# Rüdesheim Berg Schlossberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs GG (2017)

- **Producer:** Weingut Künstler
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Riesling
- **Region:** Rheingau, Germany
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €80
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** apricot, lychee, rose, peach, lemon, grapefruit, apple, pear, bread, smoke, petrol, kerosene, ginger, honey

## About this wine

Weingut Künstler, led by Gunter Künstler, has winemaking roots dating back to 1648 in South Moravia before relocating to the Rheingau after WWII. While most of Künstler's holdings are in the eastern Rheingau on heavy clay, this wine represents a rare passion project from the western Rheingau's steep quartzite cliffs. The estate owns a microscopic 0.1-hectare parcel in the legendary Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg, the steepest vineyard in the region with up to a 70% slope. Overlooking the historic ruins of Burg Ehrenfels, this dramatic site yields a Riesling of incredible tension and vertical salinity.

## Interesting facts

- Weingut Künstler owns a microscopic 0.1-hectare parcel in the legendary 25-hectare Berg Schlossberg vineyard.
- The Berg Schlossberg is the steepest vineyard in the Rheingau, featuring dramatic slopes of up to 70% inclination.
- The vineyard is named after the ruins of Burg Ehrenfels, a 13th-century castle built by the Archbishops of Mainz.
- Due to the extreme slope and rigorous berry-by-berry selection in 2017, only 500 to 900 bottles of this wine were produced.

## Food pairing

This bone-dry, high-acid Riesling acts as a brilliant palate cleanser. Its intense mineral drive and vibrant acidity cut through the richness of premium seafood like lobster and scallops, while its pronounced flavor intensity matches the complex aromatics of lightly spiced Thai or Sichuan dishes without being overwhelmed.

## Wine making process

The 2017 harvest required meticulous hand-selection by a specialized team to sort grapes berry-by-berry directly in the steep vineyard, ensuring only pristine fruit was harvested. After gentle pressing, the clean musts underwent temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks to preserve the pure fruit and mineral character. The wine was then aged for 4 to 5 months on its fine lees in large, neutral oak casks (großes Holzfass) to build texture, integration, and structural longevity before bottling.