Weingut Riffel

About

Bingen is on a massive corner on the Rhine, opposite Rudesheim. It is at the north-western edge of the region Rheinhessen where four wine-growing regions meet. Rheinhessen, Nahe, Mittelrhein and the Rheingau. Carolin and Erik Riffel developed the very long family owned agricultural site to an estate, which is now well recognized in Germany and expanded to 16 ha now. The vineyards are located around Büdesheim, the estate is located in the middle of the small town. They produce their grapes biodynamically and organic. Carolin and Erik Riffel have vines in the full south-facing Bingen Scharlachberg vineyard. Millions of years ago the Rhine looped below it, which explains why the wines are more Rheingau in style than Rheinhessen. The Riffels make electric, dry, modern Riesling which express the steep mineral-laden Quartzite it is grown on and the very late October harvesting which extracts maximum ripeness.

Their main focus is based on the single vineyard Scharlachberg. In the end of the last century nobody recognized it, but Erik and Carolin recultivated the Scharlachberg with its Quartzite - soil to the name it was in the former years. The Scharlachberg has a big History. In 1572 the monastery Eberbach has leased the Scharlachberg to some People in Bingen and they had to pay the interest = ‚Zins' at holy Katharina. In 1904 one wine was sold at the German Food and Wine Exhibition in St. Louis, USA. 1900er Scharlachberg Riesling Katharinenzins Auslese, Crescenz Jul. E.. From a Descendant we could buy this peace of earth with 1,2 ha in 2011. There is still the name Scharlachberg Katharinenzins for this vineyard.

HARVEST - The ripe grapes are selected 3 times, in vats they bring home the grapes. SKIN CONTACT - The skin contact is individually decided for every single part between 6 and 24 hours PRESSING - once more selected, before pressing. CLEAR-UP - Then the juice is cleared up throught the night without doing anything FERMENTATION - in stainless steel tanks or in oak barrels the fermentation starts its process. BATTONAGE - On certain days the moon is well, the yeasts are brought in contact again. FILLING - late spring, the wines are seperated from the yeast and bottled.

The wines they produce are very mineral, brilliant and with an elegant style! Even there is a spontaneous note in most of the wines! Very expressive and long lasting!

The main focus of Erik Riffel is: "Producing wines with a burning ambition for excellent ecological wines - together with nature and with individuality and respect to our Scharlachberg!"

Single Vineyard: Binger Scharlachberg ha, Binger Kirchberg 0,6ha (first Riesling in 2019)

Winemaker

Erik Riffel

Growing area

Rheinhessen

Founded

1992