2018 Dreissigacker ‘Bechteimer’ Riesling, Rheinessen, Germany

Since Jochen Dreissigacker took on this estate from his parents a few years ago, things have been shaken up and he's built an enviable reputation for his wines. He has become a driving force in the quality revolution in the Rheinhessen and like his mentor, Klaus Peter Keller, his rise to fame and quality has been impressive, especially for the dry, pure Rieslings that he makes. The vineyards situated around the village of Bechtheim in the Rheinhessen area are low yielding and they use as little intervention as possible in the winery.   Why do we like it?   For the Bechteimer, the grapes were hand harvested and underwent spontaneous fermentation using wild yeasts. While most of the wine was vinified in stainless steel, 10% did so in barrel. The result is a wine full of ripe fruit aromas of citrus, nectarine and apricot, along with light spice notes. The palate is delightfully refreshing, with the elegant medium body very well balanced by a crisp acidity and mineral subtones.      Grape            Riesling Country        Germany                                  Region          Rheinessen                            Vintage         2018