"Carolin and Erik Riffel presented a stunning collection of 2024s, transporting and transmitting so much flavor in such slender, stony wines." - Anne Krebiehl, Vinous
As our direct-import program expands to Germany, we're thrilled to bring our Riesling fans and collectors new discoveries that they don't typically see on this side of the pond. Our most recent such is Rheinhessen's Weingut Riffel, a family-run estate managed by the wonderfully charming and affable couple Carolin and Erik Riffel, whom we met at this year's Wine Paris. Despite not being available in the U.S. market until we brought them in, the estate is widely known as one of the finest in Rheinhessen.
Leading off is the estate's "extraordinary village wine," the 2024 Riesling Bingen Quarzit, fashioned from younger vines in the estate's prized parcels around their home town of Bingen. This double 94-point, consummate overachiever is "long, sleek, and crystalline" with "vivid juiciness on the nose," all for a jaw-dropping, direct-import price that lets you load up by the case.
Located just south Bingen where the Nahe meets the Rhein, the Scharlachberg vineyard occupies a south-southeast-facing slope of deep red, iron-rich quartzite and loam, a soil known for producing the racy, mineral wines of the region. The long, relaxed growing season provided the perfect raw material for an exceptional Spätlese according to Erik, with wonderfully concentrated flavors and pristine phenolic balance. As Anne Krebiehl describes of the 2024 Riesling Scharlachberg Spätlese, it's "a wine that is totally in line with the elegant sleekness of the 2024 collection." James Suckling calls it a throwback to the classic Spätlesen of the '80s and early '90s, with a "super-bright finish that’s dangerously refreshing." The 2024 Riesling Scharlachberg Grosse Lage is equally stunning and representative of the site's potential in the vintage. As James Suckling writes, "This great Scharlachberg has all the stony minerality and racy energy that we expect from this underrated site," a sentiment echoed by Anne Krebiehl. She notes its "bracing, gorgeous, alluring freshness that is akin to cool rapids of the freshest fruit and aromatic foliage," pointing to a wine of clear terroir expression and amazing precision.
Located on the northwest side of the town of Bingen overlooking the Rhein, the Kirchbeg's vineyard's east-facing slope of deep limestone, iron-rich quartzite and loam is known for producing the racy, mineral wines of the region. The long, relaxed growing season provided the perfect raw material for the exceptional 2024 Riesling Kirchberg Grosse Lage according to Erik, with wonderfully concentrated flavors and pristine phenolic balance. As James Suckling writes, "Super focused on the medium-bodied palate, with stacks of wet-stone character, this zips along at a brisk clip and delights with mountain-stream freshness in the very long, racy finish," Anne Krebiehl likewise it as "juicy, alive, intense and so very pure." Finally, the 2024 Riesling Osterberg Grosse Lage hails from 100-year-old vines in a site that used to be the bed of the river Nahe. The clay-marl soils endow the fruit with slightly rounder body and texture than the other sites, resulting in a wine of "sleek, compact and very cool beauty."
Once again, we are thrilled to add Riffel to our growing catalog of direct-imports from Germany, and at these prices, the wines are instantly some of the sharpest buys in the category, hands down.
The 2024 Riesling Binger Kirchberg Grosse Lage is from an eastern-facing parcel on red quartzite that is rich with iron oxide. A touch of flint mixes with notes of petrichor and navel orange peel. The palate is slender, taut, stony, bright and cool. This is graceful, fine and yet so vividly cooling with that subtle orange zestiness. The salty echo is immense. (Bone-dry)
95-97 points, Anne Krebiehl, Vinous (Sep 2025)
The orange and lemon blossom aromas of this youthful dry riesling are already enveloping and captivating. Super focused on the medium-bodied palate, with stacks of wet-stone character, this zips along at a brisk clip and delights with mountain-stream freshness in the very long, racy finish. Vegan. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
95 points, James Suckling (Sep 2025)
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