Spectacular Rieslings from Dr. Bürklin-Wolf 2021-2023
8/14/25 -
Not too long ago, Nicola Libelli the Cellar Master At Dr. Bürklin-Wolf was in New York for a few days and I was lucky enough to taste a large selection of the estate's lineup with him. It was my first experience with a fair bit of their wines, having only tasted the entry level on previous vintages and I was blown away by the purity and beauty of these Rieslings.
Biodynamic since 2005, and using the Burgundian classification method, these are elegant, singular, and if you are newer to German wines, very approachable! The attention to detail every step of the way, all in respect to the soil, vines, and environment allow the best possible wine to be made.
Wachenheimer Rechbachel Vineyard (Photo: Katja Scharnagl)
Dr. Bürklin-Wolf is a family owned winery with a 400-year history located in the Wachenheim within the Pfalz. Today it is owned by Bettina Bürklin-von Guradze who has been running the estate since 1990. She can be credited with so much of what makes the estate so special today. Under her guidance the estate became the first in Germany to be certified by Biodyvin, she was also one of the first in the country to introduce a classification system for vineyards that follows the Burgundian model. Vineyards and their corresponding wines are labeled "village," "PC" (premier cru), or "GC" (grand cru). Today we have a selection of some of the standouts from my recent tasting from their entry level estate Riesling up into some Grand Crus from 2021-2023.
Everything is handpicked and after natural fermentation the wines go into large stück, from different coopers. These casks are made with very thick staves and range from 600-3000 liters. Aside from the Estate Riesling Trocken which is aged in a mix of stainless steel and old oak casks, all other Rieslings are aged in large old oak casks. The cellar itself has sections that date back to the 17th century. The overall goal from farming to winemaking is to showcase the incredible terroir. Nicola said, "I want to make wines that are clear, pure, fine, and complex with all the vibrant power, tension and structure that wee can expect from some of Germany's greatest terroirs." and he is doing just that!
As food friendly as these wines are, they can be true standalone wines too, and as the heat of summer seems to never fade, allow these beautiful German Rieslings to brighten up your days.
-Hanna Krilov Cohen
