Von Winning, Sauvignon Blanc II

Think you know Sauvignon Blanc? Think again!

This is tremendous wine: mineral, fresh, crisp and expressive finishing with a salinity that is the hallmark of wines from the Pfalz. Tropical notes, gooseberry and apple mingle with lime, herbs, elderberry and cranberry on the palate that is fuller than most, making it excellent with food.

Taken from their extensive Sauvignon Blanc plantings, this is mostly made if younger vines from various plots, with the express intention of creating a wine that is of the region, rather than any conscious following of fashion.

One of Germany’s oldest wineries, Weingut von Winning was founded in 1849 and given a new lease of life by Achim Niederberger in 2007. He brought in winemakers, Stephan Attman and Andreas Hütwohl, and well, the results speak for themselves.

We love these wines and though our favourites are certainly made from Riesling, this is a particularly charming member of the family. And that's how they roll - when a particular piece of land is better suited to a different variety, they plant it there rather than just plowing-on with regional traditions for the sake of it.

Of course, it makes commercial sense to plant internationally popular varieties, but what's compelling about their actions is that each of the wines bears a regional hallmark of Pfalz (often in the form of acidity and salinity) and each is an expression of variety seen through the lens of the vineyard or village in which they are grown. Magic stuff.