A BOTTLE WE LOVE:
STEINMETZ's KESTENER PAULINSBERG...CHENIN!

WHAT'S IN THE BOTTLE

100% Chenin Blanc from the heart of the Mosel (yes, you read that correctly!). In fact, it's the first bottle of Chenin ever made there: the vines – which as far as we are aware, are the only plot of Chenin in the region – were planted in 2021, and 2024 is the first vintage made from their fruit. Directly pressed and fermented until bone dry, the wine is partially aged in oak, resulting in a bright but textured wine that brings a whole new dimension to grape and region.

WHO MAKES IT

Stefan and Sammie Steinmetz, whose 5th generation family estate touches many of the Middle Mosel's greatest terroirs (Piesporter Goldtröpfchen, Wintricher Geierslay and Oligsberg to name a few). Riesling is of course the focus; but Stefan has expanded the work to Burgundian varieties and fascinatingly, new plantings of Syrah and Chenin. He cites the Loire's Patrick Baudouin as the reference here; if Chenin can thrive on slate in Anjou, why not the gray slate soils of Kestener Paulinsberg?

WHY WE DIG IT

The complexity and sheer personality of this wine are kind of off the chart, particularly when you consider how young these vines are. There's a real push and pull of variety and region: rich Chenin fruit packed with layers of passionfruit, bright citrus, and ripe orchard fruits, grounded by a steely, slate-driven minerality that's pure Mosel.

And, aside from being interesting and delicious, it represents an ethos we can't get enough of: a new generation of winemakers, boldly redefining German wine.

HOW WE'RE DRINKING IT

As a little patch of sunshine in this relentless winter? But really, the versatility of this bottle flexes to anywhere you'd like to serve a white wine. Drink now and grab spares for when those first pops of spring produce hit the market.

Steinmetz Chenin $40