11th July, 2016 by Darren Smith
3. Susanne Winterling – Weingut Winterling, Pfalz
Given that the vast majority of Germany’s new generation of winemakers are focused on Riesling, it’s refreshing to find one with a different focus. Susanne Winterling’s is Sekt.
Working with her brother, Sebastian (he’s the cellar master), in a winery started by her parent in 1982 in Niederkirchen, close to Deidesheim in the Mittelhaardt, Susanne looks after about 12 hectares of vines growing on the region’s red sandstone and clay-limestone soils.
Riesling, at 40%, represents the majority of production, followed by Spätburgunder, Grauburgunder and Chardonnay.
While Susanne produces a number of well-regarded dry still wines, including, since 2012, excellent single-vineyard Rieslings from Paradiesgarten and Ruppertsberg, it’s Sekt, or ‘crémant’, as she refers to them, that she is becoming known for.
These sparkling wines (which represents 80% of production) spend at least nine months in bottle but typically 13 months. Harvesting, as one would expect from a serious sparkling producer, is by hand and grapes go through gentle whole-bunch pressing.
Susanne uses Champagne grapes, Riesling and Gewürztraminer for her sparkling range.
Since 2008 the grapes for the Winterlings’ wines have been produced organically. The wines have been certified as such since….