The Morstein vineyard in Westhofen: One of Rheinhessen’s premier sites, from which both Klaus Peter Keller and Philipp Wittmann produce exceptional, world-class Rieslings.
Rheinhessen: Once Underestimated—Now in the Champions League with Impressive Top Wines
Giuseppe Lauria, October 2026
Rheinhessen is once again among the standout regions of this vintage. Long viewed with some skepticism and underestimated, the region has now taken on a leading role among Germany’s great wine regions—and far beyond. Congratulations to the once “young wild ones” who have led Rheinhessen into the Champions League. What a magnificent success story! And I am a little proud to have witnessed and helped shape this development over the past 25 years.
What particularly impresses me is the combination of concentration and lightness. The best wines possess substance and depth, yet remain precise, juicy, and mineral-driven. Above all, many producers succeed in clearly highlighting the distinctive characteristics of their terroirs. Especially in a warm vintage like 2025, this balance is by no means a given. This makes it all the more remarkable how masterfully the top estates have managed the ripening process while preserving the distinct character of their respective terroirs.
Once again , the field is led by the top trio from Rheinhessen : Keller, with a spectacular G-Max and Pettenthal; Wittmann with a sensational Morstein, and the other GG wines are consistently impressive, as are Battenfeld-Spanier and Kühling-Gillot , each with magnificent Rieslings from the Roter Hang and the trendy Zellertal. Many Rieslings from these three wineries alone feature on the national Top 10 list. The young up-and-comers Knewitz and Bischel also impress with outstanding collections. In Rheinhessen as a whole, the balance between vintage-typical concentration and a precise, terroir-driven style was struck remarkably well.
Great Rieslings and a Look into the Future
The Keller Winery holds a prominent position and has long since achieved cult status. The new collection is once again impressive—both in the white and red wines. The grand Rieslings, in particular, impressively demonstrate just how much individuality and expressiveness these great terroirs possess. These are wines with a character all their own, exemplifying their origins.
The auction wine Pettenthal presents itself as mysterious, with an extremely deep, very spicy, and earthy aroma. Hints of red slate and smoke, an ethereal herbal spice, and tremendous inner tension lend it its unmistakable character. A Riesling brimming with energy and featuring a fascinating blend of power and precision.
G-Max and Morstein, on the other hand, embody the aristocratic side of Keller’s Riesling artistry. Both captivate with extraordinary nobility, immense depth, and impressive complexity. Despite their concentration, they never seem heavy, but rather impress with finesse and elegance. Their motto is: “Power without weight.” Together with the Pettenthal, they rank among the outstanding Rieslings of the vintage in my opinion. I’ve rated all three higher than ever before—and accordingly, they feature in my Top 10 of Germany’s best wines.
In fact, most of the top dry Rieslings on my “best of” list come from Rheinhessen. The top trio alone— Keller, Wittmann, and Battenfeld-Spanier / Kühling-Gillot —accounts for a large portion of the top 10 Rieslings. Who would have thought that 20 years ago!
For 20 years, I have been tasting Klaus-Peter Keller’s collections—a privilege that is anything but a given. After all, very few people have access to these wines at all. It is a collection that inspires and challenges year after year, and consistently sets new standards.
The first vintage from the "In der Helde" monopole vineyard: Keller’s 1.4-hectare walled plot on Zellerweg near the Schwarzer Herrgott—a special place with its own distinct terroir (limestone rock with blue veins) and a historic tower dating back to 1884.
Keller expects the high planting density—up to 30,000 vines per hectare—and the resulting root competition to lead to a significant improvement in quality. It’s a substantial investment—and at the same time, an exciting gamble on the future.
Bei der GG-Verkostung in Wiesbaden und der anschließenden Nachverkostung vor Ort hat für mich Wittmann die vielleicht beste Kollektion seiner bisherigen Geschichte präsentiert.
Ganz sicher den besten Morstein, Brunnenhäusschen und Kirchspiel seit Langem. Die lagentypischen Rieslinge sind außergewöhnlich präzise und zeigen eindrucksvoll, wie viel Tiefe und Spannung der Jahrgang entwickeln konnte. Die Weine besitzen enorme Konzentration und wirken dabei erstaunlich präzise konturiert und elegant.
Insbesondere der Morstein gehört für mich zu den ganz großen Rieslingen des Jahrgangs. Ursprünglich hatte ich den Wein mit 98+ bewertet, bei der Nachverkostung habe ich ihn auf 99/100 angehoben. Was für ein monumentaler Riesling!
Auch Battenfeld-Spanier und Kühling-Gillot bestätigen ihre herausragende Stellung. Besonders faszinierend ist die Bandbreite unterschiedlicher Herkünfte: vom tiefgründigen Rothenberg oder Pettenthal mit mineralisch-rauchiger Würze über die vom hellen Kalkstein geprägte, elegante Ballerina Frauenberg bis hin zum Mölsheimer Zellerweg am Schwarzen Herrgott, einem besonderen Wein aus dem spektakulären Zellertal.
Philipp Wittmann sprach im Interview mit mir über den außergewöhnlich frühen und qualitativ starken Jahrgang 2025, die Herausforderungen der schnellen Reife und der zügigen Lese sowie über den Einfluss der Biodynamie in solchen trockenen Jahren.
Für mich stand bereits bei der GG-Verkostung in Wiesbaden fest: Wittmann hat als Primus inter Pares den stärksten Eindruck hinterlassen. Die Kollektion ist außergewöhnlich präzise. Besonders der Morstein ist ein sensationeller Riesling, den ich bei der Nachverkostung zu Hause von 98+ auf 99/100 Punkte angehoben habe.
Westhofener Morstein: Eine der großen Spitzenlagen Rheinhessens – und 2025 die Heimat eines sensationellen Rieslings von enormer Tiefe, mineralischer Spannung und großer Eleganz. Bild: Weingut Wittmann
Despite their similar style, the differences between the vineyards remain clearly discernible—a fine example of how terroir matters. And all of this comes from a single source— Hans Oliver Spanier.
Hans Oliver Spanier’s work for the two family estates, Battenfeld-Spanier and Kühling-Gillot, is particularly fascinating. The 2025 GG wines showcase a remarkable range of different terroirs and prove the saying: “Terroir matters.”
Particularly fascinating is Hans Oliver Spanier’s work for Battenfeld-Spanier and Kühling-Gillot, which draws from the two distinct terroirs on the Roter Hang and in the Zellertal. Both collections rank among the best in the country.
Other leading figures include Tobias Knewitz and the Runkel brothers from the Bischel Winery. What the younger generation is now bottling is remarkable and consistently of high quality.
Gunderloch , too, has gained significantly in character in recent years. Daniel Wagner-Stempel presents a strong collection, while Gutzler and Rappenhof have also shown improvement .
For me, Rheinhessen was the overall winner of the vintage among dry Rieslings. Here, the balance between the concentration typical of the vintage and a precise, consistently terroir-driven style was particularly convincing. You can find the detailed tasting notes and ratings in the FINE WINE GUIDE database.