The Hattenheimer Wisselbrunnen Spätlese Trocken is a Charta wine, a Rheingau-only category. Charta wines can only be of QbA or Prädikat level and must be 100% Riesling. Must-weights must be higher than required by law.
The Wisselbrunnen has a pale straw color. Medium intensity of citrus and pear aromas, but more interesting are those hints of wet stones. The label is right, the Hattenheimer Wisselbrunnen is dry. The acidity level is high, which is typical for German Rieslings from 2004 - a vintage, which slowly starts to show its grandness in the shadow of its hyped successor 2005. In the case of Spreitzer's dry Spätlese the acidity accentuates the markedly mineral character of this Riesling and gives it a stunning clarity. The alcohol level is 12%, pleasantly moderate for a dry Spätlese, which means that this beautiful Riesling is also perfect to go with a variety of food. Drink now or keep for the next 10-15 years.
Weingut Josef Spreitzer uses the "Rheingauer Flötenflasche" (Rheingau flute bottle) for their wines. Originally an attempt to give the wines from Rheingau a similar unique look as the Bocksbeutel in Franconia, the bottle is only being used by a few producers in the Rheingau.