Philipp Wittmann always knew he would take over the family winery, but it had never been as clear to him as in that moment. It was 1993, and he was with his father, Günter Wittmann, in the tasting room, sampling a 1992 Morstein. At that precise moment, something shifted, and Philipp Wittmann never felt the same way about his family's wine again. Years later, he has become one of Germany's finest winemakers, leaving the world speechless with his wines. It's impossible not to be rendered speechless by Wittmann 100 Hugel Riesling Trocken.
Although it belongs to the most basic range of all his creations, Wittmann 100 Hugel Riesling Trocken is an exquisite, fresh, and delightful Riesling, serving as the finest ambassador for the wines of Rheinhessen. This traditional region, known as The Land of a Thousand Hills, is located in southern Germany and is gaining much attention thanks to the rejuvenation efforts by young vintners who have revitalised both viticulture and winemaking methods. Among these is Philipp Wittmann, who has been practising organic and biodynamic farming for years (with certifications obtained in 1990 and 2004, respectively). In the case of Wittmann 100 Hugel Riesling Trocken, the estate's own production is complemented by grapes from neighbouring vineyards, which are also represented in the name.
In Rheinhessen, limestone soils and abundant sunshine (more than 1,500 hours a year) prevail, making it one of the driest regions in Germany. Traditional winemaking methods, such as manual harvesting and the use of indigenous yeasts, are being revived by this new generation of winemakers. For Wittmann 100 Hugel Riesling Trocken, the grape clusters are completely destemmed and transferred to stainless steel tanks, where they undergo a very brief pre-fermentation maceration. After some time, Wittmann 100 Hugel Riesling Trocken is gently pressed and transferred by gravity to the fermentation tanks. The final stop for Wittmann 100 Hugel Riesling Trocken will be the wooden barrels, already used (the oldest dating back to 1890), where this white wine will rest for several months.
The essence of Rheinhessen is encapsulated in Wittmann 100 Hugel Riesling Trocken, a true emblem of the new era for this region.