Some wine producers are ambitious; others are more business-like. In the case of Thomas Männle, who runs the family wine estate in Durbach in the German state of Baden together with his father, the deciding factor is a passion for his trade. Thomas is responsible for production and can certainly be regarded as an exciting, up-and-coming wine producer.

Most of the 15 hectares of grapevines are situated in the family-owned vineyard “Bienengarten”, or Bee Garden, which surrounds the family home. The grapevines just seem to be an inherent part of the family. In fact the natural, pleasant air the family has about them is one of the first things you notice during a visit at the estate. Thomas is not prone to forcing his wines into any universal style; rather he takes visible pleasure in nurturing each wine as it has grown. Only a selected variety of yeasts comes into play, in order to accentuate the individuality of each wine. Thomas’s influence and care are obvious in every drop. The wines are, in general, meaty, yet have a distinctive delicacy.

The Riesling wines show themselves well, are almost massive, if it is possible to say that of a Riesling. Yet they do not come too short in terms of the elegance and juicy crispness so typical of Rieslings. The first-rate, steep southern slopes of loose residual granite soil quickly drink up the sun, giving the warmth back to the grapes for optimal ripening conditions. In addition, the granite lends the wines a fine mineral structure. This is particularly true for the Pinot Noir reds, which exhibit a fruity, velvety Burgundy character, uniting the finesse of the grape variety with a warm richness. One could say Männle is “a man of the red”, especially when looking at his top-of-the-line “Edition”, which is vinified according to the macération carbonique method. The Pinot Gris wines also show an alluring silkiness. Not to be forgotten: Männle’s Traminer and Gewürztraminer bottled as both dry and sweet wines. Read more at www.weingut-maennle.de