The grape varieties
Our grape varieties offer
a great variety of flavors
Riesling is the typical vigne in the steep slopes of the Moselle. The early ripening Müller-Thurgau you can find in the gently inclined vineyards. Since 1985 it is allowed to plant red vignes in the Moselle region.
We start with a reduced first cut, who is keeping the vines young. During the growing period we make sure, that there are enough leaves and that the grapes get enough aeration. A soil, rich in humus and porous, makes an optimal nutrient supply. The adapted cover with plants and grass protects the soil from erosion. The hand selected vintage is as a matter of course. After the vintage follows a quick, gently treatment of the grapes, a cool and clean treatment of the must and a cool fermentation in the wooden casks. Every slope is developed on its own to keep the special character of the wine from the grape into the bottle.
A good development of the wines depends on the experience of the cellar master. He knows the origin of his musts and knows, which must is the best to develop a dry, semidry or sweet wine. After the fermentation the wines need some time to ripen. Acid poor wines like Rivaner and Bacchus are filled in bottles earlier. The good Riesling wines need more time to ripen before filling, but afterwards you can keep them longer. Good things need time. Don´t be surprised that we offer them later. It is because we want to be proud of our wines.
Riesling
The Riesling vine, our most famous German white wine variety, is called not without good reason, the queen of white wine. It has been cultivated at the Moselle since the Middle Ages. The Moselle region offers altogether unique conditions for the growth of Riesling. The vine prefers warm, dry, southward steep slopes. From here the classical Moselle-wine originates. Our slate soils act as natural heat reservoirs which emit the sun´s warmth at night to the vines. During the slate decomposition important minerals are set free as well, which enhance the taste of the wines.The Moselle Riesling is delicate and delicious.Due to a relatively delayed ripening season, the Riesling grapes profit from the warm and sunny autumn days of the Moselle region and its cool nights, in which the aromatic substances are built.
Moselle Riesling wines need no high alcohol content for their taste (unlike wines from warmer regions), but they convince by their fine, elegant, fruity character. Even in off years do the classy quality wines and "Hochgewächse" have a harmonious taste and an animating effect through the higher concentration of minerals and extractives of the slate . The fruity and elegant acidity gives the Riesling wines a long shelf live. They are rich in dietary elements and others, such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium and contribute to vitamin B metabolisation.
Kerner
Kerner is a new strain from Weinsberg and has been cultivated since 1969. It is a hybrid of Trollinger and Riesling. The designation “Kerner” stands for good frost robustness and disease resistance. Taste-wise it is comparable to a savoury Riesling, whith an additional fragangce of nutmeg. The plant is heavily growing, so that frequent leaf work is necessary. We have cultivated the vine Kerner since 1988 as a suitable addition to our wines.
Bacchus
This hybrid is created from (Silvaner x Riesling) x Müller-Thurgau. The requirements for the soil are: deep, fresh, sufficiently nutricious and water-retentive. The gentle acid is very suitable for a merry drinking bout. The typical Bacchus taste is more or less distinct, depending on the vintage. It is an early-ripening, floral, fruity wine with its own bouquet, which may remind you of Scheurebe, with a gentle nutmeg fragrance. At the table it goes well with fruity sauces and fruity side-dishes. Seved at a lower temperature, the Bacchus presents itself as a light summer wine.
Müller-Thurgau
Presumalby a hybrid of Riesling and Sivaner, it was created 1882 by professor Müller from the Swiss region of Thurgau. Today, however, it is known that instead of Silvaner the French variety Madelaine Royal has been the mother. The grapes are substantially larger, and the ripening time is significantly shorter than of the Riesling. However, they do not take in minerals in a similar concentration. The nose of the sweet Müller-Thurgau-wines is pleasant, floral, fruity and mild and it delivers an easy, slightly tangy and nutmeggy taste. Rivaner wines should be drunk early because of the low acid content, but this depends strongly on the vintage and location. Our Rivaner is always located at the dry end.
Dornfelder
A hybrid of Helfensteiner (Frühburgunder x Trollinger) x Heroldrebe (Portugieser x Limberger). The name refers to the founder of the first winegrowing scool of Baden-Würtemberg. The success story of this vine variety started in Germany in the year 1972. Dornfelder grapes have loose berries and are very colour-intensive, with a pronounced taste of cherries. The wine has an pleasant, soft acididy. As red wine, it has a fragrant aroma, afull body and a long aftertaste of dark fruits. When we produce a Rosé of the Dornfelder grapes, it is reminiscent of strawberries.
The speciality of the red wine development starts in the vineyard at the end of August with the “green vintage”. At the optimal ripeness of the grapes we start with the hand selected vintage the effort and time consuming red wine preparation. At first the berries are separated from the grapes to avoid bittern. Then the mash is heatened to carry the colour from the skins over to the must. We choose this method to have less tannins in our wine. After the pressing the must is fermented at cool 18 ° C to keep the aromas in the wine. If the wine is totally fermented, he is separated from the yeasts. Than he gets warmed to start the biological acid degradation. 6 weeks later the wine is filtrated and can ripen for several month in oak wooden casks.
Tasting and wine selling
Opening hours
Daily from 2 pm to 7 pm
and after agreement
Phone +49 (0) 6542 2402, info@weingut-steffens.de
Enjoy your wine in our pavilion from May till mid-June
and from mid-August till the end of October.