Riesling Sankt Nikolaus Grosses Gewächs 2022

Wine Description for Riesling Sankt Nikolaus Grosses Gewächs 2022 by Peter Jakob Kühn

Colour & Appearance

Intense straw yellow with pale golden shimmer – a wine that visually hints at its 16 months on full lees.

Nose

A fascinating tension between reductive and oxidative notes, impressively reflecting Kühn’s artisanal philosophy. The reductive side reveals itself with smoke and stone, whilst the oxidative component contributes bruised apple, apple skins, hops and yeast notes. Between these unfold lemon oil, blonde tobacco, pastry hints, herbs and ripe apricots – an aromatic complexity that demands time to discover.

Palate

Here the full duality of this Grosses Gewächs reveals itself: airy and weightlessly light on one side, earthy and stony on the other. The wine possesses a remarkable inner tension – juicy and saline, with piquant liveliness and deep energy. The taut yet charming acidity gives it backbone without compromising elegance.

Finish

Long, mouth-watering saline with lingering intensity. The mineral component remains present and leaves a lasting impression of depth and precision.

Terroir & Origin

The vineyard site Sankt Nikolaus in Mittelheim directly on the Rhine is planted with vines up to 65 years old. The south-facing vineyard benefits from calcareous, sandy loess, interspersed with terrace sediments and marine sand from the Alzey Formation – a terroir that gives the wine its characteristic minerality.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Hand-harvested Riesling grapes pressed as whole bunches over several hours. Spontaneous fermentation and 16 months ageing on full lees in traditional large wooden casks (1,200 l and 2,400 l) without intervention in the natural must composition – authentic biodynamics the Kühn way.

Food Recommendations

Pan-fried char with herb butter, scallops on fennel vegetables, veal sweetbreads with morels, mature Comté or Beaufort d’Alpage. The wine also harmonises beautifully with oysters or truffle-based dishes.

Special Features

At only 11.5% alcohol, a prime example of elegance and drinkability. A wine that exemplifies Peter Jakob Kühn’s biodynamic philosophy and his trust in natural processes – authentic, unadorned, living.