Of course, our Geheimrat J, which we have been producing since the 1983 vintage, is not a GG. Rather, for us it is the quintessence of the vintage in the Rheingau, the best possible cuvée from the best parcels of the year. So, unlike the GG, which represents a single classified vineyard site, for our Geheimrat J we blend up to 16 classified Grand Crus and sometimes several different parcels within the sites. The aging potential is legendary; even the first vintages from the 1980s are still in top form. The 23er Geheimrat J is the perfect reflection of the vintage, with plenty of captivating fruit, everything is perfectly ripe but without any heaviness, the acidity is perfectly integrated, and the partial aging in used barrels ensures even more melt-in-the-mouth texture and depth. We are already convinced that the 23er has become one of the best vintages of Geheimrat J. Stuart Pigott/James Suckling Rating: 96 points. Site & Terroir Vineyard: Up to 16 major terroirs from the middle and lower Rheingau come together in a single-site cuvée of Geheimrat "J." Following the principle of Bordeaux's first wines, the first Geheimrat "J" was vinified in the 1983 vintage. The internal quality standards for this wine still exceed the standards for Erste Gewächse (First Growths). Geheimrat "J" is only produced in good to excellent years. In relatively weak vintages, such as 1984, 1987, and 1991, no Geheimrat "J" wine was produced. This wine is sold alongside the Große Gewächs (Gross Growths). Terroir: A combination of the minerality of the Rüdesheim and Geisenheim mountain vineyards with the fertile, deep loess soils of the middle Rheingau.