Steiner Riesling 17-23

Wine Description for Steiner Riesling 17-23 by Schätzel

Colour & Appearance

Luminous lemon yellow with golden shimmer and bright reflections – a wine that already hints at its maturity visually.

Nose

Here a Riesling reveals itself beyond all conventions: forget primary fruit aromas. Instead, a contemplative minerality presents itself, reminiscent of damp stones after summer rain. Only delicately do Nashi pear and lime zest emerge, flanked by kaffir lime leaves. The true complexity unfolds through dried herbs – oregano, marjoram, mint – and a fascinating Sencha tea note. A nose that rewards patience and radiates calm.

Palate

Surprisingly structured and phenolic for a Riesling. Finest tannins lend grip and texture, almost as if one were tasting a white wine with skin contact. Austere and forceful at once, with a pleasant bitter tone that creates tension. The fruit retreats entirely in favour of an ethereal freshness and mineral stringency. A challenging yet utterly fascinating wine that invites dialogue.

Finish

Long, dry and of consistent austerity. The mineral precision continues, carried by vibrant acidity and subtle bitter notes.

Terroir & Origin

The grapes come from the top vineyard sites of the legendary Roter Hang in Rheinhessen: Ölberg, Hipping and Pettenthal. Steep to very steep slopes on Rotliegendes, partly cultivated in pergola system and in the shade – a terroir that defines minerality and finesse.

Grape Variety & Vinification

A fascinating Solera system unites the vintages 2017 to 2023 (emphasis on 2021-2023). After foot maceration and cold maceration, spontaneous alcoholic and malolactic fermentation follows. Maturation under flor yeast in large wooden barrels lasts on average 32 months, sometimes up to 72 months. A wine that requires time and gives time.

Food Pairing Recommendations

This wine demands equally distinctive dishes: oysters, scallops with cauliflower, grilled turbot, calf sweetbreads or roasted duck with herbs. Also a revelation with mature Comté or Gruyère.

Special Characteristics

A radically distinctive Riesling that deliberately breaks with conventions. The combination of Solera system and flor yeast maturation creates a wine of rare complexity and maturity – nothing for fruit bomb lovers, but a feast for the contemplative.