Hochheimer Mainterrassen Riesling
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed within 1–5 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
pan-seared trout, pork schnitzel, mild Thai green curry
✨ wine.spec_sheet
The Hochheimer Mainterrassen Riesling is a beautiful expression of the unique terroir of Hochheim am Main, a historic winegrowing town situated at the eastern edge of the Rheingau. Unlike most of the region which overlooks the Rhine, Hochheim's vineyards face south toward the Main River. The 'Mainterrassen' refers to the ancient river terraces, where soils are characterized by a rich mixture of loess, clay, and river gravels. This soil composition, combined with the warming influence of the river, yields a Riesling that is typically rounder, more opulent, and slightly lower in sharp acidity than its counterparts from the steep slate slopes of the lower Rheingau. Historically, the wines of Hochheim were so celebrated in England that Queen Victoria's visit in 1850 popularized the term 'Hock' as a generic term for all German white wines. Weingut Künstler crafts this wine to capture the vibrant, fruit-forward, and mineral-driven essence of these historic terraces.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Re-established in 1965 by Franz Künstler in Hochheim am Main, Weingut Künstler carries forward a family winemaking heritage dating back to 1648 in Moravia. Today, under the stewardship of Gunter Künstler, who took over in 1992, the estate has risen to become one of the Rheingau's most celebrated producers and a prominent member of the VDP. The winery is renowned for its meticulous management of legendary Erste and Grosse Lage vineyards, such as Hochheimer Hölle and Kirchenstück. Utilizing traditional large oak casks alongside modern stainless steel, Künstler crafts exceptionally precise, mineral-driven Rieslings and elegant Spätburgunders that beautifully express the unique clay-loess and limestone terroirs near the Main river.