NUMEN Riesling 2020

Physiologically highly ripe grapes were harvested from our own selection of old Riesling vines in the Steinthal vineyard on 28 September 2020. Intracellular maceration took place over ten days in Kvevri, after which the wine was matured for 14 months on the lees without intervention in 600-litre tonneaux with a proportion of 10 % fresh berries. Bottling took place without fining with 20 mg/L sulphites in February 2023. The pH value is 3.2 and the residual sugar is 2 grams.

medium golden yellow

Neither the colour nor the aroma of this NUMEN is directly reminiscent of Riesling. You have to work your way through the grape variety. But that doesn't matter, because it's fun to sniff into the glass right from the start. It smells of hay and straw, crunchy apples and quinces, ripe apricots and yellow plums. There are also tobacco and stony aspects, wool wax and a little smoke, a subtle woody note and sweet yeast.

This slightly sweet note of yeast and extract can be found on the palate, although the wine is almost completely fermented with two grams. However, this component adds a lot of charm to this lively, highly complex wine. There is plenty of ripe yellow fruit, zest, a grippy tannin, a taut, lively acidity and the associated tension. There is also a slightly smoky, iodised-salty component, some lime and pepper. For classic Riesling drinkers, this may not seem particularly typical of the variety, but in return you have an outstanding, absolutely harmonious wine in your glass - chapeau!