In Rheinhessen, we visited 2 world stars – Weingut Wittmann and Weingut Gunderloch – and one up and coming winery: Weingut Katharina Wechsler. While Weingut Gunderloch is well established in the US market and Weingut Wittmann just joined the portfolio of Dr. Loosen Imports, Katharina Wechsler is trying to get a foot into the US market. I hope we will soon see more of her wines in the US.
Weingut K. Wechsler
Katharina Wechsler is a newcomer and rising star in the German wine scene. Katharina grew up at Weingut Wechsler in Westhofen, but after finishing high school she decided to study social science, including for a year in Paris and an internship in Rio de Janeiro, and pursue a career in the media in Berlin. After 10 years or so on this track, she changed her mind and decided to go home and make wine.
Katharina Wechsler: It took a while for me to return home, but sometimes you have to leave in order to be able to come home. I am happy that after 2 years at the Oppenheim wine school and internships at Weingut Gutzler and Weingut Klaus Peter Keller, I can now pursue my passion for wine at my own winery in Westhofen. Our winery is located in the historic center of Westhofen. My vineyard area totals 17 hectares, including plots in the well known vineyards Steingrube, Kirchspiel and Morstein. Riesling, Silvaner and Scheurebe dominate. In addition, the smallest of all single vineyards in Westhofen is completely owned by my family (monopoly site). With 6.5 hectares, this is a small and very fine vineyard.
The vineyard area totals 17 hectares. The larger part of the grapes is still sold to the co-operative. The current production is about 6000 cases. Half of it is sold directly to consumers, mostly online. The other half go to restaurants and retail stores.
Stuart Pigott on Katharina Wechsler
Stuart Pigott: Once again I have to put back the story of Riesling and the mystery of aroma for another day, because as they say in America “stuff happens”. At short notice I reorganized my schedule for yesterday evening so that I could meet up with rising star winemaker Katharina Wechsler of the eponymous estate in Westhofen/ Rheinhessen. I make no apologies for dragging you back to the subject of Germany’s largest wine growing region and the Dream Factory of dry white wines that it has recently become. I first tasted Katharina’s wines only a couple of months ago and we met for the first time at the Wine Vibes party in Berlin on Friday, September 14th. So it was a great surprise when my friends Volker Donabaum and Amy Troiano told me that Katharina would be in town and that I could join them for a late night tasting at Terroir E.Vil. (as locals call the East Village).
Before I’d even finished saying hi Katharina and asking how she was doing Volker had unpacked samples of her whites of the 2011 vintage and the first wine was being poured. I made quite detailed notes, which might seem a bit obsessive late at night in a place like Terroir, but that’s the sort of person I am and the wines deserved being taken that seriously. The dry Wechsler Rieslings managed to combine the power that’s typical of contemporary dry Rieslings from the New Rheinhessen with a rare vitality for ambitious dry wines from this region. They’re joyful rather than imposing wines, though there’s so much in the best of them (most importantly the Westhofen Riesling and the Benn Riesling with their high-tensile strength and subtle spice) that you can’t take it all in immediately.
That’s what makes me really like them.
However, that’s not all that the talented young lady who gave up a career in TV journalism for wine and claims she’s “still a rookie” winemaker has up her sleeve. Katharina’s 2011 Silvaner ‘Alter Reben’, old vines, taste of quince, butter and smoke, is richly texture, but not the least heavy (sometimes a problem with high-end wines of this grape). No Wechsler wine is more joyful than the dry Scheurebe, or as the staff at Terroir E-Vil. called it last night “Sure-rebe”; one of those dangerously refreshing wines that taste of blackcurrants and fresh herbs, and are so often my undoing. December 6 2012
Katharina Wechsler and Nespresso
Currently, Katharina Wechsler is one of the 3 main protagonists of a major "founder" campaigne of Nespresso in Germany, along with Delia Fischer, founder of an online-shoppingclub and Vijay Sapre, editor of the magazin Effilee.
The Wines Katharina Poured
Katharina’s first vintage was 2010.
NV Weingut K. Wechsler Fräulein HU
Fräulein Hu is a refreshing “Perlwein made of Huxelrebe, with Weißburgunder, Riesling and Müller-Thurgau. A Perlwein is a sparkling wine with lower pressure than Sekt and Champagne. Katharina wants to take the consumer to Indochina of the 1920s. Fräulein Hu is an exotic and erotic woman, who has many young lovers, according to Katharina.
2013 Weingut K. Wechsler and Weingut Schätzel Silvaner Trocken
A wine jointly made with Kai Schätzel, Weingut Schätzel. Both contributed 50% of the wine.
2013 Weingut K. Wechsler Weisser Burgunder Trocken
2013 Weingut K. Wechsler Riesling Tocken
The Winner of the 2014 Berlin Gutsriesling Cup.
See also:
Martin Zwick’s BerlinGutsweinrieslingCup 2014 - Rating Entry-level Rieslings from Germany's Best Producers
2013 Weingut K. Wechsler Westhofener Riesling Trocken
2013 Weingut K. Wechsler Kirchspiel Riesling Trocken
2013 Weingut K. Wechsler Benn Riesling Trocken
Lee Markham: ’ve recently tried a few wines from this Westhofener winery in Germany’s Rheinhessen and have been astonished as to how delicate winemaker Katharina Wechsler is able to work with traditional powerful varietals. Typically Rheinhessen Riesling, Grauburgunder and the like is full of sometimes overpowering fruit and a thick chalky note that often feels out of place. Her wines however are all very delicate and incredibly crafted: smooth, easy-drinkability and character and three terms I use to describe nearly all of her wines.
Weingut Wechsler operates the Benn vineyard entirely and this Riesling makes use of what it some of the finest Riesling terroir in all of Rheinhessen. It was probably designed to be opened in a few years time but my handler informed me of its excellent drinkability right now.
Colour - Satin Gold, very shiny.
Nose - Lime cordial, lemon peel and green apple made up the nose but so too did almonds and limestone.
Taste - The attack is of sharp lemon juice but this eventually gets milder giving the drinker some of the finest lemon notes I’ve ever experience in any wine. Grapefruit, orange peel but also a touch of orchard fruit is presented as well: delicate yellow apples and green pears. The finish is crisp and brings chalk but only a touch – enough to complete the wine and remind of the fantastic soil here without risking an off-balance, cloudy affair.
Overall - I probably did open this a little too early – with a few years in the cellar, the sharpness of the lemon would go away and the fruit probably improve through this. The Wechsler touch is there though – delicate elegance although this Riesling offers a tad more power than most of the rest of the range. Once again, the possibilities of producing wines based on Riesling appear endless.
See also:
Prowein 2015 in Düsseldorf, Germany – Schiller’s Impressions
2012 Weingut K. Wechsler Benn Riesling Trocken
2013 Weingut K. Wechsler Riesling Schweisströpfchen
This is a Homage to the Mosel – a wine with low alcohol and remaining sweetness, made by stopping the fermentation.
2010 Weingut K. Wechsler Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese
Stunning. 200 gr. RS.
Scheurebe
We finished with a Scheurebe, but I did not take any notes.
Bye-bye
Thanks Katharina for a wonderful tasting.
schiller-wine: Related Postings
4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux
Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014
Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014
German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013
In the Vineyard and the Wine Cellar (and Lunch) with Robert Schätzle, Owner and Winemaker, Weingut Schloss Neuweier in Baden – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Wine Tasting Luncheon at 1 Star Michelin Röttele's Restaurant im Schloss Neuweier in Baden, with Winemaker Robert Schätzle and his Weingut Schloss Neuweier Wines – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Weingut Zähringer in Baden: Cellar Tour and Tasting with Winemaker Paulin Köpfer– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombasy (2014)
Weingut Freiherr von Gleichenstein in Baden: Tour and Tasting with Baron Johannes von Gleichenstein– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014), Germany
Weingut Franz Keller in Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden: Cellar Tour and Tasting with Fritz Keller– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Lunch at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler in Oberbergen, with Weingut Franz Keller Wines – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Wine Tasting at Weingut Bernhard Huber– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Visit: Weingut Dr. Heger in Baden – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Weingut Karl-Heinz Johner in Baden: Cellar Tour and Tasting with Karl-Heinz and Patrick Johner – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
At Maison Trimbach in Alsace with Hubert Trimbach – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Wine Tasting at Weingut Friedrich Becker – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Lunch, Wine Tasting and Winery Tour at Weingut Jülg in Schweigen, Pfalz with the Jülg Family – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Wine Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan in Deidesheim with General Manager Gunther Hauck – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Winery Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut A. Christmann, with Steffen Christmann– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Wine Tasting at Weingut Weegmüller with Stephanie and Gabriele Weegmüller – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Tasting the Wines, President Obama was Served: Visit of Weingut Markus Schneider, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Philipp Wittmann and Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann at Weingut Wittmann in Westhofen – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
schiller-wine: Related Postings (Weingut K. Wechsler)
Martin Zwick’s BerlinGutsweinrieslingCup 2014 - Rating Entry-level Rieslings from Germany's Best Producers
Prowein 2015 in Düsseldorf, Germany – Schiller’s Impressions