The 2017 Wittmann Aulerde Riesling Grosses Gewachs hails from a vintage that saw a "peculiar situation" in the Aulerde vineyard, with hail affecting the upper reaches, yet the remaining old vines produced perfect grapes and successfully weathered the summer drought. This was a year of "short, intense harvest with very healthy grapes," resulting in the smallest yields in years due to hail and less juice in the fruit. Wittmann rigorously sorted grapes and emphasized quick picking to avoid botrytis. The wine is crafted from biodynamically grown, Respekt certified grapes. On the nose, it presents a deep greenish straw colour with a funky, spontaneous-fermentation character, offering a cocktail of finely etched fruit, lime, and a flattering richness. Expect clear, intense, and concentrated peach aromas with the purity of a flinty terroir. The palate is intense, pure, and salty, a concentrated yet juicy Riesling with remarkable elegance, finesse, and salty length. It's polished, almost silken, with unusually restrained yet invigorating phenolics. The long finish integrates striking ashy and chalky notes with a refreshing onrush of juicy ripe lime, grapefruit, apple, and honeydew melon. James Suckling praised its "lavish yellow fruit, including some almost overripe pineapple," noting it avoids opulence due to healthy acidity. Other notes include bitter lemon, stony minerality, apricot, and citrus. 【This Riesling offers remarkable elegance, finesse, and salty length from old biodynamically farmed vines】. 🍴 This versatile Riesling pairs beautifully with pork, shellfish, poultry, spicy food, and cured meats. It's also an excellent match for oysters, grilled white fish with herbs, white asparagus, aged hard cheeses like Gruyère, and light seafood preparations such as ceviche. One reviewer even found it a great match for turkey leftovers in Sichuan dressing. 🥂 The 2017 Aulerde Riesling GG is surprisingly charming and youthfully accessible, yet it promises to show even more impressively with time in the bottle. It's drinking beautifully now, but there's no rush, as it's expected to be at its best from 2020 through 2031. Perfect for a sophisticated dinner or a special occasion, it can also be enjoyed casually with friends who appreciate a complex dry Riesling.