Kallstadt Riesling – 2023

Kallstadt Riesling from Weingut Rings grows on barren limestone

The 2023 Kallstadt Riesling from Weingut Rings is a dry white wine from the Palatinate, grown on limestone and calcareous marl around the cool wine-growing village of Kallstadt. The hand-picked grapes were pressed as whole clusters. The must then fermented with the vineyard's own indigenous yeasts and was matured predominantly in large wooden barrels.

Kallstadt Riesling 2023 is a dry VDP.Ortswein from Weingut Rings, pressed from pure Riesling grapes from organically farmed vineyards in the Kallstadt area. The limestone and calcareous marl soils store very little water, forcing the roots to grow deep underground, where the vines can still find moisture even in a dry summer. With 12.0 percent alcohol, this Riesling remains nimble rather than broad.

Apple, quince, and a hint of cooling mint

The nose features juicy fruit notes of apple, quince, and apricot, complemented by fresh lime, which sets the direction for the entire profile.

On the palate, this translates into a brisk, chalky, and upright impression, as Kallstadt's cooler climate preserves the acidity and the limestone adds its salinity. A cooling note of mint lingers on the finish, making the wine resonate longer than its slender frame would suggest.

Because it possesses neither heaviness nor oak-derived spice, this Riesling pairs with almost any traditional home-cooked meal. It never dominates the conversation, which is precisely what makes it a wine for an entire evening.

With asparagus, matjes herring, and fresh herbs

A Riesling of this style does not require a heavy companion, but rather something featuring salt, acidity, or fresh greens.

It pairs classically with white asparagus and melted butter, matjes herring with onion rings, or a radish and fresh herb salad whose piquancy picks up on the lime in the wine. Served at about 9 degrees, it is at its most clear; directly out of the cold refrigerator, its fruit remains closed for quite some time.

An opened bottle will keep for two to three days with little loss of quality, as the acidity keeps the wine held together. Those looking for the warmer and more powerful side of the estate will find it in the Ungsteiner Nussriegel Riesling grown on colored sandstone.

Whole grapes go into the press

Harvesting is done by hand in several passes through the same row. The grapes then go directly into the press as whole clusters without being crushed or macerated on the skins.

The intact berries act as their own filter bed, as the must drains through the loose stem structure and picks up fewer tannins from the skins, seeds, and stems along the way. This results in the juice arriving in the winery’s cellar lighter and clearer. In the finished wine, this manifests as clear fruit without any bitter edges on the finish.

Afterward, the yeasts from the vineyard initiate fermentation on their own. 90 percent of the wine subsequently matures in large wooden barrels and the rest in steel tanks; it is bottled without fining, enzymes, or other additives. At 5,000 liters per hectare, enough substance remains in the berries to ensure this slender wine still has structure. The entire assortment can be found in the Weingut Rings hub.

Kallstadt Riesling 2023 – a white wine and its specifications

• Origin Germany
• Region Palatinate
• Winery Rings
• VDP.Ortswein
• Grape variety Riesling
• 12.0% vol alcohol
• 0.4 g/l residual sugar
• 7.4 g/l acidity

Organic control number – DE-ÖKO-022 German Agriculture