Riesling Lenchen Beerenauslese 2018 375ml

Wine Description for Riesling Lenchen Beerenauslese 2018 375ml by Peter Jakob Kühn

Colour & Appearance

A deep, luminous straw yellow – already in the glass, the concentration and maturity of this extraordinary dessert wine announces itself.

Nose

The nose is a bewitching interplay of layers: kumquat and grapefruit open the bouquet with citrus-fresh vibrancy, before pineapple, quince and ripe stone fruits push to the fore. A subtle hint of smoke and noble botrytis lends the whole depth and complexity, whilst a fleeting, seductive musk note provides the finale. Rarely does noble rot reveal itself so elegantly and precisely.

Palate

On the palate, the true greatness of this wine unfolds: weightlessly light despite impressive substance. The opulent, sun-ripened yellow fruit is kept in check by lively citrus aromatics and a fine, invigorating acidity. A subtle salinity creates an almost mouth-watering effect – a rare feat for a wine of this residual sweetness. Creamy and silky, it spreads across the entire palate.

Finish

The finish is long, very long – for minutes the wine remains present on the palate. Fruit, acidity and a fine minerality fade harmoniously. Not a gram of the 238.8 grams of residual sugar feels cumbersome or sticky.

Terroir & Origin

The Oestricher Lenchen in the Rheingau is a vineyard site of historic rank. The name derives from the “lehne” (slope) of the Pfingstbach, whose early morning mists create the conditions for the coveted Botrytis cinerea. The soil of clayey loess with iron oxide-bearing quartzite veins – once the hill was simply called the “Eiserberg” – gives the wines a distinctive mineral character and structural tension.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pure Riesling, aged in stainless steel to preserve the purity of the fruit and the freshness of the aromas unaltered. With 6.0% vol. alcohol, 238.8 g/l residual sugar and 8.1 g/l acidity, the wine displays the classic tension of great German noble sweet wines: opulence and lightness in one.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Classically with stone fruit tart or a goat’s cheese crème with marinated pears. For those seeking contrast, reach for game terrine with apple brunoise – the interplay between savoury spice and fruity sweetness is simply irresistible.

Special Features

The vintage 2018 was an exceptional year in the Rheingau – warmth and ideal botrytis conditions gave Peter Jakob Kühn noble sweet wines of the highest calibre in the Lenchen. This Beerenauslese in the 375 ml bottle is a collector’s piece and a wine for special moments – and made for decades of ageing.