Location and History
The winery Wittmann is based in Westhofen in the growing region Rheinhessen in Germany. According to the winery’s own account, the history of the family business goes back around 350 years. Since 1999, the winery has been a member of the VDP.
Vineyards and Farming
The vineyard areas cover around 30 hectares and lie in gently rolling hills around Westhofen. The soils in the individual sites consist mostly of clay marl with limestone. Around 70 percent of the area is planted with Riesling, 15 percent with Burgundy varieties, 10 percent with Silvaner, and 5 percent with other varieties.
The vineyards have been certified organically since 1990 and have been farmed biodynamically since 2004. Cultivation includes intensive manual work, daily observation of the vines, and selective hand-harvesting in several passes. Self-produced compost is used to support soil life; decisions are based on the specific site, grape variety and microclimate.
Wine Style and Range
The winery aims for dry, purist wines that express the site and origin. Riesling is the most important reference variety. The range includes fruit-driven varietal wines, site wines and Rieslings from classified sites.
Cellar Maturation
After the harvest, the grapes are sorted at the winery, gently pressed and moved by gravity into a cellar located six metres underground. Fermentation is carried out slowly with natural yeasts, mostly in wooden barrels. The wines mature in a vaulted cellar built in 1829 under comparatively constant temperature and humidity conditions. For this purpose, around 80 wooden barrels are available, each containing juice from a single vineyard plot.
