2023 Weingut Bischel Hundertgulden Riesling GG

95 pts DD Import
Bischel's home ground in Appenheim and a seriously ambitious project, with old vines and a historically prized site.

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Sale price$125.00
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Description

Hundertgulden was prized vineyard land long before Bischel came along. First recorded in 1148, it earned its name in the 14th century from the substantial sums paid for its best plots in Rhenish gold florins.

Today, Christian and Matthias Runkel make one of their finest dry Rieslings from an old-vine parcel on these steep slopes above Appenheim. Classified VDP.Grosse Lage, the German equivalent of Grand Cru, it’s a special vineyard making some of Rheinhessen's finest Rieslings.

The limestone beneath Hundertgulden began as ancient coral reefs, with water-retaining layers that help sustain the vines. Warm southern and southwestern exposures meet cool westerly winds, giving the grapes a long, slow ripening season.

The brothers pick late and by hand in several passes, then ferment with native yeasts and leave the wine on lees for ten months. Apple, peach and citrus sit alongside subtle floral and nutty notes, with generous texture, fine acidity and a salty, chalky finish that carries on beautifully.

This is Bischel's home ground in Appenheim and a seriously ambitious project, with old vines and a historically prized site. Serious dry Riesling, and remarkable value at this level.

 

 

The remarkable and historic GG-classified Hundertgulden vineyard

95 points - "Layered perfume, apple, apple peel, some lilac and the stony aromas of the Hundertgulden. Great penetration on the palate, responsible for extract and above all minerality, the stone becomes energy, sour apple, some citrus, the mosaic becomes a painting." - Falstaff

94 points - "This Rheinhessen riesling GG has a very Burgundian generosity and textural complexity on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Wonderful integration of leesy character with peachy fruit and fresh nuts. Very long, silky finish. Drink or hold." - JamesSuckling.com

93 points (Excellent) - "Fest, herb and deep, smoky to fatty and herbal aroma with citrus notes, some stone fruit, chalky hints, herb mushrooms and bacon. Firm, ripe, distinctly juicy fruit, lively, very fine acidity and grip, smoky on the palate, clearly mineral, vegetal, slightly reminiscent of pak choi tones, very slight sweetness, somewhat curry-like yellow spice, persistent, a bit ethereal, pineapple and tangerine in the background, also delicate shell tones, very good, juicy and spicy finish with fine sharpness and again clearly mineral energy." - Wein Plus

Vineyard

First mentioned in 1148, the site stretches east of Appenheim along the Westerberg. The Hundertgulden received its present name in the 14th century, when large sums in Rhenish gold florins were paid for the best plots.

The grapes come from an old vineyard in our VDP.GROSSEN LAGE Appenheimer Hundertgulden. Limestone rock and marl formed from the coral beds of the tertiary primeval sea characterise the soil there. The steep, southwest-facing slope with its high carbonate content allows the grapes to fully ripen very slowly and produces wines with razor-sharp minerality and clarity. Pure limestone!

Vinification

The very late harvest of the highly ripe grapes is staggered 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 must ferments with the vineyard's own yeasts. After 10 months of yeast storage, the wine is bottled in the summer.

Analysis

alcohol: 13 % vol.; residual sugar: 3.8 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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