From vineyard to cellar April 2014

Temperatures of up to 20°C (68°F) were recorded on a few days in early March 2014. The very hot year of 2003 began on a similar note. It goes without saying that this is not normal, yet it's not quite clear what it all means. Numerous explanations are possible. Nature inevitably reacts to such weather. At this writing (early April), vegetation is about four weeks ahead of schedule. However, this could quickly change if a cold period were to set in. Personally, I don't think this will happen. Time will tell, but even at this early stage in the game, it looks like we're in for yet another unsual year...

 

Last year, we planted about three hectares (ca. 7.5 acres) of new vines in Hallgarten. This year, we'll be planting about one ha (ca. 2.5 acres) of vines in four new vineyards in the Rüdesheim sites Berg Rottland, Bischofsberg, and Drachenstein - primarily Riesling vines, except in Drachenstein, where we've opted for Pinot Noir. It seems to be an ideal site for yielding high-quality Pinot grapes, and demand for these wines continues to grow.