Georg Albrecht Schneider, Riesling vom Rotliegenden, Trocken

I’ll never get tired of Riesling. Few grapes are capable of this level of nuance and precision while still constantly feeling fresh and exciting, and today’s bottle is a perfect example of the variety in its most invigoratingly dry (trocken), vivid form.

This 2022 “Vom Rotliegenden” is one of the more distinctive Rieslings we’ve offered this year, thanks largely to its highly unusual terroir: red slate. Sourced from a single hillside in Germany’s famed Rheinhessen, Schneider’s beautifully textured Riesling delivers mouthwatering citrus, subtle tropical fruit, and a striking sense of energy. But what really locks you in is the wine’s crystalline acidity and shimmering slate-driven minerality, this is Riesling at its most transparent and terroir-expressive. If you love nervy, mineral, bone-dry Riesling, this sub-$30 bottle absolutely deserves your attention.

The Schneider family is deeply rooted in traditional German winemaking, and their history stretches back more than two centuries, all the way to Napoléon Bonaparte. In the late 18th century, as Napoléon traveled along the Rhine through its picturesque wine towns, he sold off a number of inherited properties to fund the journey. When he arrived in Nierstein, Kaspar Schneider purchased several vineyard parcels, establishing the estate in 1806. Those original holdings still form the core of the winery today.

It proved to be an extraordinary acquisition because the estate’s unique soils are precisely what set Schneider apart. For decades, the winery has earned acclaim for producing wines that dramatically overdeliver in both quality and value. After leading the estate for over 40 years, Albrecht Schneider passed the winery to his daughter Ursula and her husband Steffen Müller in 2012. The philosophy has remained consistent: sustainable farming, meticulous hand harvesting, stainless steel fermentations, and aging in old wooden casks housed deep within the estate’s underground cellar.

“Vom Rotliegenden” does not refer to a vineyard name, but rather to the soil itself, literally meaning “from Rotliegend.” The grapes come from weathered red slate covered by red clay soils on the famed Roter Hang, one of Germany’s most celebrated steep vineyard slopes overlooking the Rhine River. More specifically, the fruit is sourced from the renowned Hipping vineyard near Nierstein, prized for its ideal eastern exposure and natural shelter from harsh winds.

The red slate soils of the Roter Hang are famous for producing Rieslings with remarkable radiance, texture, and mineral intensity, and the 2022 vintage captures that beautifully. Pale straw in color, the wine bursts from the glass with aromas of juicy stone fruit, melon, green mango, lime oil, tart green apple, and lemon zest. Layers of white flowers, wet slate, crushed rock, fresh herbs, and a classic hint of petrol add complexity and intrigue.

The palate is brisk, textured, and intensely mineral, with piercing acidity cutting through the ripe fruit before finishing completely dry and incredibly refreshing. Serve cool, around 45–50°F, in all-purpose white wine stems alongside vibrant, cuisine with freshness, herbs, citrus, and spice. This would be incredible with Thai green papaya salad, Vietnamese lemongrass chicken, fresh shrimp spring rolls packed with herbs, spicy larb, or classic Cantonese steamed fish with ginger and scallions.