2023 Weingut Bischel Heerkretz Riesling GG

95 pts DD Import
Brilliant GG from the prized site of Heerkretz - further south and on volcanic soils.

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Description

White Wine Collection of the Year
"Christian and Matthias Runkel continue to fly high"
- Eichelmann 2020

”One of the finest winegrowing estates anywhere in Rheinhessen.”
- Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) - the invitation-only elite of German viticulture

Heerkretz takes Bischel’s Riesling onto volcanic ground a bit further south within Rheinhessen, to one of the highest and coolest vineyards around Siefersheim. It’s a fascinating addition to our GG selection, showing just how differently the brothers’ wines express these outstanding sites. 

The vines grow in thin, rocky porphyry soils on a steep slope exposed to cool westerly weather. Ripening is particularly slow here, allowing Christian and Matthias Runkel to harvest fully ripe fruit late in the season while retaining plenty of acidity.

The grapes are picked by hand, given a few hours on skins and gently pressed. Natural yeast fermentation takes place in stainless steel, followed by ten months on lees to build texture and depth. Initially reserved, it opens with air to reveal grapefruit, lemon peel and peach, with smoky spice and a fresh herbal lift. The palate is concentrated and taut, with fine grip and a long, salty finish.

It's fascinating to see all three of Bischel’s GGs together: limestone, quartzite and volcanic rock, each producing a distinctly different Riesling. Heerkretz brings the cool-site freshness and concentration, with the cellaring potential and exceptional value that made this range such an exciting import for us.

”The Rising Star of Northern Rheinhessen.”
- Stephan Reinhardt (The Wine Advocate)

”One of the best producers in the country of premium wines.”
- Wein-Plus.eu

”Crystalline and compelling expressions of limestone.”
- JancisRobinson.com

 

The highly-sought after and modern icon - the GG-classified Heerkretz vineyard

95 points - "Very elegant and pretty savory on the very focused, medium-bodied palate. Wonderful peachy fruit and intense wet-stone minerality. Limited production from organically grown grapes. Drink or hold." - JamesSuckling.com

95 points - "Smoky, reductive aromas with yeast, caraway, kimchi, stoniness, earthiness, chestnut flour, apple, apple peel and dried lime peel. Impressively demonstrates how site, the individuality of nature and craftsmanship create a Riesling that represents both poles." - Falstaff

92 points (Excellent) - "A firm, yeasty, smoky, and distinctly mineral scent with yellow fruity aromas, herbs, nutty hints, marjoram, saffron, and a touch of dark ethereal nuances. Taut, juicy, cool-appearing, dense fruit, lively, very fine acidity, and some grip, smoky, yeasty, and subtly floral notes, persistent on the palate, has substance, some grip and depth, pronounced, bright, salty-chalky minerality, a bit of spring onion, floral and dark berry nuances, very good, firm, juicy, finely spicy, and bitter-mineral finish." - Wine Plus

Vineyard

The grapes come from the unique top vineyard Siefersheimer Heerkretz. The vines in Heerkretz grow on rocky, barren porphyry soils. This volcanic rock of origin can only be found in this part of the Rheinhessen region. The steep slope, which is open to the west, is one of the highest and coolest vineyards in the area and its exposure favours an extremely long ripening period for the grapes. These special conditions make a wine style possible that is racy, cool and lean on the one hand. On the other hand, however, it counteracts with salty minerality, concentration and power.

Vinification

The very late harvest of the highly ripe grapes is done by hand. For optimal extraction of the aromatic substances, the grapes are gently crushed in the winery and left to stand in their own juice for a few hours. After gentle pressing, the juice ferments with natural yeasts in stainless steel tanks. After 10 months of yeast storage, the wine is bottled in the summer.

Tasting notes

At first very closed, smoky spicy notes appear. With increasing aeration, multi-layered aromas of lemon peel, grapefruit and red peach unfold. Very powerful on the palate with a fine freshness reminiscent of mint and ripe yellow stone fruit. A persistent and balanced Riesling with salty mineral notes on the finish.

Analysis

alcohol: 13 % vol.; residual sugar: 2.8 g/l; acidity: 7.3 g/l

Price Bracket $101 and Above
Type White
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Riesling
Country Germany
Region Rheinhessen
Critic Score 95
Alcohol 13%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure DIAM Cork

Weingut Bischel

Two brothers, a family estate and some outstanding vineyard sites have made Weingut Bischel one of Rheinhessen’s most exciting emerging producers. Christian and Matthias Runkel have led the winemaking since 2006, building on the Appenheim estate their grandfather founded in 1968.

They brought home some impressive experience too. Matthias trained at Keller and New Zealand’s Neudorf, while Christian worked at Tim Adams in the Clare Valley and Backsberg in South Africa, before the pair turned their attention to the family vineyards.

The real draw is the land they farm. Their top Rieslings come from three distinctly different and remarkably old (up to 900 years!) sites: limestone-rich Hundertgulden, quartzite-based Scharlachberg and the volcanic soils of Heerkretz, giving them an unusually broad range of vineyard characters to explore.

Organic farming, carefully controlled yields and picking at the right moment underpin the approach, with use of wild yeasts, lees and old wood where necessary adding texture and complexity. Riesling is a major focus, but the brothers are equally serious about the Burgundy varieties, with freshness, structure and the ability to age central to their ambitions.

Bischel joined Germany’s prestigious VDP growers’ association in 2019, followed by Eichelmann’s award for the country’s Best White Wine Collection in 2020. This is a modern star of Rheinhessen, and tremendous value for money for Rieslings (and others) of this calibre.

Christian and Matthias Runkel in the ancient grosse lage vineyard - Scharlachberg. Weingut Bischel Collection

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