2018 Westhofener Riesling Q.b.A. trocken Wittmann, Rheinhessen

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The 2018 Westhofener Riesling Trocken is sourced entirely from grand cru vineyards (predominantly Morstein but also Brunnenhäuschen) and is a concentrated, intense and juicy wine with a tight mineral structure. Tasted at the domaine in March 2020. - Stephan Reinhardt, Mai 2020

Vinous: Sourced entirely from Morstein, this leads with rather austere, pungent and piquant suggestions of char, crushed stone, grapefruit peel, caraway and crushed citrus seeds. Wittmann reported that in keeping with the recent establishment of wine “Aus Ersten Lagen” as an official VDP category (as explained in the introduction to this report on Rheinhessen), he was much stricter in his choice of raw material for this Westhofen bottling than had been the case with its eponymous predecessors. And at this address, stricter selection and higher quality are associated with less fruity and more minerally demeanors. That association is certainly reflected in this wine’s chalky, stony grip, accompanied by cheek-tugging, glowing overall phenolic intensity. Happily, though, not only do zest of grapefruit and lime lend pizzazz to the finish, they also serve for welcome primary juiciness that insures refreshment, while a lick of salt serves for equally welcome salivary stimulation. - David Schildknecht, Nov. 2020