Schloss Johannisberg Rotlack Riesling Kabinett 2023

Profile & Story

Schloss Johannisberg is one of the most historic estates in Germany, its single 50-hectare vineyard enclosing Johannisberg Castle in a semicircle sloping down to the Rhine in the Rheingau; the estate is famously credited with the 1775 'discovery' of late-harvest (Spatlese) winemaking after a courier carrying harvest orders from the Fulda monastery was delayed and the overripe, botrytis-affected grapes were pressed anyway, with spectacular results. The vineyard's soil is Taunus quartzite topped with fertile loam and loess, with a small amount of iron dioxide giving parts of the soil a reddish tint. Per the estate's official technical sheet for this exact 2023 bottling: 100% Riesling, hand-picked and gently pressed, fermented entirely in stainless steel, matured on the fine lees and bottled in March 2024. Analysis: 23.8 g/l residual sugar, 8.6 g/l acidity, 11% ABV.

Pairing Recommendation

Suggested by the producer: goat's cheese au gratin with beet, pine nuts and herb honey; veloute of bear's garlic with crayfish, orange oil and croutons; yellowtail mackerel with langoustine tartare and green apple.