2018 Weingut Beurer Wurttemberg Rotgut

Beurer is our newest import from Württemberg, but down there, he's not exactly the new kid in town. He's been working the slopes above the village of Stetten since 1997, focusing on making terroir designated Riesling very early on. Being able to work the same grape on a variety of soils has made it possible for Jochen to come up with an impressive range of wines. They are certainly unusual as far as dry Riesling goes nowadays; there is not a trace of the severity of slate-grown, dry German Riesling, nor of the overt, exotic nature of ripeness found in Rheinhessen or Wachau, nor the size of typical Alsatian Rieslings with this much flavor. In fact they are unusual for any Riesling I am aware of because the expression of dirt they convey reminds me more of Chardonnay from Jura or Chablis than anything else. All are fermented in stainless steel (except "Junges Schwaben", his top wine, which spends time in old foudre), which, when tasted side by side, really puts into focus the differences in terroir.