Peter Jakob Kühn - Riesling Nikolaus GG 2017

Stephan Reinhardt from Wine Advocate (R. Parker): 96 pnt

"From the Rhine shore and cultivated on sandy loess soils with a high chalk content, the 2017 Riesling Trocken Sankt-Nikolaus "GG" is fine and intense on the pure, fresh and even chalky and flinty nose. On the palate, this is a dry Riesling that is pure and fine yet deep, lush, very complex and crystalline, very persistent and salty with fine tannins, a stunning nervosity for such a warm site and a driving vitality with concentrated and long-lasting Riesling flavors. This is a great wine from a difficult vintage and a milestone for Peter Bernhard Kühn. The Sankt Nikolaus suffered neither spring frost nor hail in 2017, which makes this the greatest 2017 of the domaine so far. Bottled in April, tasted in May 2019."

Drink Date: 2020 - 2040

When it comes to the finest dry Rieslings from Germany, Peter Jakob Kühn is one of the first names to mention, even though the biodynamic domain in Oestrich has been directed by his son, Peter Bernhard Kühn, for a few years. If there are any doubts, there has never been a better chance to learn about what is possible in Germany beyond reduction, sulfur and malic acidities.

2018 has been "an absolutely fantastic vintage for us," says Peter Bernhard. "The berries tasted unbelievably good and had this specific gleam. Many barrels developed an absolutely unique character that forced us to leave them alone instead of blending them with other barrels."

In the past years, the Kühns thought intensely about the factors of time and silence for the development of their wines. "One of the most important steps for us in recent years has been the decision to age our single-vineyard wines for up to three years. This has made us free and happy people and brought us to the decision to release our estate and village wines only two years after the harvest," starting with the 2019 vintage that won't be released before September this year (2020). The upcoming releases (in May) will be the 2018 Hallgarten Riesling, the 2018 Oestricher Klosterberg and the 2018 Hallgartener Hendelberg, whereas the 2018 Spätburgunder, 2018 Lenchen GG and 2018 Hendelberg "R" will be released on September 1st.

The 2016 and 2017 grands crus (whether named "GG" or "Unikat") are definitely among Germany's finest dry Rieslings.