2022 Wittmann Kirchspiel Riesling Grosses Gewachs

It's hard to quantify the impact and value of 350+ vintages the Wittmann family have under their belt in their hometown of Westhofen. As part of the 15th generation of ownership, current steward Philipp Wittmann has embraced the organic viticulture ethos started by his father Günter, even taking it one step further by converting their vineyards to biodynamic in 2004. He lays the foundation for wines of exceptional quality through intensive, year-round maintenance, low yields and the uncompromising selection of bunches by hand. These are superb dry Rieslings from this superstar Rheinhessen winery.

Other Reviews....
Bottled earlier on the day I tasted it (!), the 2022 Kirchspiel Westhofen Riesling GG is pure, intense and refined but also untamed on the chalky nose. Silky, fresh and elegant on the palate, this is a rather lean, enormously saline Kirchspiel with a citric finish. This is a radiant and puristic limestone Riesling with salivating salinity and piquancy on the finish. The wine is tight, fresh and citric, or Wittmann's alternative to the purest Chablis. 12.5% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2023. Drink 2028-2045.
95 points
Stephan Reinhardt - Wine Advocate (Dec 30, 2023)

The 2022 Riesling Westhofener Kirchspiel Grosses Gewächs is from this east-facing site, with just 30cm of topsoil on limestone. A slight reduction marks the shy nose. The palate is slender but concentrated. A notion of green and yellow apple peel insinuates itself on the textured palate, presenting apple skin - perhaps this wine's guise of the phenolics - alongside the mouthwatering fruit that hovers between apple and citrus and a notion of lemon balm. The mid-palate is concentrated, very straight-shooting, linear and driven. The 2022 is cooling and has much energy. (Bone-dry) Drink 2028-2050.
94 points
Anne Krebiehl MW - Vinous

Mind-blowing spiciness hits you when your nose enters the glass. Enormous flinty energy is married to a compact and super-chalky structure on the electrifying palate. Super-long and focused finish that doesn’t want to stop. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drinkable now, but best from 2024.
98 points
Stuart Pigott - JamesSuckling.com