Horn at the top
Michael Beck's best Riesling from seven vintages
26 December 2023
Werner Elflein
The origin was and is always the same. However, the name of the wine has changed several times over the years. Marketed in 2008 as a dry Riesling Spätlese from the Stadeck Spitzberg with the additions Alte Reben and vom Pelosol, since 2015 the Im Horn vineyard has adorned the label instead of the single vineyard under wine law. Michael Beck, owner of the Beck – Hedesheimer-Hof winery in Stadecken-Elsheim in Rhine-Hesse, has been doing without the predicate and other additional information for a good ten years now. A change that is primarily due to the spirit of the times. However, this transformation has never had any influence on the wine itself, which we were able to taste from seven different vintages.
The deep and calcareous soils in the Stadeck Spitzberg are characterised by pararendzina and pelosol. The clayey pelosol is characterised by a high swelling capacity. In dry phases, cracks form through which rainwater can seep down quickly. The pararendzina – here based on loess – on the other hand, has a very good storage capacity for plant-available soil water. The soils are rich in nutrients, well aerated and rootable.
The Stadeck Spitzberg is mostly exposed to the west. Where the hillside turns to the south lies the steep Im Horn vineyard, whose outstanding quality has been known in Michael Beck's family for generations.
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled — but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk.
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I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong. It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.
The wines at a glance
Symbols
⧛ | The rating of the wine reflects the mean value from a tasting by our jury. |
⚖ | The wine was evaluated in a blind tasting. |
⛬ | The wine was tasted as a barrel sample or before an official test number (Amtliche Prüfungsnummer or Staatliche Prüfnummer) was issued. |
▲ | The wine exhibited a sensory abnormality during our tasting. This does not necessarily have to be a qualitative defect or a wine fault. In the case of a qualitative impairment, a devaluation or rejection was made depending on the type and severity of the defect or wine fault. |
Beck – Hedesheimer Hof
Schildweg 2
55271 Stadecken-Elsheim
Germany
Phone: +49 6136 2487
Fax: +49 6136 924413
Internet: www.hedesheimer-hof.de
E‑mail: weingut@hedesheimer-hof.de
WinewhitedryRiesling
2020 Stadecken Im Horn Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
Germany
Rheinhessen • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 4394195 27 21 • 12.5 % alcohol
WinewhitedryRiesling
2018 Stadecken Im Horn Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
Germany
Rheinhessen • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 4394195 34 19 • 13 % alcohol
WinewhitedryRiesling
2015 Stadecken Im Horn Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
Germany
Rheinhessen • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 4394195 29 16 • 13 % alcohol
WinewhitedryRiesling
2014 Stadecken Spitzberg Im Horn Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
Germany
Rheinhessen • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 4394195 34 15 • 13.5 % alcohol
WinewhitedryRiesling
2013 Stadecken Spitzberg Riesling Pelosol Qualitätswein trocken
Germany
Rheinhessen • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 4394195 29 14 • 12.5 % alcohol
WinewhitedryRiesling
2011 Stadecken Spitzberg Riesling Pelosol Spätlese trocken
Germany
Rheinhessen • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 4394195 26 12 • 13.5 % alcohol
WinewhitedryRiesling
2008 Stadecken Spitzberg Riesling Alte Reben vom Pelosol Spätlese trocken
Germany
Rheinhessen • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 4394195 13 09 • 13 % alcohol