The Riesling Revolutionary

As I mention in Part 1, I recently made the decision to leave my job as a lawyer in the City to follow my passion for wine. The first stop on my wine adventure is a month’s work experience at legendary German winery, Weingut Hermann Dönnhoff. Here is my write-up of my second week in the job:

After a tough but thoroughly enjoyable first week bottling wines from the 2011 vintage, I returned from the Easter break well rested and hoping to spend some time in the vineyards.

Following a short team meeting, I was given the nod to join the vineyard crew for the day which came as excellent news. The only downside, with the prospect of an eight hour day ahead of me, was that the weather was looking extremely ominous. Catching the eye of oneof the team, I gestured to the sky. His response was simply to shrug and say “April macht was er will” (April does what it wants). Not quite the reassurance that I was looking for but, reminding myself that I had not come to Germany to work on my tan, I grabbed my rain jacket and saddled up for the day’s work.

Before I joined the others up on the slopes, one of the lads gave me a quick guided tour in the van of the vineyards owned by Weingut Dönnhoff to help me get my bearings. Dönnhoff owns plots in a number of vineyards in the Nahe region and the majority of these are situated around the villages of Niederhausen and Oberhausen. The best sites are fiercely steep and south facing so that the grapes can soak up the maximum amount of sunlight as possible.

The vineyard where I spent much of the week was the Niederhausen Hermannshöhle, regarded by many as one of Germany’s finest vineyards. The first thing that struck me as I worked up and down the rows of vines was how steep it is. The slopes have a cramp-inducing 40% steepness in places and this certainly does not make the day’s physical labour any easier. I daresay I will have no excuses for not looking good in a pair of shorts when I return to the UK in May!

Although the grapes are usually harvested in September and October, a lot of time and energy is invested at this time of year in making sure that the grapes grow healthily and achieve the required levels of ripeness without any problems. Some of the tasks in which I was involved included training the vines around a wire high off the ground (to avoid damage from Spring frosts), fertilising young rootstocks (to promote healthy growth) and spraying the vines (to keep pests at bay).

At the risk of taking on the appearance of a mountain goat, I was relieved on the Friday to be working on one of the flatter vineyards towards the town of Bad Kreuznach. The morning’s work was much of the same – “vineyard management” – but for lunch we all went to a local Wirtshaus (or pub to you or I). After a cursory glance at the menu, it appeared that the general consensus was that the schnitzel platter was the thing to go for. Not wanting to break rank and ever the fan of a good schnitzel, I got in on the act.

To my delight, a few minutes later no fewer than three schnitzels arrived in front of me together with chips and a token side salad – just the ticket after a week in the vineyards. Although I managed to polish them off, it was definitely a case of my eyes being bigger than my stomach. Feeling like I was about to burst at the seams, one of the lads mentioned that I would be spending the afternoon scaling the seemingly vertical face of the Hermannshöhle. Thankfully he was only joking but the look of fear in my eyes must have been evident for all to see!

On Saturday morning I woke up to a beautiful sunny day. I decided to walk through the vineyards to the neighbouring village, Niederhausen, home to Weingut Jakob Schneider. The previous week I had tried a bottle from Jakob Schneider and was very impressed so I was looking forward to doing a tasting of his wines. I was not disappointed. I was shown warm hospitality and the wines a delight, something that is becoming somewhat of a recurring theme during my time in Germany.

I have no clue what next week has in store but hopefully next weekend I will be able to visit some of the other top wineries in the region. Crossing my fingers that this beautiful weather is here to stay!

Here is the text from an article which I wrote for drinks industry trade magazine, Harpers, about my time working at Weingut Hermann Dönnhoff in the Nahe region of Germany.  It was published on 10th April, 2012.

Alex Down, 28, blogger on The Riesling Revolutionary and self-confessed German wine fanatic, recently made the decision to leave his job as a lawyer in the City to follow his passion for wine. The first stop on his wine adventure is a month’s work experience at legendary German winery, Weingut Hermann Dönnhoff. Below he recounts his first week in the job:

My journey to the vineyards of Germany began at the crack of dawn on the Sunday before Easter. Such was my excitement that I barely noticed the hour as I bounced through the revolving doors at Stansted on course for my 6.50am flight to Frankfurt Hahn. Arriving at Hahn (the Frankfurt can henceforth be dispatched as it is about as close to Frankfurt as London is to Dover), I boarded the splendidly named Mosel-Rhine-Bus and off we went through the idyllic countryside towards my home for the next four weeks – Weingut Hermann Dönnhoff in the village of Oberhausen in the Nahe wine region.

Arriving at the winery, I was greeted by Cornelius Dönnhoff, heir to the Dönnhoff throne and the current head winemaker. After the customary guided tour, Cornelius showed me to the room where I would be staying. An en suite bathroom and a balcony overlooking the famous Niederhausen Hermannshöhle vineyard – had I died and gone to heaven? It certainly felt like it but in an attempt to keep my excitement to manageable levels I decided to forego the temptation to crack open a bottle on the first night.

The following morning I reported for duty in the courtyard at 8am sharp. After exchanging brief pleasantries with my co-workers, I was informed that we would be spending the day bottling the 2011 Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc). In a nutshell, this is how the bottling process works: empty bottles are fed onto a conveyor belt which go into the bottling machine; the empty bottles are sterilised and then filled with the wine before moving down the belt where they are corked, capped and labelled; at this stage the wines are the finished product and the sole remaining task is for them to be stacked or packed.

This is where I came in. Once the bottles had emerged from the labelling section of the machine, it was my job to grab them and pack them (in six-bottle cases). As we began the day’s work, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. Here I was, free from the shackles of the City and working in one of Germany’s finest wineries. By lunchtime, I was still in good cheer but definitely feeling the strain. By 5pm I was in tatters. Now, I know what you are thinking – sticking a few bottles in a box doesn’t sound too bad. But to put it in perspective, on the first day we bottled around 8000 bottles (which accounts for approximately 1335 cases)!

And things did not ease up over the next couple of days as more bottling was in order. It was certainly backbreaking stuff but it was made all the more manageable by the team and their ability to seamlessly interchange jobs with one another when someone needed to take a well-deserved breather.

By Thursday afternoon we had bottled the 2011 Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder and Tonschiefer (Dry Slate) Riesling. Although by the end of this process I was totally kaput, I nevertheless felt a great sense of satisfaction in the knowledge that I had played a part (albeit very small) in the lifespan of these brilliant wines.

That evening, all of the crew (vineyard and cellar) gathered round the table in the communal galley for wine tasting, hog roast and friendly conversation. The selection of wines was a celebration of the diversity of German wine styles – everything from a Dönnhoff Weissburgunder from the Nahe to a dry Riesling from Baden to a sweet Ruländer Spätlese from the Pfalz to a Müller-Thurgau produced by one of the crew members from his own tiny vineyard plot in the Nahe. But the wine of the night for me was the 1998 Jacob Schneider Niederhäusen Klamm Riesling Auslese – a classy wine from a much underrated producer which has aged with grace.

Could there have been a more fitting and enjoyable way to close out a hard week? Not to my mind. As for next week, I have been told that I will spend some time in the vineyards – very exciting. But, first, time to put my feet up with a couple of chocolate eggs and relax over the Easter weekend.

MISHA WILKINSON OF MISHA’S VINEYARD

REGION: Central Otago, New Zealand
VOLUME: 746 cases of Riesling (2011 vintage)
VARIETALS:  Riesling, PG, PN, Gewurz, SB
WEBSITE: www.mishasvineyard.com

Misha’s Vineyard was founded in 2003 by Misha and Andy Wilkinson and is located in a magnificent spot on the edge of Lake Dunstan in Central Otago, New Zealand.

Central Otago is known as one of the top producing regions in New Zealand for Pinot Noir, but the high altitude of many of its vineyards and cool Continental climate also makes it very well suited to growing aromatic white varieties, such as Riesling.

Despite its relative youth, Misha’s Vineyard has already received its fair share of attention on the international wine circuit. For example, after only 4 vintages, Misha’s Vineyard was named one of the Top 20 New Zealand Producers in Decanter (Sept 2011 edn) and in May 2011, its 2010 Limelight Riesling was selected as one of the Top 100 Wines at the London Wine Fair.

Key to the success of Misha’s Vineyard has undoubtedly been the hard work of head winemaker, Olly Masters, who joined Misha’s Vineyard from the Ati Rangi winery in Martinborough. Since his arrival, Olly has helped Misha’s Vineyard establish itself as one of the most exciting producers in New Zealand.

So now that you’ve got a bit of background on the estate, let’s hear what Misha has to say about her winery, winemaking in New Zealand and Riesling:

TTR: How would you describe the Riesling grape in 3 words?
MW: It’s F.A.B F for Floral (or Fruity), A for Aromatic (& Adaptable) and B for Balanced (& Beautiful).

TTR: What makes your region so well suited to growing Riesling?
MW: Central Otago is the most southerly wine producing region in the world and has New Zealand’s highest vineyards at 200-400 metres above sea level. It’s also the only region in New Zealand that has a Continental climate rather than a maritime climate. This means there is a large diurnal temperature range during the growing season with hot days (not above 30C) and cool nights which helps develop flavour complexity. The very low rainfall and low humidity means there is very low disease pressure.

Vineyards in the region are mostly planted on slopes by lakesides or deep river gorges with mostly glacial derived soils. These soils are quite unique as they contain heavy deposits of mica and metamorphic schists along with loess interspersed with gravels. The soils are free-draining with good minerality and scattered deposits of calcium carbonate but are generally low in organic matter which means low vigour in the vines. All of this makes it an ideal region to aromatic white varieties (and Pinot Noir which is the predominant variety grown).

TRR: Old World Riesling vs. New World Riesling – friends or foes?
MW: They are just different – and it’s not a case of just Old World vs. New World, it’s a case of every different vineyard site across the world expressing something unique to that site.

TRR: Which winemakers (past or present) have had the greatest influence on you?
MW: All the winemakers who are able to create a Riesling that is perfectly balanced, truthfully expresses their vineyard site and who does it consistently year after year are the winemakers that earn the most respect. Olly Masters, our winemaker, describes his style as minimalist winemaking and he’s making our fabulous Rieslings.

TRR: Which new producers are you excited by the most at the moment, and why?
MW: I’m excited about all New Zealand producers – they are all “new producers” in the scheme of things since the first Sauvignon Blanc was made in the mid 1970s. Yet New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is acknowledged as a benchmark for this variety. It is also globally acknowledged as one of the few places able to producing world-class Pinot Noir and, now with aromatic white varieties, New Zealand is being hailed as one of the greatest places to make Riesling. All 700 producers in New Zealand should feel proud of these achievements as the reputation of the country (and its producers) far outweighs the actual volume of wine produced – i.e. less than 1% of the world’s wine!

TRR: If you’re not drinking Riesling, what wine do you usually like to drink?
MW: Cool climate varieties especially from our region get my vote most of the time – whether that be a Pinot Gris, a Gewurztraminer or a Pinot Noir. Of course it’s important to have a ‘global palate’ as well and we enjoy wines from some of our favourite wine regions in the world like: Margaret River (Australia), Tuscany & Piedmont (Italy), and Rhone & Burgundy (France).

TRR: What are the biggest challenges currently facing you as a winemaker?
MW: The greatest challenges are always to do with the weather conditions you experience during the season – we are farmers after all and every season brings its unique set of conditions. We have to react quickly to conditions and most importantly ensure our vines are carrying just the right crop load in order to have balanced vines that will deliver us great wines. The old adage is true that great wines are made in the vineyard. We are very fortunate at Misha’s Vineyard that we’re located on the slopes overlooking Lake Dunstan which means we don’t have a risk of frost at the beginning and end of the season (which is one of the biggest challenges in our region) but there are always other set-backs that the season can bring especially around the times of flowering and fruit-set.

TRR: Where do you see your winery in 20 years time?
MW: Reputation comes with time and we know it will take at least 20 years more to create a global reputation. We were lucky to have been named one of the Top 20 New Zealand Producers (Decanter UK) which was a huge honour and in May 2011 we were excited to have our 2010 Limelight Riesling selected as one of the Top 100 Wines at the London Wine Fair – the only wine selected from Central Otago. So things are going well so far and we’re looking forward to the next twenty years and what may happen along the way!

TRR: How can Riesling improve its reputation on the world wine stage?
MW: Does it need to? It’s nice that it’s not too popular as a wine style as with that would bring commercialization and potentially a drop in quality! Riesling is recognized by wine lovers as one of the greatest grape varieties – isn’t that enough? Seriously, there are promotions like the Summer of Riesling which started in the US and is just about to start in New Zealand (January 2012). Those sorts of promotions are a great way of getting this variety noticed. The people with the most influence are sommeliers and restaurant owners – if they would only put good Rieslings on as a ‘by the glass’ and allow more experimentation of good Riesling instead of putting low quality Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs as their ‘by the glass’ offerings.

You can buy Misha’s Vineyard Limelight Riesling 2010 in the UK from Slurp.co.uk

The wine featured in this video blog is the Doctors’ Riesling 2010 produced by Forrest Winery in Marlborough, New Zealand. 

For those of you who regularly tune in to The Riesling Revolutionary, you will be familiar with me waxing lyrical about how I believe the Riesling grape is unrivalled in its ability to deliver a diversity of styles of white wine.

You won’t be surprised to hear therefore that I jumped at the chance to put this to the test at the New Zealand Wine Annual Trade Tasting at Lords back in January of this year in the form of the so-called Riesling Challenge.

By way of background, The Riesling Challenge was thought up by Neil Charles-Jones, the director of Mud House Wines in New Zealand. The concept involved Mud House Wines harvesting a load of grapes during the 2010 vintage and then sending 12 equal amounts to 12 of New Zealand’s most revered winemakers.

So, back in April 2010, The Riesling Challenge began when 48 tonnes of Riesling grapes were harvested by Mud House from one of their vineyards in the Waipara Valley and then delivered to the following 12 Kiwi based winemakers:

• Paul Bourgeois, Spy Valley (Marlborough)
• Mike Brown, Golden Hills Estate (Nelson)
• Matt Dicey, Mount Difficulty (Central Otago)
• Matt Donaldson, Pegasus Bay (Waipara)
• John Forrest, Forrest Estate (Marlborough)
• Duncan Forsyth, Mount Edward (Central Otago)
• Patrick Materman, Pernod Ricard NZ (Marlborough)
• Simon McGeorge, Waipara Hills (Waipara)
• Larry McKenna, Escarpment (Martinborough)
• Ant McKenzie, Te Awa Farm (Hawke’s Bay)
• Jules Taylor, Jules Taylor Wines (Marlborough)
• Simon Waghorn, Astrolabe (Marlborough)

The winemakers were then left with the challenge of using their allotted 4 tonnes of grapes to make at least 250 cases of whatever style of Riesling they so wished – dry, medium, sweet, fermented in stainless steel or oak, you name it, they were allowed to do it.

By December 2010, all of the wines had been bottled and each of the 12 winemakers assembled to taste blind and score each other’s wines. After much lively discussion and deliberation, first prize went to Matt Donaldson of Pegasus Bay. Second place went to Matt Dicey and Mike Brown took third place.

Moving forward to 2012, I was quivering with excitement when I heard that attendees at the New Zealand Wine Annual Trade Tasting would have the chance to try the 12 Riesling Challenge wines. However, this time, it would be the attendees at the event casting their votes for their favourite Riesling, not the winemakers!

Arriving at the event, it didn’t take me long to track down the table in question, as I steadily worked my way through each of the 12 Rieslings.

The two wines that stood out for me, in particular, were those produced by Matt Donaldson and Larry McKenna. Looking back at my notes, I wrote that Donaldson’s wine was “off-dry, showing beautiful balance with firm citrus notes on the nose which develops into pineapple and tropical fruits on the palate. This winemaker has shown no fear”. For McKenna’s Riesling, I wrote that it was “off-dry, with honeysuckle and juicy green apple and a hint of pineapple on the palate and shows excellent balance and an impressive finish”.

In the end, 139 votes (including my own) were cast by the attendees and once again Matt Donaldson was crowned the victor. However, this time, first and second places went to Dr. John Forrest of Forrest Wines and Simon Waghorn of Astrolabe, respectively.

I later found out that Donaldson had freeze-concentrated his grapes to intensify flavours and sugars, a move that appears to have given him the edge over this competitors.

For me, the joy of this exercise was twofold. Firstly, it showed what an important role the winemaker plays in shaping the wine’s style. The variety between the 12 wines was a clear example of just how much the style of the finished wine can be dictated by decisions made by the winemaker during the fermentation and maturation processes. Secondly, it confirmed my belief that the Riesling grape lends itself wonderfully to being made in a number of different styles.

In that respect, as an aside, I was most interested to discover that 8 of the 12 wines were off-dry. Off-dry Riesling as a category is much misunderstood and, in my opinion, hugely underrated. So, it was great to see so many of the winemakers choosing to make their wines in this style. (I actually did a really cool tasting of sweet NZ Rieslings with the team at HowToBakeACake.org other day to great effect!)

Also, I have discovered that a few cases have been exported to us here in the UK. Tanners Wine Merchants appear to have a few cases still in stock (£119.99 for case of 12) so if you pick up a case be sure to let us know which of the 12 is your favourite!

The wine featured in this video blog is the Jordan Riesling 2009 produced by the Jordan Winery in Stellenbosch, South Africa. 

WERNER AND FRANK SCHÖNLEBER OF WEINGUT EMRICH SCHÖNLEBER

REGION: Monzigen, Nahe, Germany
VINEYARD AREA: 17 ha
VARIETALS: 85% Riesling, 7% Pinot Gris and 4% Pinot Blanc
WEBSITE: www.emrich-schoenleber.de

Over the past few decades, Weingut Emrich-Schönleber has established itself as one of the finest wineries in Germany.

The winery is located in the village of Monzigen in the Nahe region, not far from fellow German heavyweights Dönnhoff and Schäfer-Fröhlich.

Like these two wineries, it has amassed not only a loyal domestic following but also, unlike a lot of Germany wineries, received critical success on the international stage (e.g. David Schildknecht of The Wine Advocate has awarded a number of the Emrich-Schönleber wines 95+ points).

Key to the success of Weingut Emrich-Schönleber is undoubtedly the vineyards from which it sources the grapes for its wines. There are two single vineyard sites, in particular, which are perfectly suited to growing world class Riesling – the “Frühlingsplätzchen” and “Halenberg”.

Both vineyards are situated in Monzigen (not far from the winery) and have south-facing and incredibly steep slopes (up to 70% in places) which gives the Riesling the best possible chance of ripening. In addition, the soil in these vineyards consists mainly of quartz and slate (red slate in the Frühlingsplätzchen and blue slate in the Halenberg) which allows the earth to absorb the heat of the sun which also helps the grapes to ripen and gives the wines impressive minerality.

A second factor which is integral to the winery’s achievements is the father-son team of Werner and Frank Schönleber. For many years, Werner was head winemaker and much of the success of Weingut Emrich-Schönleber should be attributed to him. But now his son, Frank, has joined him as winemaker which ensures that whilst quality will remain unchanged, there will be no shortage of youthful energy and innovation.

Testament to this is the winery’s new state of the art tasting room which was built in 2010. This spacious and modern structure, together with accompanying courtyard, provides the perfect place to learn about the surrounding vineyards and enjoy a glass of refreshing Riesling when the sun is shining.

So, now that you’ve got a bit of background on Weingut Emrich-Schönleber, let’s hear what Frank has to say about Riesling:

TRR: How would you describe the Riesling grape in 3 words?
FS: Delicate, racy and multifaceted.

TRR: What makes your region so well suited to growing Riesling?
FS: Cool climate, stoney/slatey soil.

TRR: Old World Riesling vs. New World Riesling – friends or foes?
FS: Friends because of different stylistics.

TRR: Which winemakers (past or present) have had the greatest influence on you?
FS: My father and any winemaker who produces individual Riesling that drinks easily and with great pleasure, no matter how concentrated they are.

TRR: Which new producers are you excited by the most at the moment, and why?
FS: A.J. Adam from the Mosel – he has built up a (small but extremely good) winery from scratch, cares for every little detail in the vineyards and the cellar and has been producing great, individual wines from the very beginning.

TRR: If you’re not drinking Riesling, what wine do you usually like to drink?
FS: The Pinots: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.

TRR: What are the biggest challenges currently facing you as a winemaker?
FS: New diseases in the vineyards, which kill many vines every year – we can only try to control them but are never really able to really stop them.

TRR: Where do you see your winery in 20 years time?
FS: Hopefully amongst the best and most respected estates in the world.

TRR: How can Riesling improve its reputation on the world wine stage?
FS: This is very hard because the perfect conditions for growing great Riesling can so rarely been found. This means that quantities of great Riesling will always be tiny compared to the likes of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Pinot Noir faces the same problem, I think. So, the only chance is for good estates to acquire more and more great sites from small and unprofessional vintners which can’t handle these by themselves. Fortunately, German viticulture is heading in that direction!

Here is the text from an article which I wrote for Great British Chefs on food and wine matching entitled ‘Riesling, the ultimate food friendly wine’.  It was published on 20 January, 2012.

Let’s face it, we foodies have never had it so good. 20 years ago, most of us had to rely on the likes of the late Keith Floyd to travel the world for us in search of culinary adventure. But nowadays, for a few quid we can hop on a flight and hours later be merrily sipping and munching away in our gastronomic location of choice. And what more, through the globalisation of the produce market, we don’t even need to leave British shores to experience exciting and exotic flavours and ingredients, as many of them are now widely available in our supermarkets and restaurants.

Whilst I support the current trend to “buy local” and support local growers and producers, one has to admit that the arrival in the mainstream over the past few years of exotic ingredients such as galangal, wasabi and holy basil has signalled exciting times for chefs and domestic cooks. In addition, the arrival of these new and exciting ingredients – many from Asia and the Indian Subcontinent – has also created huge potential for unusual and innovative food and wine pairings.

Admittedly, finding the right wine to match a dish is not always an easy task. There are, of course, certain old favourites such as Roquefort and Sauternes, Chablis and oysters, Port and Stilton which have stood the test of time. But as we become more creative with our ingredients so we need to rethink our wine choices – a bottle of claret may go well with your roast lamb but what about when faced with a fragrant and spicy beef Thai salad?

It’s fair to say that some wines suit certain types of food better than others but if there is one grape variety that stands out from the pack in terms of its versatility and food-friendliness, it has to be Riesling. Many people think of Riesling as a sweet German wine but this is not always the case. In fact, Riesling is a wonderfully versatile grape and is produced in many parts of the world in many different styles ranging from the bone dry to the lusciously sweet. It is this range of sweetness levels and diversity of flavours that makes Riesling uniquely placed to compliment not only traditional cuisine but also more exotic flavours.

For example, Australian Rieslings are usually very dry and often exhibit intense citrus notes which make them excellent partners to seafood, shellfish in particular. But they can also pair very well with sushi and sashimi. Look for a Riesling from the Clare Valley or Eden Valley which are particularly good growing regions for Riesling in Australia. Top producers include Jim Barry, Grosset, Mount Horrocks and Pewsey Vale, to name but a few.

The Rieslings of Alsace in France tend also to be dry but are fuller bodied and richer than their Aussie counterparts. This weightiness together with their high acidity makes them particularly good companions to fatty foods such as pork belly or roast goose. There are many excellent producers of Riesling in Alsace but look for the likes of Trimbach, Hugel, Zind Humbrecht and Schlumberger which are widely available in the UK.

And then there are the German Rieslings. German Rieslings can range from the bone dry to medium sweet to very sweet which makes them food-friendly across the board. The drier Rieslings go particularly well with fish and white meats (think Coq au Riesling!) but, for me, it is the off-dry category which is hugely underrated. An off-dry German Riesling (or one from New Zealand for that matter) is the perfect partner for hot and spicy foods. These wines, often only 7% or 8% alcohol by volume, tend to be jam-packed with aromatic fruit which allows them to stand up impressively to spicy and fragrant flavours, whilst a good hit of residual sugar has the effect of soothing the heat of the chilli. Recommended German producers making both dry and off-dry Rieslings which are available in the UK include Ernst Loosen, Josef Leitz, Dönnhoff, Franz Künstler, JJ Prüm.

Riesling may not have the greatest reputation here in the UK but I urge you to cast aside the stereotypes and give it a go – it is a true food-friendly wine and really has the potential to make a worthy companion to your next meal!

What better way to get in mood for Summer of Riesling (which is currently happening in Australia right now) than by tasting these 2 Australian Rieslings produced by Pewsey Vale from the Eden Valley.  The following wines were featured in this video blog:

• Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling 2010
• Pewsey Vale The Contours Museum Riesling 2005

HERMANN SEIFRIED OF SEIFRIED ESTATE  

REGION: Nelson, New Zealand
TOTAL VINEYARD AREA: 200 ha
VARIETALS: 55% SB, 15% Chard, 15% PN, 6% PG, 3% Riesling 3%, 3% Other
WEBSITE: www.seifried.co.nz/

It all started for Seifried Estate back in 1973 when Hermann Seifried, an Austrian native, and his New Zealander wife, Agnes, planted their first vineyard on the heavy clays of New Zealand’s Moutere Valley (which is between Nelson and Motueka).

Hermann and Agnes experienced their first harvest in 1976 and since then Hermann has earned a reputation as being a true pioneer in the South Island New Zealand wine industry. A good example of this is shown by the fact that Seifried Estate is Nelson’s first winery to achieve the Sustainable Winegrowing accreditation.

What is also great to see is that Seifried Estate seems to pride itself on being a family business and the passion that Hermann and Agnes have for their wines has clearly been passed on to their three children – son, Chris, and eldest daughter Heidi, head up the winemaking team and younger daughter Anna takes care of the sales and marketing side of the business.

Seifried Estate produces a number of Rieslings – the Nelson Riesling and Old Coach Road Rieslings are usually dry or just off dry and the Late Harvest Riesling and Sweet Agnes Riesling are predictably very sweet. Although Riesling actually only makes up 3% of the plantings at Seifried, the Sweet Agnes in particular is viewed by many as the jewel in Seifried’s crown.

The Sweet Agnes is an intensely sweet Riesling (200 g/l residual sugar) but is beautifully balanced thanks to the acidity generated by Nelson’s cool climate. Its undeniable quality has also been recognised here in the UK where it has won the title of best sweet wine producer in New Zealand at the Decanter World Wine Awards for the last five years!

Seifried Estate is one of my favourite Kiwi producers so I am really grateful to Hermann for agreeing to be the Producer of the Month for December – so let’s get his views on Riesling and how it figures at his winery:

TRR: How would you describe the Riesling grape in 3 words?
HS: Classical. Pure. Undervalued.

TRR: What makes your region so well suited to growing Riesling?
HS: Our high sunshine hours, diurnal temperature range, maritime climate, and soils all contribute to our special characters. We are able to develop and retain fine Riesling fruit characters and natural acidity, which produce textural wines with concentration and length.

TRR: Old World Riesling vs. New World Riesling – friends or foes?
HS: Friends! Definitely friends – Riesling can be handled in so many ways and certainly Old World and New World Riesling complement each other. To a wine lover, the fact that this grape is grown in so many different regions and handled in different ways is part of the appeal, mystery and intrigue of Riesling.

TRR: Which winemakers (past or present) have had the greatest influence on you?
HS: Coming from a European background and training, I guess our classic Rieslings from my home in Austria have guided me alongside many of those from Germany. Specifically our Sweet Agnes Riesling is a New World take on the famous German and Austrian Eisweins.

TRR: Which new producers are you excited by the most at the moment, and why?
HS: Many! It is great to see people getting so much pleasure out of handling this grape in their own specific site and style.

TRR: If you’re not drinking Riesling, what wine do you usually like to drink?
HS: Hmmm, a hard question. We tend to enjoy a range of wines from all corners of the globe – from Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs, to Grüner Veltliners and Zweigelt.

TRR: What are the biggest challenges currently facing you as a winemaker?
HS: In terms of Riesling, we are all still waiting for the big return of interest and enthusiasm from the market in this variety. There are so many fabulous Riesling producers, but as a variety it is still so undervalued. 

TRR: Where do you see your winery in 20 years time?
HS: We are very much a family business. Agnes and I established our vineyards and winery in the early 1970s when there was no modern wine industry in the South Island of New Zealand and people believed grapes would fail here. The wine industry in this country has just come so far in the very short time since we planted our first vines.

Now we enjoy having all three of our ‘children’ working in the family business. We have expanded our Estate plantings significantly over the decades we have been growing and making wine. We believe there is a strong future for aromatic wines from New Zealand – slowly but surely the world is beginning to realise what fabulous Rieslings come from our part of the world.

TRR: How can Riesling improve its reputation on the world wine stage?
HS: Riesling producers must continue to make classy, pure and textured wines with a sense of place. If this is diluted down and commercialised the wines become more generic and loose their charm.