Let’s own up to it: We all made some unwarranted purchases during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but securing a batch of this $25 antique is justifiable in every way. This quarter-century-old Riesling comes in at a price so low, it defies common sense—even more so when you realize it may never have seen the light of day if I hadn’t uncovered it while tasting through dozens of wines in Dr. Heyden’s cellars.
Ultimately, this 1993 Riesling
Auslese from the historic “Sackträger” vineyard might very well be the rarest (only two barrels were produced), most exceptional value being offered in America right now. And because it hadn’t moved from their cellar in nearly 25 years, these bottles are in perfect condition, brimming with purity because of a small amount of residual sugar and superabundant acidity. Intense yellow fruit, savory honeyed tones, impeccable minerality, and spectacular freshness—it has it all. Again, you simply won’t find Dörrenberg & Heyden’s ‘93 anywhere else; it’s in prime drinking form and is a perfect snapshot into the marvelous rabbit hole that fully mature, barely off-dry Riesling takes you down. Do yourself (and all those around you) a huge favor by hoarding a case and pulling a few corks per year until your stocks are depleted. Your wine dollar simply cannot be better spent!
Founded in 1999 by Dr. Karl Heyden, his wife, and their two sons, Frank and Harry, Dr. Heyden has quickly become a promising German estate. Today, it is Frank leading this small family operation, after having completed his studies at the famed Geisenheim viticultural institute. “But this bottle is from ‘93?” you may be asking. That’s where the Dörrenbergs come into play: These two families have close ties, and, according to their export specialist, it was Frank’s uncle who was in charge prior to ‘99.
Situated on the “left bank” of the Rhine River, with the Rheingau to the north, Rheinhessen is Germany’s largest wine-producing region and boasts a broad diversity of soil types. Heyden’s vineyards, both then and now, are primarily located in Oppenheim—a village brimming with prime Rheinhessen real estate. Today’s Auslese hails from Oppenheim’s most revered site, “Sackträger,” a Grosse Lage (Grand Cru) vineyard with records dating back to 1541. Their special parcel is full of ancient soils, from glacial loess to chalk-limestone, all of which are peppered with marine fossils.
After the grapes were harvest at hand, they fermented in two old Halbstück barrels at a much drier level than is typical—at about 45 grams per liter, this wine has far less sugar than the average Auslese (excluding trockens). Essentially, the grapes were picked later to develop flavor and ripeness, but fermentation stretched on a few more days until there was a residual sugar level more associated with a Kabinett or Spatlese. That’s why this wine is so balanced yet deep in flavor. After fermentation, the wine continued aging in barrel before bottling in 1994. Over 24 years of undisturbed aging in their own personal cellar followed.
Dörrenberg & Heyden’s 1993 Riesling Auslese from “Sackträger” displays a dense yellow-gold color moving out to a silver-tipped rim, and thick, viscous tears slowly drip down the glass. It’s a concentrated, thickly layered wine that oozes with refined noble rot—honey, pineapples, mango, spices—along with stewed yellow apples, grilled Bosc pears, acacia, yellow peach, petrol, salt-preserved lemon, wet stones, honeysuckle, and candied almonds. The palate is sumptuously layered while remaining star-bright and outstandingly fresh from start to finish. With 25 years of maturation and sky-high acidity, the relatively small amount of residual sugar is hardly noticeable. Truly, this doesn’t feel sweet, except on the finish when a small amount of sugar is perceptible on the tip of your tongue. The honeyed finish is long and beautiful, with ripe orchard and tropical fruits melding with wonderfully piquant spices. One thing is for certain: You’ll be positively floored by the textures and flavors packed into this $25 bottle. Drink up now in all-purpose white stems, but do realize, given its staggering freshness, your stash will keep well over the next decade and beyond. For pairing, wait for a colder evening and prepare the attached curried venison with rice. Don’t be afraid to crank up the heat—this wine can handle it. Or, if you want to savor this quarter-century beauty on its own, that works just fine too!
