06 Dec Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Margarethhenhof 2021 Elblin “Der Spritzige”, Mosel, Germany
I love exploring the world of wine and there are thousands of grape varieties to discover. And this week I discovered Elbling. Coming from Germany, the mineral-driven wine was crisp and fresh, almost like Germany’s version of a Vino Verde. It was intriguing and tasty and that is why the Margarethhenhof 2021 Elblin “Der Spritzige”, Mosel, Germany is the Please The Palate wine of the week.
About Elbling
Elbling is an ancient white grape from Germany. The name Elbling comes from “Vitis Alba” which translates to “White Vine”. It is more than 2000 years old and is one of the oldest grape varieties cultivated in Europe. It was planted all over Germany and Luxembourg during medieval times but today it is mostly found in the Mosel and is only the 23rd most widely-grown grape in Germany. The Mosel is know for Riesling but Elbling is grown on sites where Riesling has trouble ripening. It is a grape that has very high acidity and produces a low alcohol wine. It has been called a lighter and tarter version of Silvaner.
About Margarethenhof Estate Winery
Margarethenhof is a family-run business, founded by Doro and Jurgen Weber in 1986. As of 2020, their son Nicolas has joined the business and is working in production and winemaking. Located in the Mosel region, Margarethenhof is located in the small town of Ayl near the Luxembourg border and is surrounded by two famous rivers, Mosel and Saar. The motto of the winery is “Zwei Flüsse. Zwei Terroirs. Ein Weingut” which means “Two rivers. Two Terroirs. One Winery.” One terroir is the slate-driven vineyards of the Saar and the other are the ancient shell limestone soils of the Southern Mosel. The Elbling is grown in these limestone soils.
Tasting Notes
The Elbling in the 2021 Margarethenhof Elbling “Der Spritzige” spent 24 hours of skin contact to increase the body of the wine and was then fermented in stainless steel. “Der Spritzige” means “the fizzy one” and this wine has a little bit of effervescence which gives the wine extra freshness, similar to a Vinho Verde. The wine has fresh mineral, citrus and floral notes on the nose. There is a spritz on the palate and then a lovely richness with a honey note on the finish.
Food pairings
With a little spritz on the palate, and only 11% alcohol, this wine is a prefect dry summer wine. But don’t wait for the summer. Enjoy it with food. Try seafood, such as a herring salad, salads with goat or sheep cheese and grilled vegetables, a caramelized onion tart, Thai green curry, or even asparagus!
Where To Purchase
The 2021 Margarethenhof Mosel Elbling “Der Spritzige” retails for $25. It is imported by Tupetz Wine. Tupetz Wine is owned by German-born Lisa Tupetz who is focused on family-run wineries in Germany who follow organic practices. She engages in fair trade practices and purchasing this wine or others from her portfolio is supporting the winemakers directly. You can purchase this wine, and others, directly from Tupetz Wine.