2 Mad Ringers - 92/93 Point Gutedel from The Bounding Hanspeter Ziereisen

 2019 Ziereisen Steingruble Gutedel

 - 2017 Got 93 Points from Stephan Reinhardt (Wine Advocate)

 - Insane Aromas

 - Grilled Nuts, Baked Pears 

 - Multicolored Minerals

 - Salty Limestone Sea Air

 - Bitter Citrus

 - Peach and Apricot

 - Palate: Dense and Complex

 - So Fresh

 - Off the Charts Acid and Minerality

 - A Total Lyle Trust Me Wine

2019 Ziereisen Viviser Gutedel

 - 92 Points (2017) Stephan Reinhardt (Wine Advocate)

 - "remarkable Chasselas" (WA)

 - "Bright, pure and fresh" (WA)

 - "perfectly ripe fruit aromas and a fine saline note" (WA)

 - "tensioned, pure and fresh" (WA)

 - "with lemon rind and stony notes" (WA) 

 - "Excellent" (WA)

I’m a massive fan of Gutedel as it scratches my wine geek itch like no other white wine grape. It’s got almost no fruit and it’s got huge acid. It’s also got edgy and intense minerality and can be an incredibly knockback humble wine like with today’s Viviser or it can be as grandiose as Hermitage Blanc and

Chevalier Montrachet with the incredibly rare Jaspis 10-4 Alte Reben, which will not be sold today and is strictly allocated in 2019. But I’ve got a “village” Gutedel and a “1er cru” Gutedel and both are allocated as 2019 at Ziereisen is strictly allocated. Today are just two brilliant brilliant values and I can never have enough Gutedel. Usually in my household it’s “Riesling or Chardonnay.” And I find if don’t want either of those, Gutedel is next. It’s why I never have enough. It always surprises me. It’s just so engaging with how offbeat it is and I adore having the best version of some weird grape made by a master like Hanspeter Ziereisen. 

Up first is the 2019 Ziereisen Steingruble Gutedel for $22.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. The 2017 of this got 93 points from Stephan Reinhardt of the Wine Advocate. Not bad. It's Gutedel for the rest of us if one cannot afford the 10-4 "Grand Cru." The 1er Cru truly lives up to the 1er Cru term. This is from a 100% limestone vineyard. 

Just beautiufl aromas of grilled nuts, baked pears and so many different types of minerals. It's a $75 nose on a $25 wine. Brilliant nose after air of salty limestone sea air and white flowers. Hints of bitter citrus also some peach and apricot. Some sugar snap peas as well. Super fragrant. So mineral and green pea and a hint of reduction. This is textbook Chasselas.

The palate is dense and complex but fresh as a daisy. So juicy and clean with that amazing minerality that Hanspeter can get out of Gutedel. Palate after air has that killer 2019 acidity. Wow. Balanced and so juicy with ridiculous clarity and purity. What length and balance. The acid and minerality is off the charts. Impressive structure as well with sweet tart like fruit. Stunning. I don't know how he does it. Dry, which is a trademark from Gutedel, yet so intense it's almost too much. But then it is also juicy and lively. There is serious power here and concentration with a big structure as well. So pure. Like fresh spring water from the Rockies.

The finish is so mineral and even more earthy which is a surprise. Like tree bark and earth. This wine is the one below the Jaspis 10-4 and there are two levels below it. I cannot emphasize enough how much of a value this is.This is like 1er Cru white Burg from a top producer for $25. This is a total Lyle trust me wine and this is a total Lyle trust me email. My job could be easier if I didn't try and sell these wines but what's the fun in that? 

"From Jurassic chalk with a layer of loess and aged in traditional oak vats for 22 months, the 2017 Steingrüble is deep, clear, fresh, flinty and toasty on the fascinating, pure yet complex nose that is reflects the Zeitgeist and has more than just one eye in Burgundy. Bottled with 12% alcohol, this is a pure, fresh, mineral, complex and structured yet medium-bodied Chasselas with a long, juicy, fruity, tensioned, finely tannic, salty and mineral finish with ripe, white stone fruit aromas. This is one of their finest Chasselas you can find at this price point on planet wine. A must-buy. Tasted form L 18 19 in July 2020."

93 Points, Stephan Reinhardt (2017)

Now here is a wine I am offering for the first time and that’s the 2019 Ziereisen Viviser Gutedel for $19.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. I taste it usually every year at Ziereisen and never had room for it but since allocations are so strict in 2019 I added it to the mix. It's a fun, yet incisive wine from Jurassic chalk soils and is in the sweet spot alcohol for German wines, 11.5%. Below is the 92 Point score for the 2017 from Stephan Reinhardt.

"A remarkable Chasselas from Jurassic chalk soils, the 2017 Viviser was basket-pressed and vinified for 20 months in traditional large oak casks to end up bone-dry and with 11.5% alcohol. Bright, pure and fresh on the still-reductive, yeasty-dominated nose but also with perfectly ripe fruit aromas and a fine saline note, this is a pure, fresh and persistently salty Gutedel (a.k.a. Chasselas). The wine is light yet tensioned, pure and fresh, with lemon rind and stony notes on the tightly knitted finish. Excellent. Tasted from L 17 19 in July 2020." - 92 Points, Stefan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate (2017)

2019 Ziereisen Gutedel Steingruble- $24.99 ($91.96 4-Pack)

2019 Ziereisen Gutedel Viviser - $21.99 ($79.96 4-Pack)