We had an excellent wine tasting at Weingut Wachstetter with Rainer Wachtstetter and his wife Annette as well as father Roland Wachstetter.
Weingut Wachtstetter
Weingut Wachtstetter is in Pfaffenberg, right in the middle of the village. It is a traditional family operation, with 3 generations living under one roof and working together. Weingut Wachtstetter is in particular known for its premium Lembergers (known as Blaufränkisch in Austria and Kékfrankos in its Hungarian homeland).
Today, Rainer Wachtstetter is at the helm of Weingut Wachtstetter. He owns and runs the winery now in the 4th generation. It all started with Karl and Ernst Combé, the great-grandfather and the grandfather of Rainer. In particular Ernst left a strong impression on Rainer, which explains why one the Wachstetter product lines is called Ernst Combé line.
In 1979, Ernst Combé - with his son-in-law Roland and daughter Anni – decided to move their wine production by beginning to bottle and sell directly the wine. When Rainer Wachtstetter joint in 1987 the family winery at the age of 19, it was clear that he would push on in that direction. Indeed, since then, the vineyard area has expanded from 3 to 17 hectares and Weingut Wachtstetter has become one of the best red wine producers in Wuerttemberg, if not in Germany.
Rainer Wachtstetter
Rainer Wachtstetter is in charge of winemaking today. He has a degree of Weinbautechniker. His wife Annette looks after sales and the accounts, father Roland and mother Anni continue to help. Rainer and Annette have 3 children, Felix, Louis und Anna; Felix helped when we were there.
Rainer Wachtstetter is a founding member of the winemaker group Junges Schwaben; the group was awarded the ArtVinum Prize in 2010 as Europe’s Best Up-and-coming Winemakers. In 2009, Rainer Wachtstetter became a member of the VdP, the association of German elite winemakers.
Lemberger and Other Grape Varieties
The specialty of Weingut Wachtstetter is the Lemberger. Rainer Wachtstetter devotes 35% of the vineyard area to this grape variety. He definitely has become one of the best Lemberger producers in Württemberg.
Stuart Pigott: “Yes, I know that you’re probably asking yourselves who the hell Rainer Wachtstetter is and if a red wine from Württemberg can really be worth recommending this highly, but this is a rare bargain amongst „serious“ red wines. Wachtstetter has been perfecting the making of red wines from the Lemberger grape for over a decade and the result is this medium-bodied, supply tannic dry wine with a wonderful bouquet in which elderberry, plum, baking spices and something floral mingle. Where’s my glass?”
Besides Lemberger and (of course) Trollinger, Rainer Wachtstetter also makes Pinot Noir, Samtrot and Dornfelder. Rainer Wachtstetter is not only a specialist in red wines, but also makes excellent white wines, including Riesling.
Classification
Of course, as a member of the VDP, Weingut Wachtstetter is following the new VDP classification. But you can still find elements of the old Weingut Wachtstetter classification. Rainer Wachtstetter has devoted a series of Riesling, Spätburgunder and Lemberger at the middle level to his 3 children Anna, Louis und Felix. The Ernst Combé series with red wines fermented and aged in barrique represents ultr-premium wines. The Grosses Gewaechs from the Grosse Lage Pfaffenhofener Hohenberg ( Riesling and Lemberger) represent ultra-premium dry wines.
Rainer Wachtstetter's Winemaking Philosophy
“My Goal is to produce wines that are strongly expressive, that impact the palate along with complex, intense aroma profiles and inherent power and minerality. I want to achieve the potential of our vineyards that are up to 60% steep through sustainable care, to preserve the health and preservation of our soil using only organic fertilizer along with targeted efforts to achieve green areas while working as close to nature as possible.
To work with low yields with efforts to create the appropriate leaf surface in the plants always searching for an ideal harvest date while selecting fruit as perfect as possible with two to three passes through the vineyards. It is basic to produce wines with character.
In the cellar we use the gravity principle to treat grapes, must and wine. We work as gentle as possible. No pumping! Our red wines go through classic maceration and are predominantly matured in wood. Top quality reds spend 12-24 months in barrique. The very best wines are bottled without fining and filtration.
Our white wines are also treated with great care. We use gentle whole cluster pressing, maceration and fermentation that more and more involve indigenous yeast followed by very long contact on the fine lees.”
VDP: Weingut Wachtstetter
Wachtstetter is a member of the VDP, the association of about 200 elite winemakers in Germany.
The Wachtstetter family have cultivated vines for generations. In 1980, grandfather Ernst Combé and father Roland Wachtstetter began to market their wines directly. Rainer Wachtstetter has been responsible for the estate since 1990. With his wife Anette, he took full charge in 2003. The vineyards are exclusively on the steep, south-facing slopes of the Heuchelberg near Pfaffenhofen. Mineral-rich gypsum keuper and reed sandstone soils lend the wines their special character. The red wines age several months in oak casks and are usually bottled unfiltered. Stainless steel tanks are preferred for Riesling and Gewürztraminer, while Pinot Gris undergoes a cool fermentation in oak. His goal is to produce unadorned wines that are unmistakable and authentic.
Owner: Rainer Wachtstetter
Winemaker: Rainer Wachtstetter
VDP member since 2009
Bottle production 115 000
Grape varieties 30% Lemberger, 22% Riesling, 15% Trollinger, 15% Spätburgunder, Samtrot, Grauburgunder, Weissburgunder, Gewürztraminer
Geology: Gipskeuper & Schilfsandstein
Württemberg
Memberships: Slow Food, Junges Schwaben, VDP
The Wines we Tasted
2015 Weingut Wachtstetter Lemberger Sekt brut
2015 Weingut Wachtstetter Lemberger blanc de noir trocken
2015 Weingut Wachtstetter Pfaffenhofen Anna Riesling trocken
2015 Weingut Wachtstetter Pfaffenhofen VDP.Grosse Lage Glaukós Riesling GG trocken
2016 Weingut Wachtstetter Rosé trocken VDP.Gutswein
2015 Weingut Wachtstetter Trollinger Steillage trocken VDP.Gutswein
2015 Weingut Wachtstetter Pfaffenhofen Spätburgunder trocken
2015 Weingut Wachtstetter Pfaffenhofen VDP.Erste Lage Samtrot trocken
2015 Weingut Wachtstetter Pfaffenhofen Felix Lemberger trocken
2015 Weingut Wachtstetter Lemberger blanc de noir trocken
2014 Weingut Wachtstetter Pfaffenhofen Hohenberg VDP.Grosse Lage Glaukós Lemberger GG trocken
Bye-bye
Thanks for a great tasting.
Postings: Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture and History (Published and Forthcoming Postings)
Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture and History
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Tour and Tasting at Weingut Wachstetter in Pfaffenhofen, Württemberg, with Rainer Wachtstetter
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