The entry-level Trocken is a blend from Weil’s high-altitude sites dotted around the village of Kiedrich. These vineyards include the brilliantly named Sandgrub vineyard and a good dollop from Wasseros, a steep, southwest-facing vineyard that abuts the Gräfenberg vines. Then, there is a smaller addition from elevated sites in Hallgarten. The soils of these sites are typically composed of stony, fragmented phyllite interlaced with loess and loam. At this level, the wine is vinified in stainless steel with roughly 5% fermented in large oak. Just outstanding for the level.

The entry-level Trocken is a blend from Weil’s high-altitude sites dotted around the village of Kiedrich. These vineyards include the brilliantly named Sandgrub vineyard and a good dollop from Wasseros, a steep, southwest-facing vineyard that abuts the Gräfenberg vines. Then, there is a smaller addition from elevated sites in Hallgarten. The soils of these sites are typically composed of stony, fragmented phyllite interlaced with loess and loam. At this level, the wine is vinified in stainless steel with roughly 5% fermented in large oak. Just outstanding for the level.

Weil’s village Riesling is a blend of first-picked parcels from the classified hillside estate sites of Klosterberg, Turmberg and Gräfenberg, as well as a measure of Wasseros fruit. As you would expect from such terroir, it is a step up from the entry wine, with more texture and power and considerably rockier mineral intensity. Accordingly, one-third of the wine is raised in large Stockinger Doppelstückfass (wooden cask) for six months.

The vines on this steep, four-hectare vineyard are between 40 and 60 years old. At up to 300 metres, this is the highest of Weil’s three hillside sites, yet thanks to its southern aspect and deeper, iron-rich, weathered slate soils, it also produces the most opulent and seductive of these wines (when young). The Weil team often use the term ‘baroque’ when describing wines from Klosterberg in reference to the lift and generosity. While the Klosterberg shares some similarities in character with the Kiedricher wine, you always get a kick up in intensity, complexity and drive at the finish.

Similarly to Klosterberg, the Turmberg vines sit in the 30- to 50-year-old range. The name Turmberg—or ‘tower hill’—derives from the ruins of the last surviving tower of the former castle, Burg Scharfenstein (12th century), positioned dramatically atop the vineyard. The infamous German wine law of 1971 made this site part of the neighbouring Gräfenberg. In 2005, Weil succeeded in having this 3.8-hectare monopole reinstated as an individual classified site in the vineyard register (historically, it had been a separate vineyard, reflecting the unique terroir).

Interestingly, while Turmberg is now officially classified Grosse Lage, Wilhelm Weil chooses to bottle only an Erste Lage from this steep vineyard. “There is only one tip on a pyramid,” he explains, referring to Gräfenberg. Indeed, in Germany’s 2024 classification re-evaluation tastings, we hear that Turmberg outshone many of the famous GGs, so you are getting GG quality for the price of a 1er Cru. The pure, rocky slate soils here give the most linear, coiled wine in the lineup. Riesling lovers, saddle up!

The vineyard of Kiedrich Gräfenberg—or ‘hill of the counts’—has been used to designate Robert Weil’s finest wines since the site was officially classified as ‘Weinlage 1 Klasse’ in 1867. Home to Weil’s oldest vines (up to 80 years of age), with the majority on their own rootstock, it makes perfect sense that Wilhelm Weil decided that it was only from this site that his Grosses Gewächs would derive (even though he could release two GGs from his vineyards).

Weil aims to replicate the style, quality and elegance of the full-bodied dry wines produced in the Rheingau a century ago when the region’s finest Rieslings were the most expensive wines in the world. Despite the high quality of the Turmberg and Klosterberg, this is clearly on another level. The greater loess and loam also impart a distinguishing textural dimension. It’s finer, even more complete and subtly powerful—a wine of obvious Grand Cru class. When you think of what we are paying for top-notch Grand Cru white Burgundy, Weil’s Gräfenberg remains an absolute bargain, matching the best for class and quality. Few (if any!) could match it for longevity.

Monte Vacano comes from a 0.5-hectare parcel in the steepest, most phyllite-rich section of Kiedrich’s Gräfenberg Grand Cru, where 40- to 60-year-old vines sit between Gräfenberg and Turmberg. This parcel was historically bottled separately for celebrations before falling dormant in 1921, and offers purity, elegance and detail over power and richness.

Weil is widely considered one of the true greats of Germany’s highest Prädikat styles, which places them amongst the world’s greatest sweet wines by default. Riesling authority Stuart Piggot has written: “Where would the Rheingau’s tradition of high-end Riesling dessert wines be today if it weren’t for Wilhelm Weil’s modern masterpieces in the style.” He is not exaggerating!

These wines are as staggeringly beautiful as they are rare. Made in homoeopathic qualities in small, custom-built vats, each sip of these wines is a symphony of flavours, with layers of apricot, peach, honey and hints of citrus intertwining harmoniously with deep minerality and super-charged, crystalline acidify. The purity and poise, not to mention the sublime elegance and vibrating length, are profound. While they are incredibly delicious when opened young, they are also among the longest-lived wines, improving in the bottle for generations.

Weil is widely considered one of the true greats of Germany’s highest Prädikat styles, which places them amongst the world’s greatest sweet wines by default. Riesling authority Stuart Piggot has written: “Where would the Rheingau’s tradition of high-end Riesling dessert wines be today if it weren’t for Wilhelm Weil’s modern masterpieces in the style.” He is not exaggerating!

These wines are as staggeringly beautiful as they are rare. Made in homoeopathic qualities in small, custom-built vats, each sip of these wines is a symphony of flavours, with layers of apricot, peach, honey and hints of citrus intertwining harmoniously with deep minerality and super-charged, crystalline acidify. The purity and poise, not to mention the sublime elegance and vibrating length, are profound. While they are incredibly delicious when opened young, they are also among the longest-lived wines, improving in the bottle for generations.

Weil is widely considered one of the true greats of Germany’s highest Prädikat styles, which places them amongst the world’s greatest sweet wines by default. Riesling authority Stuart Piggot has written: “Where would the Rheingau’s tradition of high-end Riesling dessert wines be today if it weren’t for Wilhelm Weil’s modern masterpieces in the style.” He is not exaggerating!

These wines are as staggeringly beautiful as they are rare. Made in homoeopathic qualities in small, custom-built vats, each sip of these wines is a symphony of flavours, with layers of apricot, peach, honey and hints of citrus intertwining harmoniously with deep minerality and super-charged, crystalline acidify. The purity and poise, not to mention the sublime elegance and vibrating length, are profound. While they are incredibly delicious when opened young, they are also among the longest-lived wines, improving in the bottle for generations.

The vineyard of Kiedrich Gräfenberg—or ‘hill of the counts’—has been used to designate Robert Weil’s finest wines since the site was officially classified as ‘Weinlage 1 Klasse’ in 1867. Home to Weil’s oldest vines (up to 80 years of age), with the majority on their own rootstock, it makes perfect sense that Wilhelm Weil decided that it was only from this site that his Grosses Gewächs would derive (even though he could release two GGs from his vineyards).

Weil aims to replicate the style, quality and elegance of the full-bodied dry wines produced in the Rheingau a century ago when the region’s finest Rieslings were the most expensive wines in the world. Despite the high quality of the Turmberg and Klosterberg, this is clearly on another level. The greater loess and loam also impart a distinguishing textural dimension. It’s finer, even more complete and subtly powerful—a wine of obvious Grand Cru class. This year, the GG was raised for 10 months (instead of 12) on lees in large, neutral oak Doppelstückfass (large Stockinger casks). When you think of what we are paying for top-notch Grand Cru white Burgundy, Weil’s Gräfenberg remains an absolute bargain, matching the best for class and quality. Few (if any!) could match it for longevity.