Mussbacher Eselshaut Spätburgunder VDP Erste Lage 2022

Power and elegance are held in perfect balance: a Spätburgunder built on harmony rather than force. The A. Christmann winery in Gimmeldingen has existed since 1798; Steffen Christmann took over in 1996 as the seventh generation, his daughter Sophie has been working alongside him since 2018, and grandfather Fritz, now over 90, still works in the vineyard.

The Eselshaut vineyard in Mussbach is classified as VDP.ERSTE LAGE (Premier Cru). Christmann cultivates 17 hectares, exclusively parcels classified as VDP.ERSTE LAGE and VDP.GROSSE LAGE. Variegated sandstone, limestone and terraced gravel shape each of the estate's wines differently. The estate has farmed organically since 2002 and biodynamically since 2003: horn manure, horn silica and compost preparations instead of synthetic chemistry, all work carried out according to the lunar calendar.

Pure Spätburgunder, vinified dry, 13.0% ABV. The range knows only Riesling and Pinot: 70 percent of the vineyard area is planted with Riesling, the rest with Spätburgunder and a little Weissburgunder. This restriction is deliberate — less is more.

Ripe cherry and dark forest berries, with dried herbs and a hint of spice. The fruit stays juicy, the tannin fine-grained, the acidity clearly defined, and the finish lingers long, saline and mineral. Steffen Christmann attributes this saline note to the soil: it gives the wines elegance and a silky texture.

Certified biodynamic according to respekt-BIODYN and EU organic standards, not Demeter. Steffen Christmann has been president of the VDP since 2007, and the winery belongs to respekt-BIODYN and La Renaissance des Appellations.