Wurzelwerk & Winzer Beitrag - Riesling 9 Pack

This incredibly exciting project sees grapes from 3 of the best Riesling vineyards across Germany & Austria processed by 3 next-generation winemakers at these historic wineries. Released as a 9 pack only, this is a rare side-by-side look at both terroir and processing and is a must for any German & Austrian Riesling fanatic wanting to delve deeper into these regions.

Style / Variety: Riesling
Region: Germany & Austria
ABV: 12.5%
Vol: 9 x 500ml

9 Rieslings from 3 Vineyards & 3 Wineries.

This is the launch of the project “WURZELWERK & WINZERS BEITRAG” (ROOTWORK & VINTNER OBLIGATION). Stefanie and Alwin Jurtschitsch (Langenlois, Kamptal, Austria), Johannes Hasselbach / Weingut Gunderloch (Nackenheim, Rheinhessen, Germany) and Max von Kunow / Weingut von Hövel (Oberemmel, Saar, Germany) all exchanged a portion of their harvest in 2012 with the motto, “give me your juice; I’ll give you mine.” Grapes from superb vineyards were vinified in three separate cellars, each with a personal interpretation according to the style of the house. This was the genesis of an extraordinary project.

The Vintners

Maximilian von Kunow / Weingut von Hövel, Saar
The Hövel Winery, over 200 years in the family's ownership, is known for the steely, fruity style of Riesling that can only come from the Saar wine region. The family owns 2.8 hectares in the worldfamous Scharzhofberg Vineyard where the blue slate yields vibrant Rieslings of extraordinary character. The aristocratic fruit and racy acidity of the Rieslings from this vineyard are unique in the world of wine. Wines have been fermented traditionally at this estate in large, old wooden casks as a matter of course for the past 200 years. “The Saar offers the chance to produce unadulterated, natural wines that are truly inimitable. A good Saar Riesling stands for pleasantly low alcohol combined with depth of flavour – a contemporary wine that finds comparison nowhere else in the world,” states Maximilian von Kunow.

Meticulous hand selection and rigorous yield restriction ensure more flavour concentration, precision, and clarity simultaneously with more complex structure and mouthfeel than ever before. Tradition and the modern are united perfectly in this historic estate. For Maximilian von Kunow, modern means the return to positively experienced traditions.

Johannes Hasselbach / Weingut Gunderloch, Rheinhessen
Carl Gunderloch founded this winery in 1890. Since then the family has focused intensely on Riesling, which finds ideal preconditions in the 250-million-year old red slate. The climate and geological conditions allow the creation of expressive wines. The heart and soul of the estate is the prominent Rothenberg Vineyard in Nackenheim. The family winery currently cultivates 24 hectares planted nearly exclusively with Riesling.

After his studies in economy, Johannes Hasselbach sought winemaking experience throughout his world wine travels, which lead him to various wineries in Australia, Canada, Chile and New Zealand. After this valuable “detour”, the inquisitive economist took over responsibility for the family winery and further developed it dynamically. His exchange with friends, colleagues and winery interns from all over the world remains a valuable inspiration for him as a vintner.

Alwin & Stefanie Jurtschitsch / Weingut Jurtschitsch, Kamptal
The Jurtschitsch winery has long been a paradigmatic example of best Austrian wine culture. Stefanie (maiden name Hasselbach, daughter of the Gunderloch estate) and Alwin Jurtschitsch have managed the family winery since 2009 with a new interpretation of exemplary vineyards. Their goal is to vinify wines of utmost authenticity, complex wines with unique terroir character in a cool and elegant style that express the individuality of their various Langenlois vineyards. New parameters, which in reality return to old traditions, are the foundation for organic cultivation, healthy soils, minimal intervention in the cellar, and continuous experimentation to explore the inexhaustible possibilities of terroir in the wine world.

Minimal intervention is the rule in the wine cellar. The symbiosis of preconditions in the local vineyards, the thoughtful and respectful interaction with nature, gentle vinification, and an open mind for new “old” ways are the means with which Stefanie and Alwin Jurtschitsch produce wines to meet the highest quality demands.

The Vineyards

The wines stem not only from three of the most exciting terroir, they are also three of the very best Riesling vineyards in the world. Because European law demands that grapes for quality wines not be sourced from a foreign country – even if they come from the best origins in the world, the vintners had to come up with a creative solution. The historic vineyard names could not appear on the labels. Instead the wines had to be declassified and simply labelled as “European Table Wine” to comply with the law. In order to honour the names of the great vineyard origins, fantasy names were chosen that are similar: “Schatz-berg” for Scharzhofberg, “Rote Berg” for Rothenberg and “Heilige Stein” for Heiligenstein. Knowledgeable connoisseurs understand!

The Scharzhofberg alias DER SCHATZ-BERG
The steep 28-hectare slope is situated between Wiltingen and Oberemmel. The exposition is south to southeast with parcels on the west border of the site facing southwest. The slope gradient is 30 to 60%. The soil is comprised of weathered slate and clay with high iron content. The fine earth is silty clay with ferrous, reddish content. The vineyard is planted exclusively to Riesling.

The Hövel winery owns 2.8 hectares. The wind-exposed valley east of the village of Wiltingen is unique. The forest on the mountaintop regulates humidity and guarantees good aeration of the most elevated parcels. The middle of Scharzhofberg forms a convex that stores warmth. Wines from the Scharzhofberg are restrained in their youth and gain markedly in spice and aroma intensity with bottle maturation. On the palate they are highly elegant and rich in extract. The wines are famed for their capacity to age. This is a legendary vineyard with a world-class reputation!

Wines from this vineyard:

• 1/9 Von Hövel 2012er “Der Schatz-Berg” (Scharzhofberg), Saar
• 2/9 Gunderloch 2012er “Der Schatz-Berg” (Scharzhofberg), Rheinhessen
• 3/9 Jurtschitsch 2012er “Der Schatz-Berg” (Scharzhofberg), Kamptal / Österreich

The Rothenberg alias DER ROTE BERG
The Rothenberg site encompasses around 20 hectares and is situated at the north end of the “Roter Hang” between Nackenheim and Nierstein directly on the Rhine River. Five hectares comprise the heart of the Rothenberg Mountain where the grapes for the Wurzelwerk project are sourced.

A rock strata from the Oberrotliengenden period (early Permian, around 280 million years ago) came to the surface as a steep slope facing southeast towards the Rhine during the tertiary era (around 30 million years ago) as the River carved its gorge. The Rothenberg has red plates of shale with thin calcareous veins. The red colour is due to iron content (hematite) that formed during subtropical climate conditions. The Rothenberg has a slope gradient of 30 to 80%. Its wines are fine and mineral and possess tremendous ageing potential. Riesling vines here yield racy, delicate, fruity wines of extraordinary elegance.

Wines from this vineyard:

• 4/9 Von Hövel 2012er “Der Rote Berg” (Rothenberg), Saar
• 5/9 Gunderloch 2012er “Der Rote Berg” (Rothenberg), Rheinhessen
• 6/9 Jurtschitsch 2012er “Der Rote Berg” (Rothenberg), Kamptal / Österreich

The Heiligenstein alias DER HEILIGE STEIN
The Heiligenstein is a mountain in the village of Zöbing (near Langenlois) that belongs to the foothills of the Manhartberg Mountain in Lower Austria. Its altitude reaches 360 m. The Kamp River flows at the southwest foot of the mountain. The mountains unique geology stems from the Permian era around 270 million years ago. The soils are compressed desert sandstone with abundant quartz and high silicate content. The soils become increasingly red towards the east. The forest on the plateau brings cool, humid air to Heiligenstein, which is welcome in the warmest and most highly exposed site in the Kamptal region. Flora and fauna thrive between the vine rows that otherwise are found only much farther south in Mediterranean regions.

There are several myths surrounding the name of Heiligenstein. Historically, the site was called Hellenstein or Höllenstein. Because most of the vineyards were once in the hands of the Catholic Church, the mountain eventually became the name "Heiligenstein". The names "Hellenstein" and "Höllenstein" do not come from the hellish heat of the Heiligenstein, but stem from the word “Halde” which refers to an abrupt drop-off or slope. Rieslings from the Heiligenstein are exceptionally fine and spicy in their expression.

Wines from this vineyard:

• 7/9 Von Hövel 2012er “Der Heilige Stein” (Heiligenstein), Saar
• 8/9 Gunderloch 2012er “Der Heilige Stein” (Heiligenstein), Rheinhessem
• 9/9 Jurtschitsch 2012er “Der Heilige Stein” (Heiligenstein), Kamptal / Österreich