Riesling “Maikammer Kirchenstück” 2024

Wine description for Riesling “Maikammer Kirchenstück” 2024 by M. Schädler – Steffen Mugler

Colour & Appearance

Straw yellow with a silvery rim – clear and bright in the glass.

Nose

An opulent opening: yellow Cox’s Orange Pippin, plump pears, quince and rosy-cheeked peaches fill the fruit basket to the brim. Overlaid are fine herbal notes – woodruff, tarragon, chervil, a hint of cucumber herb – and a delicate vanilla spice that lends the wine an almost Burgundian allure.

Palate

But beware: anyone expecting a soft wine after the opulent nose will be surprised. The attack is firmly contoured, taut and bone-dry. Of the fruit, only the extract remains – disciplined, linear, pithy. The ripe acidity meets fine phenolics, giving the wine an almost chewable texture. A structural experience, not a play of fruit.

Finish

The tension persists right to the end. A pleasantly long finish, shaped more by minerality and grip than sweetness – a wine that lingers long after the last sip.

Terroir & Origin

The Maikammer Kirchenstück ranks among the historic top vineyard sites of this village on the Südliche Weinstraße. The weathered coloured sandstone imparts to the Riesling that fine minerality which sets it apart from simpler wines. Maikammer lies sheltered at the edge of the Haardt mountains, where the climate is mild and the grapes ripen with an optimal diurnal temperature range.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Riesling from spontaneous fermentation – Mugler lets the yeasts living in the vineyard and cellar do their work. The result: complex yeast-derived notes, depth, a wine with substance rather than mere fruitiness.

Food Pairings

The structure demands substance on the plate: pan-fried sea bream with fennel, veal schnitzel in lemon butter, asparagus with hollandaise sauce or even mature Comté. The herbal notes complement dishes featuring fresh herbs and citrus fruits.

Special Characteristics

This Riesling defies expectations: the nose promises generosity, the palate delivers rigour. This discrepancy – opulent on the nose, disciplined on the palate – makes it a wine for connoisseurs who prefer depth over surface appeal. Not a wine for quick enjoyment, but one that demands and rewards attention.