RHEINGAU 2025: Beyond "Typical" lies Sensational!

By Tim Eichelberger - last revision: 14.05.26

After two days of tasting nearly 100 stunning wines from what might be among Germany’s best recent vintages at the VDP Mainzer Weinbörse, I was equal parts exhausted and thrilled. Reviewing my 36 tasting notesfo the Rheingau the next day, I realized that there were very few scores below 91 points, and all of them were entry-level wines! The greatest challenge was finding descriptors that could do them justice.

It’s very difficult to say anything about the Rheingau that hasn’t already been said. It’s an extremely well-marketed region with a broad international presence, and this leads many wine lovers and critics alike make confident statements about “typical” Rheingau Rieslings. I’ve spent quite a lot of time in the region, and references to “typical” wines always frustrate me a bit. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the sentiment, but it betrays a lack of experience with a region that can also offer stunning diversity in both traditional varietials - like Riesling and Pinot Noir - and some relative newcomers, like Scheurebe and Chardonnay. But the experience I’ve gathered in the region over the past eight years wasn’t enough to prepare me for the 2025 vintage. The Rheingau may be well known for tradition, but 2025 proves it’s still full of surprises.

Theresa Breuer of Weingut Georg Breuer in Rüdesheim - whose 2025 wines we haven’t tasted yet - noted that the range and diversity between specific vineyard sites is particularly striking in 2025 and may be an indication of the “new conditions” of the Rheingau. Conversations about climate change are a constant in the wine world (and beyond). The growing season in the Rheingau has become more unpredictable, but sometimes these stressful conditions produce stunning results as in the 2023 vintage. Theresa described the challenges as follows: near-perfect growing conditions until the end of August, at which point winemakers had to contend with a bunch of rain! This led to one of the fastest harvests Theresa has ever experienced, necessitating precise, concentrated work in the vineyards. But she says that when winemakers worked precisely during 2025 harvest, the wines of the vintage won’t disappoint.

It may be very early to make sweeping statements about such a young vintage, but those tasted so far are extremely expressive, with stunning concentration. Many of them are already very impressive after only two weeks in the bottle! A perfect example of this is the Riesling  Gelblack trocken (an entry-level Gutswein) from Schloss Johannisberg. Despite being only a few short weeks in the bottle, this gorgeous dry Riesling was beautifully ripe and complex, showing scads of pear, sun-dried straw and, perhaps most surprisingly when tasted in comparison with previous vintages, fresh-cut garden herbs and sea salt. It’s exciting, racy and anything but “typical.” Schloss Johannisberg may be a giant of German enological history and the oldest Riesling estate in the world, but don’t mistake tradition for staleness. Something special happened there in 2025!

Weingut Kaufmann in Hattenheim is another of the stars of the vintage for me. Whether you are drawn to an excellently balanced Chardonnay, a sleek and racy Riesling or an elegantly crafted Pinot Noir, Kaufmann’s 2025s have so much to offer. Their “Tell” Riesling is a sensational expression of dry Riesling, carefully selected and crafted from some of the top parcels in Hattenheim. It offers a GG-level Riesling experience for €20 and was my personal favorite among the wines I tasted. But in 2025, excellence is the rule in the Rheingau. Over the coming months, we will be working hard to give you a fuller picture of this fabulous vintage. Buckle up. 2025 is a hell of a ride!

30 Wines Tasted, onewith 94 and four with 93. 

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WEISSBURGUNDER, GRABURGUNDER & CHARDONNAY

Kloster Eberbach (Domäne Bergstrasse)  Hessische Bergstrasse   Weissburgunder  trocken  2025 – 12% / If you’re looking for a crisp, dry pinot blanc that’s not too pretentious, this is for you. It’s nice and fresh, with loads of apple and lemon and a touch of herbiness, without dominating. 89 (TE)

Kaufmann  Rheingau  Chardonnay  2025 – 13% / What an elegant Chardonnay from the Rheingau! These vines are French clones, and while the wine was, at the time of tasting, quite tense, it is already showing gorgeous yellow fruit and is extremely well-balanced, with secondary notes of toasted straw without giving in to the “creamy” Chardonnay stereotype. 91 (TE)

Graf von Kanitz  Rheingau  Grauburgunder trocken  2025 – 12% / This is a very spicy pinot gris with scads of fresh-cut garden herbs and a warm, grassy finish that will drive fans of the variety crazy. 90 (TE)

Leitz  Rheingau  Weisburgunder  trocken  2025 – 12% / There is a pleasant flintiness to this pinot blanc, with hints of spiced pear and sun-dried straw on the rather generous, juicy finish. Wait a bit while enjoying this, as it needs time for its more complex attributes to become apparent. 91 (TE)

Leitz  Rheingau  Chardonnay  C  trocken 2025 – 12.5% / This feels a lot like a classic, buttery Chardonnay with a Rheingau twist. Slight reduction blows off fairly quickly to reveal a warm nose of sun-dried straw, with a bit of fresh-cut parsley and sea salt. The Amalfi lemon on the long, beautiful finish makes this a great selection for Chardonnay lovers who want something atypical. 92 (TE)

SCHEUREBE & MUSKATELLER

Prince von Hessen  Rheingau  Scheurebe 2025 – 12% / Now for something totally different! This Scheurebe is great fun to drink and beautifully perfumed with scads of jasmine and white pear, and a great, shiny acidity that fills it with life! This vineyard was planted in the 1960s, and in 2025 it shines. 91 (TE)

Prince von Hessen  Rheingau  Muskateller 2025 – 12.5% / After two years in production, this atypical variety for the region is beginning to develop some elegance, showcasing fresh Amalfi lemon that fans of a little crunch on the finish will love. Throw out everything you thought you knew about Muskateller! 91 (TE)

PINOT NOIR RED & ROSÉ

August Eser  Rheingau  Spätburgunder Rosé  Pretty in Pink trocken 2025 – 12.5% / This stunningly bright rosé made from 100% pinot noir is beautifully made and great fun to drink. Strawberry, elderberry and a touch of the fresh cut garden herbs and a touch of sea salt so present in the 2025  Rheingau wines make this anything but your typical, fruit-forward rosé. 90 (TE) 

Kaufmann  Rheingau  Pinot Noir  +  2025 – 12.5% / This is a beautifully crafted, elegant, light-bodied Pinot Noir from the Rheingau. Notes of raw meat, red currant and baking spices lead to a bright and refreshing finish that will surprise and delight! 92 (TE)

DRY RIESLING

Kloster Eberbach  Rheingau  Riesling  trocken 2025 – 12% / This is your introduction to dry Rheingau Riesling! Pears and lemon are rounded off by a lovely, subtle chalkiness that won’t intimidate the uninitiated. A good starting point on the road to Riesling. 90 (TE)

August Eser  Rheingau  Riesling  Oestrich vom Löss  trocken  2025- 12% / This is a lovely, fresh Riesling with loads of ripe yellow exotic fruits like mango and pineapple with a crisp, citrus twist. There is a touch of Italian herbs on the finish that adds zing that I love! 90 (TE)

August Eser  Rheingau  Roter Riesling  Trocken 2025 – 12% / Rose petals, white pepper and wild strawberry shine through this delightfully refreshing red Riesling from Rheingau. This is a racey, lively wine that will leave you always wanting another glass. 90 (TE) 

Prince von Hessen  Rheingau  Riesling  trocken  2025 – 12.5% / This very fresh, herby Riesling will delight those who like the tang and crunch of fresh Granny Smith apples with bright lemony freshness. This is a great introduction to the region, with just enough juiciness on the finish not to intimidate newcomers to Riesling. 90 (TE)

Schloss Johannisberg  Rheingau  Riesling  Gelblack trocken  2025 – 12% / A stunningly refined and complex dry Riesling from the legend of Rheingau winemaking. Ripe pear, toasted straw and, surprisingly, a touch of fresh-cut garden herbs and sea salt on the long, beautifully structured finish. 93 (TE)

Graf von Kanitz  Rheingau  Riesling  trocken  2025 – 12% / This racy and exciting dry Riesling is bursting with ripe pear and elderflower and shines with sharp but well-balanced citrus fruits on the finish. The garden herbs and salt add a layer of complexity and keep you coming back for more. 90 (TE)

Graf von Kanitz  Rheingau  Riesling  Lorcher Schiefer trocken  2025 – 12.5% / Beautifully stony, with freshly sliced Golden Delicious apple and fresh-cut garden herbs, this village Riesling is bone dry, with a very straight and direct acidic structure that lovers of citrusy Riesling will enjoy. The touch of mint on the finish keeps this beautifully refreshing and lively. 91 (TE)

Graf von Kanitz  Rheingau  Riesling Lorcher Quarzit feinherb  2025 – 11.5% / Lovers of exotic fruits will be charmed by this refreshing off-dry Riesling; the ripe mango and pineapple provide a refreshing acidity to contrast with the juicy sweetness of this wine. This is for those who like an off-dry Riesling a touch on the sweeter side. 90 (TE)

Kaufmann  Rheingau  Riesling  trocken  2025 – 12% / An extremely exciting and racy dry Riesling with a gorgeous, round and generous finish of ripe yellow fruits and a touch of fresh jasmine flower. This is an uncommonly well-made entry-level Riesling that will keep you coming back for more! 92 (TE)

Kaufmann  Rheingau  Riesling Hattenheim trocken  2025 – 12% / This village Riesling is pleasantly flinty at the start – just enough for you to enjoy the reduction – then ripe pear, baking spice and a touch of nut butter come to the fore. Fresh-cut garden herbs and citrus fruit lead to a long, generous finish. 93 (TE)

Kaufmann  Rheingau Riesling  Tell  2025 – 12% / What a sensational dry Riesling! Fresh-cut garden herbs, a touch of passion fruit and Amalfi lemon provide a lively side to the extremely long, warm finish. Wow! A cuvée of wines from various top sites. 94 (TE)

Künstler  Rheingau  Riesling  trocken 2025 – 13% / This elegantly subtle dry Riesling is surprisingly spicy, with a touch of baked pear cobbler, fresh-cut garden herbs and lemon peel. The finish is long, silky and generous – liquid satin! A gorgeous wine! 92 (TE)

Leitz  Rheingau  Riesling  Rüdesheim trocken  2025 – 12% / This is a fresh and uncomplicated village Riesling from Rüdesheim, in the heart of the Rheingau. The generous finish is refreshing and silky, making it a great thing for the spring! 90 (TE)

Leitz  Rheingau  Riesling  Magic Mountain trocken  2025 – 12% / White pepper, ripe pear and crisp Golden Delicious apple make this an absolute pleasure to drink. The Magic Mountain Cuvee is a Riesling blend, combining the best terraced sites around Rüdesheim to provide a GG-level experience that offers very good value for money. 92 (TE)

Geheimrat J. Wegeler  Rheingau  Riesling  Löss trocken 2025 – 12% / Shining acidity with scads of citrus flower and pear mingles with a pleasant greenness in this somewhat tense in this dry Riesling from the Rheingau. This needs a bit more time to open up at the time of tasting, but is overall very well made, with a beautiful fressness and vivacity. 90 (TE)    

Robert Weil  Rheingau  Riesling  trocken  2025 – 12.5% / This dry Riesling is an excellent introduction to the Rhiengau and a great starting point with this estate. It’s warm and welcoming, displaying the ripeness of the 2025 vintage with baked pear and a touch of fresh cut garden herbs that shine on the long, velvety finish. 91 (TE) 

Robert Weil  Rheingau  Riesling Kiedrich trocken 2025 – 12% / This dry village greets you with a  lovely herb-medley on the nose, followed by the same consistent hebaciousness and stunning acidic struucture on the pallet with some grassy characteristics that fans of sauvignion blac will love. It’s a beautifully made Riesling and already showing complexity, despite its youth. 92 (TE) 

OFF-DRY RIESLING

Kloster Eberbach   Rheingau   Riesling feinherb  2025 – 11.5% / There is a soft flintiness to this off-dry Riesling right out of the bottle, but that quickly gives way to jasmine blossom and ripe pears on a lively finish. An excellent choice for spicy foods that are often difficult to pair with more complex off-dry Rieslings. 90 (TE)

Prince von Hessen  Rheingau Riesling halbtrocken 2025 – 12% / The classic. There is a pleasant greenness to this off-dry Riesling that showcases the white pear, jasmine and green apple that Riesling lovers treasure. 90 (TE)

Schloss Johannisberg  Rheingau  Riesling  Gelblack feinherb  2025 – 11.5% / This is a stunning off-dry Riesling, perfect for those who think they don’t like off-dry wines! Peach, white tea leaves and jasmine shine on the extremely well-balanced palate. The gorgeous acidic structure that makes this both floral and racy. What a beautiful glass of white wine for the summer! 93 (TE)

RIESLING SPÄTLESE

Künstler  Rheingau  Riesling  Pfaffenberg Spätlese  2025 – 9.5% / Sleek and smooth, this gorgeous Spätlese is beautifully balanced, fresh and lively, with a buttery silkiness on its generous finish. The residual sugar is perfectly balanced by an acidity that keeps it fresh, with notes of white tea leaves and pear. 93 (TE)