Today we venture into one of Germany's smaller yet incredibly notable wine-growing regions, the Rheingau. With just 3% of Germany's total vineyard area, the Rheingau punches far above its size in terms of producing some of the most incredible wines, and have been the bedrock for critical wine-making innovations. Here in Rheingau, the dominant grape is of course Riesling - and that is what we'll be having today as we get into one of Germany's most reputable producers, Weingut Robert Weil.

A Brief History Of Robert Weil

Weingut Robert Weil starts expectedly with one Dr Robert Weil. Weil had been a professor at the Sorbonne University in Paris when the Franco-Prussian War broke out in 1870, which forced him to leave for Germany. He would chance upon the manor of a late English baronet, Sir John Sutton, located in Kiedrich, a village in the Rheingau, and would thus purchase the estate and relocate there. Sutton himself had been a wealthy man who was an avid patron of the arts and on one of his art tours had fallen in love with Kiedrich with its Gothic architecture, and would even expend great resources to reconstruct and preserve many of the village's landmarks.

Yet as Dr Weil had settled in the home of Sir Sutton, he would begin acquiring prize parcels of vines around the are of Kiedricher Berg, something that he had already done in his spare time even whilst he was a professor. Along with his journalism work, Weil would begin dedicating serious efforts into winegrowing and would begin to produce quality Rieslings which began being distributed internationally.

The Robert Weil winery.

Weil's Rieslings would make many appearances alongside Bordeaux wines at numerous European imperial and royal courts - in particular, Weil's Gräfenberg Riesling would achieve great renown. It has even been recorded that the royal court of Austria had purchased 800 bottles of Weil's Auslese Riesling for a steep premium even as Rheingau Rieslings had enjoyed high status as one of the most expensive wines in the world in the late 1800's. Through the century, Weil's Rieslings would go on to feature in prominent hotels across Europe, such as the Hotel Adlon, and even on the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin airship that had made its historic maiden voyage to New York in 1928.

Today the Weil estate continues to be run by Weil's great-grandson Wilhelm Weil, with 90 hectares of vines exclusively planted with Riesling.

The Rheingau.

Into The Vineyards Of Robert Weil

Delving into the Weil vineyards, as is classically the case with German Rieslings, the vineyards of the Rheingau, so named after the Rhine District, east of the Mosel and an hour's drive from Frankfurt am Main, are planted along steep hillsides. The region features a diverse geology which can be largely divided into three key zones - vineyards near the Rhine, vineyards at the middle plateau and finally vineyards all the way at the heights of the foothills of Taunus Hills. Weil's three vineyards are thus located at amongst the sites of the highest elevation, some 240m in altitude, and these are - Kiedricher Klosterberg, Kiedricher Turmberg and Kiedricher Gräfenberg. The three vineyards are southwest-facing which gives them excellent exposure to sun, high temperature and good circulation, which all allows for good ripening (a major concern for German Rieslings which typically face issues of being unable to achieve ripening due to lack of sunlight and heat).

The slate and clay that characterises Robert Weil's vineyards.

The Weil vineyards also enjoy stony soils, which allow for deep roots that extract more from the terroir, whilst still allowing for sufficient water retention. These stony soils are able to also absorb heat that further help to emanate heat for the vines to ensure healthy growth (another key concern for Riesling growers in the cold climate where frost can damage vines). These factors all allow for the fruit to stay on the vines for longer, again contributing to their ability to ripen well into the end of the year. What is thus produced are loose clusters of small yet intensely flavoured fruits with fine acidity and expressive of minerality.

As per the VDP Classification system for German wines, the Kiedrich Klosterberg and Kiedrich Turmberg vineyards are classified VDP Erste Lagen (equivalent to Premier Cru), whilst the Kiedrich Gräfenberg is classified VDP Grosse Lage (equivalent to Grand Cru). It's worth pointing out that as the Prädikat system applies only to naturally sweet wines, the Dry Rieslings from these sites are therefore not within the Prädikat tiering. Fun Fact: US President Thomas Jefferson being a well known wine lover was amongst the first to produce a ranking of the vineyard sites of the Rheingau!

The Kiedrich Turmberg vineyard.

Back to the Robert Weil vineyards, the vines here are over 50 years old, and are planted to fairly high density of 5,000 to 6,000 vines per hectare, and are cultivated sustainably using organic fertiliser, with green covers planted in alternating rows, as well as having no use of herbicides. Stringent pruning is used to control yields, with thinning done after blossom, to the extent that half of all the grapes are removed. Canopy management and negative selection are also employed to ensure quality. With low yields and full ripening, harvesting is done fairly late, done by hand, and lasts long, from 8-10 weeks. Up to 17 rounds of selection is done through the harvesting period, also thus allowing for a wide range of Rieslings to be produced at every level of the Prädikat, and most uncommonly even the highest tier intensely sweet wines of the Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) style is produced by Robert Weil (rare considering most estates struggle to achieve such high levels of ripening).

Winemaking At Robert Weil

In the cellars, the fruit is pressed as gently as possible using a vibrating trailer that allows for clusters of fruit to be transported evenly, preventing any mechanical stress that could prematurely release tannins or bitterness from the skins, pips or stem. Once in the press, whole clusters are crushed with and without maceration in producing different wine styles, with the must then transferred by gravity to tanks where the natural sediments are used to fine the must. From here it is then determined if the juice will go into stainless steel tanks or wooden casks. Given the variety of Riesling styles produced at Robert Weil, over 300 tanks and casks are used each season. 

Fermentation is temperature controlled and runs for 6-12 weeks, with natural yeasts allowing for spontaneous fermentation, creating a more distinctive flavour profile. For the wooden casks, batonnage is done to stir the yeast, producing the full-bodied dry wines, whilst the tanks are used for lighter wines and intensely sweet wines to preserve freshness. The wine are then filtered and bottled, with additional ageing to be done in bottle.

And so with all that said, today we'll be trying 5 wines from Robert Weil! In the order (and in the picture above, from left to right):

• Robert Weil Riesling Trocken Rheingau
  
• Robert Weil Riesling Kabinett Rheingau
• Robert Weil Riesling Spätlese Rheingau
• Robert Weil Riesling Trocken Kiedrich Klosterberg
• Robert Weil Riesling Trocken GG Kiedrich Gräfenberg

Wine Review: Robert Weil Riesling Trocken Rheingau

This comes under the Gutsweine (Estate Wine) classification that forms the entry range of Robert Weil's collection, harvested from across Robert Weil's vineyards. This is produced in large, neutral oak casks, and fermented to dryness (thus "Trocken", which equates to "Dry"). This comes from the 2023 vintage.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light Straw

Aroma: It's light and fresh yet firm, with some airy doughiness that clouds over delicate orchard fruits of apples and pears, with a garnish of mint. It stays just moderately bright, not particularly saturated, with then also some kombucha, a good bit of grapefruit pith, with also a touch of savouriness of apple cores and just a drizzle of honey.

Taste: Rounder and richer here, it's medium bodied, with certainly more in the way of honey, and of course laden with apples and pears. Toss in some lemons as well to give a citrusy acidity that brightens up the honey. It's more syrupy than the aromas would point at, with a good balance between the lemony acidity and the richer tones of honey.

Finish: Those lemons, grapefruit pith, and honey all carry into the finish, with here alittle more herbal with some eucalyptus as well. It's a firm and creamy finish.

My Thoughts

This showcased a good balance between that citrusy acidity and the lightly sweeter, richer honey (as much as is possible for a Dry Riesling that is), which makes for a really complete flavour profile. Whilst the aromas tended towards a lighter sensibility, it came through fresh and still conveyed quite some complexity. The body certainly showed us that the aromas are not at all indicative of what was to come, with the body being far more rich and rounded. The acidity here is well integrated and marbled into the body with no sense of it being sharp, streaky or out of place. It reminded me quite a bit of a lemon meringue.

Wine Review: Robert Weil Riesling Kabinett Rheingau

Also from the Gutsweine range, this comes from the various Robert Weil vineyards, with a heavier percentage from the cooler, higher elevation parcels. This is produced in the Kabinett style as per the Prädikat, and is the least sweet tier. This comes from the 2023 vintage.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light straw

Aroma: Rich and rounded, accented by a lemony, zesty outline. There's a chalky minerality that comes through, with also more of that citrusy grapefruit pith and some mint as well. It's more forward and bolder here with more power and depth.

Taste: Medium-bodied, it's riper with more flavour saturation and forwardness as was the case with the aromas. It has this slightly effervescent touch, and comes through more vivid with orchard fruits of apples and pears laden with honey. Really delicious with still a good balance between the fruits and honey, and a tinge of light acidity and savouriness of apple cores. Everything here is turned up a notch.

Finish: Touches of lemon backed up by honey, it demonstrates good restraint on the sweetness, working into a rich, firm and clean finish.

My Thoughts

Really tasty stuff! Being as it is of the Kabinett style, a (naturally) sweet Riesling, this feels fuller, rounder, richer, and altogether just more amped up. Yet, impressively it continues to demonstrate that balance of sweetness and acidity superbly. The sweetness nevertheless remains well controlled and never hangs on for too long on lingers. It has a nice seamlessness as it works its way towards the finish which is once again rich yet firm. All throughout we're not losing sight of the fruit either, which never feels buried within the body or aromas, still coming through expressively.

Wine Review: Robert Weil Riesling Spätlese Rheingau

Also from the Gutsweine range and from the Robert Weil vineyards, this is made in the Spätlese style which is a tier (as per the Prädikat) above Kabinett in terms of sweetness, and is thus riper and richer as it is made from late picked fruit. This is the 2022 vintage.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light Straw

Aroma: Baskets of apples, with that slight savouriness of apple cores, yet at the same time decked in honey. It's bright yet really firm and rich, with some rustic doughiness. There's alittle bit of flint and some petrolic aromatics here, with also a somewhat herbal quality of eucalyptus. It's big and bold, yet with great aromatic complexity.

Taste: Medium-plus bodied here, it's got great richness and focuses on concentrated apple juices, augmented by this bit of malic savouriness of apple cores once again. There's still those nuggets of dough that comes through on the palate. It's very focused and distinct, keeping that great balance between fully ripened apples and honey, rich and concentrated, fuller and much more saturated, yet not over the top. The sweetness still shows good control, with the flavours altogether deeper and more pronounced.

Finish: More on pears, pear jams, apricots, stewed apples. It's building up towards more ripeness here, with even apple pie filling. It's really rich and with such depth, yet ends off on this really firm and resolute, clean finish.

My Thoughts

Absolutely delicious. This completely nailed it, conveying this sense that this was as expressive and as powerful as it gets - no holding back! The flavours were completely beefed up, really bold and powerful, yet at the same time with such depth. It tops out in terms of complexity and you feel all these aromatics and flavours singing in full. As is clearly the Robert Weil signature, we still see that well executed control over the sweetness and balance, even as the Spätlese comes through with such richness. In terms of ease of availability and price, this was for me the best wine of the lineup. It's rich and with strong flavours that don't hold back, it digs into such depth with a lovely fuller body, and finishes off with such a resolute firmness - stellar!

Wine Review: Robert Weil Riesling Trocken Kiedrich Klosterberg

Going a step up to Robert Weil's VDP Erste Lage wines (equivalent to Premier Cru), we get into the single vineyard of Kiedrich Klosterberg. Here in this 4 hectare vineyard, the vines are planted along the steep slopes at up to 300 meters - this is the highest of the three Weil vineyards. It features iron rich slate soils, with the vines between 40-60 years old. In producing the wine, it is macerated for 6-18 hours, and then spontaneously fermented in 100% large oak vats, aging fully on the lees for 10 months before bottling. This is made to the Dry Trocken style and comes from the 2023 vintage.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light Straw

Aroma: Incredibly vibrant, bright and fresh. There's lots of apples, pears and peaches still on the vine, with a sort of leafyness to it. There's that malic savouriness of ripe apple cores, as well as some tears of dough, adding to basket fulls of green pears. It's super aromatic and lifted, with such detail and depth in its expressiveness.

Taste: Medium-bodied, this is much more clean around its outline, yet filled in with apple preserves and dried apple slices. It's showing great depth and concentration, with such a precise focus on those apples yet without any sweetness. There's also some apple tea and again that savouriness of apple cores. Into the finish there's a quick onset of dryness that takes over.

Finish: That dryness persists here, firm yet not bone dry. The savouriness lingers with some light honey aromatics.

My Thoughts

The aromas here were breathtakingly vibrant and detailed, showcasing such great expressiveness and a particular leafy aroma of vine peaches that I really enjoyed and have not yet seen in the lineup till now. It's superbly lifted and conveyed such clarity and depth. Into the palate, it keeps its definition with such cleanness around its outline, yet within it's fully saturated with this intense singular and distinct focus on apple flavours and aromatics. However, there was some suddenness where the dryness had cut the body short and began to set in, persisting rather long through the finish. I would have preferred to see more length of the body and a more seamless progression here, nevertheless, the aromas were absolutely on point.

Wine Review: Robert Weil Riesling Trocken GG Kiedrich Gräfenberg

Going another level up the classifications, we're on to Robert Weil's VDP Grosse Lage (equivalent to Grand Cru) which narrows it down to just the single Kiedrich Gräfenberg vineyard - the most historic of Robert Weil's. The vineyard is just as steep, with deep stony soils that is filled with phyllite slate and layers of loess and loam. The vines here are the oldest owned by Robert Weil, reaching up to 80 years of age. The wine is entirely vinified in large, partly renewed oak, and here it's produced to the Dry Trocken style. Worth noting is that this expression is given the highest accolade for German Rieslings, the Grosses Gewächs (GG) - this status is given to individual Dry Riesling expressions that are produced from the best Grosse Lage vineyards, and is re-evaluated each harvest. This comes from the 2020 vintage.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light Straw

Aroma: Incredibly vivid and evocative. This is a walk through a fruit orchard, with heaps of fresh apples and peaches still on the vine. It's leafy and gently musky, and woven into scoops of honey. It shows great depth and continues to build on malic savouriness of overripe apples, with also drops of diesel. It's super seamless and keeps on developing, showing more on tinned peaches. It remains elegant and fresh, without any heaviness and with great definition.

Taste: Medium-plus bodied, it leads with lots of white peaches and vine peaches, woven in with honey. It's incredibly supple and continues to show an excellent balance of richness and savouriness. It comes off lightly sweet of apple preserves, contrasted against the savouriness of apple cores. It's focused and distinct, with here more richness.

Finish: That combo of savouriness, vine peaches and honey persists seamless through the finish. It's rich yet clean, with a light minerality that linger.

My Thoughts

This showed an impeccably vibrant and vivid, ultra detailed and expressive aroma where you're taken right into the heart of a fruit orchard, with all these fresh and rustic vine peaches and fresh red apples. There's even touches of diesel and minerality that is reflected here, evoking the sense of its terroir. The body is richer and just ever so slightly sweet, still laden with all these manners of peaches, woven into a ridiculously supple body that balances itself against that savouriness. This carries through the finish where somehow it manages to cusp between richness and an almost chiselled and detailed fine elegance. It recedes seamlessly leaving nothing behind other than a slight sense of minerality, once again a reminder of its historic terroir.