From Mosel Legends Rita & Rudolf Trossen who have practiced biodynamic viticulture in the heart of the German winemaking scene since 1978, this is composed of mainly Spätburgunder (AKA Pinot Noir) with some Dornfelder dashed in as well. Both sets of fruit are grown on vines averaging 30 years in age; the Spätburgunder vines live in grey slate soils whereas the Dornfelder sand clay. Once hand-harvested, the grapes are destemmed and macerate/ferment spontaneously over the course of 2 weeks prior to pressing and a short élevage.

Rita and Rudolf Trossen

Rita and Rudolf Trossen decided to break with modern winemaking practices when they converted their entire estate to Biodynamics in 1978. They have been crafting wonderful Mosel Valley Rieslings ever since. In 2010, encouraged by many of their sommelier clients, they began to delve into the world of natural winemaking with their Pur’us line of wines, which have no intervention whatsoever. These wines have zero additives, not even sulfur, and are unfined and unfiltered. There are some winemakers working organically in Germany, but the vast majority of winemakers in Germany are steadfast users of sulfur to stabilize and preserve their wines, making the Trossens real pioneers in their area. They allow their wines to sit on the lees for extended periods of time “until all biological processes have come to an end.” For us, the wines were the first German wines we ever tasted that made us sit up and notice something different was happening. The depth of character and expression Riesling can reach without additives is truly amazing.

The Trossen vineyards are full of slate, which resisted phylloxera completely, thus most of their vines are completely ungrafted and some approach 100 years old!

- Jenny & François Selections