Bottler: Winery A. Christmann, Peter-Koch-Str. 43, 67435 Gimmeldingen/Pfalz / Germany
In the glass
Colour
Medium golden yellow with green reflections.
Nose
Citrus, green apple and elderflower, accompanied by delicate exotic hints of young pineapple, ginger and coriander.
Palate
Fine grapefruit bitterness, refreshing acidity, crystal clear and extremely invigorating, with concentrated power and soaring elegance.
Character
Youthfully closed, developing cool finesse with air and dancing vivaciously on the palate.
Pairing
Kohlrabi carpaccio with mint and lime oil, prawns with shellfish sauce, or pullet with orange marinade and rosemary.
Notes
From biodynamically farmed vineyard sites (respekt-BIODYN certified), spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged on the fine lees for an extended period – the Hofstück parcel within Reiterpfad is regarded as the estate’s warmest vineyard.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Medium golden yellow with green reflections – bright, cool, almost metallic in the glass.
Nose
Youthfully closed, it needs air and a large glass. Then citrus, green apple and elderflower emerge, followed by subtle exotic hints of young pineapple, ginger and coriander. Cool, tightly woven fruit, promising more than it reveals – a wine that takes its time.
Palate
Fine grapefruit bitterness meets a refreshing, lively acidity. It plays, it dances on the tongue – crystal clear, concentrated yet ethereal. The rare combination of power and lightness that Steffen Christmann describes as his ‘prima ballerina’: powerful yet elegant, in perfect balance.
Finish
Long, cool and marked by saline minerality – that silky tone which the Buntsandstein sandstone bestows upon the House of Christmann.
Terroir & origin
The Reiterpfad lies above Ruppertsberg on the edge of the Haardt mountains – a 60-hectare terrace of Buntsandstein scree, gently sloping east-southeast and eroded from the mountains over millennia. Once the stately possession of the Prince-Bishop of Speyer, the vineyard site has been classified as a VDP.Erste Lage since 2014; only the Hofstück parcel in the west retains its status as a VDP.Grosse Lage. Sheltered from the wind and enjoying long hours of sunshine, the Reiterpfad is one of the warmest vineyards at Weingut Christmann.
Grape variety & vinification
Pure Riesling – which takes centre stage at Christmann in any case: 70 per cent of their mere 17 hectares are planted to this variety. Whole-bunch pressing, short maceration, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, followed by extended maturation on the fine lees in stainless steel and large traditional wooden casks.
Food recommendations
A versatile food wine: kohlrabi carpaccio with mint and lime oil, prawns with shellfish sauce and coriander dumplings or oven-roasted chicken with orange marinade and rosemary. Wherever freshness meets delicate spice, it feels entirely at home.
Special features
Certified biodynamic since 2003 (respekt-BIODYN and EU organic), led by Steffen Christmann – VDP President and former wine lawyer – together with his daughter Sophie. Three generations, 17 hectares, exclusively classified vineyard sites: less really is more here.
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