The Sunday Review: König & Krieger Riesling alcoholfree

Photo: Oliver Schwarzwald

One word: WOW!

Not much can be said about the producer. Koenig und Krieger is a label that, according to its own statement, found a partner in 2018 with many years of experience in the de-alcoholisation market and one of the most modern de-alcoholisation plants in Germany.

The design of the label and the choice of the Schlegel-bottle remain true to the line of the producers, who want to emphasise a strong connection to the home of the wine. 

The origin of the Schlegel-bottle shape actually lies in Germany and was first used for Riesling wines from the Elass and Mosel regions. Historically, the tall, slender shape probably came about to make effective use of the available space on small river ships. One of the main transport routes was the Rhine. Since there were no strong waves to contend with on the river, the fragile shape did not pose a problem. In contrast, the shape of a Bordeaux bottle, for example, is more robust, as it also had other transport routes. 

But now to the contents. And as described at the beginning, one word is enough: WOW! The wine has a pale yellow colour with a slight tendency towards green. Already after opening, the wine captivates with fresh aromas. 

After pouring, it bubbles slightly. This effect is often deliberately sought by winemakers to give young white wines a special freshness of taste. In this case, the plan works perfectly. It bubbles pleasantly on the tongue. Aromas of stone fruit are clearly perceptible. The manufacturer advertises peach and apricot. I'm more with apricot and young reneclodes. What is particularly striking is the extremely beautiful minerality. Paired with the balanced acidity, we are really very close to a Riesling here. I am thrilled and so were my guests. 

In Germany, the hot phase of the domestic asparagus season is now beginning. The whole thing tends to degenerate into a question of faith. I stay out of it, but I am happy to have found an excellent wine accompaniment for the "white gold". 

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