History and location
The Van Volxem winery is located in the historic centre of Wiltingen on the Saar in the winegrowing region of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. The site is associated with a Roman villa complex; according to the winery, the vineyards were already laid out by the Romans in the 3rd century. In the 11th century, they were rediscovered and cultivated by monks, and in the 17th century the Jesuit Order managed them as a monastery vineyard estate. After the French Revolution, the property was secularised and came into the ownership of the brewer Gustav van Volxem. Roman Niewodniczanski took over the winery in 2000 and restored and expanded the vineyard areas.
Sites and vineyards
Van Volxem cultivates steep vineyard sites on the Saar, including Wiltinger Gottesfuß, Scharzhofberger, Bockstein, Geisberg, Goldberg and Altenberg. The steep sites, which are predominantly south-facing, provide warmth, described as being beneficial for the development of Riesling aromas. The vineyards are on Devonian slate; areas with rhyolite and, respectively, volcanic rhyolite quartz porphyry are also documented, as well as sandy and calcareous components in the Pinot Blanc areas. The site Volz, which belongs to the winery, in Wiltingen has a south to south-west aspect, an altitude of 200 to 250 metres and a slope of 42 to 55 per cent.
Grape varieties and cultivation
The VDP lists the winery with 85 hectares under vine. Planting consists of 95 per cent Riesling and 5 per cent Pinot Blanc. The average vine age is about 35 years; in the Wiltinger Gottesfuß, there are 130-year-old, ungrafted Riesling vines. According to the winery, most vines are genetically ungrafted. Work in the steep slopes is carried out by hand. Environmentally friendly cultivation, traditional grape varieties and reduced yields are part of the described approach to growing.
Winemaking and style
The wines are predominantly dry and are described with moderate alcohol, ripe acidity, dense structure and ageing potential. They are intended to express the individual Saar sites and their slate soils. Fermentation takes place with wild yeasts and without fining agents. The new winery is designed for processing using the gravity method. Saar wines mature in large wooden casks; selected vintages and wines from prime sites additionally mature for several years in the rarities cellar. Low yields, strict selection, spontaneous fermentation and longer ageing are among the production elements mentioned. The classified sites are designated in the VDP as VDP.GROSSE LAGE®.
