One of the most famous Rieslings in the world, this is spectacularly good wine. Broad yet scintillatingly fine, fresh and acidic, but mouth-filling and long; complex flavours of tropical fruit, dried apricots, smoke and bright fresh lime.
It is widely celebrated as one of the most significant of German wines.
The Ungeheuer vineyard is classified as a Grand Cru, or Grosses Gewächs in German, and is made of sandstone, limestone and basalt soils. These provide aromatics, structure and firm-up the acidity and length of finish.
The wine from the vineyard has been legendary and has (much like the greatest Burgundies) been recorded by great writes of the past, specifically Goethe. Otto von Bismarck is said to have named the wine from the vineyard - "ein Ungeheuer" is a monster and and can be turned into an adjective: "this wine is 'ungeheuerliche' gut". And, final fun fact, it was used as the celebration wine at the opening of the Suez canal in 1869. See, German Riesling was the most expensive item in the international wine trade in the 1850s and 60s, far exceeding prices for the Clarets of the day. It was only natural that it would be served for great big ceremonies. Indeed, the big German fan Queen Victoria was a devotee of Rieslings, especially Hochenheimerwiene (which was shortened to Hoch, and then of course Hock).
Today, the Forster Ungeheuer of Von Winning is fermented and aged in 500-litre oak barrels that impart no flavour but allow for the natural aromas and structures to develop. The size of the vineyard is not big and they don't own it all, making it available in minuscule quantities only. But that's ok: it's age-worthy beyond belief; this is a wine you could buy, forget about and dig up twenty years hence and still be amazed by its freshness, vivacity and life.
If you don't know wines from this winery yet, get to!
Region: Pfalz
Country: Germany
Grape(s): Riesling
Style: Vibrant, Smooth, Pure, Profound, Iconic, Fruity, Fresh, Elegant, Electric, Complex, Broad, Bright, Balanced
Best food matches: St Stephen's Day, Shellfish, Seafood, Scallops, Pork, Lobster, Lamb, Game, Fine Dining, Duck, Cheeses, Charcuterie, Beef, Asparagus
Alcohol: 13%
