Spiess Riesling Trocken

The Spiess Riesling Trocken is a fantastic example of the great leaps forward that have occurred in the Rheinhessen in Germany. As the country’s largest wine region, it was historically the preserve of mainly mass market semi-sweet wines, but has undergone a seismic transformation in quality output over recent years. Weingut Spiess are a family run outfit based in Bechtheim in the south of the region and they own and farm 32 hectares of vineyards. The two brothers, Johannes & Christian, are responsible for the winemaking in the cellar and vineyards respectively. All of their wines display a wonderful minerality and saline note. Just what I am looking for in any Riesling in particular. They farm sustainably and are in the process of transitioning to full Organic status as well. I won’t put them down as Organic just yet though. More a technicality though. The Riesling Trocken is dry, as described, but you’d be forgiven for thinking it is sweeter than it actually is. This is down to the intensity of the fruit on show here. Really lemony with tangy lime zest, nectarine, green apple with that beautiful zingy minerality and salty backbone. This is what brings this fruit driven number full circle into a bone dry wine on the extremely long finish. I adore Riesling because it can be such a turbo charged flavour bomb of a wine like this. A cracking alternative to many Viogniers, NZ Sauvignon Blancs and the like.