2021 Ansgar-Clüsserath Weisser Burgunder trocken

Philipp Wittmann (responsible for the cellar and export) has built up a fantastic wine company in Westhofen, Rheinhessen, together with father Günther (vineyards) and mother Elisabeth (sales). Since 1990, first organic and later biodynamic work has been done. The starting point for the wines is therefore: terroir expression through a healthy soil. A low yield per hectare, manual selection of the best grapes and a very slow vinification with natural yeasts without the addition of sulfites in large wooden casks do the rest. The house is 'the standard' for Rheinhessen and now also a standard for German white in general. This is evident from the enormous stream of international valuations that the wines receive, both higher and lower. For example, Philipp has been named the best white winemaker in Germany twice by the authoritative Eichelmann in 2003 and 2013. In 2014, he was awarded the same title by Gault Millau. Philipp is married to Eva Clüsserath who owns her own wine estate in the Moselle and that is where this Ansgar-Clüsserath Trittenheimer Apotheke Riesling trocken comes from.

In the Moselle, the year was more or less the same as in Wittmans Rheinhessen: warm and dry in the summer. That caused problems on the slate, especially with the young sticks, which do not root deep enough. However, Eva Clüsserath only makes her spontaneously fermented Trittenheimer Apotheke Trocken from very old sticks, so she was able to overcome this problem with this wine. In fact, here too this wine is seen as of excellent quality this year. A very steep slope - Philipp has it a lot easier than his wife in that respect - with detached 100 year old sticks from a vineyard of such a high level that it has been seen as a medicine for centuries, hence the name Apotheke. The wine is very classic from the Moselle: floral and fruity on the nose with a wonderful drinkability, freshness and minerality on the palate. This riesling is very limited available.

This delicious dry Pinot Blanc is pale yellow in the glass. In the nose a lot of fruit such as pear, grapefruit and pineapple. In the mouth a soft start but then quickly fresh with lots of juice, tasty fruit, nice acidity and a surprisingly strong minerality. Wonderfully fresh, not too heavy in the alcohol and perfect blanas between the sour and the fruit. This wine can be widely used at the table with most dishes of fish and seafood, white meat, spicy Eastern dishes and with a sweet dessert.