Have you ever tasted Rieslaner? It can be very rewarding, like this Rieslaner Trockenbeerenauslese from the Randersackerer Marsberg of the Staatliche Hofkeller in my hometown of Würzburg.
Parts of my family still live within sight of the Marsberg, an excellent terroir with its shell limestone soils. And that’s where we had “dug up” the bottle in our cellar.
Rieslaner is a cross between Riesling and Sylvaner, which was cultivated in Franconia in 1921. Its high acidity makes it particularly suitable for sweet wines.
The 1994 Trockenbeerenauslese – made from noble rot affected grapes – has matured perfectly. Lots of honey, beeswax, quince jelly, orange peel, passion fruit, toffee, sultanas. The fresh acidity skilfully balances the intense acidity. Very long and very intense. A great performance from the winery, which can look back on almost 900 years of history.
