Riesling Kirchenstück GG 2024

Wine description for Riesling Kirchenstück GG 2024 by Battenfeld-Spanier

Character

The Kirchenstück ranks among the historically most significant vineyard sites of Rheinhessen and delivers a Riesling of impressive precision at Battenfeld-Spanier. As a Großes Gewächs (Great Growth), this wine represents the pinnacle of VDP classification – dry-styled, with moderate alcohol content and that crystalline clarity which distinguishes great Rieslings. The Battenfeld-Spanier family has established itself in recent years as one of the most consistent addresses for terroir-driven wines in Rheinhessen.

Terroir & Origin

The Kirchenstück lies in Hohen-Sülzen and belongs to the warmer vineyard sites of Rheinhessen. The limestone soils with their fossil inclusions from the Tertiary period shape the character profoundly: they lend the Riesling structure, minerality and that saline tension which great vineyard site wines require. Battenfeld-Spanier manages the vineyards biodynamically and allows the soils time to tell their story. Rheinhessen’s continental climate with its warm days and cool nights enables optimal ripeness whilst maintaining acidity freshness.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Riesling finds perhaps its most exciting expression on limestone – taut, spicy, with a texture that recalls Burgundy rather than the Mosel. Battenfeld-Spanier works with spontaneous fermentation, lengthy yeast ageing and minimal intervention. The 2024 vintage promises, following a challenging yet qualitatively excellent vintage year, wines of great elegance. At 12.5% alcohol, the wine remains light-footed without sacrificing substance – a sign of precise harvesting and restraint in the cellar.

Food Pairing Recommendations

A wine of this concentration demands thoughtful accompaniment: scallops with cauliflower, turbot in beurre blanc or sweetbreads with morels. This Riesling also shows its class alongside aged Comté or goat’s cheese. The limestone spice harmonises beautifully with oysters and other shellfish, whilst the structure also carries more robust poultry dishes.