Hexamer - Riesling Trocken Nahe 2023 750ml (11.5% ABV)

Harald Hexamer’s dedication is seen both his work in the vineyards and in the cellars. Hexamer holds 7.5 hectares in the Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg, a steep south-east facing slope of red sandstone with deposits of quartzite, which is known for producing especially small berries. Hexamer often harvests riper grapes from another site (Marbach) but the wines of Rheingrafenberg grapes are “more filigree and better-structured.” Schlossböckelheimer In den Felsen (“In the Rocks”) is a small vineyard at 6.5 hectares, of which the Hexamer’s own 4.5. The vineyard is markedly steep (70º) with south facing slopes composed of rocky porphyry and produces wines characterized by softer acidity and a subtle smokiness.

Hexamer’s meticulous work in the vineyard is marked by pruning to control yields (“often six to eight bunches per wine”) and hand-harvesting. The grapes are picked exclusively by hand and fermented very cold (below 12 degrees celsius) with cooling utilized only when necessary – “but we often pick so late we bring naturally cold fruit — below 10 degrees — back to the winery.” Hexamer handles the wine as little as possible: no dosage is used, inoculations are made only with native yeasts, and all wines are whole-cluster pressed. 95% of all Rieslings at Hexamer are made in stainless steel and racked only once, three to six weeks after fermentation is complete. The wines are bottled early to preserve their vigor. When tasting the wines, one sees the purity of the vineyards, the intensity of minerality, and remarkable clarity. Hexamer’s wines are balanced in the ultraviolet spectrum; they’re steely, acid-driven, clean, and transparent.

pure, fresh and fascinating floral and herbal bouquet with ripe, white fruit and lovely flinty notes. refined on the palate, this is a light and grippy, highly stimulating and refined with crystalline and salty acidity. perfect middle ground between Mosel and Nahe style dry Riesling.

90 pts james suckling

Effusive nose of pineapple and grapefruit. Juicy, medium-bodied palate with vibrant citrusy acidity. Very easy to enjoy, but also good depth and plenty of wet stone minerality at the bold and refreshing finish. A blend of wines from the Altenberg and Marbach sites. Drink or hold

Soil Type: Quartz, porphyr, loam

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farming/cellar sustainable, hand picked, picked later, cold fermentation, Stainless steel, fermented with natural yeasts, whole cluster press, racked once, bottled early & capped with screw cap to preserve freshness

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