Balbach
Balbach produces Riesling from Rheinhessen, Germany's largest wine region. The winery focuses on the noble sweet and late-harvest styles that define the area's classical tradition. Its Nierstein Oelberg Riesling Eiswein—a concentrated dessert wine made from frozen grapes—and Niersteiner Oelberg Riesling Auslese represent the upper range of Riesling's aromatic and mineral-driven character. The Nierstein Hipping Riesling Spätlese offers a lighter expression of the same terroir. All three wines draw from vineyard sites in and around Nierstein, a historic Rheinhessen locality. Wine Spectator has rated these bottlings. Rheinhessen's warm continental climate and slate-rich soils support the ripeness and acidity balance that Riesling requires for both dry and sweet expressions.
Critics
Wine Spectator