Challenges regarding weather fluctuations are becoming more common due to climate change, 2024 providing a particularly challenging vintage. February was warm, causing early budbreak, and frost followed in late April. Dropping temperatures caused shoots to be destroyed and top vineyards reported losses of 30%, 50% or even 90%.
Andrea Bulcock, German specialist at ABS, described the 2024 vintage as “small but fine.” The whites offer good fruit aromas and balanced acidity and overall are lighter and fresher than 2023. The wines are viewed more as a Kabinett style and a dry wine vintage, as opposed to offering noble sweet wines across most regions.
Alongside the 2024 vintage, the wineries displayed several wines from different years. This made it possible to compare how changing weather patterns can impact the final products.
Weingut Robert Weil VDP
ABS has welcomed Weingut Robert Weil VDP to the portfolio, whose Rieslings I feel topped the selection of the day. Based in Kiedrich, Rheingau, the estate’s sole focus is Riesling, providing the highest quality wines. The incline of the vineyards, sun exposure, heat-absorbing stony soils and air circulation creates Rieslings of fine acidity, distinctive mineral tone and complexity, elegance and finesse.
Its village level 2024 Riesling Trocken had complex flavours nicely balanced acidity. A great value Riesling. The 2021 Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Trocken Grosses Gewächs has spent one year in oak and one year in bottle. This Riesling is fruity and rounded with lovely acidity and is set to be released in September. The 2018 Rheingau Riesling Spätlese has been beautifully aged to produce a sweet, deliciously complex and yet refreshing dessert wine. It is no wonder that these wines sell out every year.
Dönnhoff VDP
Dönnhoff VDP produced a 2024 vintage with limited quantities but character, elegance and harmony. The wines are citrusy, mineral, fresh and dry and offer great value. The Grosses Gewachs all have a lovely complexity. My top pick is the Donhoff Hollenpfad im Muhlenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs 2024, which has been aged in large oak barrels and then on its lees in stainless steel, providing a pronounced and age-worthy wine.
Julien Schaal
Based in Alsace, this showcased lovely Rieslings from outside of Germany. Of the selection, the 2024 vintage produced wines that are fresh, balanced and lower in alcohol, with particularly clean and sharp Rieslings. Of the selection, I enjoyed the concentrated riper citrus and stone fruit characteristics of the Schoenenbourg Riesling, however my top pick is the fresher and more aromatic Rangen ‘Volcanique’, a well-balanced wine with lots of white flower characteristics with crisp acidity.
Allram
The Allram Riesling Ried Heilgenstein 10TW has a lovely colour and body offering generosity in the mouth. It has complex brioche notes alongside age-worthy acidity.
Schnaitmann VDP
Lovers of a mineral wine will enjoy the Schnaitmann Steinwiege Riesling Dry 2024, it is mineral with flinty characteristics. The Bergmandel 2023 has a lovely floral aromatic nose, with grapes harvested from three vineyards creating a premium quality wine. The single vineyard Beutelsbacher Altenberg VDP was also lovely and mineral with a lengthy finish.
Dr Loosen VDP
Mosel-based Dr Loosen endured a challenging 2024 harvest, resulting in 30% less yield compared to 2023. The wines created are fruity and fresh, and the production of sweet wines is small due to the lower levels of botrytis. I enjoyed the whole selection but found the 2023 ones particularly good. The Erdener Pralat Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule Halves 2020 was deliciously rich, a very complex wine with a long finish.
Louis Guntrum
Louis Guntrum is based in Rheinhessen, where the 2024 vintage experienced sufficient water and moderate temperatures. This resulted in wines light in alcohol, with lovely concentration and fruity aromatics. The selection of dry Rieslings is citrusy, crisp and refreshing. The Nierstein Hipping Riesling Beerenauslese 2015, is delicious. It has a golden colour, with flavours of complex dried currant and orange peel, apricot, peach and syrupy tinned fruit.
Non-alcoholic
I tried several of the non-alcoholic wines, however I do not think they are on par with the rest of the range.
Overall, despite the challenges in 2024, the producers showcased a lovely selection of wines that exhibit the best of the Riesling grape, particularly with the Trocken style.
