“Very fresh and lively, with so much energy and herbal freshness, this has a wonderfully crisp personality. Long, harmoniously dry finish that makes this an extremely flexible wine.” — July 2021
A brisk and refreshing off-dry Riesling that is a delicious introduction to this exceptional Saar Valley estate. This medium-dry wine captures the ethereal “floats like a butterfly” character of Zilliken Rieslings at a very attractive price. Bright and juicy, with moderate alcohol, this butterfly soars high on citrus and floral wings. Playful, tangy flavors of lime and granny smith apple are heightened with refreshing accents of lemon balm, with a zesty, zippy finish.
The 2020 Vintage
We had many reasons to be thankful in 2020: In the winter, our groundwater reserves were replenished through sufficient rainfall. In the spring, the vineyards were spared late frosts and hailstorms. In the hot summer, our topsoil and cover crops once again proved their worth, ensuring that the vines had access to moisture and nutrients. On September 21, earlier than ever before, we started our harvest. Thanks to healthy grapes and gentle processing, the 2020 vintage offers accessible and animating estate wines, as well as precise, elegant, and profound Grosse Lage wines with excellent aging potential. The typical lightness of the Saar!
Specs
Grape Variety: 100% Riesling
Medium Dry
Alcohol: 11.0%
Residual Sweetness: 17.8 grams/liter
Total Acidity: 7.5 grams/liter
Total Production: 3,167 cases
Sustainably Grown
Pesticide & Herbicide Free
GMO Free
Gluten-Free
Vegan
2020 Zilliken Estate Riesling, Germany
92 Points, James Suckling
Tasting Notes
“Barely off-dry, this is a very juicy Riesling that has a firm core of slate character. So light-footed and bright with a wonderfully refreshing and super-clean finish. Drink or hold.” — June 2021
A very fruity, succulent Riesling that shows the vivacious character of the Saar Valley in the refined Zilliken style. This lightly sweet estate wine is like a stroll through a spring garden. It enchants the nose with aromas of lemon balm, mint, chamomile, and juicy apricot. The taste of this Riesling delights with citrus notes, juicy, grape-like nuances, and an earthy minerality. It has a delightful, long-lasting finish and is an animating companion for every occasion.
The 2020 Vintage
We had many reasons to be thankful in 2020: In the winter, our groundwater reserves were replenished through sufficient rainfall. In the spring, the vineyards were spared late frosts and hailstorms. In the hot summer, our topsoil and cover crops once again proved their worth, ensuring that the vines had access to moisture and nutrients. On September 21, earlier than ever before, we started our harvest. Thanks to healthy grapes and gentle processing, the 2020 vintage offers accessible and animating estate wines, as well as precise, elegant, and profound Grosse Lage wines with excellent aging potential. The typical lightness of the Saar!
Weingut Zilliken is one of the leading wine estates of the Saar region in Germany. Renowned for the steely precision of their Rieslings grown in the very cool climate and slate soils of the area, the Zilliken estate built its reputation with intense, yet delicate and nearly weightless Rieslings that “float like a butterfly.” The Zilliken family traces its wine-growing tradition back to 1742. Since then, their winemaking philosophy has always been to carefully preserve the potential that the wine carries within itself. Their greatest effort is in the vineyards, and their approach in the cellar is traditional and simple, with fermentation, clarification, and maturation all happening naturally in old Fuder casks.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
The 2020 Zilliken Riesling Butterfly was a surprising success – a refreshing choice, offering aromas of citrus and soft floral notes. It would be a particular hit if paired with Asian food, especially of the spicy variety. On the palate, it is crisp and zesty, yet sweet – so beware if this is not your flavor profile. Yet, in our view, it balanced the acidity, creating a clean and satisfying finish. Our friends from London relished this wine, and we had a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Our call was that if under $20, it is fantastic value - a versatile crowd-pleaser that can hold its own among bold flavors. Seeing it posted at $12.50-16.25, it’s a buy!
Okay, I got the 2020 Zilliken Estate Riesling to provide rattage. Will be curious what someone has to say about the butterfly
When I hear from Alice, I always wonder what I am going to receive. I missed the mead because it came to late for her to ship, so she promised me something else and this is what she sent to me.
Was pleasantly surprised to find it a Reisling. So I put it in the frig and on Saturday I opened the bottle. Dinner was pumpkin tamales so I waited awhile after to let the taste fade. I sat down to game a bit and decided to pour the glass then.
It is very light in color, almost clear, but not in taste. I smell fruit, fruit and fruit. Almost like smelling juice with a hint of alcohol. Actually it smells like summer in a fruit orchard or at the farmer’s market where the venders have samples of all their wares,
At first sip I thought, wow, this is sweet. A bit of pineapple and some mild citrus. The bottle says to it can be served as an aperitif and I think that would be perfect. It’s not heavy like a true ice wine, but I am not sure I would eat it with food. Again, the bottle suggests mild spicey food, and thinking about it, that would work, with more of an Asian spice I think. It would not go with tamales, LOL. Or a light citrus salad perhaps .
There is a tartness, almost like a tart apple to it as well.
I like it.
I also went online after and read reviews. All the ones I read said they expect it to age well.
I think I find it sweeter than other reviewers. But it is definitely fruit forward in tasting notes. I know I taste different than many because as a coffee snob, I don’t like Geshas. To me they taste like a savory tea. And others rave about them, and get very different notes than I can find.
I’ve enjoyed the single vineyard kabinett wines from this producer and they’ve been excellent. Never had these bottlings before but they seem like they’re at a great price.
Always a delight to get a Lab Rat bottle, this time the 2020 Butterfly Riesling. It was a pale lemony color. Both my spouse & I didn’t pick up much in the way of smell, so weren’t able to name the bit we picked up. So we just moved on to our tasting duties. This is a light & flavorful Riesling, with a bright & citrusy taste. We found it fruity & easy to drink, especially with the lower alcohol level - it had sweetness, but seemed balanced with tartness. Although we don’t often buy Rieslings, this one reminded us that we should do so more often.
2020 Zilliken “Butterfly” Riesling, Germany
92 Points, James Suckling
Tasting Notes
The 2020 Vintage
Specs
2020 Zilliken Estate Riesling, Germany
92 Points, James Suckling
Tasting Notes
The 2020 Vintage
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $312/case MSRP
About The Winery
The Zilliken Estate
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Dec 16 - Tuesday, Dec 17
Zilliken German Rieslings
4 bottles for $64.99 $16.25/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $149.99 $12.50/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2020 Zilliken “Butterfly” Riesling
2020 Zilliken Estate Riesling
The 2020 Zilliken Riesling Butterfly was a surprising success – a refreshing choice, offering aromas of citrus and soft floral notes. It would be a particular hit if paired with Asian food, especially of the spicy variety. On the palate, it is crisp and zesty, yet sweet – so beware if this is not your flavor profile. Yet, in our view, it balanced the acidity, creating a clean and satisfying finish. Our friends from London relished this wine, and we had a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Our call was that if under $20, it is fantastic value - a versatile crowd-pleaser that can hold its own among bold flavors. Seeing it posted at $12.50-16.25, it’s a buy!
Okay, I got the 2020 Zilliken Estate Riesling to provide rattage. Will be curious what someone has to say about the butterfly
When I hear from Alice, I always wonder what I am going to receive. I missed the mead because it came to late for her to ship, so she promised me something else and this is what she sent to me.
Was pleasantly surprised to find it a Reisling. So I put it in the frig and on Saturday I opened the bottle. Dinner was pumpkin tamales so I waited awhile after to let the taste fade. I sat down to game a bit and decided to pour the glass then.
It is very light in color, almost clear, but not in taste. I smell fruit, fruit and fruit. Almost like smelling juice with a hint of alcohol. Actually it smells like summer in a fruit orchard or at the farmer’s market where the venders have samples of all their wares,
At first sip I thought, wow, this is sweet. A bit of pineapple and some mild citrus. The bottle says to it can be served as an aperitif and I think that would be perfect. It’s not heavy like a true ice wine, but I am not sure I would eat it with food. Again, the bottle suggests mild spicey food, and thinking about it, that would work, with more of an Asian spice I think. It would not go with tamales, LOL. Or a light citrus salad perhaps .
There is a tartness, almost like a tart apple to it as well.
I like it.
I also went online after and read reviews. All the ones I read said they expect it to age well.
I think I find it sweeter than other reviewers. But it is definitely fruit forward in tasting notes. I know I taste different than many because as a coffee snob, I don’t like Geshas. To me they taste like a savory tea. And others rave about them, and get very different notes than I can find.
I’ve enjoyed the single vineyard kabinett wines from this producer and they’ve been excellent. Never had these bottlings before but they seem like they’re at a great price.
Always a delight to get a Lab Rat bottle, this time the 2020 Butterfly Riesling.
It was a pale lemony color. Both my spouse & I didn’t pick up much in the way of smell, so weren’t able to name the bit we picked up. So we just moved on to our tasting duties. This is a light & flavorful Riesling, with a bright & citrusy taste. We found it fruity & easy to drink, especially with the lower alcohol level - it had sweetness, but seemed balanced with tartness. Although we don’t often buy Rieslings, this one reminded us that we should do so more often.