Chardonnay Brut Nature 2016 - a grower sparkling wine from Weedenborn
The Weedenborn Chardonnay Brut Nature 2016 is a brilliantly golden-yellow, finely sparkling grower sparkling wine made from Chardonnay grapes. Fermented using the traditional bottle-fermentation method, it spent more than four years on the lees. It was riddled by hand, and the dégorgement was also performed manually. As a Brut Nature, the Chardonnay sparkling wine was corked without the addition of any dosage. A Blanc de Blancs from one of Germany's best sparkling wine producers.
Its fruity bouquet of ripe pear, honeydew melon, and a hint of nut and caramel displays the typical full-bodied Burgundy character of the Chardonnay. The origin of the grapes lends a chalky minerality to the Chardonnay Sekt Brut Nature from the Weedenborn estate.
Chardonnay sparkling wine from the Weedenborn estate
The grapes for this Weedenborn Chardonnay Sekt Brut Nature 2016 were grown on the limestone marl and loess-loam soils of Rheinhessen. The Weedenborn estate is located in Monzernheim, a small mountain village not far from the renowned Westhofen vineyards of Kirchspiel and Morstein. 22 hectares of vines belong to this artisan family-run winery.
Biodiverse cover cropping with special grass and herb seed mixes, as well as the avoidance of herbicides, insecticides, and mineral fertilizers, natural vine care, low yields, and healthy, fully ripe grapes are both fundamental requirements and the philosophy of winemaker Gesine Roll.
For the 2016 base wines for the Chardonnay sparkling wine, the winemaker pays close attention to the ripeness of the harvest. After being harvested by hand, the grapes were processed with dry ice to protect the must from oxidation. This is important to Gesine Roll of the Weedenborn estate for the Chardonnay, as the typical Burgundy aromas are highly volatile upon contact with oxygen—meaning they are quickly lost. Once the base wine is produced, all subsequent steps are carried out in collaboration with the Raumland sparkling wine house, located just about 11 km away. Here, the Chardonnay base wine undergoes its second alcoholic fermentation in traditional bottle fermentation, and the Weedenborn Chardonnay sparkling wine is created. It had more than four years to mature on the lees, developing aromas and a fine perlage. This is what makes this Weedenborn sparkling wine a delight.