2023 Kruger-Rumpf Munsterer Im Pitterberg Riesling Kabinett Nahe

Kruger-Rumpf has been shipping estate Riesling since 1989, when the property covered just 27 acres. Today the family farms 100 acres in the Nahe, working organically with Fair Choice certification — and Im Pitterberg remains their crown jewel.

The vineyard lies in a small convex slope in the upper Nahe Valley, south-facing, planted in the 1960s at a density of 7,500 vines per hectare. Grey Devon slate under a thin layer of loam holds heat through the day; nighty fall winds are diverted by the hill. It's the kind of site that lets Kabinett show depth without weight.

The 2023 fermented and aged in old 1,200-liter barrels — large, neutral oak that keeps the focus on fruit and stone. James Suckling calls it "very classic, with great finesse and an herbal and spicy delicacy that's hard to resist," awarding it 95 points. After ten minutes in the glass, it opens to heirloom apples, quince, wild herbs, and a finish that builds spice and wet-stone minerality.

Nahe Riesling at this level — off-dry, energetic, built on old vines and organically farmed slate — typically runs $45 to $60. This is $32.99. Pour it tonight with roast chicken or cellar it through the decade; the acid and structure will carry it easily.