Before diving in, a quick note for better context regarding my notes: I conducted the tastings blind – as much as possible. I was only aware of the region, the vineyard, and the flight number, but I did not know the specific wines or wineries in each flight. In the wines described here, it’s not always about assigning the highest objective rating; it’s also about whether a wine personally moved me. Goosebumps? A cozy campfire feeling? Or simply pure joy? These are the factors I’ve included in my personal highlights listed below.

However, the impressions I share here should only be seen as snapshots and interpreted accordingly. They come together to form a complete picture, one made up of many individual pieces. In my case: the picture of the 2023 vintage for Riesling – and occasionally 2022. My impressions of the 2022 and 2023 Pinot Noirs and Silvaners are available here.

Since a detailed description of all 444 wines would exceed the scope of this blog, I have focused on the highlights of each region and their overall impression. One thing I will mention in advance: The Rieslings of the 2023 vintage have shown themselves to be much more harmonious and enjoyable across the board compared to the often very heterogeneous and hard-to-approach 2022s.

Monday morning began with the Mosel—a region I celebrate for its elegant, graceful fruit and noble sweet wines. However, I often have reservations when it comes to the dry wines from this area. This year, though, the Mosel surprised me. Unlike the heat- and drought-stressed 2022 vintage, 2023 presented itself as juicy, balanced, and more mature than expected. The Rieslings struck me as overall firmer, spicier, drier—yet at the same time juicier, with excellent balance. Particularly the Saar and Ruwer regions stood out—once again—in a positive light. Around Bernkastel, however, I found only a few highlights, and even the wines from the Terrassenmosel couldn’t quite match the level of previous years. That said, this could also be due to the many barrel samples Heymann-Löwenstein brought along—making a final judgment difficult.

Now let’s turn to the wines that truly excited me. When several wines from a single winery impress me, I compile them into a “winery report.” If you’re curious about my rating system, you can find more information here.

Best Collection – Mosel

For me, the best collection from the Mosel this year was delivered by Van Volxem. A total of 10 GGs were presented – each with its own distinct character, yet unmistakably shaped by the house’s signature style. The wines consistently had a firm core, were spicy, elegant, with lively acidity and a wonderfully juicy finish. I especially want to highlight the Scharzhofberger P (Pergetsknopp): Dark spices meet freshly cut grapefruit. On the palate, it’s dense and complex, with vibrant acidity and a powerful, structured core. The spicy, salty finish is challenging. A truly great wine. I was also pleasantly surprised by the Geisberg. Producing a GG in the sixth year after planting was not well received by all tasters in Wiesbaden. I, too, was initially skeptical – after all, a certain vine age is almost a “requirement” for a GG. But Roman proved me wrong. Because, I was completely off the mark regarding the age of the vines. The GG comes from a parcel acquired only last year, which Van Volxem was missing for its monopoly. The vines are 30 years old. Ginger spice and grapefruit on the nose, and then linear and elegant on the palate, with racy acidity, a dark, spicy core, and a salty-juicy finish. Excellent. Not incredibly deep and long, but that would be an unfair expectation at this early stage. A debut that will bring great joy in the coming years.

Worth mentioning

I was equally impressed by Zilliken’s Rausch, which – once again – displayed a very distinctive sense of place. The slightly smoky nose carried through on the palate, complemented by lively acidity, ripe, cool fruit, and a spicy-salty finish. A beautiful balance and simply a pleasure to drink. Excellent. Maximin Grünhaus once again delivered an outstanding collection. Brudersberg, Herrenberg, and Abtsberg showed vibrant energy, with the typical Grünhaus spice, solid structure, gripping intensity, excellent balance, and juiciness. The Abtsberg particularly stood out this year – darker, more complex, and denser than usual, with a firm core, yet beautifully balanced. Salty, elegant, and with a certain majesty. A wine that deeply impressed me. Great. Clemens Busch also delivered consistently excellent quality, though his wines didn’t move me as much as they have in the past. And let’s not forget Fritz Haag. All three GGs were crystalline, quiet, delicate, light, and beautifully balanced.

Hidden Gems

Besides the big, well-known names, I also want to highlight some “hidden gems.” Wiesbaden offers a wonderful opportunity to discover wineries that don’t necessarily find themselves in the spotlight of the usual wine magazines. One such winery is Grans-Fassian. This year, Katharina has bottled some wonderfully vibrant, spicy, and beautifully balanced Rieslings. My standout from the harmonious collection was the Apotheke. On the nose, an enticing mix of black pepper, herbs, and grapefruit. Then on the palate, it delivers a true “attack”: taut, refined, with bright fruit and plenty of herbs. Deep, compact, astringent, and gripping, with a spicy, zesty freshness and immense potential in the finish. Excellent. A winery to keep an eye on, as the wines have become noticeably more taut, dry, and assertive in recent years – exactly what I expect from a GG.

The Middle Rhine region has somewhat flown under my radar until now. However, the three wineries I visited consistently delivered reliably very good to excellent quality. For my taste, some of the Rieslings were a bit too sweet, but if you enjoy approachable, fruit-driven Rieslings, you should definitely try Jost’s Im Hahn and Ratzenberger’s Wolfshöhle. Both wines are beautifully crafted – excellent, to be precise. Since these wines were among the highlights for me, both in terms of quality and personal preference, I’ll refrain from listing them separately here.

Let’s turn our attention to the venerable, though currently somewhat outdated, Rheingau. This is a region that holds a special place in my heart, both for its people and its landscape. Unfortunately, the Rheingau often struggles to translate this closeness into the quality of wine found in the bottle. I don’t want to join the chorus of those who bash the Rheingau simply because it’s currently fashionable among wine enthusiasts. That wouldn’t do justice to its long history, nor is it my style. However, it must be said that many of the wines presented here fall noticeably short of the level of GGs from other regions. Too sweet, too one-dimensional, often lacking the necessary depth, structure, and complexity. These are Rieslings that may be enjoyable to drink now but show little potential for long-term aging. Yet that is precisely what one expects from a GG! If you’re seeking immediate pleasure, you’d be better off reaching for a village wine or a “First Growth” – but for a GG priced at 35€ or more? Probably not.

What needs to be said

The regional association decided two years ago to give the wines more time in the bottle before they are released to the market. As a result, the 2022 vintages were presented in Wiesbaden, with only a few exceptions—but they were all the more pleasing. The year 2022 was also a challenging one for the Rheingau in terms of climate (more on this in my report from the 2023 preview tasting). It is therefore not surprising that the wines struggled to compete with the far more drinkable and charming 2023 vintage. Some wines showed traces of drying phenolics, scratched slightly on the finish, and exhibited green, unripe notes—lacking in tension and depth. Nevertheless, I remain hopeful for a leap in quality in the coming years toward a more consistent representation of what a VDP GG is meant to embody. Almost every flight included wines that clearly fell short of the VDP’s high standards.

The GG symbol on a bottle stands for Germany’s finest dry wines. This quality is built on a consistently high minimum standard. It is therefore essential to exclude wines that do not meet this standard in a particular vintage from being labeled as GG. Only in this way will the hard-earned and well-deserved high reputation of the VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS® be maintained over the long term.

Highlights

Enough of the critical words—let’s turn to my personal highlights from the Rheingau, because there were certainly some. Four winemakers stood out for me: Prinz (2023), Künstler, PJ Kühn, and most notably, Weil (also 2023). Both Peter Jakob Kühn and Prinz delivered consistently high to excellent quality across their entire collections, though I felt that Kühn didn’t quite reach the exceptional heights of his last four vintages. With Künstler, I wasn’t satisfied with everything, but the Marcobrunn and Pfaffenberg really impressed me.

The Pfaffenberg showed maturity, with yellow stone fruit and slight bitter notes on the nose. On the palate, it displayed a beautiful balance, good tension, but also a somewhat sharp acidity—something that could mellow with time. The Marcobrunn, on the other hand, was a true highlight for me. Ripe stone fruit on the nose, accompanied by bright flowers and a deep, dark spiciness. On the palate, it was compact, salty, vibrant, with firm tannins and a taut, somewhat biting acidity. Add to this a solid amount of substance and a long, juicy finish. Both wines are excellent.

What pleases me most: the Marcobrunn vineyard is slowly awakening from its slumber, thanks in large part to Künstler and Prinz, who took over parcels there in the 2021 vintage. Previously, Oetinger was the only estate able to consistently produce remarkable quality from this site—but that seems to be finally changing.

Worth mentioning

Then there is the 2023 Gräfenberg from Robert Weil, a wine that is often underestimated in its youth. Chalky, with vibrant fruit and a hint of white pepper, all very quiet and restrained. This is exactly how a young Gräfenberg tastes—and it’s often overlooked. But anyone familiar with the wines from Kiedrich after 6-8 years of aging knows the grandeur and elegance they achieve over time, year after year, reliably so. That’s why I want to emphasize that the 2023 Gräfenberg is perhaps the best young Gräfenberg I’ve had in the glass in the last five years.

Then it was off to the Nahe – my secret favorite region when it comes to dry Riesling. And once again this year, the Nahe delivered in terms of quality. For me, it was the strongest region across the board, with an extremely high concentration of well-crafted Rieslings. While the truly goosebump-inducing moments were absent, I did have a multitude of wonderfully juicy, well-balanced, and moving wines in my glass. And that’s what it’s all about in the end, isn’t it?

The first flight from the Nahe was immediately the strongest Riesling flight of the region for me. Two Frühlingsplätzchen, two Halenbergs, Dönnhoff’s Hermannshöhle, and, on top of that, the premiere of Klamm from Gut Hermannsberg. As a Riesling lover, this was enough to make me swoon. A veritable explosion of flavors – and I mean that quite literally. Reduction in the form of gunpowder was a major theme in several wines, particularly Schäfer-Fröhlich’s (SF) Frühlingsplätzchen and Halenberg. I have to say, I really like SF’s shift towards less extreme reduction and more accessible wines. As expected, Schönleber’s Halenberg was strong: subtle dark spice, majestic and deep, with a hint of herbs, barely any fruit on the nose. On the palate, it was extremely elegant and balanced, with a firm dark core, fine tannins, and lively acidity, salty and gripping in the finish. Great.

Middle Nahe

The Hermannshöhle from Dönnhoff has also demonstrated its potential, although it did not quite reach the perfection of the 2021 vintage for me. It is delicate, very reserved, with hints of stone fruit and citrus notes, intricately woven together. On the palate, it reveals noble juice, very fresh, almost greenish, with vibrant acidity and a firmly structured core. It is a wine that demands attention while remaining incredibly refined. Great. Overall, Dönnhoff performed strongly, though the typical “wow” moments were somewhat lacking this year. Similarly, Gut Hermannsberg impressed me in breadth, but not at the top level.

Best collection – Nahe

This year, the Rieslings from around Dorsheim and just before Bingen have stood out for me, particularly those from Kruger-Rumpf, who have delivered what I consider the best collection from the Nahe region. For years, their wines have been at an excellent level, yet they still fly somewhat under the radar in the German wine scene. The wines are outstanding and have significant aging potential. Leading the way is the 2023 Burgberg: initially very reserved on the nose, almost closed off, with dark undertones and little else. However, on the palate, it reveals a profound, noble juice—dark, spicy, rocky, with gripping tannins, minimal fruit, but plenty of salt and vibrant acidity. It finishes with a salty, taut, and captivating finish. Great. Not quite as intense but still highly engaging was the Im Pitterberg (great), followed by the more subtle, herb-tinged Dautenpflänzer (excellent). The Scharlachberg from Bingen on the other side of the Rhine also displayed bright fruit and herbal notes—though not with the same depth and density as the other GGs. Excellent.

Worth mentioning

The wines from Joh. Bapt. Schäfer have also won me over. They are very light, crystalline, and cool—distinctive in style. And of course, Schlossgut Diel must not go unmentioned. Caro and Sylvain’s 2022 Burgberg has been truly impressive: In such a dry year, to produce a wine that is so bright, clear, and spicy, with an incredible vibrancy, fine juiciness, and citrus notes, flinty with a firm core and gripping acidity—is quite an achievement. The wine lingers forever with a juicy, zesty finish. Great!

Ah, Rheinhessen — the gentle hills of the region may not be the ultimate scenic highlight for a Bavarian climber like me, but the wines? They have been making my heart race for years. I’m particularly fond of the dry varieties — so much so that my personal wine of the year hails from Rheinhessen.

Let’s start in the northwest of the region, at Binger Eck. This year, I had the pleasure of tasting some exciting Rieslings here. In addition to the previously mentioned Scharlachberg from Kruger-Rumpf, I was also impressed by a Riesling from the same site produced by Weingut Bischel. It offered intense stone fruit flavors—yellow but not overripe — along with a hint of reduction, white flowers, and bright herbs on the nose. On the palate, it is compelling and juicy, with a vibrant citrus zestiness, chewy phenolics, a firm core, and a gripping, juicy finish. Excellent. Equally impressive is the Hundertgulden from the same estate. Spicier and more yellow-fruited than the Scharlachberg, yet with similar depth and structure. Excellent. A wine with potential for many great years ahead.

Roter Hang

Now, let’s turn our attention to the legendary Red Slope, which once again impressed this year, despite another dry vintage. The winemakers managed to produce Rieslings that were juicier, better balanced, and more accessible than the previous year. Leading the pack, as usual, was Kühling-Gillot with their Rothenberg Wurzelecht (great), Pettenthal (excellent), and Hipping (excellent). All three wines exhibited the characteristic red spice of the Red Slope and leaned towards red fruit, with the Rothenberg showcasing a pronounced note of black currant. The Pettenthal struck me as darker, deeper, and more engaging, while the Hipping leaned more towards lively, red fruit. All three wines were firm yet incredibly juicy on the finish—a notable step forward compared to the previous year.

Goosebumps moment

Then came the first goosebumps moment: Wittmann’s Aulerde. The nose reveals fine, dense stone fruit with a hint of spice—subtler and more harmonious than the previous year. On the palate, it is juicy, with ripe but not overripe stone fruit, a firm tannin grip, invigorating acidity, a solid core, and clear juice—vibrant, dancing, harmonious, and fresh on the finish. It’s great. The charmer among Wittmann’s Rieslings gets better with each year! And then there was the Brunnenhäuschen—a tear-inducing moment. Even finer and more complex than the Aulerde, it offers bright and clear fruit, followed by this charming yet powerful spice, deep and highly complex, with a slightly stony character, almost like rock dust on the nose. On the palate, it is juicy, assertive, with precise stone fruit, stimulating acidity, and noble juice—dancing, majestic, and highly elegant. A touch riper than the Kirchspiel but fresher than the Aulerde, everything is perfectly interwoven with a wonderful balance and a juicy, finely nuanced finish that lingers forever. Great. I can still feel that tingle. By the way, as last year, the Brunnenhäuschen was just a bit stronger for me than the Morstein.

Collection of the year

Without a doubt, the top honor goes to Battenfeld-Spanier. The last flight from Rheinhessen was a true highlight—packed with great wines. Kirchenstück, Zellerweg am Schwarzen Herrgott, and finally Frauenberg—arguably the best wine of the vintage, period. Three times salt party, three times chalkboard, three times tobacco tin, and three times a 12-volt battery that ties it all together. A level of perfection, density, depth, and harmony that I haven’t seen from Battenfeld-Spanier before. Hats off! It’s outstanding. But enough of the praise—try it for yourself.

Let’s dive into Germany’s largest Riesling region – the Pfalz! This year, I’ve discovered some exciting and exceptionally drinkable Riesling GGs here. Of course, the major, well-known producers have delivered once again, but there were also many intriguing finds off the beaten path. Leading the pack is the Weingut Kranz. Like Grans-Fassian, it remains unjustly under the radar of the German wine scene. Their Kranzberg is among the absolute top this year. It’s a goosebumps moment in a glass! On the nose, there’s chalk and stone dust, accompanied by bright yellow fruit – incredibly juicy and fresh, focused and invigorating, yet never unripe. On the palate, citrus notes emerge, with more chalk, stone dust, taut acidity, and a firm, gripping core. The finish is long and juicy, bursting with vibrancy. This wine can easily compete with the best of the vintage.

Best Collection – Palatinate

Let’s stay in the Southern Palatinate, as it delivered what I found to be the most compelling collection of the year: Ökonomierat Rebholz. Four distinct Rieslings, each showcasing the clear signature of the house, all at the highest level. The spearhead? Certainly the Kastanienbusch, once again. Intense on the nose: red spices, black pepper, red currant, spicy and profound. On the palate, it’s like a jolt of electricity: vibrant as a 12-volt battery, spicy, with minimal fruit, yet deep and complex. It has a solid core, fine tannins, and lively acidity—it’s almost singing in the glass! Elegant, juicy, with a slightly bitter but endlessly lingering finish. I’ve never had the young Kastanienbusch in such an impressive form before. Truly outstanding. Hats off!

Bürklin-Wolf also delivered again. Their Rieslings impressed across the board, particularly in Mittelhaardt, where the competition is fierce. A small disappointment, however, was the absence of the Kirchenstück, which Meininger had rated with 100 points for the first time. This meant I couldn’t form a complete view of the entire collection. But the Pechstein and the Gaisböhl? Outstanding! They exhibit an inner calm, depth, and finesse that only Bürklin-Wolf can achieve in the Palatinate.

Middle and Upper Haardt

The quality this year was truly impressive. Forst has produced some outstanding examples, including the Pechstein from Achim-Magin and von Winning. While I personally don’t favor the intense use of oak by von Winning, I must admit that the wine was of high quality. Even slightly better was the Kirchenstück from the same estate: refined, elegant, with well-integrated oak, firm structure, and a vibrant, dancing finish.

A word about Christmann. Similar to Joh. Bapt. Schäfer in the Nahe, Christmann has a very elegant, almost crystalline style that is quite distinct from the typical Palatine approach. This is by no means a negative aspect, but I don’t always fully understand the hype surrounding the Idig. When comparing the Idig to the Meerspinne or Vogelsang, the latter two simply showed more depth, structure, and substance for me in 2023. Nevertheless, the Idig is celebrated year after year—and it will be praised once again in many magazines. Of course, it’s part of the business; one wants to be mentioned and invited to tastings. But I sometimes wish for a bit more differentiation. That said, I don’t want to disparage the Idig—these are just some honest thoughts I want to share at this point.

Overall, I was truly impressed by the Pfalz region this year. I’m not always a fan of the sometimes lush, opulent wines from this area, but 2023 was different. There were many juicy, dense, and beautifully balanced wines. It’s wonderful to see the Pfalz showcasing its potential!

Franken, the home of Silvaner, has always had a bit of a challenge with Riesling in my book—and it’s not due to the quality. Quite the opposite; Franken produces some truly exceptional Rieslings. However, I firmly believe this region should focus on its true unique selling point: Silvaner. No one makes Silvaner quite like the winemakers in Franken. More on that in tomorrow’s report.

But for now, let’s talk about the Rieslings I had the pleasure of tasting this year. As often happens in Franken, it was the usual suspects that impressed me: Weingut am Stein, Luckert, and Fürst. One name I’d particularly like to highlight is Paul Weltner with his Hoheleite. The wine presents itself with green fruit on the nose—without any hint of underripeness—alongside fresh herbs, elegant and inviting, and later developing spicy and bright notes. On the palate, it continues in the same vein: fresh, invigorating, green fruit, firm, salty, with excellent tannins, a long finish, and a juicy, mouthwatering structure. Simply splendid. Excellent.

2023 is a year to savor in Franken. Not every wine may stand the test of time, but why wait when the Rieslings are already so delightful in their youth?

Phew. Honestly, I find it challenging to write about Rieslings from Württemberg and Baden. Why? Well, the regions have become so warm that, for my taste, it’s difficult to find Rieslings with that crisp, firm structure without the opulent heaviness. Of course, this can be viewed as a matter of style. Therefore, I’d like to try to present a nuanced picture. Even though no Riesling, except for Schnaitmann’s Götzenberg, has truly captivated me emotionally, the wines from Aldinger, Haidle, Schnaitmann, and Beurer have been consistently impressive in terms of quality. For those who appreciate tannins, herbal notes, and somewhat warmer Rieslings, there are certainly some charming wines to be found here.

More Love for Germany’s Easternmost Wine Region

Last but not least: Saxony and Saale-Unstrut. This region was hit by such a brutal late frost in spring that I almost feel obliged to send a little love and good words their way. Here’s my attempt at a somewhat nuanced opinion.

The wines presented all came from the 2022 vintage — a vintage that did not make tasting easy. All four wines displayed the typical characteristics of this challenging year. However, two wines stood out and really impressed me: Hey’s Steinmeister and Martin Schwarz’s Friedstein.

Steinmeister impressed with its inviting herbal and bright fruit nose. On the palate, it offered a nice interplay between firm, slightly mellow tannins, a sweet core, and a gripping, increasingly firm finish. It’s a wine that is already enjoyable but could still develop further. Friedstein, on the other hand, presented itself with a smoky, flinty profile and a hint of bacon on the nose—never heavy or dull, but with plenty of tension and bite. Both wines don’t need to age for decades, but they should reach their peak in 1-2 years and be delightful to drink.

My great hope lies with the 2023 vintage. The region definitely deserves more attention!

More Light Than Shadow

So, what remains as the essence after these three long, intense, and enlightening days? First and foremost, I want to emphasize that my impressions are always snapshots and should be interpreted accordingly. They are pieces of a puzzle that come together to form a complete picture.

Some of the wines tasted in Wiesbaden had already been sampled in barrel during my vineyard visits earlier in the summer. Often, my initial impressions were confirmed or even strengthened. The VDP aptly describes the 2023 vintage as a “specialist vintage.” Those who managed to overcome the challenging weather conditions in the summer and the somewhat rainy autumn with great effort and dedication were able to harvest extremely clear, concentrated, and vibrant grapes.

On the 2023 Vintage

After three intensive tasting days in Wiesbaden, I feel that the 2023 vintage presents itself significantly more homogeneous among the VDP winemakers than I had expected after the Mainz Wine Fair in the spring. The density of top wines is notably higher this year compared to 2022. The variations—even within regions—are considerably smaller. However, the absolute wow moments are not as widespread as anticipated. The vintage shows itself to be juicy, balanced, and largely well-structured, and many of the wines are already quite enjoyable in their youth. However, not all Große Gewächse (Grand Cru wines) will benefit from extended aging. Here, I recommend opening a bottle or two earlier to convince yourself. It’s essentially a quality check—and in most cases, enjoyment is likely to be guaranteed.

Nonetheless, 2023 is not a vintage to buy blindly. Instead, I suggest making a well-considered selection and, if possible, tasting with a trusted local specialist retailer beforehand.

Merci

To conclude, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the VDP and the entire organizing team in Wiesbaden for their invitation to this extraordinary and impeccably organized event. It was a genuine pleasure and honor to attend!

One final note: Just because a wine did not make it into my detailed descriptions does not mean it was of inferior quality. I tasted all the Rieslings, aiming to both assess them objectively and capture my personal impressions.

My thoughts on the Burgundies and Silvaners are available here.