When legendary German wine importer Rudi Wiest unleashed his 7,000-bottle, four-decades-in-the-making private collection last year, the outcome of the auction could’ve easily been categorized as fiction: An Acker Wines press release exclaimed that it resulted in “73 New World Records for Fine & Rare German Wines,” which included an $8,680 transaction for a single bottle of 1921 Dr. Thanisch Riesling TBA. If the name Rudi Wiest means nothing to you, allow us to honor his praises. He is one of the most distinguished and revered importers of our time, having greatly revitalized the reputation of German wine and discovered/represented some of its finest estates. So, you can imagine my shock and awe when he personally called me up and asked if I’d be interested in tasting through a couple dozen wines from his favorite longtime producers.
One of those rarefied gems lies in front of you right now: a $19, multi-textural, bone-dry Riesling from Weingut Nägelsförst, an estate that predates the Ottoman Empire by 31 years. That’s right: the origins of this preternatural property can be traced back to 1268 when nuns from the Duchy of Burgundy first planted vines at the fringe of Germany’s Black Forest. Seriously, this is liquid history in a bottle for a ridiculously low, one-time price courtesy of a wine-importing legend. Grab a case of this savory, sub-$20 marvel and we assure you not a single bottle will go neglected.
While the region of Baden extends some 400 kilometers along the Rhine River and is host to a great diversity of microclimates, this stretching region does share a common thread: Although most of German wine country falls within Europe’s Zone A (the coldest band of growing zones), Baden falls within a slightly warmer Zone B, along with Alsace, Champagne, and the Loire Valley. Essentially, this zone is ground zero for winemakers that want acidity and freshness to shine in their wines.
It’s also home to some absurdly old, age-defying properties like Weingut Nägelsförst, whose origins date to the 13th century. For over 750 years, they’ve quietly cultivated vines and produced wine and yet, today, that only amounts to 33 hectares (for comparison, Lafite-Rothschild has over three times that). I have to assume the timeless allure of this humble, centuries-old estate played a great role in piquing Rudi’s interest all those years ago.
Today’s 2016 Estate Riesling is a manually selected blend of Nägelsförst’s estate vineyards, which have been professionally studied by French microbiologist Claude Bourguignon. Nicknamed the “Master of Soil,” Claude conducted a fully comprehensive terroir study and concluded that 80% of their vines should be classified Grand or Premier Cru (seems the nuns from Duchy of Burgundy were onto something 752 years ago). In the winery, the Riesling fermented on ambient, airborne yeasts in a combination of stainless steel and large, neutral casks. Further aging occurred in stainless steel. Upon bottling, this batch continued maturing in a temperature-controlled environment stateside.
Fast approaching its fourth birthday, Nägelsförst’s 2016 Riesling Trocken is in a prime drinking window. Pour into all-purpose stems around 50 degrees, allow it to open up for about 5-10 minutes, and you’re ready for one of the most satisfying $18 experiences of your life. It immediately captures your attention with a vivid fusion of classic Riesling perfume: green mango peel, exotic wildflowers, honeysuckle, white peach skin, grapefruit, lemon pith, lime blossoms, white pear, crushed stones, candied ginger, wet slate, and a touch of petrol. The palate is medium-bodied and delivers deeply thirst-quenching and nuanced layers that have no business being in a wine priced so low. And remember, this is bone-dry! It’s electric and energizing, yes, but there’s also an underlying sense of profundity that has to be attributed to the ancient, ongoing history of this 13th-century property. Buy a case of this gem and savor it over the next 2-5 years. Cheers!
