2020 Von Buhl Riesling Sekt Brut

The 2020 Von Buhl Riesling Sekt Brut is German sparkling wine done right — traditional-method Sekt made from estate Riesling across four grand cru villages in the Pfalz, with 20 months on the lees and disgorgement in 2022. Reichsrat von Buhl, founded in 1849, is one of the Pfalz's benchmark producers, long celebrated for dry Rieslings from Deidesheim and Forst, and the estate applies the same rigor to its Sekt program that it does to its still wines. Few bottles make a more convincing case for Riesling's affinity with secondary fermentation in bottle than this one, and few regions offer the combination of racy acidity and stone-fruit ripeness that the Pfalz delivers in a sparkling format. At Lincoln Park's Off Premise Chicago, we stock this vintage because it drinks like serious sparkling wine — it has the structure and complexity to sit alongside grower Champagne, but the bright, mineral backbone that only German Riesling can offer. The estate draws fruit from vineyards across Deidesheim, Forst, Ruppertsberg, and Wachenheim, parcels planted over red sandstone, loess, and limestone soils that give Pfalz Riesling its signature mineral edge and citrus lift. Only the first 50 percent of pressed juice is used, a gentle extraction that preserves freshness and avoids phenolic bitterness. Base wine fermentation takes place in a combination of stainless steel and large 2,400-liter oak barrels, a balance that keeps the wine bright while adding subtle texture. The wine then undergoes its secondary fermentation in bottle, spending 20 months on the lees before disgorgement, long enough to develop real complexity — toasted brioche, hazelnut, and a gentle autolytic richness — without losing the taut, focused fruit that defines Riesling. In the glass, fine and persistent bubbles rise through a pale golden color with a faint green tinge. The nose opens with ripe apple, juicy pear, and white peach, then deepens into lemon curd, toasted brioche, and hazelnut from the extended lees contact, underscored by wet stone and baked citrus. On the palate, the mousse is creamy and well-integrated, carrying flavors of stone fruit, green apple, and gentle citrus zest through the mid-palate. The racy, bright acidity that is the hallmark of Pfalz Riesling keeps everything focused and clean, while a touch of toast, butter, and mineral chalk add weight. The finish is long, fading on wet stone, lemon peel, and a whisper of almond — unmistakably Riesling, unmistakably of the Pfalz. Pour it as an aperitif, pair it with oysters or smoked trout, or drink it alongside a simple roast chicken with herbs. It has the structure to age another two to three years in a cool cellar, but it's generous and ready now. The 2020 Von Buhl Riesling Sekt Brut is available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.