Gustave Lorentz Altenberg de Bergheim Vieilles Vignes Riesling 2019

The Altenbourg de Bergheim Grand Cru sits in the middle of the Ribeauvillé fault zone, one of the most complex geological assemblies in wine-growing France, and you’ll find marly limestones as well as pink sandstones underlying the vineyard. Still more relevant, though, may be its southern exposure and protected situation: this 220m-320m, 35-ha site is celebrated for its generosity. Pale gold in colour, this Riesling has classic aromas of apples and pears, lemon oil and cardamom. On the palate, it’s deep, intense, splendidly fruited and with a ‘mineral’ spangle to the flavours, too; just a little sweetness brocades those fruits. It’s long in the mouth and almost statuesque: a striking contrast to the more slender and piercing Rieslings produced a little further north up the Rhine, away from the generously motherly Vosges foothills. Best in Show. Score – 97. (Decanter World Wine Awards, 2023)