The essence of dry Riesling joy: Wittmann Morstein Riesling Grosses Gewächs 2013

This is, quite simply, an uncommonly magnificent wine.

I know it’s uncommonly magnificent because I had it alongside a whole lineup of great Rieslings – and it shone like a beacon.

The lineup was ‘Riesling Unleashed’; a tasting put on by noted Riesling wholesalers Cellarhand. As you can gather, the focus was Riesling and featured a whole swathe of famous names – including the likes of Dönnhoff, Loosen, FX Pichler, Bründlmayer, George Breuer and Frankland Estate.

Importantly, all of these famed estates had their latest, mainly dry, Rieslings on pour, making for the perfect opportunity to try like for like – Grosses Gewächs vs. Grosses Gewächs.

Naturally, given the quality of what was on offer, the bar was set high. The 2013 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle GG was a particular feat of majesty, the steel of a high acid vintage fortifying its structure but the beauty of ripe, white peach fruit giving generosity.

But it was this Wittmann that stole the show…

Importantly, the value here is tension. It smells like a basket of stonefruit, all peaches and nectarines, the palate heavy with ripe honey tropical fruit richness. Yet it is strictly Trocken in structure, the acid a vein of long, firm tang to counter all that exotic fruit.

Such a delicate balance between wild generosity and driving acidity is what makes the greatest Rieslings, well, great. It makes wines like this so effortlessly drinkable, as you just get the one-two punch of dry and sweet, in a form that is so unforced that it feels absolutely complete.

The key here is ripeness. That hedonistic richness comes from grapes picked late, yet from such a magical site (and a cool year) that they were ripe without losing too much acidity, making for a perfection of balance.

Magical stuff really. And, in the context of world wine prices, bloody cheap.

Buy some, I’m going to.

Details: 13.5%, Cork, $120ish
Tasted: February 2015 at a tasting
Best drinking: 2015-2030+
Score: 19/20, 96/100
Would I buy it? Please, buy me more!
Buy online: United Cellars

Wine

About me – Andrew Graham

At 18, I started working in a small suburban bottleshop, largely to buy cheap beer. It was my first year of university, slogging through physics and chemistry, so a liquor shop seemed like fun. Needless to say, I discovered wine, and my life evolved with a unique dual focus - wine and environment.

Twenty years later and I spend my days wearing many (wine) hats, mostly as a writer, presenter and marketer.

I now judge at wine shows around the world, sit on the Australian Wine List of the Year awards panel and was once a Wine Journalism Young Gun (but baby that was years ago).

Currently, I write features for a variety of publications including National Liquor News, Gourmet Traveller WINE and the RAS, plus I'm a former Lifestyle FOOD channel wine expert.

In 2019 and 2020 I was voted in the Top 30 Best Wine Critics in The World, and in my spare time, I'm a sucker for punishment and run trail ultra marathons, much to the delight of my long-suffering family. Read more about me here or get in touch to book your next wine event with me here

The essence of dry Riesling joy: Wittmann Morstein Riesling Grosses Gewächs 2013