50 Degree, Riesling, Schloss Johannisberg,

The first and some might say foremost Riesling winery in the world, an iconic single vineyard estate topped off with an imposing Schloss. It has a sweeping skirt of 50ha of vines with a perfect southerly aspect on the northern slope of the east-west flowing river Rhine in the Rheingau region close to Wiesbaden. Vineyards were first planted here on the quartzite soils in 817, and it has a strong historical significance. The site is backed by the protective Taunus mountains behind. The steep incline of the terraced vines assure perfect growing conditions for Riesling, and it is 100% Riesling Schloss Johannisberg age their wines in old, large wooden barrels, contributing a unique textural and structural identity to their wines. Underground cellars ensure a slow, cool fermentation, especially the case with the slow-maturing, super-concentrated noble sweet wines they make. Their Rieslings are pure and fine, full of luxurious flavours of soft stone fruits, orange blossom and wet stone minerality. These are world-class wines and benchmarks of quality. As a founder member of the VDP (Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter), the quality and yields are strictly controlled. The Goldlack and Silberlack Trocken Rieslings, both Grosses Gewachs (‘grand cru’), are stately and steely with a rare intense finish that goes on seemingly forever.