Fritz Bastian - Bacharacher Posten Riesling Beerenauslese 1976

Fritz Bastian - Bacharacher Posten Riesling Beerenauslese 1976.

1. The Fritz Bastian Winery (today: Friedrich Bastian)

The winery is a genuine family business with over 300 years of history in Bacharach on the Middle Rhine and is now run by the eighth generation. The winery was affiliated to the renowned Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates (VDP) and enjoys an excellent reputation.

Fritz Bastian himself, whose name the wine bears, was a formative personality in the region. Contemporary witnesses describe him as a good host, philosopher and storyteller who was not only able to impart profound knowledge about wine. His passion and character left a lasting impression on many visitors.

2. The vineyard: Bacharacher Posten

The name "Posten" means something like "position" or "guard post" and is derived from an old defence tower that still stands in the middle of the vineyards today. This site is one of the absolute top sites on the Middle Rhine and is classified as a VDP.GROSSE LAGE®.

The terroir is exceptional: the vines grow on a steep, south-southeast-facing slope with a gradient of up to 70 per cent, directly above the Rhine. The soil consists of pure Devonian slate, which warms up particularly well. The Rhine flowing below reflects the sunlight onto the terraces, stores the heat and releases it again at night, creating an optimal microclimate.

Typical wines from the "Posten" are known for their elegance, fine minerality and great ageing potential. Characteristic flavours include flint, yellow fruit and quince.

3. The wine: Beerenauslese

Beerenauslese (BA)is one of the highest predicate levels in German wine law. For this wine, only fully ripe, noble or overripe grapes are selectively harvested by hand, which are often affected by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea). These noble rot grapes give the wine its characteristic, intense sweetness, coupled with complex fruit and long ageing potential.

4. The 1976 vintage

The 1976 vintage was a very warm, sunny year in Germany, which produced fully ripe grapes with high must weights. These conditions were ideal for the production of Prädikat wines such as Beerenauslese. The wine comes from an era known for its long-lasting and powerful Rieslings.

5. Valuation and market presence

• Auction wine: The wine was auctioned in a lot of three 0.75-litre bottles at Christie's in London. The exact date of the auction and the price realised are not stated in the source.

• Falstaff points: There is no rating for the 1976 vintage itself. However, its successor, the Bacharach Posten Riesling Beerenauslese 2010 from Weingut Friedrich Bastian, was awarded 94 points by Falstaff (2017 tasting). This is an indication of the consistently high quality of this wine from this winery.

• Price: The price range for the 2010 was €20-50 (at the time of publication), which is moderate for a Beerenauslese. The price of the 1976 is probably much higher today due to its age and rarity value.

Conclusion

The Fritz Bastian - Bacharacher Posten Riesling Beerenauslese 1976is more than just a wine. It is a piece of German wine culture history. It combines the signature of a charismatic winemaker with the terroir of one of the best vineyards in the Middle Rhine region and an outstanding, long-lived vintage. Even if a current tasting note is missing, the combination of origin, producer and vintage speaks in favour of an exceptional wine that is a great rarity today.