The Ölberg-Hart Königsbach Riesling Grosses Gewächs 2023 from Weingut A. Christmann presents itself as a powerful, balanced dry wine from the Palatinate, perfectly reflecting the biodynamic approach and the terroir of the vineyard site.
Bottler: Winery A. Christmann, Peter-Koch-Str. 43, 67435 Gimmeldingen/Pfalz / Germany
In the glass
Colour
A platinum radiance in the glass.
Nose
Fine, sensual fruit with peach blossom, yellow plums, apple, lemon and mirabelle, refined by smoky, graphite and chalky nuances.
Palate
Silky texture with flavours of mirabelle and apricot, revealing a dark, stony and slightly phenolic component on the palate, accompanied by a creamy to finely abrasive structure.
Character
A serious wine of sensory precision, which, through biodynamic viticulture and the distinctive terroir of the VDP.Grosse Lage across 17 hectares, showcases pure Riesling in a powerful yet elegant manner.
Pairing
Harmonious with smoked fish dishes, goat’s cheese or particularly expressive cuisine featuring smoke and brick notes.
Notes
Maturation takes place in a large Doppelstück cask with maceration and spontaneous fermentation, without filtration, fully biodynamic since 2003 on this respekt-BIODYN certified vineyard.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Platinum-hued, cool and clear – a wine that reveals its serious intent even in the glass.
Nose
More fruit-driven than in previous vintages, yet refined and sensual: peach blossom, yellow plum and apple, alongside lemon and mirabelle. Beneath lies a smoky undertone of graphite and limestone, lending depth to the bouquet.
Palate
On the palate, the wine sheds its reserve and reveals its charm: a silky texture, with flavours of mirabelle and apricot, counterpointed by a dark, stony, slightly phenolic component. The texture evolves from cream to fine emery – serious, yet by no means austere.
Finish
Long and persistent, with salty minerality and an echo of stone and citrus fruit.
Terroir & origin
Ölberg-Hart is the heart of the Königsbach Ölberg vineyard site, surrounding the Ölberg-Weg chapel. The soil consists of Tertiary calcareous marl – known as Terra fusca – mixed with Buntsandstein scree in the topsoil. Classified as a VDP.Grosse Lage since 2013. The A. Christmann estate in Gimmeldingen, family-owned since 1798, has been farmed biodynamically since 2003 according to the guidelines of respekt-BIODYN and EU organic certification.
Grape variety & vinification
Pure Riesling, spontaneously fermented at warm temperatures and matured in a large Doppelstück cask. The juice spent several hours on the skins, imparting the wine’s dense, phenolic structure.
Food recommendations
A wine for pan-fried turbot with beurre blanc, sweetbreads with morels, or aged Comté. It also pairs beautifully with roasted cauliflower finished with brown butter and almonds.
Special characteristics
The texture is what sets this wine apart: that transition from creamy richness to a fine, almost abrasive grip – a Riesling that convinces through structure as much as through fruit. Added to this is the salty minerality, which Steffen Christmann describes as a reflection of the calcareous marl soil, and which lends the wine its silken elegance.
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