Haardt Riesling
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2027
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Pan-seared trout, spicy Thai green curry, roasted pork belly
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the steep slopes of Haardt, a picturesque district of Neustadt in the Pfalz, this village-level Riesling beautifully captures the essence of its unique terroir. The vineyards here are defined by weathered yellow and red Buntsandstein (colored sandstone) soils, which absorb the daytime heat and release it gently to the vines at night. Protected by the dense canopy of the adjacent Palatinate Forest, the grapes benefit from a warm microclimate that allows for optimal ripeness while maintaining a crisp, electric acidity. Oliver Zeter vinifies this Riesling using gentle pressing and spontaneous fermentation, aging the wine on its fine lees in a combination of stainless steel tanks and traditional large oak casks. This meticulous approach preserves the vibrant, mineral-driven character of the fruit while imparting a subtle, textured complexity that reflects the historic winemaking heritage of the Pfalz.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2007 by brothers Oliver and Christian Zeter in the Mittelhaardt village of Neustadt-Haardt, Weingut Oliver Zeter is celebrated as a transformative force in modern German viticulture. Following apprenticeships in Italy, South Africa, and the Pfalz estate Dr. Deinhard, Oliver returned to his family's wine roots to champion grape varieties unconventional for the region, most notably Sauvignon Blanc alongside classic Riesling and Chenin Blanc. Sourced from limestone-rich slopes in Haardt Herzog and marl-sandstone terroirs across top parcels such as Kallstadter Saumagen, the vineyards benefit from the protective rain shadow of the Haardt hills. In the cellar, Zeter balances precise temperature-controlled stainless steel with wooden casks, concrete vessels, and amphorae to fashion textured, mineral-driven whites marked by vibrant acidity. The estate's whimsical mascot—a wine-drinking bear sketched by Palatinate artist Otto Dill—adorns benchmark labels such as the barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, Le Moelleux Chenin Blanc, Saumagen Riesling, and the luscious botrytised Goldschatz TBA.
🍇 Grapes
Riesling
🍷 ABV
12% - 12.5%