Philipp Wittmann is feeling blessed. He’s fortunate to have been born in Westhofen, where the Wittmann family has been growing wines since 1663. The climate is kind: in the rain shadow of the Donnersberg, warm enough to ripen grapes beautifully, cool enough to slow the process, and fantastic, water-retaining, clayish topsoils with limestone-rich underpinnings play their part. It all conspires to promote the intensity, texture, savoury tones and aromatic allure he’s looking for.
It’s also a good time to be flying the flag for terroir-driven German wines. “There are luckily a lot of people around the world who are interested in this,” he told us during his recent trip down under. “If we look back over the last 15, 20 years, there was a great development quality-wise for sure in Germany, but nowadays, we do really have a base of Riesling lovers in the whole world who are celebrating the variety and who are celebrating the quality of the wines.”
Philipp was also very appreciative—with specific reference to the keen curiosity and fine taste of you, our Aussie customers—of the phenomenal level of knowledge around these wines these days. That’s especially true of top-flight dry Rieslings like these Wittmann GGs, which are routinely compared to the other great wines of the world—and, as Philipp points out, well priced in a global context. “And this is always a very good argument for bringing people into Riesling,” he says. ‘Because if you’re a Burgundy lover and drink a lot of Chardonnay and you taste the Rieslings from Germany with all this vibrant minerality, people easily could understand that this is also something special.”
Indeed, these three beautiful 2024s are truly special. We heartily commend them to you.
2024 Vintage
2024 began here in Rheinhessen with a mild spring, leading to budburst in mid-April. The warm temperatures provided a promising start to the growing season. Fortunately, the vineyards around Westhofen were spared the unseasonable frosts of late April — a significant factor in the continued healthy development of the vines.
Temperate weather followed, balancing the initial rapid growth and creating optimal conditions for flowering. There was ample water available throughout the growing season, which promoted greater vitality in the vines. A sunny August accelerated grape ripening and raised hopes for a promising harvest.
Picking began on 12th September with an early harvest of the Pinot family varieties. The weather was ideal as we undertook the main harvest from 16th to 23rd September, working our way through row after row of top-quality, perfectly healthy grapes. Repeated rainstorms during the middle of the Riesling harvest demanded patience but, fortunately, the grapes remained healthy and continued to mature slowly yet steadily. We completed the harvest bit by bit from 27th September to 10th October, yielding outstanding quality, albeit with more moderate must weights than in previous years.
The young wines from this vintage remind us of classic collections such as the 2002s. They are already displaying an elegant style, and we very much look forward to following their development in the months ahead. – Philipp Wittmann
The Wines
2024 Wittmann Aulerde Riesling Grosses Gewächs RRP $199
Aulerde is Wittmann’s warmest site. Westhofen’s southern to southeastern vineyard slopes rise from the glacial valley of the Rhine to the rim of a high plateau. The Aulerde vineyard lies at the foot of the protective eastern and southeastern slopes of the Kirchspiel site.
The vines here face slightly south. The upper layers of a small portion of Aulerde are heavy clayish marl with only a very small amount of limestone. Wittmann’s Riesling grows where the subsoil contains clayey or gravelly sand.
The very exciting nose of liquorice, white thorn blossoms and Mirabelle plums pulls you into this compact and impressively structured dry Riesling that deftly combines warm and cool elements. Then comes the compact and well-structured finish. From vines planted from 1949 to 1951. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drink or hold. 95 points. Stuart Pigott, jamessuckling.com Aug 2025
The 2024 Aulerde GG Westhofen Riesling is clear, fine and delicately salty on the nose, revealing pineapple and yellow stone fruit but also lemon aromas. Elegant, round and fresh on the palate, this is a pure and linear, just-ripe and grippy Riesling with remarkable finesse and lightness and a refreshing savoury finish. It still needs some time to gain in finesse and charm. 12% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in August 2025. 93 points. Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate Nov 2025
The 2024 Riesling Westhofener Aulerde Grosses Gewächs is from the richer, deeper soils of Aulerde, from vines that are now well over 70 years old. Just a touch of reduction trembles on the nose, with a lovely flicker of anise and a streak of peach. The palate is smooth, straight and linear but with wonderful fill and fluidity. Lemony brightness offers overtones of yellow plum and white peach. (Bone-dry) 95 points. Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous Jul 2025
The 2024 is a quintessential Kirchspiel of beautiful length and clarity. 96 points.
Anne Krebiehl MW
2024 Wittmann Kirchspiel Riesling Grosses Gewächs RRP $249
The Kirchspiel grand cru site opens toward the Rhine like an amphitheatre. Its southern and southeastern exposure protects the vines from cold westerly winds – and accounts for the vineyard’s excellent microclimate. The soil structure is similar to that of the Morstein site, marked by clayish marl interspersed with limestone. Limestone is the predominant component of the subsoil, too.
With every turn of the glass this expands and expands. Concentrated, with the excellent ripeness of the cool vintage. Very racy and chalky acidity makes this feel lighter than it really is on the medium-bodied palate. Try to be patient, because this is on a steep upward curve. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drink or hold. 96 points. Stuart Pigott, jamessuckling.com Aug 2025
The 2024 Kirchspiel GG Westhofen Riesling is deep, pure, fresh and aromatic and indeed irresistible in its lemony salinity and sur lie nuances. Light, lush and elegant on the palate, this is a chalky, citric, slightly bitter and also a little drying Kirchspiel with lemon juice, white peach and yellow plum notes on the finely textured finish. Still a little dull on the finish, this is a very promising and refined Kirchspiel. 12% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in August 2025. 94 points. Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate Nov 2025
The 2024 Riesling Westhofener Kirchspiel Grosses Gewächs contains a new parcel this year, grafted over to Riesling in the steepest part of the site. The nose is alive with crushed chervil and lemon. The palate plunges into calming, cool, soothing depth. This is so creamy, bright and fresh. The 2024 is a quintessential Kirchspiel of beautiful length and clarity. (Bone-dry) 96 points. Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous Jul 2025
There is something utterly serene here, with the purest lemon and limestone. It is enduring and eternally calm. 98 points.
Anne Krebiehl MW
2024 Wittmann Morstein Riesling Grosses Gewächs RRP $279
The grand cru Morstein site is situated on the south-facing slope that stretches from Gundersheim to Westhofen. The subsoil consists of massive limestone rocks—the first documented mention of the site dates from 1282.
Today, Wittmann owns about 4 ha (10 acres) in the best (south-east exposure) parcel of this vineyard. The upper layer of soil is primarily heavy clayish marl interspersed with limestone. The subsoil is also heavy and marked by layers of limestone that help with water circulation. This ensures that the vines are well supplied with nutrients and minerals, and may account for the mineral character of the Morstein wines.
Still very young, this masterpiece of dry Riesling has enormous textural complexity. Gigantic concentration, but also very racy. Great citrus and herbal freshness as well as formidable acidity in the extremely long, focused finish. From 3 hectares in the heart of this site. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drink or hold. 98 points. Stuart Pigott, jamessuckling.com Aug 2025
From the core district of the cru and aged in stücks and doppelstücks, the 2024 Morstein GG Westhofen Riesling shows a pure yet intense and precise bouquet with fully ripe yellow fruits, a touch of sweet oak, lemon zest and chalky/salty notes. Full-bodied, refined and very elegant on the palate, this is a pure, very saline and energetic, very long and mouthwatering Morstein with substance, citric notes and fine and crunchy tannins. 12% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in August 2025. 97 points. Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate Nov 2025
The 2024 Riesling Westhofener Morstein Grosses Gewächs flickers with yeast, chervil and lemon zest in equal measure. The palate is so cool and calm. There is something utterly serene here, with the purest lemon and limestone. It is enduring and eternally calm. This may be quieter than other Morstein vintages, but it has confidence. The 2024 is fresh, bright and salty. (Bone-dry) 98 points. Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous Jul 2025
