Germany's Top Rieslings from 2008 - the Weinwelt Awards 2009

Picture: Cover of Weinwelt


Weinwelt is one of the half dozen or German wine journals, issued by the Maininger Verlag. Every year, they organize the Weinwelt Riesling Award. For the Weinwelt Riesling Award 2009 – the vintage 2008 – 1100 wines were submitted.

Here are the winners.

Riesling of the year

2008 Haardter Bürgergarten Riesling Spätlese trocken vom Weingut Müller-Catoir, Pfalz, Euro 19 (93 Points)

This is an Estate in the Pfalz with a long tradition and, with 4 Gault Millaut Grapes in the group of 10 Estates in the Pfalz with 4 Grapes, behind Oekonomierat Rebholz, the only 5 Grapes Estate in the Pfalz. David Catoir runs the Estate in the 9th generation.

Weingut Mueller-Cator

Riesling Discovery of the year

2008 Anette Closheim Riesling trocken vom Weingut Konrad Closheim , Nahe, Euro 9.50 (91 Points)

This Estate with 9 hectars is run by the father –daughter couple Konrad and Annette Closheim. Not yet in the Gault Millau, but listed as a candidate for 1 Grape.

Weingut Konrad Closheim

Picture: The wines of Baison, Kendermann, Mueller-Catoir, Konrad Closheim (from left to right)

Best noble-sweet Riesling

2008 Eschendorfer Lump Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese vom Weingut Horst Sauer, Franken, Euro 60 (1/2 liter) (95 Points)

One of Germany's stars of noble-sweet wines from Franken; one of the three Estates with 4 Gault Millau Grapes in Franken, with no Estate achieving 5 Grapes.

Weingut Horst Sauer

Best buy Riesling

2008 Hochheimer Hölle Riesling Kabinett trocken vom Weingut Heinrich Baison, Rheingau , Euro 5 (90 Points)

A family run Estate with 6 hectares in Hochheim in the Rheingau, not mentioned in the Gault Millau Guide, but I had already heard from friends that Baison is increasingly making interesting wines and I had plans to drop by there the next time I am in Hochheim. Baison also manages the winery of the Catholic Church in Hochheim.

Weingut Heinrich Baison

Best buy Riesling grocery stores

2008 Kendermanns Riesling Kalkstein QbA trocken von der Reh Kendermann GmbH Weinkellerei, Pfalz, Euro 4.99 (82 Points)

Best buy 1 liter bottle

2008 Riesling QbA trocken vom Weingut Porzelt, Pfalz, Euro 3.90 (86 Points)

The entry wine of the 2 Grapes Gault Millau Estate Porzelt in the one liter bottle. Gault Millau gave the wine only 83 points, but nevertheless, this is the wine I like for the barbecue party Saturday afternoon. Easy drinking, good and inexpensive.

Weingut Porzelt

You find a complete list of the wines that have gotton awards here.

Picture: Ilke Lindemann (Weiwelt), Heinrich and Heinrich Baison, Alexander Rittlinger (Kendermann), Philip Catoir and Martin Franzen (Mueller-Catoir), Anette and Konrad Closheim, Michael Hornickel (Weinwelt)(from left to right)

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