It’s no accident that we’re offering this one-liter bottle of delicious, bone-dry German Riesling on the Summer Solstice. And as we sweat our way through a heatwave out here on the West Coast, it’s that much more appropriate to champion perhaps the greatest refresher in the world of wine.
Low-alcohol, high-acid, and as fragrant as a field of wildflowers, this is a diaphanous white sundress of a wine, but with a sneakily buttoned-up, serious side: Leiner is a biodynamic farm in Germany’s Pfalz region, whose labels celebrate the insects that contribute to their “species-rich soil ecosystem,” and whose dry Riesling on offer today—a stunning 2013 that’s still fresh as a daisy—packs a serious punch for the money. It is a one-liter bottle (yes, 33% more than a normal 750ml) of genuinely structured, mineral-driven dry Riesling for $19. It will surprise and delight you. Grab as much as you possibly can, because you’re going to want it around all year long, not just on the hot days. This is one of the greatest white wine values I’ve come across in a while—don't miss it!
It continues to amaze me that a hand-crafted German Riesling of this pedigree remains so under-valued in our market. Leiner has farmed its 16 hectares of vines organically and biodynamically since 2005 (certified by Demeter in 2011) and there’s a level of concentration in this entry-level Riesling that speaks not only to their devotion to their vineyards but to the unique characteristics of the Pfalz growing zone. The Pfalz is one of Germany’s Rhine tributaries and the wine region that takes its name runs to Germany’s border with Alsace. The Vosges mountain range that shelters Alsace from storms from the West becomes the Haardt mountain range across the border in the Pfalz, so, like Alsace, the Pfalz is a drier, warmer region than some of the other classic regions along the Rhine. Much of Germany’s best Pinot Noir is grown here, complementing Rieslings that are exceptionally deep and expressive.
Leiner is headquartered in Ilbesheim, just outside the Kleine Kalmit forest, where soils are dominated by crumbly limestone chalk, part of the “Rhine rift”—effectively a reef that formed under an ancient seabed. The minerality and freshness imparted by these soils is readily evident in this wine—in addition to its depth, it has a rigid mineral backbone that gives it a bone-dry finish.
The first thing you’ll notice about this 2013 is its remarkable freshness. It simply does not behave like a wine with this level of bottle age. In the glass it’s showing a little maturity in its deep yellow-gold cast, but the nose is full of light: white peach, green mango peel, honeysuckle, lime blossoms, wet stones and a hint of the classic ‘petrol’ jump from the glass. It is medium-bodied and densely flavored on the palate before buttoning up on the finish—a truly serious white in terms of structure and length. No doubt its bottle age has enhanced both its texture and aromatic complexity, but again, its youthful electricity is still very much on display. To say that we (and subsequently, you) are getting a ridiculous deal on this wine is putting it mildly. Serve this in all-purpose whites or Riesling stems at around 45 degrees, either as a palate-enlivening aperitif or a first-course wine with salads. It would also make a spectacular sushi wine. There are very few instances where it wouldn’t work, in fact—check it out with the attached tuna tartare recipe from seafood whisperer Eric Ripert, and don’t be surprised if you repeat the ritual many times this summer. What an invigorating combination. Cheers!
