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„All together for our wine“
The Erbeldingers couldn‘t have found a better slogan for themselves. With vines covering 38 hectares - a large area for Rheinhessen - the vineyard has the best terrain. Clay loess and lime weathering soils allow the cultivation of almost all grape varieties. As a result the Erbeldingers cultivate 20% each of Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir, 9% each of Portugieser and Dornfelder, and 5% each of Müller-Thurgau, Sylvaner and Chardonnay. Their wine list offers 45 wines, together with ten exquisite sparkling wines.
No use of herbicides
„Our ecological approach, soil-conserving pro- cesses and commitment to nature forbid us to use herbicides,“ is how Christoph Erbeldinger describes his working methods in the vineyard. The rows of vines are cultivated with plants to bind the moisture, to prevent soil erosion during heavy rainfall and to achieve nitrogen enrichment in the soil. „We work in the vineyard with all forms of yield reduction, con- sistently carry out quality controls, and tailor our operations to the speci c needs of the vineyard, because the basic characteristics of our wines are created in the vineyard.“ The young winemaker adds: „It‘s an elaborate but also very successful working approach.“ This continues until the grape harvest, the pruning of the grapes, pre-picking, picking and removal of rotting grapes.
All white wines are stripped after the harvest, i.e. the stalks are separated from the grapes so that no bitter substances are formed in the wine. To develop their aroma the grapes rest for about ve hours on the mash, while the premium wines are left for 12 to 15 hours to develop. This is followed by gentle pres- sing. In order to ensure the lowest possible oxygen intake, it is important after the pressing to disturb the mash as little as possible. The wine matures mainly in stainless steel tanks, partly with the addition of selected yeasts.
With eight different Rieslings on the wine list the Erbeldingers offer a wide spectrum of fragrances and avours. From wine of certi ed quality via ‚Kabinett‘, ‚Spätlese‘ and ‚Hochgewächs‘ to ‚Auslese‘. „Only in the best vintage years do we produce a „gem“, a wine that is really appreciated by our customers,“ says Gudrun Erbeldinger-Höfferle, adding: „But until it is bottled we allow it to mature for a long time.“
Wine tasting
After so much wine philosophy we are of course curious to see what the winemaker will serve us. She presents the top Erbeldinger vintage, the 2015 Bechtheimer Geyersberg dry Riesling „Glanzstück“. A unique premium Riesling, with a fragrance of ripe peaches combined with spicy-mineral nuances. Un ltered it looks golden in the glass and has 13.5% alcohol. This outstanding wine won a gold medal at the Rhineland-Palatinate state wine competition.
Grown on the Westhofen Aulerde, the dry 2015 „Private“ Riesling has a distinct mineral character. A real crisp Riesling, which is also bottled un ltered - with 13% alcohol also a top wine. It, too, won gold at the state wine competition. The 2016 ‚Riesling Hochgewächs‘ with 11 % alcohol, 15 grams of re- sidual sugar and 7.4 grams of acid reveals itself in the glass as a real summer wine. With its interplay of residual sugar, acidity and lush Riesling fruit this is a wine for gourmets.
Enjoying wine in the right atmosphere
„Food and drink keep body and soul together“, is a frequently heard saying in Rheinhessen. And this is also the philosophy of the Erbeldingers. The wine tasting parlour is equally big, cosy, and tasteful. Numerous awards and prizes make it clear with what devotion viticulture is practised here. Stefan Erbeldinger shows the same dedication in dealing with customers. His friendly hospitality has contri- buted to the fact that a large part of the vintage is sold at the vineyard itself. When you visit Stefan Erbeldinger you need time and thirst - and you‘ll be sure to return.
Weingut Erbeldinger
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