Winemaker: Rudolph Trossen
Where: Kinheim-Kindel, Mosel, Germany
Size: 2 ha that have within them 16 different sites
Main Varieties: Riesling & Pinot Noir
Certifications: Organic Certified
Quick note: Historic family winery, converted in 1978 to Biodynamics and ancient Roman slate hillsides of the Mosel
Rudolf Trossen has been walking the vineyards high above the Mosel river for over 60 years, and honoring the Roman history weaving through the slate and vines. Rita and Rudolph met at 16, and together have forged an absolutely iconic winery, one of the first to convert to organic viticulture in Germany in 1978, after being deeply influenced by Rudolph Steiner’s biodynamic and anthroposophic movement.
One can understand from talking to Rita & Rudolph, that their work extends far beyond any simplistic farming, from the evocative way they speak about the wines, to the intensity of feeling and thought they put into their vineyards, they are constantly in dialogue with nature, and in 2010, after many years of excellent work they also dove into the world of non sulphured wine with the ‘Pur’us’ range of wines. Today they make two types of wine, a line of lightly sulphured wines, and the Pur’us range without any additives and unfiltered.
Nowadays, as both are attempting to enjoy their retirement, they work 2 hectares of vineyards (as allowed by German law for pensioners!), and often buy from a nearby Demeter farm for their Secco and entry wines. The vineyards vary from own rooted 100 year old vines high on the steep slate slopes above the Mosel River, to more recently planted in 2016 on a gently sloping site right next to the river. It may actually be said however that for over 2000 years there has been viticultural cultivation in this area, as the Romans made their way north following the Bishop’s trail through west Germany.
Vinification follows Rudolph’s understanding of what ‘terroir’ means to him; to keep originality of place and the climate story of the vintage. He states ‘technical progress found its way into wine cellars over the last decades. The use of new enological processes brings the danger that wines will lose their unique, individual taste and become globalised, standardised, interchangeable and boring.’ All is hand harvested with gentle pressing and slow natural fermentation in old oak barrels. Some wines require longer in the cellar, and over the many years of learning his vineyards, he now knows which sites respond well to no sulphur use, and which still require some sulphuring for stability.
With all this information, one can come to understand that these are singular wines, truly exciting, energetic and filled with life. We are thrilled to represent such an important part of Germany’s organic, biodynamic and natural wine movement, and revere the wines Rita & Rudolph craft.
