Kuhling-Gillot Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Rheinhessen, Germany

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The Kuhling-Gillot 2010 Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs Wurzelecht – as usual, labeled (at least, on its official “back label”) to refer to the ungrafted vines that gave birth to it, and (in a practice begun with the 2008) not destined for release until this coming March – exhibits aromatically a sweeter sense of ripeness than its two immediate Grosses Gewachs siblings, featuring juicy tangerine rather than lemon and a bouquet of orange blossom and freesia rather than narcissus. That noted, the present wine still comes to the palate firm, extremely dry, and tart-edged, so that – blessedly informed by sheer citric juiciness though it is – it’s impossible to avoid applying the “a”-word, even if the austerity averred is somehow handsome; but if one has patience in pairing and doesn’t trust the wine’s evolution for more than 3-4 year without verification, the results should leave those who like high, almost electric acidity coupled to adamant dryness delighted. It would be interesting to compare the stage this proves to be at on release with this September showing. I can’t really see it softening significantly let alone turning significantly more generous from a few more months in bottle.In Carolin Gillot’s absence I tasted with her ever-insightful father (and one of Rheinhessen’s foremost qualitative pioneers) Roland Gillot, who relates that the estate didn’t begin picking Riesling until October 11, and finished November 3, “by which time,” he insists, “most of our neighbors had already finished their harvests. But in my long experience, if you wait, at some point stable weather will arrive. I’m also convinced from experience that the organically farmed vineyards (like his family’s) have many fewer problems in a difficult year like 2010, when what botrytis we did get was pure,” i.e. as opposed to mingled with Penicillium or engendering acetification. (I tasted neither the latest generic Kuhling-Gillot estate Riesling nor, especially regrettably, a dry Scheurebe, because the latter – in perhaps a good sign for this nowadays generally too little-loved grape – had sold out without remnant by the time of my September visit.)Imported by Domaine Select Wine Estates, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799

From (as its name states) ungrafted vines – a real rarity anywhere along the Rhine – the Kuhling-Gillot 2009 Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs Wurzelecht is notably lower-acid than other wines in a collection that is already as a whole (and not atypically for Riesling from this stretch of the Rhine Front in a ripe vintage) rather low in acidity. The upshot is enveloping breadth though not much refreshment. Powerful wood smoke, ripe peach, toasted almond, piquant peach kernel and orange zest inform this pithy and substantial if slightly inelegant Riesling. The finish here is gripping though undeniably slightly bitter and warm. Here is another instance of Riesling more formidable than loveable, and one which I would be cautious about holding bottles longer than 4-5 years without rendering an interim assessment. The consumer’s best move would be to hunt-down bottles of Gillot’s exceptional 2008 rendition of this parcel. Like her husband Oliver Spanier (of Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier), Carolin Gillot – for more about whose estate see in particular my reports in issues 185 and 187 – seems disinclined to tolerates residual sugar in her wines. Whether or not it is for that reason that they elected not to bottle the 28 gram residual sugar successor to the superb Kuhling-Gillot 2008 Gewurztraminer feinherb, I do wish I’d had chance to satisfy my curiosity by sampling that wine from cask. (I missed out also on sampling this year’s Kuhling-Gillot Pinot Gris from bottle.)Imported by Domaine Select Wine Estates, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799

This is the most extreme wine we have ever gotten from the Rothenberg, says Oliver Spanier (Gillot’s husband, of Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier) by way of introducing the Kuhling-Gillot 2008 Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs Wurzelecht (referring with that last word on the label to the vines being ungrafted). Gillot and Spanier attempted to handle this “as it would have been a hundred years ago,” with the fruit crushed in the vineyard, concomitantly extended skin time, and very slow spontaneous fermentation. Partly thanks to the buffering effect of the skin contact, it’s almost shockingly low in measurable acidity (5.8 grams) for a German Riesling, but there are certainly no ill effects. Honeysuckle, orange blossom, and citrus zest aromas lead to a bittersweet palate impression of lemon oil, herbal concentrates, peach, and peach kernel. The smoky, pungent, zesty, yet refreshing and somehow also soothing finish beautifully combines elegance and lift with concentration. This should be utterly fascinating to follow this wine’s evolution for at least 8-10 years. It is a delight for there to at last be another wine that does justice to this great riverside site, the more so since this one is diametrically opposed in method and style to the Rothenberg of Gunderloch. Carolin Gillot – for more about whose estate see my report in issue 185 – professes the importance of spontaneous fermentations to retain refinement in her relatively warm sites as well as – in the ideal case – to render less efficient the conversion of sugar to alcohol. As a measure of Gillot’s recent commercial success and excellent press within Germany, not a single bottle of her village-level Riesling from Oppenheim could be found for me to taste – which was last September – and she reported that the last large order had had to be shorted. Given the quality of this latest collection, things are unlikely to get better in regard to the demand-supply ratio!Importer: Domaine Select Wine Estates, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799