Weingut Rings is one Germany's rising stars in the wine scene. "The Rings brothers have taken the German wine world by storm with their profound bottlings of Spatburgunder and Riesling" says Lyle Fass from New York, who has included Weingut Rings in his import portfolio.
Andreas Rings was our host. We enjoyed a massive tasting with him. After the tasting he showed us a bit around in the winery. We had to cut the tour short because Andreas Rings' close friend and collegue Jürgen Krebs was waiting for us. Furthermore, the Krebs brothers are in the process of building a new state-of-the-art winery outside of Freinsheim, where they will move the operations this year.
Weingut Rings
Up until the early 1990s, Steffen and Andreas Rings’ father cultivated fruit orchards as well as vineyards. The 2001 vintage marked a turning point for the estate as this was the first vintage of 100% wine production. Each successive year has seen a leap in quality, and in 2015 the winery was accepted as a member of the VDP, the association of about 200 elite winemakers in Germany.
Today, the winery covers a total area of 28.5 hectares in the Mittehaardt and is planted with 30% Riesling, 30% Spätburgunder, 20% Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris, and 20% Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Their highest quality vineyards are the Kallstadter Saumagen, Ungsteiner Weilberg, and Leistadter Felsenberg plots.
Weingut Rings is dedicated to eco-friendly viticulture, a very labor intensive pursuit. In the vineyard, everything is manually done: thinning out of the leaves, removal of unwanted growths, halving of the grape bunches, sorting, and selection. In the end, the Rings brothers’ desire to capture and preserve the essence of this extraordinary terroir, combined with their passion for winemaking, results in exceptionally produced wines that are delicious representatives of the Pfalz wine making region.
Vinification
The goal of the Rings brothers is to interfere as little as possible in the winemaking process. The must is fermented using wild yeast, and the wine is never filtered or fined-in fact, it is moved as little as possible. The wine is aged sur lie for several months in 600/1200 liter wooden casks.
Wine Portfolio
The Rings brothers produce wine in 6 different categories.
BASIC WINES
Wines we make including with grapes from vintner friends of ours. Fresh and easy-drinking wines.
RINGS LITER RIESLING trocken
RINGS WEISS trocken
RINGS ROSÉ trocken
ESTATE WINES
Exclusively from our own vineyards, these are the high quality introduction to our winery. Maximum yield: 70 hl/ha and 100% hand harvested.
RIESLING KALKMERGEL trocken
GRAUBURGUNDER trocken
SPÄTBURGUNDER trocken
ROTER SATZ Rotweincuvée trocken
VILLAGE WINES
These wines all come from the best sites surrounding the village of Freinsheim and are the perfect balance between opulence and elegance. They are the ideal accompaniment to any meal. Maximum yield: 60 hl/ha and 100% hand harvested.
Freinsheim - Freinsheim’s soil is characterized by loess, gravel and sand. It is here that our Burgundies, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling find their home.
RIESLING Freinsheim trocken
WEISSER BURGUNDER Freinsheim trocken
SAUVIGNON BLANC Freinsheim trocken
SPÄTBURGUNDER Freinsheim trocken
PREMIER CRU WINES
Emulating their Grand Cru neighbors, these wines impressively reveal their origin. In their youth rather puristic, over time maturing with ever increasing harmony. Distinctive wines with a lot of character. Maximum yield: 45 hl/ha and 100% hand harvested.
Nussriegel - This site is situated directly next to the Grand Cru Weilberg. Clay, loam and sandstone soils deliver full-bodied, harmonious wines.
RIESLING Ungsteiner Nussriegel trocken
Steinacker - Meager soil and limestone rocks characterize the site. The grapevines have to fight for every single drop of water and thus deliver fine mineral wines.
RIESLING Kallstadter Steinacker trocken
CHARDONNAY Kallstadter Steinacker trocken
SPÄTBURGUNDER Kallstadter Steinacker trocken
GRAND CRU WINES
These sites have always been among the Palatinate’s best. The wines are uncompromisingly unique and strongly reflect their origins. They are designed for long-term maturation in the bottle.
Maximum yield: 25-35 hl/ha and 100% hand harvested.
Weilberg - This site enjoys one of the longest traditions in the Palatinate. It is here that the Romans first brought viticulture 2000 years ago. The heart of the Weilberg consists of ferruginous loam, called “Roterde”.
RIESLING Ungsteiner Weilberg trocken
WEISSER BURGUNDER Ungsteiner Weilberg trocken
Saumagen - Marl lime mixed with countless small limestone rocks is typical for the famous Saumagen site. Out of the meagerness of the soil arises anextremely opulent wine, with a rich mineral quality and excellent aging potential.
RIESLING Kallstadter Saumagen trocken
SPÄTBURGUNDER Kallstadter Saumagen trocken
The “Berntal Project”
Berntal - This is an old, almost forgotten site we are currently resurrecting. In 2010 we planted
Burgundy Pinot Noir here. Situated in a small valley and surrounded by a stone wall, it’s
the steepest vineyard of the winery and faces completely south. Soil = 100% limestone.
SPÄTBURGUNDER Berntal trocken
DAS KREUZ
Our dream of crafting a truly great red wine in the Bordelaise tradition was inspired by the Freinsheim site known as Schwarzes Kreuz (Black Cross) – hence the names of our flagship cuvée Das Kreuz (The Cross) and its second wine Das Kleine Kreuz (The Little Cross). Maximum yield: 25-35 hl/ha and 100% hand harvested.
Schwarzes Kreuz - The hottest place in Freinsheim. Very dry soil comprised of gravel and sand is the basis for intense red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and St. Laurent.
DAS KLEINE KREUZ Rotweincuvée trocken
DAS KREUZ Rotweincuvée trocken
RESERVE WINES
Réserve wines are a gift nature offers us inexceptional years only. They are made of extraordinary, in their own way quite demanding, grape varieties. Often only a barrel or two attract our attention in a truly dramatic way during their aging process in the cellar. Only then do we label it Réserve.
SAUVIGNON BLANC Réserve trocken
PORTUGIESER Réserve trocken
SYRAH Réserve trocken
Weingut Rings in the German Wineguides
Eichelmann Wineguide 2015: “The style of their Riesling and Spätburgunder is becoming ever clearer. The entire collection is outstanding. Even thebasic Riesling is impressive because of its fruity and fresh clarity of taste.”
Der Feinschmecker “Die besten Weine & Winzer 2015”: “What the two wine freaks bottle is worth experiencing. This years’ collection definitely merits its higher ranking, especially the juicy Rieslings. These are truly powerful, richly concentrated wines that, in spite of their power, are still elegant and express mineral nuances. The red wines also deserve high rankings.”
Falstaff Wineguide 2015: “Steffen and Andreas Rings have really had the pedal to the metal over the last years and it seems that they are going to continue at this speed. The duo has talent with strong, full-bodied reds as well as finely tuned Rieslings that reflect their origins. The Spätburgunder from Kallstadt’s Saumagen site is already one of the best of its kind.”
Gault Millau Wine Guide 2015: “3,5 grapes” ranking (out of 5) “Relax, sit back, take it easy – these are the wrong words to use in association with Steffen and Andreas Rings. These two brothers have been causing quite a stir in wine circles in the Pfalz region for a number of years now, with their absolute dedication to quality above all, to which all other considerations are secondary. They have targeted the purchase of additional parcels of vineyards in some of the best sites, and where necessary these have been replanted. There are also plans to move the winery from its present position, as the space available in the centre of town is no longer sufficient for the requirements. Having said that, the current level of quality of the wines must leave a lot of competitors decidedly anxious. What should we mention first, the crystal-clear and yet deep Riesling wines? The Pinot Blanc from the Weilberg
site with its exquisite elegance? Or perhaps the varied range of characterful red wines with the „Kreuz“ and the Syrah at the top of the scale? Once again there are many highlights.”
Weingut Rings in the USA
Weingut Rings wines are available in the US through Fass Selections.
Lyle Fass: As soon as I walked into Andreas Rings' winery in Freinsheim I knew I would like Andreas and his wines. There were oceans of great bottles lining the walls. Rebholz, Rousseau, Roumier, etc. My instincts were right; this is the new star in Germany and he can barely shave. I found out about this winery because one of their Pinot Noirs was ranked the top Pinot in Germany by Martin Zwick's group of experts. I always form my own opinion of any wine I taste but my props to Martin for discovering Rings.
I have never been this excited for an appointment in Germany, perhaps ever. The Rings brothers have taken the German wine world by storm with their profound bottlings of Spatburgunder and Riesling. It's almost as if they popped out of nowhere. Located in Freinsheim, which is great for Pinot Noir and Riesling, the brothers Rings have an adept hand at both grapes, especially at such a young age. Andreas, who is in charge of the winemaking, at the tender age of 26, is a genius; if these are the wines he is making at 26, Germany needs to watch out what he can do at 36 or even 46. He will be an important winemaker for a very very long time and you are getting the opportunity to get in on the ground floor. The style of the wines is as big as Andreas' teddy bear-like personality. The Rieslings and Spatburgunders have incredible freshness, verve and depth. They are big, powerful and explosive wines that take no prisoners, which I find is typical Pfalz style; the Pfalz is not for wimps.
I am proud to be the first person in America to offer the 2013 Rings Steinacker Riesling for as little as $24.99 on a six pack. This is a silly value. This is the equivalent of Spatlese Trocken, which typically go for $30-$40 through the 3 tier system. This wine is so pure, so fresh, so chiseled, so buff and just so drinkable. The precision here is unreal. There is so much explosive yellow fruit and stony vibe to this wine. It is something to ponder and also something to throw back and not think about. Wines that have structure, minerality and density, like the 2013 Steinacker, yet are also easy to drink and keep you coming back for one more sip. This also showcases the high quality of the 2013 vintage in the Pfalz with such nice acid (yes 2013 is an acid lover's vintage) and structure. This is a startling value made by an up and coming winemaker that you will all want to keep on your radar. Steinacker as a site is very dry and every bit of water is needed by the vines. Despite all this it creates such fine, mineral and lean wines.
If this killer Riesling was not enough, they also make world class Pinot Noir here (he is actually even more famous for Pinot Noir). For me the best value was obvious as soon as I tasted it. The 2013 Freinsheim Spatburgunder, which can be had for as little as $29.99 on the 4-pack, is a stunner. It has everything I look for in top class introductory German Pinot Noir. Think very good Village Côte de Beaune quality. Freshness, elegance, wonderful pure fruit and amazing gout de terroir. These Pinot Noirs just resonate - Pfalz! You can smell the sand, the clay, the rain and the salt. The freshness of the red fruit and balance is just startling. So pure, so clean. The high limestone content in the soil contributes to its lean and fruity character. For their introductory Pinot Noir to be this complex I knew I was in rareified air.
The Wines Andreas Rings Poured
2016 Weingut Rings Riesling Kalkmergel VDP.Gutswein
2016 Weingut Rings Freinsheim Riesling VDP.Ortswein
2016 Weingut Rings Ungesteiner Nussriegel Riesling VDP.Erste Lage
2016 Weingut Rings Kallstadter Steinacker Riesling VDP.Erste Lage
2016 Weingut Rings Saumagen Riesling GG VDP.Grosse Lage
2012 Weingut Rings Weilberg Riesling GG VDP.Grosse Lage
2016 Weingut Rings Kallstadter Steinacker Chardonnay VDP.Erste Lage
2015 Weingut Rings Freinsheim Spätburgunder VDP.Ortswein
2015 Weingut Rings Kallstadt Spätburgunder VDP.Ortswein
2014 Weingut Rings Kallstadter Steinacker Spätburgunder VDP.Erste Lage
2014 Weingut Rings Kallstadter Saumagen Spätburgunder GG VDP.Grosse Lage
2015 Weingut Rings Syrah Réserve
schiller-wine: All Postings (Published and Forthcoming): Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen
Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen
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The Music of the A Cappella Ensemble "Männer und Tenöre" and the Wines of Weingut Aufricht, Lake Constance, Baden, with Manfred Aufricht - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
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Visit of Schloss Salem, Kirche Birnau and Weingut Markgraf von Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
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Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Stigler, Baden, with Andreas, Regina and Max Stigler - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler, 1 Star Michelin, Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and Wine Taverns in Freiburg, Baden, Germany
The World Class Wines of Alsace
In the world class white wine region Alsace
Tasting at Domaine Marcel Deiss in Bergheim, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch in Alsace: Wistube du Sommelier in Bergheim and L’Epicurien in Colmar - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Domaine Dirler-Cadé with Jean Pierre Dirler and Ludevine Dirler-Cadé - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Domaines Schlumberger in Guebwiller, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Hugel in Riquewhir, Alsace, with Jean Frédéric Hugel - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at the 1 Michelin Star Restaurant L’Achémille in Kaysersberg, with Owner/ Chef Jérome Jaegle - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Wine Lunch at Weingut Jülg with Johannes Jülg– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Tasting at Maison Jülg in Seebach, Alsace, with Peter Jülg - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
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Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler in Landau-Godramstein, Pfalz, with Owner/ Winemaker Gunter Kessler - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Rings in Freinsheim, Pfalz, with Andi Rings
Tasting at Weingut Krebs in Freinsheim, Pfalz, with Jürgen Krebs
Tasting at Sekthaus Raumland in Flörsheim-Dalsheim, Rheinhessen, with Heide-Rose and Volker Raumland
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