Ancestral – Apple and Quince

von Wiesen Ancestral – Apple and Quince – Cider from Sekthaus Griesel

The von Wiesen Ancestral Apple and Quince is an apple-based sparkling wine, a cider from Sekthaus Griesel. With a fine perlage and a dry taste profile, it is a wonderful refresher when well chilled and a good accompaniment to roasted flavors of meat, fish, vegetables, or bread.

In terms of taste, the von Wiesen Ancestral is fundamentally designed for freshness; the alcohol content is moderate at 6.6% vol., the acidity is prominent (6.9g/l), and the taste profile is absolutely dry, even if the label, in our opinion, does not suggest this. This very dryness was Niko Brandner's goal, as he found too much residual sweetness in commercially available, lower-alcohol sparkling wines. Thus, the von Wiesen Ancestral is quite dry with 0.5g/l residual sugar, with notes of green and yellow apple; quince wine and quince juice bring fuller, ripe notes, and the slight yeastiness, like fresh yeast bread, is undeniable. The von Wiesen Ancestral consists of equal parts apple and quince.

von Wiesen – Niko Brandner's New Project

That Niko Brandner can make sparkling wine is undisputed; for several years now, he has been among Germany's top sparkling wine producers. The quantities of Griesel sparkling wine production are never enough to satisfy the high demand. But whoever wants to remain true to their quality promise cannot simply increase production volume. The sparkling wines mature for at least three years before they come onto the market, and there is always a corresponding time lag.

So why not try another sparkling wine method with a different base material? With a clear taste goal in mind, Niko experimented with local apples with as much care as he usually does with grapes for sparkling wine. Thus, the von Wiesen cider ferments spontaneously in old and new barrique barrels with the help of the naturally present yeast flora, just like the base wines in sparkling wine production. The result is four apple-based Ancestrals with hops, quince, red, or black currant. Spontaneously fermented, it is ready to drink after a good three months. Find your favorite von Wiesen Ancestral variety.

Please open the Ancestral carefully, as the pressure in the bottle varies.

The Méthode Ancestral

The Méthode Ancestral is a traditional method of sparkling wine production, originating in France, for example, in the Rhône region or Languedoc/Roussillon, and almost forgotten. This approach does not require a second fermentation in the bottle or tank, as is usually the case, but only a single one. Niko Brandner first allows the apple must to ferment spontaneously, adds quince wine from the previous year and quince juice, and then bottles it in the classic sparkling wine bottle. Sealed with a crown cork, the carbon dioxide generated by the continuous fermentation remains in the bottle. The carbon dioxide combines with the must, creating a fine, well-integrated perlage. The resulting perlé wine, also called Ancestral, Pétillant Naturel, or Pét Nat, is unfiltered, still contains slight yeast residues, and is therefore somewhat cloudy, like naturally cloudy apple juice.