Dr Bürklin Wolf - Ruppertsberger Hoheburg Riesling Auslese 1963

Tasting note: Dr Bürklin-Wolf - Ruppertsberger Hoheburg Riesling Auslese 1963

Colour:
An intense, light-flooded amber gold with copper reflections and olive-green hues on the rim. The colour betrays the age, but retains a radiant clarity - an indication of the careful maturation under ideal conditions.

Nose:
A complex, ripe bouquet that begins with classic ageing aromas of petrol, honey wax and dried herbs (chamomile, thyme), with layers of candied lemon peel, overripe mirabelle plums and a waxy texture unfolding underneath. Slightly oxidative nuances (roasted hazelnut, caramel) combine harmoniously with a cool minerality (slate, wet pebbles). A pale floral note (faded lime blossom) recalls the wine's original elegance.

Palate:
The palate reveals an astonishing vitality: the sweetness is gentle and embedded in a slender but precise acidity that gives the wine an almost youthful freshness. Flavours of preserved quince, dried apricots and a hint of turmeric dominate, accompanied by a salty-mineral character (sea salt, rock dust). The texture is silky and oily, with a hint of bitterness (grapefruit peel) that emphasises the complexity.

Finish:
The finish is long and thoughtful, carried by a salty-smoky minerality and an echo of petrol, honeycomb and old wood. The sweetness slowly dissipates, leaving behind a cool, almost metallic freshness that lingers on the palate minutes later.

Overall impression:
The Ruppertsberger Hoheburg Riesling Auslese 1963 from Dr Bürklin-Wolf is a fascinating relic from a time when the Palatinate still had its renaissance as a Riesling region ahead of it. Despite the difficult 1963 vintage - characterised by cool weather and late autumn rains - the wine impresses with its balance and poetic interplay of tertiary ripeness and mineral straightforwardness. The "Hoheburg" site, known for its steep, slate-interspersed soils, lends the wine a structure-giving rigour that counterpoints the sweetness. A wine that offers less power than contemplative depth - a silent ambassador of Palatinate winegrowing history.

Rating:★★★★☆ (4/5 - A mature, fascinatingly complex Auslese that bears the signature of a great winery. Impressive elegance despite the vintage).

Tip:
Cellaring is crucial for wines of this age. This note is based on an example with impeccable provenance, showing no strong oxidative off-notes.

Context:

• Vintage 1963:A difficult vintage in Germany, characterised by cool summer weather and a wet autumn. Only disciplined wineries like Bürklin-Wolf created long-lasting wines under these conditions, based on strict selection and traditional vinification.

• Dr Bürklin-Wolf:A historically important wine estate in the Palatinate, known for its mineral Rieslings and biodynamic philosophy (already practised in rudimentary form at the time).

• Hoheburg site:A steep, south-west-facing single vineyard in Ruppertsberg with weathered red sandstone and slate - ideal for structured, long-lived Rieslings.

• Style of the time:The 1960s in the Palatinate were still characterised by traditional vinification methods (long maceration times, large wooden barrels), which often gave wines rustic tannins and oxidative notes. Here, however, surprising finesse dominates.

"A wine that tells the soul of Palatinate Riesling: austere in structure, yet full of mysterious sweetness - like a mature verse from a forgotten time."