Günther Steinmetz
Country:
Germany
Region:
Mosel
Vineyard area:
7 ha
Viticulture:
Sustainable viticulture, no insecticides. Soils are mostly Devonian slate (gray and brown). 95% of vines are older than 30 years.
Vinification:
Indigenous wild yeasts only. Intentional short-term oxidation of grape must to protect the wine for aging.
Stefan Steinmetz
Stones. Earth. Minerality. "Steinmetz" in German means stone mason.
I like to entertain the idea that the ancestors of Stefan Steinmetz cut stone before they dropped their chisels and started planting vines in the stony Brauneberger Juffer. The minerality in the Rieslings of Weingut Günther Steinmetz is always pronounced. You can taste it even in the inexpensive wines. The stones, the soil, they are always present in the Rieslings of Steinmetz.
Sustainable viticulture and low yields
The majority (85%) of the estate's vineyards are on steep hills with slate soils. The winery has been in the Steinmetz family for several generations and Stefan continues the tradition of sustainable viticulture - no insecticides have been used in the vineyards for more than 25 years. Organic compost is applied to give the vines some nutrients in their meagre slate soils. There have been changes since Stefan took over the weingut, most notably the removal of every other row of vines and the switch to wire training in order to improve air circulation and allow more sunshine to reach the vines, both of which make for healthier grapes. Training the vines along wires also reduces yields, which are kept at less than half of what the law stipulates for the Mosel region.
The cellar at Weingut Günther Steinmetz
Photo courtesy of Weingut Günther Steinmetz
It is worth mentioning that 95% of the Steinmetz vines are more than 30 years old, some of them are even between 50 and 70 years old and ungrafted. The age of the wines is one reason why Steinmetz Rieslings often have concentrated flavors and a strong minerality. After a gentle pneumatic pressing of the grapes the must is left unprotected for a short amount of time to allow must oxidation, which prepares the finished wine for contact with air later on, keeping it from losing its fruit during maturation all too quickly. This may be the reason why the Steinmetz Rieslings are more somber in style, more concentrated and have less of that playful lightness which is often associated with Mosel Rieslings. As a matter of fact, I am sipping the Devon Riesling while I am writing this and although I opened the wine the night before none of the pear and grapefruit is lost. On the contrary, its flavors seem even more intense 24 hours after opening.
These are earthy Rieslings with wonderful minerality. And once you cut through the stones, the fruit shines.