From a unique parcel in the uppermost vineyard of the VDP.Grosse Lage Binger Scharlachberg comes the 2022 Scharlachberg Riesling GG. Cultivated on stony, skeleton-rich and distinctly red-colored topsoil with quartzite rock in the subsoil and vinified in stainless steel and German halbstücks (600-liter oak vats), the intensely yellow-colored wine opens with a dense, intense and elegant bouquet of ripe and concentrated aromatic fruits intertwined with distinctive mineral and stony as well as herbal and vegetal aromas. This full-bodied dry Riesling is remarkably refined and elegant on the palate, finely juicy and well balanced. It is spiced with very fine tannins and sur lies notes and provided with a long, very elegant and saline but also finely tensioned finish. Savory citrus fruit aromas populate the long, intense and complex aftertaste at this early stage. Even though we could enjoy this beauty now, this highly promising 2022 will show so much more in a couple of years. Be patient or, at least, open the bottle and have a couple of sips two days in advance. 12.5% stated alcohol. Diam cork. Tasted in January 2024. The Scharlachberg is a mighty quartzite rock, whose southern exposure and the warmth of the neighboring Rhine Valley ensure perfect ripening conditions. The cold downslope winds of the neighboring Hunsrück low mountain range and the exposed and high hillside location provide the cool and windy counterpart from which Riesling in particular benefits a lot. The finest examples, like Wagner-Stempel's 2022, combine perfect ripeness and concentration with savory acidity and characteristic salinity. The most fascinating Scharlachberg Rieslings are at least eight to 10 years old.