Schloss Johannisberg : Riesling Goldlack Trocken 2020

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Riesling Goldlack Trocken 2020 from Schloss Johannisberg

Tasting

Appearance

The wine shows a bright yellow hue with golden highlights.

Nose

The nose reveals fine aromatic complexity dominated by stone-fruit notes, notably white peach and mirabelle plum. Hints of citrus, lemon balm and rosemary add a refined herbal dimension. Minerality comes through touches of crushed stone and chalk, while subtle vanilla nuances point to well-judged aging.

Palate

The palate stands out for its concentration and remarkable tension. The attack reveals flavors of white peach and nectarine that carry through with elegance. Chalky, saline minerality shapes the palate with precision, alongside citrus notes, notably pomelo and lemon zest. The texture shows an almost Burgundian richness while retaining the racy vibrancy typical of riesling. Fine tannins provide a spicy framework that supports the whole. The finish is particularly long and energetic, marked by lemony freshness and a lingering saline touch that gives the wine striking depth.

Food and wine pairings

This dry riesling is an ideal match for seafood, especially oysters, as well as delicate fish such as poached cod. It also pairs beautifully with refined Asian dishes, elegant vegetables such as asparagus, and aged goat cheeses. Mushroom-based dishes, particularly porcini, also make a harmonious pairing.

Serving and cellaring

The Riesling Goldlack Trocken 2020 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 7 and 9°C. A brief aeration of a few minutes after opening allows the aromas to fully unfold. Its structure and acidity give it excellent cellaring potential.

An exceptional Rheingau riesling combining minerality and elegance

The estate

Schloss Johannisberg is one of the most prestigious wine estates in Germany. Founded in 1100 as a Benedictine monastery, the estate made global wine history in 1720 by becoming the first property planted entirely with riesling. It was also at Johannisberg that the spätlese style was discovered by chance in 1775, giving rise to Germany’s quality-wine classification system. Since 1974, the estate has belonged to the Oetker family via the Henkell Freixenet group. Led by Stefan Doktor, the estate spans fifty hectares of vineyards arranged like an amphitheater around the château. Ranked the world’s second-best wine estate and the top in Europe in 2025, Schloss Johannisberg embodies Rheingau riesling excellence through terroir-respectful production, and has been engaged since 2022 in a conversion to organic viticulture.

The vineyard

The Riesling Goldlack Trocken 2020 comes from the highest-quality plots in the Johannisberg vineyard, located in the Rheingau on the north bank of the Rhine. The vines enjoy a due-south exposure on steep slopes that can reach a 45-degree incline. The terroir rests on a complex geological base of Taunus quartzite covered with loess and iron-rich clay. The higher-altitude plots, characterized by a strong presence of quartzite in the slate subsoil, give the wine its distinctive saline minerality. The river plays an essential climatic role by regulating temperatures and promoting exceptional sunshine of around 1,700 hours per year. Harvesting is carried out exclusively by hand with rigorous berry selection. Yields, deliberately limited to around 67 hectoliters per hectare, allow for optimal grape concentration.

The vintage

The 2020 vintage in the Rheingau was marked by early budbreak at the end of April, followed by flowering in early June. The growing season saw high temperatures and a water deficit that required supplementary irrigation for young vines. The vintage’s distinctive feature was the climatic shift during harvest: after a few days of picking in warm conditions, temperatures dropped significantly and remained cool throughout the harvest period. This cooling halted sugar accumulation in grapes still on the vine, thereby preserving high acidity levels. These conditions favored the production of dry wines of remarkable finesse and elegance, defined by delicate ripeness and a lightness rarely seen in the past decade.

Winemaking and aging

Grapes for the Riesling Goldlack Trocken 2020 were harvested by hand with rigorous plot selection. Vinification took place 80% in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks and 20% in 1,200-liter oak foudres. This distribution preserves the fruit’s aromatic purity while adding subtle textural complexity. Extended aging on fine lees for several months helped develop the wine’s richness and depth. The use of large, old wooden vessels avoids any excessive oak imprint, allowing the mineral character of the Johannisberg terroir to express itself fully.

Grape variety

100% riesling