Vin blanc allemand liquoreux - Pfalz - Anselmann - Cuvée Gewurztraminer Spätlese - Vendanges tardives

About the German Anselmann Estate

The Anselmann family can be traced back to 1126  in ancient archives. Since then, they have always been connected in one way or another to the vine. But it was in  1959  that the winemaking adventure really began:  Werner Anselmann , father of the current generation, decided to vinify and bottle his own vintages.

The estate is located in  Edesheim , in the southern  Palatinate (Pfalz) , very close to the French border. The location is very interesting: between  Kaiserslautern ,  Karlsruhe  and  Heidelberg , at the junction between the wooded slopes of the  Pfälzerwald (German extension of the Vosges) and the fertile plains of the Rhine.

Today,  Anselmann is one of the largest family farms in the country . Managed by  Gerd, Ruth and Ralf Anselmann , the estate cultivates  80 hectares of its own , and vinifies  an additional 50 hectares . This is a real in-depth work on the terroirs, carried out  by plot , in the manner of the Burgundian climates, to enhance each expression of the soil. Among the emblematic places they cultivate, we find in particular:

• Edesheimer Rosengarten
• Edesheimer Mandelhang
• Edesheimer Schloß
• Edesheimer Forst
• Edesheimer Ordensgut
• Edenkobener Heidegarten
• Edenkobener Kirchberg
• Rhodter Klosterpfad
• Flemlinger Herrenbuckel
• Flemlinger Vogelsprung
• Flemlinger Bischofskreuz
• Arzheimer Seligmacher

Ralf Anselmann , an agricultural engineer who graduated from Stuttgart-Hohenheim, is the main person responsible for the development and innovation of the estate. He introduced  Sauvignon Blanc  to the region, which is now perfectly acclimatized. He is also interested in  resistant grape varieties , such as  Pinot Madeleine , in response to climate change.

The vineyard is particularly eclectic:  nearly 40 grape varieties are cultivated , with a large proportion of whites ( 63% ), followed by reds ( 36% ) and a small number of rosés. There are both local varieties from the Palatinate and grape varieties from elsewhere, such as  Tempranillo  and  Cabernet Sauvignon .

Since their  first gold medal at Vinitaly in 1994 , Anselmann wines have been accumulating distinctions in major competitions. In short, a sure value.

Brief presentation of the Pfalz vineyards

The  Pfalz  — or Palatinate in English — is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in Germany. The history of wine here dates back to the  1st century , that is, to Roman times. Located in  Rhineland-Palatinate , this region continues to play a leading role in German viticulture today.

With almost  229 km² of planted area , the vineyards cover approximately  5% of the regional territory . To the west, it lies on the wooded slopes of the  Pfälzerwald  ; to the east, it opens onto the plains of the  Rhine  ; to the north, it borders the  Rheinhessen , and to the south, it brushes the  French border . There is therefore a mosaic of  microclimates and terroirs  favorable to a wide diversity of grape varieties.

The vineyards are organized around two large areas: the  Südliche Weinstraße  and the  Mittelhaardt-Deutsche Weinstraße , which concentrates the majority of production. There are  144 wine-growing communities , spread between the  Vorderpfalz  (northeast) and the  Südpfalz  (southern Palatinate). Some towns such as  Landau ,  Neustadt an der Weinstraße  or  Bad Dürkheim  have become recognized centers of quality throughout the country.

The Pfalz relies on a dense network of producers. There are  approximately 3,600 wineries , including 1,550 full-time managed estates. The network also includes  18 cooperatives , a driving force for technical and economic cooperation in the region. Each year, production reaches nearly 2.36 million hectoliters, with a clear export orientation, particularly to the United Kingdom, the United States and the Nordic countries.

Climate-wise, the Palatinate enjoys one of  the mildest microclimates in Germany . There are an average of  1,700 hours of sunshine per year , with moderate rainfall of between  500 and 600 mm . Summers are hot, winters relatively mild, and the natural protection of the Pfälzerwald massif creates an almost Mediterranean atmosphere.

The vineyard produces mainly  white wines  (around  60% of the total volume ), from a great diversity:  78 grape varieties are authorized  for whites.  Riesling  dominates with  more than 25% of the surface area , followed by Müller-Thurgau, Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc).  Red wines  represent the  remaining 40% , with  58 registered red grape varieties , the most present of which are Dornfelder, Portugieser and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir).

Since the 1990s, Pfalz winemakers have accelerated the  qualitative transition  : plot selection, reduced yields, precision in vinification. The result: an offering largely focused on  dry or semi-dry wines , well-defined, with  clean and expressive profiles . Alongside still wines, the Palatinate region has also established itself as one of the great German terroirs for  ice wines , which are now emblematic.

Vinification of this  sweet German white wine

• Late harvest, harvested at full maturity to maximize the concentration of sugar and aromas.
• Gentle pressing of the grapes to preserve the aromatic finesse of the Gewürztraminer grape variety.
• Slow fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats to preserve freshness and floral expression.
• Controlled stopping of fermentation to maintain a balance between residual sugar (75.5 g/L) and acidity.

Characteristics of this  late harvest Gewürztraminer

• Production region  : Edesheim, Pfalz (Palatinate), Germany
• Grape variety  : 100% Gewürztraminer
• Alcohol content  : 9.25% vol.
• Residual sugar level  : 75.5 g/L
• Acidity level  : 5.6 g/L

Awards for Anselmann's Gewürztraminer Spätlese

• Mundus Vini – Summer Tasting 2024  : Gold Medal