Best-of lists · Top 5

Top 5 mature Rieslings

As Riesling ages, the fresh primary fruit recedes and gives way to notes of dried fruit, honey, herbs, toast and wax. Typical of mature Riesling is the so-called petrol note, which derives from the compound TDN (1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene) – it forms from carotenoids in the grape and is intensified by sunny vintages and long bottle ageing. Riesling owes its longevity above all to its high acidity and, in fruity-sweet and nobly sweet wines, also to residual sugar, which acts as a preservative. Because hardly anyone has the patience or the cellar for it, more and more estates are releasing mature vintages as late releases or from their library stocks – and some merchants run dedicated rarities departments.

Home of Riesling editorial team · researched on 24 September 2026 · prices as of 24 September 2026

1
Maximin Grünhaus · Ruwer · 2017

Abtsberg Riesling GG

drylimited12 %around €59

Why it's on the list: A dry Große Lage Riesling that the estate itself subsequently released as a ‘Schlosskeller-Reserve’ – and which Wine Advocate, on re-tasting it in 2026, rated higher than on its original release. Exactly what a list of mature Rieslings should show.

Summarised from the press reviews

A spicy, herbal nose with red cassis, grapefruit, green apple and cool slate, together with the first mature tones. The palate is dense yet lean and salty, with racy acidity and a grippy texture; the finish is long and stony. After nine years it is at its peak without seeming tired.

Value for money: €59 from the estate for a nine-year-old Abtsberg GG is fair: the price is barely above that of the 2018 (€58) and 2019 (€54) vintages, which are also offered in the Reserve. The estate takes care of the cellaring, and there is practically no premium for maturity.

Pair with: Veal sweetbreads with morels, pan-fried pike-perch on lentils or a semi-hard mountain cheese.

Wine profile → · Maximin Grünhaus estate →
2
Schäfer-Fröhlich · Nahe · 2015

Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel (Versteigerungswein)

nobly sweet7 %around €169

Why it's on the list: An auction wine from Tim Fröhlich's monopole site, awarded 95 and 98 points by two of the most important Riesling critics – and still to be found on general retail sale ten years after the Bad Kreuznach auction.

Summarised from the press reviews

Stewed white peach and quince jelly, alongside fresh lime, mint and a smoky, stony note. The palate is concentrated and dense, but carried by vibrant acidity that never lets the sweetness become heavy; the finish is long, floral and herb-fresh. After a good ten years, the phase in which fruit and mature aromas come together is beginning.

Value for money: €169 for a half bottle is a collector's price that only makes sense for lovers of great sweet wines. It can be put into context as follows: this is an auction bottling that has been professionally stored for ten years; the 2016 vintage costs as much as €179 from the same merchant.

Pair with: On its own after dinner, with tarte Tatin or with a powerful blue cheese.

Wine profile → · Schäfer-Fröhlich estate →
3
Hirsch · Kamptal · 2016

Riesling Ried Zöbinger Gaisberg 1ÖTW

drylimited12,5 %around €42

Why it's on the list: The Austrian contribution: in the Kamptal, Johannes Hirsch makes Rieslings with deliberately moderate alcohol and under screwcap – the Gaisberg 2016 shows that neither stands in the way of ageing potential.

Summarised from the press reviews

Smoky and floral, with lime zest, orange, peach and a hint of herbal spice. The palate is lean and taut yet juicy, with lively acidity and a salty, mineral finish. A dry Riesling that wears its maturity lightly.

Value for money: €42 for a ten-year-old Erste Lage Riesling is a good offer: the young 2024 vintage costs €35 from the estate – so for around €7 extra you get a decade of professional cellaring.

Pair with: Trout with almond butter, Wiener Schnitzel or Asian-spiced poultry.

Wine profile → · Hirsch estate →
4
Dr. Loosen · Mosel · 2018

Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese

nobly sweet8,5 %around €32

Why it's on the list: An Auslese from one of the Mosel's best-known sites, which the estate is still selling at the regular cellar-door price eight years after the harvest – the easiest way into mature, sweet Riesling.

Summarised from the press reviews

Dried apple, lime peel and crushed stone, with peach, apricot and a hint of honey. The palate is firm rather than opulent, with a cinnamon-spiced finish and lively acidity that keeps the sweetness taut. Not a heavyweight dessert wine, but an Auslese with tension.

Value for money: Very good value: Dr. Loosen charges exactly the same €32 for the 2018 as for the current 2024 vintage. The eight years of cellar ageing therefore come free.

Pair with: Goose liver terrine, apple strudel or a spicy raw-milk cheese.

Wine profile → · Dr. Loosen estate →
5
Schloss Vollrads · Rheingau · 2016

Schloss Vollrads Riesling Auslese

nobly sweet7,5 %around €28.50

Why it's on the list: The Rheingau classic: Schloss Vollrads, one of the oldest wine estates in the world, still sells its 2016 Auslese direct from the château – an easy opportunity to try a mature Rheingau Auslese.

Summarised from the press reviews

Raisins, honey and ripe peach, with elderflower and a hint of botrytis. On the palate, sweetness and acidity play off each other, while mandarin and citrus keep the wine fresh. Medium-bodied and now considerably more approachable than in its youth.

Value for money: €28.50 for the half bottle – the same price the estate charges for the young 2025 Auslese. The ten years of maturity therefore cost nothing extra; the half bottle is also just the right amount for four to six glasses with dessert.

Pair with: Apple tart (as Falstaff recommends), crème brûlée or a mild blue cheese.

Wine profile → · Schloss Vollrads estate →

Scores and quotes come from the critics and magazines named, each with a link to the source. Prices are approximate at the time of research.