Dr Bürklin-Wolf - Forster Kirchenstück Riesling Großes Gewächs dry 2005, Pfalz, Germany

Introduction: A Grand Cru in a glass

Forster Kirchenstückis not only considered one of the best Riesling vineyards in Germany, but also one of the world's great white terroirs. Rieslings of unrivalled mineral density, salty strength and almost unlimited ageing potential grow here on the Monsignore clay marlof the Middle Muschelkalk. Dr Bürklin-Wolf, the largest biodynamic winery in Germany, cultivates the largest share of this parcel. The 2005 vintagewas an outstanding, classic and acid-emphasised vintage that perfectly matches the character of the Kirchenstück. A 2005 GG from this site is therefore a potential wine of the century, which is beginning to lose its youthful austerity after almost 20 years.

Sensory description (current state, approx. 2024)

After 19 years of ageing in the bottle, this wine has shed its youthful, almost impenetrable austerity and is beginning to reveal its monumental complexity. It is still a young, powerful wine, but is on the threshold of great development.

Colour

• Bright, intense golden yellow with greenish reflections. The colour signals density, extract and a still youthful vitality.

Nose

The bouquet is intense, profound and a fascinating blend of ripe fruit, pronounced minerality and the first clear notes of maturity.

• Ripe, pithy fruit: White peach, apricot, mirabelle plum, ripe Williams pear, an exotic note of pineapple.

• The mineral revelation of the Kirchenstück: Dominant aromas of wet clay, chalk, slate dust, salt stone and a unique, intense salty-iodine note - the unmistakable signature of the Monsignore clay marl.

• First notes of maturity & petrol: Distinct aromas of petrol, bread dough, honeycomb and a smoky spiciness (ginger, steel).

• Harmony: The nose is already wonderfully interwoven - the fruit serves the minerality, not the other way round.

Palate

On the palate, the prophesied greatness unfolds with majestic balance and enormous energy.

• Texture: Powerful, dense and full-bodied, with a floating, salty elegance. It fills the mouth with substance without ever appearing heavy or fat.

• Acidity: The architectural backbone, it is laser-like, crystalline and of monumental length. It gives the wine an electric tension, mineral sharpness and guaranteed longevity. It cuts through the density and drives the wine endlessly forward.

• Flavour development: A large-scale, precise development: first the lush stone and citrus fruit, then the powerful, salty-toned minerality, followed by the spicy freshness and petrol notes.

• Finish: Legendarily long, deep and salty. The aftertaste of chalk, salt, peach, petrol and a refreshing bitterness can last for minutes and leaves a dry, chalky texture on the palate - the trademark of the Kirchenstück.

Vintage & terroir

2005 vintage in the Palatinate

• An outstanding, classic and acid-accentuated vintage. A long, cool autumn after an average summer allowed for slow, perfect ripening with an excellent acid structure. The wines are known for their precision, mineral intensity, delicate structure and extreme ripening potential - a perfect vintage for the Kirchenstück.

Forster Kirchenstück site (Großes Gewächs)

• One of the most iconic Riesling sites in the world. The soils of fossil-rich clay marl of the Middle Muschelkalk ("Monsignore layers") are heavy, cool and extremely complex in terms of minerals.

• Character: These soils give Riesling its unrivalled salty-iodine minerality, enormous density, racy acidity and almost unlimited ageing potential. Wines from here are not fruit-driven charmers, but serious, profound and architectural monuments.

The signature of Dr Bürklin-Wolf

• Completely biodynamic cultivation (Demeter)since 2005 . Strict selection, long maceration, spontaneous fermentation, ageing in large wooden barrels.

• The result: wines of maximum terroir transparency, pure, unadorned minerality and a texture that combines power and salty finesse.

Maturity & ageing potential

Current drinking maturity

The wine is still young and closed, but already shows overwhelming complexity. It urgently needs further bottle ageing to fully harmonise. Enjoying it now is an experience for purists.

Development potential

• Earliest access: Not before 2025.

• Optimum drinking window: 2028 - 2045+.

• Ageing potential:30-50 years or more with optimal storage . This wine will mature into one of the great, complex and deeply mineralised monuments of German viticulture.

Rating & Recommendations

Rating: 97-99/100 points

A Riesling of absolute world class and reference character for the Kirchenstück terroir. It defines what a Großes Gewächs can be: a wine of tectonic structure, enchanting beauty and eternal perspective.

Recommendations for enjoyment

1. Decanting: Recommended (60-90 minutes) before drinking to open up the complex flavours. It tolerates oxygen well.

2. Serving temperature: 10-12°C. Not too cold so as not to numb the complexity.

3. Glass: A large, tulip-shaped white wine glass (e.g. Riesling Grand Cru glass).

4. Food pairing: A culinary partner for sophisticated dishes:

   • Fish & seafood: pan-fried or poached sea bass, scallops, lobster.

   • Poultry & white meat: Poularde, veal fillet, pork loin.

   • Vegetarian: Porcini mushroom risotto, dishes with asparagus or truffles.

   • Cheese: Mature mountain cheese or Comté.

Conclusion

The Bürklin-Wolf Forster Kirchenstück GG 2005 is a wine of the century. It is the essence of a great, classic vintage, distilled from one of the world's greatest terroirs and the consistent biodynamic work of a top vineyard. This wine is powerful and yet elegant, complex and of crystalline clarity. It demands patience and rewards it over decades. Anyone who ever wants to understand why the Kirchenstück and German Rieslings are among the greatest white wines in the world will find the ultimate answer in this bottle. An absolute must for the collector and an unforgettable experience for any wine connoisseur. Monumental.