Riesling Jungfer Grosses Gewächs 2021

Wine Description for Riesling Jungfer Grosses Gewächs 2021 by Peter Jakob Kühn

Colour & Appearance

Medium straw yellow with vibrant, crystalline brilliance in the glass – a wine that promises intrigue from the very first glance.

Nose

The nose opens cool and precise: fresh citrus notes – lime, lemon zest – form the foundation, woven through with a hint of smoke and tobacco. Beneath lies a mineral depth reminiscent of crushed slate, complemented by the delicate elegance of white flowers. A bouquet of impressive clarity and complexity.

Palate

On the palate, the Jungfer unfolds with an almost electric energy: juicy, deep and precise, carried by notes of stone, sea salt as well as citrus fruit and ripe stone fruit. The texture is a fascinating contradiction – simultaneously creamy and silky yet taut and threaded through with remarkably firm extract. The acidity is no burden, but rather the backbone of this wine: vibrant, integrated, driving.

Finish

Long, saline-mineral and of great precision. The finish resonates like a pure note – clear, lingering, unobtrusive. A wine that invites contemplation.

Terroir & Origin

The Hallgartener Jungfer sits at around 220 metres above sea level, directly above the Doosberg in the Rheingau. The soils consist of erosion material from the Rheingau mountains with a high quartzite content, mixed with loess loam – a combination that gives the wine its characteristic tension between richness and minerality. The slightly south-easterly exposure creates a somewhat cooler microclimate that emphasises the acidity structure and freshness of the 2021 vintage.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pure Riesling, aged in a specially acquired Stockinger wooden barrel, used exclusively for this wine. Through years of using the same barrel, the wood influence is barely perceptible – the ageing serves maturation and integration, not aromatics. The result is a Grosses Gewächs of fine authenticity and unadulterated vineyard site character.

Food Pairing Suggestions

The combination of minerality, citrus fruit and salinity makes this Riesling an ideal companion for grilled eagle fish in a broth of yellow tomatoes, ginger and fermented garlic as well as for skewers of scallops fermented in lemon shiro koji. For those thinking vegetarian, tandoori cauliflower with ginger and shiro miso makes a congenial partner – the spicy depth of the dish mirrors itself beautifully in the wine’s minerality.

Special Features

The Jungfer GG 2021 is an impressive testament to how Peter Jakob Kühn fuses terroir and craftsmanship into a unified whole. The 2021 vintage – cool, acidity-driven, of high natural freshness – suits the vineyard site and the house style extraordinarily well. A wine with ageing potential that fascinates today, but will reveal its full potential in five to ten years.