Winzergenossenschaft Wolfenweiler
Four wolves and a pack of good wine
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Particular pride is placed on the "White Wolf“, but in truth it is only one of four. The “Wolf“, in a four-colored pack, is the wine co-op of Wolfenweil’s trademark.
Cellarmaster Florian Zeller uses cool fermentation techniques to create an excellent, fresh and fruity Chasselas, which has given the “White Wolf” label its good reputation. Chasselas is their most prominent grape variety, as would be expected in the Markgräflerland in Baden. The loess loam and residual Keuper soils, together with relatively high precipitation along the edges of the Black Forest, provide the best growing conditions.
Chasselas loves moist soil and in the right setting it brings forth beautifully fruity wines, says managing director Ernst Nickel. The “Gray Wolf”, a full-bodied, distinctive Pinot Gris, was also a pleasure to taste. A unique flair marks the “Black Wolf”. It has undergone carbonic maceration, a special type of fermentation in which the juice of whole grapes begins to ferment inside the unbroken skins. The naturally occurring, somewhat pungent, malic acid in the fruit is converted to alcohol before the “regular” fermentation begins to process the sugars. Such Pinot Noir red wines are smooth and silky, with hints of heather underlying the luscious cherry bouquet. The “Black Wolf” wine is a true expression of this interesting vinification method. Equally as exciting is the “Alpha Wolf”, which is a Selection wine (a German classification similar to Reserve wines in other countries) and a very high quality Pinot Noir harvested from more than 30-year-old vines.
“Quality starts in the vineyard” is the vintners’ motto, which they have fully committed themselves to; a true passion for their trade is obvious. They cultivate over 300 hectares of grapes, most of which are in the Batzenberg vineyard, Germany’s largest single vineyard located just south of the city of Freiburg. This considerable acreage, all of which is cultivated according to strict regulations of sustainability, produces an understandably wide range of wines. The “barrel-aged” Selection wines are a pleasing lot to taste. In addition to the popular Chasselas, the vintners’ co-op offers a Pinot Blanc and a Pinot Gris version, as well as a Dornfelder and a Merlot. The white wines undergo cool fermentation and then all wines mature for six months in large oak barrels. Read more at www.wg-wolfenweiler.de
