Weingut Peter Kriechel

27 September 2018

The winery Peter Kriechel is located in the charming town of Ahrweiler in the dramatic Ahr Valley. Not overly ‘turisty’, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler is a wonderful town to visit for a lunch or a stroll and well-worth an over-night stay. And while there, pop by Peter Kriechel for a tasting.  

The Krichel family has been cultivating wine since 1670, but it was in 1952 the Peter Kriechel vinery was established. Throughout the years, the vinery has been ever expanding from 1,5 hektars to 24, making it the largest private Weingut in the Ahr Valley. And with quantity, quality has not suffered. Since 2013 Peter Kriechel (Junior) has been running the winery together with his brother Michael, succeeding their father, Ernst Krichel.

The vinery produces red and white wines, both in high-quality levels, in our opinion, but typical for the region, it is the redwines which truly shine. With both regional and national medals in burgunder- and portugieser grapes they have repeatedly demonstrated their skill and hard work as high-quality producers.

With a distribution of 60 % Spätburgunder, 20 % Frühburgunder and 10 % Weiss- and Grauburgunder, the family centers on elegant burgundy grapes. Their finest grapes come from the Walporzheimer Kräuterberg, Ahrweiler Rosenthal, and Neuenahrer Sonnenberg.

Their four Ha of Frühburgunder plots also make them one of the largest private wineyards to cultivate this delicate and rather rare grape. Frühburgunder ripens quite early and doesn't thrive in overly warm and sunny climates. The northern parts of European wineland therefore suit it well and the Kriechel family has embraced it like no other.

As many other modern producers, Weingut Peter Kriechel also moves towards a more sustainable tomorrow. When asked about what the future holds, Peter answered: "In the future, we will continue to develop towards natural and sustainable management, although we are already working more organically than many certified businesses. For example, we already produce our electricity almost entirely independently using renewable energies. Furthermore, we will invest in a new warehouse and in the next few years in a new wine store."

 

The Kriechel's strive for a local expression, sourcing their barrels from Ahr oak. While the oak is noticeable, mainly in their Single Vineyard wines, they are never dominated by it. It adds to a complex expression and as an enhancer for their lovely Spät- and Frühburgunders.

We visited Peter Kriechel at the vinery in 2017 for a small tasting and at ProWein in March 2018, where we had the full Monty. Here is how we scored his wines:

Walporzheimer Kräuterberg Portugieser Goldkapsel Trocken 2015
90	Aroma had cherries, swwet red berries, currants, herbs, and oak. Flavour showed red cherries, small black currants, oak, subtle smoke, herb garden, and forest floor. Medium plus tannins, medium plus acidity and dry.

Walporzheimer Kräuterberg Spätburgunder Goldkapsel Trocken 2013
92	Aroma had dark cherries, oak, subtle smoke, nutty hints, and herb garden. Flavour showed dense ripe cherries, forest strawberries, currants, oak, and herbs. Medium acidity, medium tannins and dry.

Walporzheimer Kräuterberg Spätburgunder Trocken 2015
92	Aroma had cherries, forest strawberries, currants, oak, cloves, and smoke. Over the palate came cherries, sweet mixed berries, currants, smoke, and oak. Medium plus acidity, medium tannins and dry.

Ahrweiler Rosenthal Spätburgunder Trocken 2015
90	Aroma had cherries, currants, oak, smoke, cloves, and forest floor. Over the palate came succulent cherries, currants, herbs, oak, and smoke. Medium plus acidity and dry. Good potential (92)

Spätburgunder B Trocken 2015
89	Aroma had succulent cherries, currants, oak, cloves, smoke, and forest floor. Flavour showed succulent cherries, currants, oak, smoke and herb garden. Medium plus acidity, medium tannin and dry.

Spätburgunder 2015
88	Aroma had cherries, forest floor, subtle oak and smoke. Flavor showed cherries, oak, currants, herbs and hints of smoke. Medium plus acidity, medium plus tannins and dry.

Marienthaler Rosenberg Frühburgunder 2015
91	Aroma had intense cherries, currants, oak, smoke and forest floor. Over the palate came intense cherries, currants, oak, smoke and herb garden. Medium plus acidity, medium plus tannins and dry.

Frühburgunder Jubilus Goldkapsel Trocken 2015
90	Aroma had cherries, currants, forest strawberries, oak and smoke. Over the palate came cherries, vanilla beans, oak, smoke, herbs, currants, ripe tannins and smoke. Medium plus acidity, medium plus tannins and dry.

Peter Kriechel Frühburgunder Trocken
86	Aroma had cherries, currants and forest floor. Flavor showed cherries, subtle oak, herbs and currants. Medium plus acidity and dry.

Blanc de Noir Brut Nature 2014
90	Only 500 bottles made. Aroma had raspberries, strawberries and peach. Flavor showed raspberries, strawberries, melon and peach. Medium plus acidity and dry. Fruhburgunder sparkling!

Neuenahrer Sonnenberg Spätburgunder Weissherbst Beerenauslese 2011
91	Aroma had sweet honey notes, overripe peach, pear, botritys, figs, and melon. Flavour showed honey melon, plums, overripe peach, candied lemons, butter cake, and lime. Finished sweet.

Paula 2016
88	Aroma of overripe peach, light cake notes, mixed apples, honey notes, and pears. Flavour showed cake, pear, brioche, nuts, and lime. Finished sweet.

Blanc de Noir Trocken 2015
87	Aroma had grapefruit, lime, white flowers, and minerals. Flavour showed lime, grapefruit, white peach, and white flowers. Medium plus acidity and dry.

Grauburgunder Trocken 2015
88	Aroma had apricots, subtle oak, minerals, orange fruits, and lemons. Flavour showed grapefruit, light apricot, lemons, minerals, and subtle licorice. Medium acidity and dry.

Walporzheimer Krauterberg Riesling Goldkapsel Trocken 2016
88	Aroma had grapefruit, lime, grapefruit, floral honey, and minerals. Flavour showed floral honey, grapefruit, lime, and white peach. Good texture. Medium plus acidity and dry. Good potential (90)

Riesling Trocken 2017
87	Aroma had yellow fruit, honey blossoms, red apples, and peach. Flavour showed melon, lime, subtle banana, and candied lemons. Medium acidity and dry.

Weissburgunder Trocken 2017
86	Aroma had lime, candied lemons, pineapple, and white peach. Flavour had lime, white peach, grapefruit, tangerine, candied lemons, and subtle licorice. Medium acidity and dry.

Blanc de Noir 2017
87	Aroma had grapefruit, minerals, and candied lemons. Flavour showed white peach, lime, candied lemons, and grapefruits. Medium plus acidity and dry.

Blanc de Noir 2016
86	Aroma had grapefruit, lemons, and hints of lime. Over the palate came minerals, lemons, grapefruit, and hints of lime. Medium plus acidity and dry.

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