Gimmeldinger Meerspinne Riesling Grosses Gewächs 2020

The Sea Spider was extracted from the Gimmeldingen almond orchard. The name is that of an old vineyard that produces better wines than the rest of the almond orchard, which is why the Sea Spider as large growth and the rest of the almond orchard is declared to be First layer. The Meerspinne site has a limestone and red sandstone marl topsoil on a massive limestone subsoil. The yields here are usually only 40 hl/ha, so that the grapes achieve an optimal fullness of flavour. Harvested on 16.9.2020. The whole clusters were crushed and then slowly pressed after a maceration period of three to six hours. After spontaneous fermentation - which lasted until 14.11.2020 - the wine matured on yeast and fine lees in stainless steel and in large classic wooden barrels until bottling. It was bottled in July 2021.

light platinum

In the "Mersbin", as the location was already called in 1456, Christmann creates the most puristic Great Growths of the portfolio. That is also the case in 2020. The iodine and the fresh breeze are already in the nose. There is also a light note of oxidised apple, then also stone, herbs, rather citrusy notes as well as a little nut, even walnut. The Great Growth still seems largely closed and is chalky, firm and cool with notes of broken limestone. 

This cool, puristic impression should not put you off, however, even if it continues like this on the palate. What impresses here is the clarity, the focus on the taut, austere, citrusy, bony and also sinewy. It is a demanding and at the same time salty and juicy Riesling with very good length and density.