Wine From Sylt: First Vines are Planted

Under the direction of Christian Ress and estate manager Thomas Doll, a team of eight from the Rheingau wine estate Balthasar Ress planted a 3,000-square-meter plot with 1,100 Solaris and 500 Rivaner vines. Ursula Linssen (minister of agriculture of the state of Schleswig-Holstein), Carsten Kerkamm (deputy mayor and head councilman of the municipality of Sylt), Hans-Bunde Boysen (property owner), Martin Schachner (Weinhaus Schachner), as well as numerous Sylt restaurateurs and enthusiasts who have leased a vine were all present for the planting. "In all probability, in three years we’ll produce Schleswig-Holstein’s first ‘Landwein’ (comparable with French Vin de Pays). It will be marketed under a name that reflects both its location and cuvée: 55° Nord (literally, 55° north latitude)

"55° Nord - Solaris/Rivaner" nicely complements the Rheingau producer’s "other" Sylt wine. Since late April 2009, Weingut Balthasar Ress, in cooperation with the Sylt-based wine specialty shop Weinhaus Schachner, has marketed "55° Nord," a Rheingauer Gutswein Riesling trocken named after Sylt’s degree of latitude. Christian Ress enthusiastically commented: "After producing a wine for the island, we’re now producing a wine from the island. In the meantime, and in honor of this special day, everyone present at the vine planting can sample 55° Nord - Riesling. It goes especially well with the fish specialties and oysters at Gosch restaurants and delis on Sylt and the mainland."

Those who wish to acquire a bottle of the future rarity are best advised to sign up for one of the 555 grapevine leases. Acccording to Christian Ress, the new "Sylt wine-grower": "Through Weinhaus Schachner and our website there have already been quite a few orders. In fact, interest in the leases has far exceeded our expectations." The future wine will be available in limited quantities

Numberous photos in the photo gallery can be watched from here.

For additional details, please contact:
Balthasar Ress, Ute Schalberger
Zum Meerwald 4, 66129 Saarbrücken, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)6805/2070701
ute.schalberger@balthasar-ress.de

– Solaris/Rivaner," explained Rheingau wine estate proprietor Christian Ress. "We’re already looking forward to a fruity, fresh white wine that will be a credit to the island," according to Ress.– also to those who do not lease a vine – through Weingut Balthasar Ress or Weinhaus Schachner.