become a model of quality wine production. He later became the Vice-President of the Reichstag (the German parliament) from 1884-1895.

Fruit from cool vineyard sites close to the Pfalz forest between Wachenheim and Bad Dürkheim is whole-bunch pressed and wild-fermented in stainless steel, then matured on fine lees over winter in a mix of tank and large oak fuders (foudres). The modest residual sugar level is perfectly balanced with vibrant acidity helping to emphasise the purity of the fruit, leading to a refreshing, almost-dry finish. A perfect Riesling for any occasion and a great choice for vegetarian dishes, seafood and mildly spicy Asian cuisine. Or on its own as an aperitif.
9.51% Alc/Vol; 35.6 g/L RS; 8.3 g/L TA.

‘Striking nose of hibiscus, bergamot and yellow apple. Juicy and zesty on the barely medium-bodied palate with bright citrusy acidity. Long wet stone and lemon zest finish where the hint of unfermented grape sweetness is very well integrated. From biodynamically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink now. Screw cap.’ 90 points, Stuart Pigott, JamesSuckling.com, July 2023.

'I can hardly imagine better wines were produced in the Pfalz than here last year. Most likely, the 2019 Kirchenstück G.C. and the Pechstein G.C., both from Forst, and even the Langenmorgen G.C. from Deidesheim, are among the finest dry Rieslings I have ever tasted from Germany. The wines are deep, rich, powerful and dramatic yet so fine and elegant and reveal vibrating energy that guarantees a long run.' Stephan Reinhardt, Vinous Media, August 2020.

The Bürklin-Wolf estate is based in the Mittelhaardt, the quality core of Germany’s world-renowned Pfalz, around the towns of Wachenheim, Forst, Deidesheim and Ruppertsberg. Here with 85ha under vine they have the largest family owned wine estate in all of Germany originating in 1597, with a treasure-trove of superb vineyards, at the centre of which lies the great Kirchenstück. Here in the tiny village of Forst, Kirchenstück and its neighbours Jesuitengarten, Ungeheuer and Pechstein, have for centuries been recognised as producing not only some of the world’s greatest dry Rieslings, but simply some of the world’s greatest wines. In the nineteenth century, prices for these wines exceeded the prices paid for 1st Growth Bordeaux and Grand Cru Burgundy.

In 1990 Bürklin-Wolf began reviewing their vineyard holdings in the context of the 1828 Royal Bavarian Land Tax Classification and after years of exhaustive research they discovered that today’s top vineyards are exactly the same as those identified back in 1828. Today they have adopted a Burgundian model with four tiers: Estate, Village, PC (code for Premier Cru) and GC (for Grand Cru). Thus they are focussed on the production of dry, terroir-driven wines and no longer produce the Kabinett and Spätlese styles defined by the (still current) 1971 German Wine Law.