RHEINHESSEN NOW Part 2: Northern Rocking

By Stuart Pigott - last revision 03.11.26

Let me be frank with you, because that's what this website is all about: I hate it when winemakers pretend that Riesling can be magically transformed into Chardonnay and, of course, the (still rare) opposite is no less preposterous. Alchemy doesn't work! but then, if I turn to the Northern Rheinhessen, I have to admit that many of the best dry Rieslings remind me of white Burgundy, and mostly that's Chardonnay. Something that at first glance seems impossible recently became a reality there thanks to producers like Bischel, Knewitz and Thörle.

But this is just the beginning, you see this is one of the places in Germany where Chardonnay also successfully established itself, and these wines remind me of white Burgundy from the 1980s and early 1990s (at least of how those wines tasted when they were young). Frankly, I can say much the same about the Pinot Noir reds from Northern Rheinhessen. Yes, the very best Pinot Noirs from Baden, the Pfalz and even the Wonnegau in the south of Rheinhessen are still ahead, but the development here is so dynamic. 2024 may well be the best vintage so far in bottle. For Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Adams Wein, Knewitz, J. Neus, Saalwächter and Thörle are the most important names to learn.

This has a lot to do with a string of vineyard sites with limestone soils, and some of the vineyards - I'm thinking about parts of Ingelheim, the Welzbachtal close to Appenheim, and some of Saulheim's best sites - even look like Burgundy. I'm guessing that some of you are now saying to yourselves that you've heard of Ingelheim, but where the hell are Saulheim and the Welzbachtal? Limestone in Rheinhessen, really? If so, then you're displaying the symptoms of Rheinhessen Revolution Syndrome, just as I did 20 years ago when I started immersing myself in this extremely diverse region. And I still sometimes show symptoms, because the region continues to reinvet itself.

And we still haven't reached the end of this introduction to Northern Rheinhessen, because as fascinating as these aspects of the region are, to them must be added the dry and naturally sweet Rieslings from the volcanic soils in the rugged Rheinhessische Schweiz, or the Switzerland of Rheinhessen. They're closer to the wines of the Middle Nahe than anything else. Wagner-Stempel is the established star here, but the new wines from Steitz also blew my mind. Finally, the Rieslings from quarzitic soils in Bingen at the northwestern corner of the region are alsoastonishing with a clear similarity to the wines of the Rüdesheimer Berg in the Rheingau. Why? Because the Scharlachberg of Bingen is the same geological formation as the Rüdesheimer Berg, separated only by the Rhine. Bischel, Krüger-Rumpf and Riffel are the Jedi Knights of the Scharlachberg!

Now you have the necessary basic orientation to make full sense of the tasting notes below. Just one extra thing needs to be pointed out: Markovic also makes wine in Baden. They will be in the forthcoming BADEN NOW story, because here they would be just too confusing. However, I love the originality of all Tomislav's wines!

THE SUPERNOVAS OF THE NORTH

Knewitz  Rheinhessen  Spätburgunder  Eselspfad  2024 - 12.5% / The soul of the wild blackberry is sending a message to you from a parallel dimension. For such an extraordinarily concentrated Pinot Noir this has an inspiring freshness that’s wonderfully uplifting, then you realize you’re getting close to heaven! Finally, the chalky character and citrusy acidity jolt you back to earth. 97 (SP)

Thörle  Rheinhessen  Spätburgunder  Hölle Unfiltriert  2024 - 13% / Enormous structure with massive peppery and chalky character, yet this also has freshness and finesse. The combination of power, minerality and tension makes me think of Grand Cru Clos de la Roche in Burgundy, but this is brighter and more animating than those wines are.  Super-long, velvety finish. Matured in a mix of 40% new and 60% used barriques for 18 months. 97 (SP)

Knewitz  Rheinhessen  Riesling  Honigberg GG  2025 - 13% /  How can a wine be simultaneously cool and warm, grand and delicate? That this functions here is the most importang thing you need to grasp about this extraordinary wine. Introverted, yet immediately present. Gigantic mineral intensity at the finish, but the effect is dazzling, an invitation to a voyage towards infinity. 99 (SP)

Wagner-Stempel  Rheinhessen  Riesling  EMT trocken  2025 - 13% / An essence of the great Heerkretz site that’s simultaneously classical in structure and densely mineral, with a senstional peach-apricot-pineapple fruit that’s impossible to resist. Enormous concentration at the finish, but also dew-fresh. Love life and this extraordinary wine! 99 (SP)

NOTE: Only for paying subscribers the notes for all 120 wines tasted can be found below. Fully 48 of them rated 95+ !