2004 Balthasar Ress Hattenheim Nussbrunnen Riesling Auslese noble sweet exposé

The producer is the renowned VDP wine estate Balthasar Ress. Founded in 1870 by the Rheingau hotelier Balthasar Ress, the wine estate numbers among the large, family operated enterprises in the Rheingau today. Consistently high standards of performance and reliability have been hallmarks of the estate since its founding. Today the estate is run by Stefan and Christian Ress, who represent the fourth and fifth generations of the founding family.

Compared with the exceptional 2003 vintage, 2004 is a typical Rheingau Riesling vintage, with a crisp acidity, high extracts, and pronounced aromas of exotic fruits. Several cold fronts interrupted the very dry and warm weather of spring, followed by a summer with (finally!) sufficient rainfall to compensate for water depletions, which, coupled with warm temperatures, helped ensure a good-sized crop. A beautiful Indian summer enabled growers to delay the start of harvesting and thus, to achieve higher must weights/greater ripeness levels than originally anticipated.

The Nussbrunnen vineyard in Hattenheim has a south southeast exposure. The name derives from a "Brunnen," or spring, that was once surrounded by nut trees. The source of the spring is still visible today. It lies well protected from cold northerly winds on the lower reaches of the slope, adjacent to the site Wisselbrunnen. Among the finest parcels of vines in the Rhein-gau is the 1. 6-ha/4-acre parcel within Nuss-brunnen that is owned by the Balthasar Ress estate. Its special soil conditions, e.g. deep, loam loess soils that guarantee an excellent water balance, as well as the prevailing micro-climate, are among the reasons that Nussbrun-nen is such a top site. These are the prerequisites that enable grapes to consistently yield topquality wines.

The grapes are selectively harvested by hand in several stages, then very carefully and gently transported to the cellar in 40-liter boxes that are manually emptied over the wine press, thus making it possible to completely dispense with crushing and pumping.

Spontaneous fermentation and aging take place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks with as little exposure to oxygen as possible, in order to preserve fruit aromas.

100% Riesling

From preserved apricots to quince jelly. Well integrated acidity. Mellow. Helge Hagen, (Sommelier, Kronenschlösschen/Hattenheim)

Gratinated goat cheese with apricot compote. Helge Hagen, (Sommelier, Kronenschlösschen/Hattenheim)

The wine should develop well until 2011-2013. Helge Hagen, (Sommelier, Kronenschlösschen/Hattenheim)

International Wine Challenge 2[006]: Bronze Medall.