Weingut Theo Minges Pfalz Scheurebe Feinherb 2019
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Regina Minges and her father Theo farm 24 hectares organically in Flemlingen in the Southern Pfalz. Scheu is grown in the richer, loamy soils of Flemlinen, from two sites, Vogelsprung and Zechpeter. Fermentation here is in native yeasts and in stainless steel without temperature control.
Currently managed by Theo Minges, the winery has been in the Minges family for 6 generations and dates to the 16th century. Regine Minges, Theo’s daughter, helps farm the family’s 24 hectares with her father while working to complete her viticultural studies. In the southern part of the Palatinate, Minges’ diversity of soils includes loess, gravel, red sandstone and limestone. Top sites include the Gleisweiler Hölle, a hollow site undulated with streams, brooks and vegetation more similar to that of Northern Italy; and, Flemlinger Zechpeter, an idyllic site of loess-loam and gravel. All of the riesling vines are Mosel clones planted on chalky, stony soil almost 40 years ago by Theo’s father. Minges farms with organic practices, and is in the process of transitioning to bio-dynamics; though he’s most interested in the energy in the life-cycle of bio-dynamic practices, he intends to achieve certification in the near future. Minges considers himself more as a cellar master than a winemaker, raising the wines from their birth on the vine as ‘children,’ the grapes need nurturing in the vineyard, then as ‘teenagers’, turbulent in fermentation, they need to be left alone, finally maturing for as long as possible, undisturbed on their lees, eventually coming into their own character. These philosophies guide his decisions: meticulous work in the vineyard, spontaneous fermentation in stückfass, an extra long time on gross lees, extremely minimal sulphur use and only at bottling.
There are hundreds of white grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles.
This sunny and relatively dry region served for many years as a German tourist mecca and was associated with low cost, cheerful wines. But since the 1980s, it has gained a reputation as one of Germany’s more innovative regions, which has led to increased international demand.