# Jungfer Hallgarten Riesling Kabinett (2024)

- **Producer:** Weingut Prinz
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Riesling
- **Region:** Rheingau, Germany
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 9.0%
- **Average price:** €18
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 7–9 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blossom, apple, peach, lemon, gooseberry, fennel, smoke, petrol, honey

## About this wine

Weingut Prinz, located in the Rheingau region of Germany, was established in 1991 by Fred and Sabine Prinz. What began as a small 'garage winery' while Fred worked as the head winemaker for the historic Kloster Eberbach has grown into a highly respected 12-hectare family estate. Today, Fred and his son Florian practice certified organic and biodynamic viticulture. The Hallgartener Jungfer vineyard is a classified VDP.GROSSE LAGE® (Grand Cru) site. Its name, meaning 'Maiden' or 'Virgin,' dates back to the Middle Ages when Cistercian monks dedicated the exceptional vineyard to the Virgin Mary. The site is characterized by its unique sand-quartzite soils, which absorb heat during the day and radiate it back to the vines at night, producing wines of remarkable longevity and distinct minerality.

## Interesting facts

- The vineyard's name 'Jungfer' (Maiden) was given by medieval Cistercian monks to honor the Virgin Mary for the site's heavenly grapes.
- Weingut Prinz started as a 'garage winery' in 1991, producing just 3,000 bottles annually as a hobby before turning full-time in 2004.
- The estate has been 100% certified organic since 2018, utilizing biodynamic plant teas like nettle and chamomile to strengthen the vines.

## Food pairing

This Kabinett Riesling is a masterclass in balancing sweet and spicy elements. The natural residual sweetness of the wine acts as a cooling agent against the heat of chili-laden Szechuan, Thai, or Indian dishes, while its laser-like acidity cuts through rich fats like pork belly or creamy blue cheeses, cleansing the palate after each bite.

## Wine making process

The grapes for this Kabinett are sourced from the cooler, elevated slopes of the Hallgartener Jungfer vineyard. To preserve the signature feather-light freshness and vibrant acidity, the Riesling grapes are hand-harvested early in the season. In the cellar, the fruit undergoes a gentle pressing followed by a slow, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks. This process preserves the pure, pristine fruit esters and stops naturally to retain the residual grape sugars, achieving a perfect balance between sweetness and high acidity without the use of animal-derived fining agents.