2018 (and a late-released 2017) Weisser Burgunder GG's of Note from Saale-Unstrut, Baden, Franken, and Pfalz -- Bassermann-Jordan, Bercher, Juliusspital, Knipser, Messmer, Pawls, Pfeffingen, Staatliche Hofkeller Würzburg

Weisser Burgunder (literally, white Burgundy, also seen as Weisserburgunder, Weiss Burgunder, and Weissburgunder, and often with the “ss" written as “ß”) is what German Pinot Blanc is called. It can make a fascinating, racy wine in Germany, especially the Pfalz, that are unlike any Pinot Blanc that I know from any other wine region.

2018 was a difficult year for Weisser Burgunder, with too many examples being loose and flabby due to low acidity. I’ll spare you the notes on those wines and just present the minority that I tasted that are indeed worthy of interest. (Continue reading here.)

2017 Ahr Spätburgunder GG (Gärkammer, Herrenberg, Kräuterberg, Pfarrwingert, Rosenthal, Silberberg, Sonnenberg) -- Adenauer, Meyer-Näkel Stodden

This set is a mixed bag, but at least these producers are finally moving to a more balanced, elegant style. (Continue reading here.)

2017 Württemberg Spätburgunder GG (Burghalde, Forstberg, Gips Marienglas, Himmelreich, Herzogenberg, Lämmler, Linnenbrunnen, Schupen) -- Aldinger, Dautel, Ellwanger, Haidle, Held, Schnaitmann, Weinberg, Wöhrwag

This is a fairly good selection, with Dautel being the standout producer. (Continue reading here.)

Late released 2016 and 2016 Baden Spätburgunder GG (Eichberg, Henkenberg, Kirchberg, Löchle, Winklerberg "Pagode") -- Burg Ravensburg, Salwey, Stigler

These are good wines, but a comparison with the 2017s shows the superior quality of the latter vintage. (Continue reading here.)

2017 Baden Spätburgunder GG Part II (Eichberg, Enselberg, Henkenberg, Kirchberg, [Achkarren] Schlossberg) -- Heger, Keller, Salwey

An outstanding selection across the board. (Continue reading here.)

2017 Baden Spätburgunder GG Part I: (Bienenberg, Bienenberg Wildenstein, Doktorgarten, Feuerberg Kesselberg, Herrenberg Oberklamm, Herrenberg Sperman, Kirchgasse, [Hecklingen] Schlossberg, Sommerhalde) -- Bercher, Freiburg, Huber, Seeger, Wöhrle

Strong wines from Baden in this vintage. (Continue reading here.)

2017 Franken Spätburgunder GG (Bischofsberg, Centgrafenberg, Hundsrück, Maustal, Schlossberg) -- Baltes, Fürst, Zehnthof Luckert

There are wonderful wines here in 2017. Especially notable are the dazzling wines from Fürst, a splendid recovery from what I found to be a disappointing 2016 vintage. (Continue reading here.)

Late-Released Pfalz Spätburgunder GG from 2014, 2015, and 2016 (Heydenreich, Im Grossen Garten, Kalmit, Kammerberg, Kastanienbusch "Köppel", Kirschgarten, [Dirmstein] Mandelpfad, Münzberg, Rosenkranz -- Im untern Kreuz, Sankt Paul, Sonnenberg, Steinbuckel) -- Becker, Knipser, Kranz, Kuhn, Minges, Münzberg/Kessler, Rebholz, Siegrist, Wehrheim

All very talented Pinot Noir producers and terroirs here, and all have produced at least very good wines.(Continue reading here.)

2017 Pfalz Spätburgunder GG (Kalkberg, Sonnenberg, Idig, Saumagen) -- Bergdolt-St. Lamprecht, Bernhart, Christmann, Rings

These young Pinot Noirs show very good promise for the 2017 vintage there. More producers are holding the wines longer, so I expect to see more 2017s next year. (Continue reading here.)

2017 and 2016 Rheinhessen Spätburgunder GG (Brunnenhäuschen, Bürgel, Horn, Kirchenstück, Kreuz, Morstein, Pares, Paterberg, Schloss Westerhaus) -- Battenfeld-Spanier, Gutzler, Keller, Kühling-Gillot, Neus, St. Antony, Westerhaus

Mixed quality, but there are some good wines and the direction is going the right way — toward finesse and purity. (Continue reading here.)

2018 Riesling GG from Saale Unstrut (Edelacker) and Baden (Herrenberg Oberklamm, Plauelrain, Winklerberg Winkeln) -- Pawls, Laible, Seeger, Stigler

Not much GG Riesling available from these two regions. (Continue reading here.)

Late-Released 2017 Franken Riesling GG (Apostelgarten, Julius-Echter-Berg, KAMMEN Kronsberg, Lumpen 1655, Pfülben, Rothlauf, [Würzburg] Stein, Steinbach Alttenberg 1072) -- Arnold, Bickel-Stumpf, Höfler, Juliusspital, Schäffer, Sommerhausen, Wirsching

These wines are very good, but as a group do not stand above the 2018s that I just reviewed. (Continue reading here.)

2018 Franken Riesling GG (Centgrafenberg, Julius-Echterberg, Küchenmeister, Lumpen 1655, Maustal, Pfülben, [Stetten] Stein, Stein-Hagemann, Stein-Harfe): Bürgerspital, Fröhlich, Fürst, Ruck, H. Sauer, R. Sauer, Schmitt's Kinder, Schwane, Staatlich Hofkeller, Stein/Knoll, Weltner, Zehnthof-Luckert

Given the southerly location of Franken (Franconia), the hot vintage, and the mixed showing of the 2018 Silvaner GG’s from here, one would expect disappointing Riesling GG’s, too. But in fact, that was not the case. These producers by and large came through the vintage very successfully. (Continue reading here.)

Late-released 2017 Pfalz Riesling GG (Freundstück, Jesuitengarten, Kirchenstück, Pechstein, Reiterpfad, Ungeheuer) - von Buhl, Bürklin-Wolf

Riechsrat von BUHL

Winemaker Matthieu Kauffmann, who had come to von Buhl from the Bollinger Champagne house in 2013, abruptly left von Buhl this past August. In his time at von Buhl, he had introduced a new style of very nervy, reductive, high-acid wines that proved popular with the German-speaking press (he was named Falstaff magazine’s winemaker of the year this past April) . We’ll see down the road if his successor follows this same style.

Although these wines are different from what others have been doing from these vineyards, as my notes below show, I was a fan. (Continue reading here.)

2018 Pfalz Riesling GG Part V (Ganzhorn, Hölle, Kalmit, Kastanienbusch, Kirchberg, Schäwer, Sonnenberg, im Sonnenschein) -- Kranz, Messmer, Minges, Rebholz, Siegrist, Wehrheim

Pfalz strength continues in the southern portion, although perhaps a step behind the middle Pfalz. (Continue reading here.)

2018 Pfalz Riesling GG Part IV (Bürgergarten, Grainhübel, Hohenmorgen, Kieselbach, Königsbach, Langenmorgen, [Gimmeldingnen] Mandelgarten,Reiterpfad) -- Bassermann-Jordan, Bergdolt-St. Lamprecht, Christmann, Mosbacher, Müller-Catoir

If Forst is the Vosne-Romanée of Pfalz Riesling, Deidesheim is the Chambolle-Musigny. (Continue reading here.)

2018 Pfalz Riesling GG Part III (Freundstück, Jesuitengarten, Kirchenstück, Pechstein, Ungeheuer) -- Acham-Magin, Bassermann-Jordan, Mosbacher

As I mentioned in my introduction to the vintage, along with the Rheingau, the middle part of the Pfalz stood out particularly in 2018. 

The Pfalz in general compares in many ways to Burgundy’s Côte d’Or, and Forst is the counterpart to Vosne-Romanée in that model. And it doesn’t hurt to have great producers to go with the great terroirs. (Continue reading here.)

2018 Pfalz Riesling GG Part II (Herrenberg, Michelsberg, Weilberg): Fitz-Ritter, Pfeffingen - Fuhrmann-Eymael, Rings, Schaefer

There are some very fine producers in this sector, but the unevenness of the wines reflects the challenges of the vintage. (Continue reading here.)

2018 Pfalz Riesling GG Part I (Im Grossen Garten, Kirschgarten, [Dirmstein] Mandelpfad, Saumagen, Schwarzer Herrgott, Steinbuckel) -- Knipser, Kuhn, Rings

These wines should essentially be grouped geographically and geologically with Part III of the 2018 Rheinhessen Riesling GG’s that I reviewed. The difference is only one of political boundary. (Continue reading here.)

Late-Released 2017 Rheinhessen Riesling GG (Kirchberg, Scharlachberg) -- Salm

Salm’s wines always needed some time to come around, so the decision to release them later helps. Also, with a change in generation, the wines have gotten still better. (Continue reading here.)

2018 Rheinhessen Riesling GG Part III (Aulerde, Brunnenhäuschen, Frauenberg, Geiersberg, Kirchenstück, Kirchspiel, Kloppberg, Leckerberg, Liebfrauenstift Kirchenstück, Morstein, Zellerweg am Schwarzen Herrgott) -- Battenfeld-Spanier, Groebe, Gutzler, Keller, Winter, Wittmann

Always a favorite part of the GG tasting — some of Germany’s greatest producers combined with some of the greatest dry Riesling terroirs. (Continue reading here.)

2018 Rheinhessen Riesling GG Part II: (Falkenberg, Hipping, Ölberg, Orbel, Pettenthal, Rothenberg, Tafelstein, Zehnmorgen): Becker, Gunderloch, Kühling-Gillot, Schätzel, St. Antony

A few wines underperformed, but mostly high quality in this sector of the Rheinhessen. (Continue reading here.)

2018 Rheinhessen Riesling GG Part I (Heerkretz, Höllberg, Hundertgulden, Scharlachberg, Schloss Westerhaus) -- Bischel, Kruger-Rumpf, Westerhaus, Wagner-Stempel

Very good quality for this sector, much of which is essentially Nahe. (Continue reading here.)

Late-Released 2017 Nahe Riesling GG's (Bastei, Burgberg, [Wallhausen] Felseneck, Hermannsberg, Johannisberg): Diel, Hermannsberg, Salm

One can easily perceive the superiority of this vintage overall to 2018. (Continue reading here.)

2018 Nahe Riesling GG Part III ([Bockenau] Felseneck, Frühlingspläztchen, Halenberg, Stromberg) -- Emrich-Schönleber and Schäfer-Fröhlich

This part of the Nahe seemed the most consistent — or was it just these two superb producers? (Continue reading here.)