They’ve done us a solid those Germans have. They’ve neatly identified their best vineyards for the production of dry Rieslings, labeling them as Grosses Gewächs (or GGs for short). And Aulerde is one of them, a site that has been favoured for centuries. Densely planted, its south facing aspect slopes towards the village of Westhofen. As the warmest of Wittmann’s vineyards, it shows concentrated flavours of yellow fruit; mirabelle and pineapple. Open aromatics lead way to a chiselled, energetic and lengthy palate. Savour this one over a few hours.  

The Wittmann’s have been making wine in the village of Westhofen, Rheinhessen since the 17th century. Far from resting on their laurels, the family were early to adopt organic practices, becoming certified in 1990, and biodynamic from 2004. Philip Wittmann is currently at the helm, and like his wife Eva Clüsserath (who runs her own family’s Mosel estate), is one of the superstars of the German wine industry. Situated on the left bank of the Rhine River, Rheinhessen is Germany’s largest wine region. Its a fertile valley of gently rolling hills, protected from cold fronts by the surrounding hills and forests.