Chardonnay Brut Nature 2017 – Sparkling Wine from Weedenborn
The Weedenborn Chardonnay Sekt Brut Nature 2017 is a radiant golden yellow, finely sparkling Winzersekt made from Chardonnay grapes. Following the example of French champagne, it was traditionally fermented in the bottle and aged for 54 months on the lees. It was then hand-riddled before being hand-disgorged and corked as Brut Nature, meaning without the addition of a dosage. Almost like a Blanc de Blanc Champagne, yet from one of Germany's best sparkling wine houses.
Its fruity bouquet with ripe gooseberries, honeydew melon, and a hint of banana and caramel shows the typical full-bodied Burgundy note of Chardonnay. The origin of the grapes brings chalky minerality to the Chardonnay Sekt Brut Nature from Weingut Weedenborn.
Chardonnay Sekt from Weingut Weedenborn
The grapes for this Weedenborn Chardonnay Sekt Brut Nature 2017 grew on limestone marl and loess-loam soils in Rheinhessen. Weingut Weedenborn is located in Monzernheim, a small mountain community not far from the famous Westhofen vineyards of Kirchspiel and Morstein. This artisan-run family winery owns 22 hectares of vines.
Biodiverse greening 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, perfectly ripe grapes are both fundamental requirements and the philosophy for winemaker Gesine Roll.
For the 2017 base wines for the Chardonnay Sekt, the winemaker pays close attention to the ripeness of the harvested grapes. After manual harvesting, the grapes were processed with dry ice to protect the must from oxidation. This is important to Gesine Roll from Weingut Weedenborn for Chardonnay, as the typical Burgundy aromas are highly volatile in contact with oxygen – meaning they are quickly lost. Once the base wine is produced, everything else is done in cooperation with Sekthaus Raumland, which is only about 11 km away. Here, the Chardonnay base wine undergoes the second alcoholic fermentation in traditional bottle fermentation, and the Weedenborn Chardonnay Sekt is created. It has 54 months to mature on the lees, developing aromas and fine perlage. This is how this Weedenborn Sekt becomes a delight.