2017 Georg Breuer Berg Schlossberg Riesling

Georg Breuer

Germany / Rheingau / Georg Breuer

Georg Breuer has vines on 3.5 hectares of the Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg. With an inclination of 70%, this is the steepest vineyard in the Rheingau. Its name derives from the Ehrenfels castle ruins above the Rhine Gorge. Heat-absorbing weathered slate with loess and loam give ideal ripening conditions for Riesling which thrives on the high mineral content of the soil.
2017 was a vintage full of challenges. It started with a short cold winter. Early bud break was caused by spring-like temperatures from mid-February to mid-April. Our vineyards luckily spared the frost at the end of April. In the middle of May warm weather encouraged the growth of vegetation. The vineyards of Rüdesheim escaped the harsh winds and hail in August while the Rauenthal vineyards suffered damage.
We overcame some obstacles in September such as increased rainfall which lead to mould development due to bursting grapes, and high wasp activity. Overall these conditions lead to an early harvest starting in the beginning of September and ending on the 7th of October after a strict selection.
Farming is 100% organic (Georg Breuer is certified by Fair & Green), 100% healthy, ripe fruit, no maceration, whole cluster pressing, fermentation in old German wooden barrels (600-litre and 1,200 -litre), one racking after the fermentation and then a storage period on the fine lees for about seven months. Alcohol 12%; RS 5.3g/L; total acidity 7.8g/L.
Here immense power and finesse come together. Salty and juicy at the same time. A lot of mineral spiciness. Delicate scent of stone fruits and orange skin. A Riesling with elegant style and fine tannins. Very long lasting and with a monumental depth. - Theresa Breuer
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February, 2020

Stephan Reinhardt

Wine Advocate

94+ points

The 2017 Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling is still a bit oaky at this early moment but clear, bright and fresh on the nose. The attack on the palate is quite racy, but this lean and elegant Rüdesheim Riesling is a densely woven, tight and concentrated, very mineral and crunchy Berg Schlossberg with a piquant and tightly woven finish. This promising 2017 is far too young to be enjoyed in the next five years.

August, 2019

David Schildknecht

Vinous Media

92 points

Scents of white peach, lemon and sea breeze anticipate the bright, tangy juiciness and marine mineral savor exhibited on a firm but polished palate, while suggestions of peach fuzz, lemon pip and crushed stone add to the invigoration of a vibrantly- and mouthwateringly-sustained finish.

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About Georg Breuer

Georg Breuer was founded in 1880 by Peter Breuer, partner of the venerable German wine shipping firm Scholl & Hillebrand. It then passed to Peter's son Georg and then grandsons Bernhard and Heinrich upon Georg's death in 1978. The shipping firm was sold and during the 1980s and 1990s Bernhard and Heinrich carefully expanded the vineyard estate from 20 acres to its present 60 acres in the steepest, most well-drained vineyards of the Rheingau communes of Rüdesheim and Rauenthal. Bernhard Breuer was highly regarded internationally and worked tirelessly in defence of German viticultural integrity, earning credit for restoring Riesling's respectability in world markets and writing authoritative books on Germany's wine regions. Nowadays it's Bernhard's daughter Theresa who, alongside Hermann Schmoranz, honours her father's memory by faithfully living up to his ideals. Production follows a strict terroir-based hierarchy for the production of elegant, naturally dry wines made from healthy Riesling grapes, right up to Breuer's flagship crus: Rüdesheim Berg Schlossberg and the 12.5-acre monopole, Rauenthal Nonnenberg.

About

“This is not a hi-tech cellar. Art and craft are the guide,” says Theresa Breuer. Born in 1984 in the Rheingau, Theresa continues the relatively young winemaking tradition of her family in the fourth generation. After her father passed away suddenly in 2004 she worked herself into the winery and now manages the entire 34-hectare estate together with long-term winery manager Hermann Schmoranz and cellar master Markus Lundén.
Theresa first started leading the coordination of production and marketing at Georg Breuer during her studies at the University of Oenology and Winemaking in Geisenheim. She also took the opportunity to work as an intern at Grosset in the Clare Valley during the 2006 harvest. To remain true to the tradition of the winery, she focuses on dry top Riesling wines from the unique terroir of the Rheingau valley.