Barnert & Drewitz Riesling Alte Reben - Hemsberg 2024 white

Barnert & Drewitz Riesling Alte Reben – Hemsberg 2022 is a characterful, old-vine Riesling from the lesser-known yet historic Hessische Bergstraße. Grown on steep, granitic slopes below the Hemsberg, this wine showcases a pure, unadorned expression of terroir with minimal intervention in the cellar. Unfiltered, spontaneously fermented and bottled late, it’s a Riesling for drinkers who appreciate authenticity, texture and depth over polish.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, this Riesling appears pale lemon to straw with a slight natural haze, a visual cue to its unfiltered, minimally handled style. The nose is vivid and complex: ripe citrus and stone fruit—think lime, pomelo and white peach—woven with herbal notes, crushed rock, and a subtle smoky-spicy edge typical of granitic soils. A faint hint of wild yeast and lees adds a savoury, bread‑crust nuance without dominating the fruit. On the palate, it’s precise yet textural: juicy citrus and orchard fruit up front, followed by herbal and spicy undertones and a distinct salty-mineral grip. The moderate dry extract from old vines and lees aging gives a gentle creaminess that is cut cleanly by lively, well-integrated acidity. The finish is long, taut and slightly phenolic, with pithy citrus, stone dust and a delicate bitterness that invites another sip. This 2022 has the structure and acidity to evolve; expect 6–10 years of positive development in bottle, gaining more savoury, honeyed and smoky complexity while retaining backbone.

Production
The vineyard lies on the southwest-facing slopes beneath the Hemsberg, on granitic scree that has deeply weathered over centuries—formerly part of the historic Bensheimer Wolfsmagen, already classified in the highest quality tier back in 1582. The site is steep, up to 38%, and the Riesling vines were planted in 1990, now firmly in their old-vine phase, naturally limiting yields and concentrating flavour. The granitic soils and moderate drought stress shape particularly spicy, characterful Rieslings. Harvest is carried out selectively by hand on these slopes to ensure only optimally ripe, healthy fruit. In the cellar, the must ferments spontaneously with native yeasts, then the wine rests on its lees in stainless steel, gaining texture and complexity without oak influence. It is bottled late, unfiltered and intentionally a little cloudy, and thus officially classified “only” as a Starkenburger Landwein despite its clear upper‑cru aspirations.

Food & Serving
This is a versatile gastronomic Riesling that shines with expressive, savoury cuisine. Pair it with freshwater fish (trout, zander) with herb butter, ceviche, shellfish, or lightly spiced Asian dishes such as Vietnamese salads and Thai cuisine with citrus and lemongrass rather than heavy sweetness. It also works beautifully with white asparagus, goat’s cheese, light pork dishes and roasted root vegetables, where its acidity and mineral grip cut through richness. Serve at 9–11°C to balance freshness and aromatic expression. A brief decant of 20–30 minutes, or simply opening the bottle ahead of time, helps the natural reduction and wild-yeast notes to unfurl and the texture to round out.

Producer
Dr. Eric Barnert & Götz Drewitz GbR is a small, quality-driven partnership dedicated to crafting expressive, terroir-focused wines in the Hessische Bergstraße, one of Germany’s oldest yet most overlooked wine regions. Working sites like the former Bensheimer Wolfsmagen—long recognised historically for their excellence—they lean into low-intervention winemaking to let these distinctive granitic slopes speak clearly in the glass. Spontaneous fermentations, long lees contact and minimal filtration are hallmarks of their style, often resulting in wines that fall outside strict appellation norms and are therefore bottled as Landwein, even when quality clearly reaches far beyond that label. Their work has contributed to a quiet renaissance of the region, drawing attention from sommeliers and enthusiasts seeking characterful, site-driven German Riesling off the beaten path.

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