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Is a “normal” vintage a thing of the past? It almost seems that way, given the erratic weather of recent growing seasons. Vintage 2015 was no exception.
Vintage 2015 by Balthasar Ress / Rheingau
It was warm – actually, hot – for weeks and months on end. In addition, it was extremely dry. Memories of the unusually hot and dry weather of 2003 automatically come to mind. While 2015 was similar, it was also quite different – or perhaps “normal” by today’s standards. Fortunately, the grapes withstood the heat and dryness quite well. Budding and flowering were perfect; spraying was more like taking a stroll through the vineyards. In fact, plant protection measures required very little effort this year – a situation that was quite pleasant and not bad at all. Even the spotted wing drosophila, the pest that caused us many a headache last year, was not a problem in 2015. It was simply too hot for them to thrive.
At the beginning of September the weather changed and it began to rain. However, by then it was too late to ensure that the grapes would have enough juice later, yet far too early to think about picking. Less than favorable circumstances...and cause for increasing worries. Yet, it turned cooler and cooler and the rain didn’t damage any grapes. Ultimately, the main harvest began even somewhat later than in 2014.
The quality of the grapes was exceptionally high. Even in sites that are often a problem there was hardly any rot, and if botrytis was present, it was of the “noble” sort. Those who were able to wait were able to harvest fully ripened and highly aromatic grapes with extremely good must weights. There was no need for chaptalization or deacidification this year. We were able to harvest all that we had hoped to and could even add a crowning touch with some grapes ripe enough to produce a few lusciously sweet wines. On the down side: the quantity of Riesling harvested was once again very small. Not surprising given the extremely dry year. Pinot Noir, though, was a completely different story. Our casks were finally full.
As always at this point in time, it’s difficult to say how the finished wine will turn out. The juice is fermenting. Sometimes faster. Sometimes a bit slower. But what we could taste thus far is promising. Time will tell...
From vineyard to cellar /June 2015
Growth in the vineyards has slowed down a bit and returned to a normal pace. The reason for this was fairly cool weather in April that diminished the head start the grapes had enjoyed up until then. This also slowed down the onset of bud burst, which we originally expected to be early. The progress of vegetation is now in line with the 30-year average. That’s good. It was, however, too dry in April. We used considerable quantities of compost this spring, particularly in Hallgarten. Healthy soil and all that comes with it is a crucial prerequisite for the production of exceptional grapes.
We’ve loosened the earth in many of our vineyards and reseeded. We put our trust in a seed mixture that ensures biodiversity. This year we also began to change our green cover, mulching less, and rolling more often. These measures support the whole process.
Bottling of the 2014 wines is now in full gear. The basic, entry-level wines have had a chance to achieve balance and are now ripe, round, and juicy. The acidity is noticeably more harmonious at this stage in time than was the case a year ago with our 2013 wines. All things considered, the 2014 wines are developing into an exceptional vintage. This was not foreseeable from the start. It’s all the nicer to now “see and taste” the success of our enormous efforts. The labor-intensive process of selection, over and over again, paid off. Overall, quantities are smaller than desired, but qualities are excellent.
The great, premium wines are all still resting in cask as they continue to develop. It’s already clear that there won’t be a dry Riesling from the Wisselbrunnen site in 2014. Despite an absolutely painstaking selection, we’ve consciously decided to forgo this wine. It simply lacks the depth and substance we expect. Schlossberg musts are still fermenting and need more time. A portion of our Schlossberg wines will have some residual sweetness. They will be very exceptional wines that we’ll be showing in autumn. The wines from the Rottland and Nussbrunnen sites have completely fermented (i.e. are dry in style); they’re resting on the coarse lees, which are stirred periodically (battonage).