Weingut Prinz - A Rheingau Superstar
Posted by Joe Perry on 24th Mar 2021
The Prinz estate, owned by Sabine and Fred Prinz, began in 1991 and is based in the Hallgarten commune of the Rheingau. Fred rose to fame as Germany's greatest 'garage' winemaker, whilst working full time as sales director and then winemaker at Kloster Eberbach, the Rheingau's largest wine estate.
Today Fred and his wife Sabine are focused entirely on the Prinz wines. They now own 6 and a half hectares of vines split over 3 unique vineyards. The Hendelberg vines are rich in slate soils, Schonhell utilises gravelly loam, and Hallgarten-Jungfer expresses flavours from its quartz soil.
Fred and Sabine's vineyards are set at a higher elevation, further back from the river. This gives the Prinz wines their unique elegance and finesse in the Rheingau region. We're delighted to be able to offer a range of Prinz including the highly rated Grosses Gewachs'.
Over recent weeks I’ve tasted some memorable and magnificent Fred Prinz rieslings. There is no doubt that he is “on fire” over the last several vintages. The combination of bio-dynamics, superb attention to detail in his vines, great sites, and a master’s feel for the vinification, all combine to create an aura of immense greatness. He has “arrived” and it’s only a matter of time before the wine world at large catches on. These are excitingly powerful and delicious. Randall Pollard
Prinz Hallgarten Hendelberg Riesling Trocken 2018
$66.95 each or $60.26 in any 6
94 points! 'Entrancing aromas of minerals, flowers, yellow citrus fruit and peaches all melded together here. The palate has a very fresh, crisp and focused feel with good concentration of fresh pears and lemons. Long, elegant and pure.' - Jamessuckling.com
Prinz Hallgartener Jungfer Riesling Kabinett 2018
$52.95 each or $47.66 in any 6
'94 points! Stunning vibrancy and purity with succulent white-peach, lemon and gooseberry character. Very racy and minerally with a finish that's unusually off-dry. Drink now.' - Jamessuckling.com
Prinz Hallgartener Jungfer GG Riesling Trocken 2018
97 points! 'This is a striking riesling with a beautiful interplay between freshly ground peppercorns, croissant and brioche and remarkably fresh apricots and mangoes. There’s also crystalline citrus flare here, if you care to gaze through the looking glass. The palate is built on a solid foundation of textured stone fruit, but the acidity runs amok, amidst a sea of eclectic spices and herbs. A fascinating, complex wine.' - Jamessuckling.com
Prinz Hallgartener Schonhell GG Riesling Trocken 2018
'This wine was not tasted by Nick Stock of jamessuckling.com but in the two previous years it has scored 99 and 96! In a glass placed side by side with the Jungfer, the Schönell (also a Grand Cru site, adjacent to Jungfer) is of equal grandeur but a little less exotic, showing more crushed rock and shimmering minerality. It’s a densely packed, deep and powerful wine of great finesse, balance and length. This is a wine that shows what Fred Prinz’s organic vines, set back from the Rhine River, can do, in all their glory. It will cellar for decades if that is your preference.' - Randall Pollard
Prinz Hallgartener Schonhell GG Riesling Trocken 2019
$120 each ($108 members price)
'99 Points! Joyful nose of blossoms and fresh herbs. So concentrated, yet so elegant, this lifts you off your feet and pulls you in the direction of the heavens. Such perfect balance and so much finesse through the super long finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.' - Jamessuckling.com
Prinz Hallgartener Oestricher Doosberg GG Riesling Trocken 2018
$120 each ($108 members price)
'98 points! Did somebody say turbot? In spite of the ripe-apricot note on the nose, this remains cool, restrained and delicate. So concentrated and so polished, but this great dry riesling masterpiece is just beginning its long journey into a distant golden sunset. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.' - Jamessuckling.com
Prinz Riesling Trocken Auktion Reserve 2017
$135 each ($121.50 members price)
From the Erste Lage vineyard of Hendelberg - even though it is not a GG - Fred Prinz believes that it could be, and whilst a little less powerful than the GG sites of Schonell and Jungfer, he believes it's qualitatively on a par. Fruit is sourced from the best and oldest vines in the vineyard. South facing, 40% slope, mature biodynamic vines, and his best plot in the elevated Hendleberg site. This is rare and it typifies the Prinz “magic”.