We aim to have all wines be vintage specific. In the case the listed vintage is out of stock and you note you would like that particular vintage, we will inform you via email for approval to go ahead.
About This Wine
Maison Chapoutier has grown into one of the largest and most recognisable producers of Rhone wines. The company dates back to 1808 when Michel Chapoutier’s distant ancestor Polydor Chapoutier bought a parcel of vines in the Rhone Valley. Michel is committed to making the best wines whilst respecting the environment. Chapoutier now owns the largest biodynamic vineyard in Europe. It is his personal conviction that “the complexity in a wine comes from the level of microbiological activity around the vine roots”.
Chapoutier’s Schieferkopf project includes wines made in Germany and wine made in Alsace, France. On the French side, the Domaine, which uses organic farming, is located on the only vineyard on blue Alsace shale. In Germany, three vineyards enjoy exceptional terroirs with granite soils. Common to both is the maximum sunshine exposure and a mosaic of complex soils which brings subtlety to the grapes. Organic and biodynamic principles are used in order to allow the terroirs to shine through these unique wines. A number of Sélection Parcellaire (single vineyard selection) wines demonstrate why Riesling is the noblest of grapes.
The grapes for Schieferkopf Riesling Trocken Sec sourced from vineyards planted on granitic and arkose sandy surface with Granitic subsoil. The grapes are harvested and also sorted by hand. The grapes undergo a direct pressing without destemming (pneumatic press) followed by a cold static settling. Fermentation takes place in temperature controlled stainless steel vats (16-20°C). Finally the wine is aged in stainless steel vats on the fine lees for 12 months.
As with all Chapoutier’s wines, the label also features a description in Braille.
Type | White Wine |
---|---|
Varietal(s) | Riesling |
Country | Germany |
Region | Baden |
Brand | Schieferkopf |
Vintage | 2021 |
About German Wines
Germany is the world’s northernmost fine wine producing region and thus requires its vines to endure some of the coldest temperatures. Fortunately, the country’s star variety, Riesling, does well in cooler climates and can survive even these freezing winters.
Germany Riesling is classified by ripeness at harvest which is also used to indicate the wine’s level of residual sugar. Picking earlier means the grapes have less time to ripen and the corresponding wines will be on the drier side; while picking later gives the grapes the opportunity full ripen and produce a lusciously sweet Riesling. The classifications from driest to sweetest: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein (ice wine). While not as common to age white wines outside of Chardonnay, top tier German Rieslings can be aged for decades.
Other notable white grape varieties produced in Germany include Müller-Thurgau (a cross between Riesling and Madelaine Royale in the search for varieties that could withstand the extreme temperatures), Grauburguner (Pinot Gris) and Weissburguner (Pinot Blanc). The cooler German climate leads to earlier harvesting in general and gives German wines a distinctive character of higher acidity.
Historically red wine has always been harder to produce in the German climate. However, Pinot Noir grown in slightly warmer pockets of the country, has been highly successful in recent times. Going by the German name, Spätburgunder, German Pinot Noir can be elegant, structured and have vibrant acidity.