When they have an opinion, most Americans, including formerly ignorant us, usually regard the Mosel as Germany’s finest Riesling region. The Rheingau, however, has the distinction of achieving Riesling’s historic pinnacle: no German wine region has ever achieved greater acclaim or higher prices than the Rheingau in the late 19th century. The Rheingau’s style is richer, peach-driven, and more powerful in contrast to the Mosel’s lighter, lime, coconut and candied citrus profile. Founded in 1875 by Dr. Robert Weil, a Sorbonne professor who fled Paris during the Franco-Prussian War, Weingut Robert Weil remains family-owned and is now led by his great-grandson Wilhelm Weil. Its 90 hectares are planted entirely to Riesling on steep, southwest-facing slopes of fragmented phyllite mixed with loess and loam. Phyllite is a metamorphic rock akin to slate but finer-grained and midway to schist, lending both minerality and depth to the wines. The 2023 Estate Riesling ‘Tradition’, from parcels neighboring the Erste Lage (Grand Cru) Turmberg and Gräfenberg vineyards, shows lemon zest, stone fruit, and honeysuckle and the traditional off-dry sweetness harkens back to the style that made Rheingau famous. Off-dry Riesling is perhaps the world’s most versatile food-paring wine, so it might be better to discuss the few things that are not great pairings: acidic foods like aged cheeses, or tomato-based dishes.