# Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Spätlese (2022)

- **Producer:** Weingut Robert Weil
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Riesling
- **Region:** Rheingau, Germany
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 9.0%
- **Average price:** €50
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–14 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** peach, apricot, plum, lemon, grapefruit, orange, lime, herbaceous, cream, butter, honey

## About this wine

Founded in 1875 by Dr. Robert Weil, Weingut Robert Weil is internationally revered as the quality pioneer of the Rheingau region in Germany. Today, the estate is directed by Wilhelm Weil, the fourth generation of the family, who maintains a historic 'Château character' and has sustainably grown the estate to 90 hectares. The Kiedrich Gräfenberg is a steep, southwest-facing single vineyard renowned for its unique soil composition, featuring a high concentration of phyllite slate. This distinctive terroir imparts a striking saline and savory tension to the wines, making Gräfenberg one of the most celebrated Grand Cru (VDP.Grosse Lage) sites in Germany.

## Interesting facts

- Since 1989, Robert Weil has harvested every Riesling quality category from dry Gutswein to Trockenbeerenauslese in an uninterrupted sequence.
- The steep Kiedrich Gräfenberg vineyard features vines up to 80 years old, many of which are planted on their own rootstocks.
- The 2022 vintage achieved an impressive 9.3 g/L of total acidity, perfectly balancing its 68.8 g/L of residual sugar.

## Food pairing

The high residual sweetness of this Spätlese acts as a perfect foil for spicy Asian dishes, taming the heat of chili and spices, while its bracing, high acidity cuts through rich, fatty proteins like pork belly or duck. The wine's intense mineral tension and stone fruit profile also beautifully complement the salty, pungent character of blue cheeses.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process at Weingut Robert Weil emphasizes purity and minimal intervention. Grapes are harvested entirely by hand through meticulous, selective picking. In 2022, the Riesling grapes were harvested at peak ripeness without any botrytis influence, ensuring clean varietal focus. In the cellar, the grapes undergo very gentle processing. Fermentation is carried out using indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks or traditional large German oak casks called Doppelstück (2,400-liter barrels). The wine is then matured on its fine lees prior to bottling to build structure, texture, and complexity.