georg breuer Rhein Gorge, Rheingau

In all the years of countless winery visits, it had to be a first—at least in regard to how I showed up at the winery’s front door. Usually, the process involved either driving somewhere or riding in a passenger van. Per the latter, in the previous five times I’d been to the Rheingau region in Germany, I was part of a group put together by an importer or the Wines of Germany organization. But this time was different. This time I showed up by boat. A river cruise ship, to be exact. And somehow, the small town of Rüdesheim was on the itinerary.

Before then, we’d spent all morning on the good ship AmaMora cruising through the Rhine Gorge; a 40-mile stretch of the river between Koblenz and Assmanshausen. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2002 because of its natural beauty and cultural significance. The gorge is home to some of the steepest vineyards in Germany, in what is technically the Mittelrhein region. More than a few of the vineyards were abandoned after WWII because they were so steep and cost prohibitive to work.

What the Rhein Gorge doesn’t lack for is spectacular scenery. Some 40 castles dot the steep hillsides, all built over a thousand years’ time to either protect land holdings or exact tolls from ships traversing the river. The views are remarkable. If you travel to the area, seeing the gorge by boat is a must. Pun intended. Speaking of which, I was on the top of the ship when we passed the village of Assmanshausen, one of two places in the Rheingau where Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) is widely grown and produced. With the AmaMora cruising full speed ahead, which is a blinding 15 MPH, we soon passed the village and rounded the bend in the river and headed due east. To the immediate left was the Rossel Castle (pictured above) several hundred feet above the river. It’s surrounded by Riesling vines of the Berg Schlossberg, the first of three Grand Cru vineyards of Rüdesheim. The other two, Berg Roseneck and Berg Rottland, quickly followed. The trio accounts for some of the steepest vineyards in the Rheingau. All are made and bottled by Georg Breuer.

If unfamiliar, Georg Breuer is one of the top producers in the Rheingau, and easily one of the best producers of dry Riesling in all of Germany—and anywhere for that matter. I’ve known the Breuer wines for years, and used them on various wine lists and for events and classes. The estate was founded in 1880 as part of a wine merchant company owned by Bernhard Scholl and Albert Hillebrand. The Breuer family has owned it since early in the 20th century. Georg, after whom the winery was named, passed the estate on to his two sons, Heinrich and Bernhard. They expanded the estate to include parcels in several of the top vineyards in the Rheingau.

In the ‘80s, Bernhard Breuer was instrumental in the founding of the Charta Association, an organization created to promote the top dry wines of the Rheingau. Breuer was convinced that the best vineyard-designated dry wines of the region were on par with other world-class white wines. He was also an advocate for establishing a vineyard classification for the Rheingau based on a geological survey and historical documents. In a sense, the Charta was the first step towards what would become the VDP classification first published in 2002.

Sadly, Bernhard Breuer passed away suddenly in 2004. Today, the estate is managed by Theresa Breuer with assistance from Hermann Schmoranz. The winery cultivates 98 acres vineyards in Rüdesheim, Rauenthal, and Lorch. Grape varieties planted include 86% Riesling, 10% Pinot Noir, 3% Pinot Gris, 1% Pinot Blanc, and small amounts of Orléans and Heunisch. The top dry wines are made from Berg Schlossberg, Berg Rottland and Berg Roseneck in Rüdesheim, Rauenthal Nonnenberg (monopole), and Lorch Pfaffenwies.

The vineyards are farmed organically and certified by Fair N Green. Yields in the tops sites range from 15-25 hl/ha with village wines 45 hl/ha. Botrytis is generally avoided as most of the wines are dry. However, we tasted an outstanding Auslese during our visit that seemed to have botrytis influence. Otherwise, using native ferments or a select strain of cultured yeast is typical. The top dry wines are fermented in large neutral casks.

Given our limited time on shore before having to return to the ship, we had less than an hour to taste. However, Theresa and Marlene were generous and opened 13 wines for us. All were outstanding with the single vineyard dry wines superb. Here are my tasting notes from the visit.

*The numbers: A quick reminder about the series of numbers included with each tasting note. In lieu of the 100-point scoring system, which I consider the equivalent of reality TV in wine, I use a system devised by good friend Peter Granoff, MS. The system consists of seven criteria: intensity of flavor, dryness/sweetness, body, acidity, tannin, oak, and complexity. Further, these seven criteria are represented in one-through-seven increments, with the number one representing least/none and the number seven the most or maximum.

Georg Breuer – The wines

1. 2018 Georg Breuer Brut

A unique classic method sparkling wine produced from a blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir. After secondary fermentation in the bottle, the wine ages en tirage for five years before disgorging.

Sight: pale straw with fine bead

Nose: lime, green apple, white floral, toast, mushroom-earth

Palate: vibrant and tart with the dosage level similar to brut Champagne

5/1/4/6/1/1/5

38€

2. 2024 GB Pinot Gris

Sight: pale straw green

Nose: green melon, kiwi, pear, citrus blossom, and mineral

Palate: tart and lifted with mineral and phenolics on the finish. The texture is seamless.

5/2/4/5/1/1/5

17€

3. 2024 GB Rosé of Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir)

Sight: pale salmon pink

Nose: cranberry, fraise, white pepper, rose, and mineral

Palate: tart, vibrant, and surprisingly long

4/1/4/5/1/1/4+

12.5€

4. 2023 GB Spätburgunder

Sight: medium ruby

Nose: strawberry, sour cherry, beet, rose-floral, vanilla, toast, and earth

Palate: savory and tart finishing with mushroom/earth and used oak

4/1/4/5/4/3/5

34€

Riesling

The winery has two entry bottlings of Riesling. The “Sauvage” is bone dry while the “Charm” has a touch of residual sugar. Both are very good values.

5. 2024 “Sauvage” Riesling

Sight: medium straw green

Nose: mango, white peach, Key lime, linden, and mineral

Palate: impressive weight and balance for such an inexpensive wine. Value.

4/1/4/6/1/1/4

13€

6. 2024 “Charm” Riesling

Sight: medium straw green

Nose: Pippin apple, pink grapefruit, lime, citrus blossom, and mineral

Palate: delicious—like an adult sweet-tart

4/3/4/6/1/1/4

13€

Village Rieslings

The next trio of wines Marlene poured were the three village Rieslings. Typically, estate Rieslings represent the lowest tier of quality for a producer. Not so here. All three of the Breuer village wines are outstanding and clearly reflect their respective vineyard sites.  

7. 2023 Estate Lorch

Sight: medium straw green

Nose: white peach, nectarine, kiwi, lime, white floral, and mineral

Palate: surprising weight and density for a village wine; intensity and persistence.

5/1/4/6/1/1/5 +

20€

8. Estate Rüdesheim

Sight: medium straw green

Nose: green pear, white nectarine, lime, lemon verbena, and mineral

Palate: broader and richer than the Lorch. Dense and weighty without being heavy due to dry extract; pronounced mineral-middle with tart acidity on the finish.

5/1/4/6/1/1/5+

20€

9. Estate Rauenthal

Sight: pale straw green

Nose: very floral and pretty with white peach, kiwi, lime, and mineral

Palate: dense, compact, long, and persistent

5/1/4/6/1/1/5+

20€

georg breuer wines

Terra Montosa

To achieve a severe selection of fruit in the top Grand Cru sites, the Breuer’s have been producing a bottling from the second best sites since the 1990 vintage. The wine is called Terra Montosa, from the Latin for “steep land,” taken from a certificate dated 1074 that records the original wine growing history of vineyards in Rüdesheim.

10. 2023 Terra Montosa

Sight: pale straw green

Nose: Pippin, pineapple, white nectarine, lime, floral, slight spice, and mineral

Palate: dense but not heavy. Pronounced mineral in the mid-palate with a long finish driven by high acidity.

5+/1/5/6/1/1/5

34€

Grand cru Rieslings

11. 2020 Berg Roseneck Grand Cru

Sight: medium straw green

Nose: tropical notes—guava, mango, and kiwi—with Key lime, white peach, floral, and mineral

Palate: seamless, dense, mineral-driven, and persistent.

6/1/5/6/1/1/6

72€

12. 2023 Pfaffenwies Grand Cru

Sight: medium straw green

Nose: white peach, apricot, mango, Mandarin, white floral, and mineral

Palate: not as generous as the Roseneck but laser-focused, precise, and long.

6/1/4/6/1/1/6

69€

Auslese

The lone sweet wine of the tasting and it was remarkable—closer to a Beerenauslese in weight and residual sugar than a typical Auslese.

13. 2023 Berg Rottland Auslese Gold Kapsul

Sight: pale straw green

Nose: honey and honeysuckle, pear drop candy, white peach nectar, limeade, and mineral

Palate: like dark matter—incredibly dense and concentrated but not heavy. Very sweet but finishes considerably drier because of the high acidity. 30 years-plus.

7/6/6/6/1/1/7

58€ (375ml)


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