From: Pfalz, Germany
Varietal: Riesling
Taste: A blend of biodynamically farmed grapes from cool sites near the forest in Wachenheim and fermented to just off-dry, the Hommage à Luise offers attractive of nose of white peach, apple mint, and cinnamon. The racy, just mid-weight palate hews the line between Kabinett and Feinherb sweetness, with juicy stone fruit and red apple flavors astride a fine bead of limestone minerality proceeding to a brisk, zesty finish. J. McIlwain
Pairing: Riesling is one of the most versatile food wines, and this one is no exception. Whether it be fresh, fatty, fried, spicy, or salty- you’re in good shape! Some of our favorites include Khao Soi (or other rich curries), spiced duck, fried chicken, oxtail soup (not kidding, it’s amazing together), jambon-beuerre baguettes, the whole gamut of dumplings, and Bánh Xèo aka Vietnamese pancake. If you’re unfamiliar, you should totally check it out sometime, it’s delicious! PS Because there’s an infinite amount of things this wine will pair with, we’re sharing two recipes (see below) for your pairing adventures today.
Scallion Pancakes With Squid
Recipe from Hooni Kim
Adapted by Melissa Clark
Scrunched Cabbage Salad With Fried Almonds
By Cybelle Tondu
Located in Wachenheim, this estate was one of the “Three Bs of the Pfalz”; historically Basserman-Jordan, von Buhl, and Bürklin-Wolf were the most important estates in the Pfalz. Today, Dr. Bürklin-Wolf is one of the finest estates in all of Germany, a certified organic, biodynamic, and family-owned winery with a 400-year history.
Dr. Bürklin-Wolf is owned by Bettina Bürklin-von Guradze, who took over the estate from her father in 1990. Between 1990 and 2005, she took steps to improve every aspect of the estate. In 2005, under Ms. Bürklin-von Guradze’s guidance, the estate became the first producer in Germany to be certified by Biodyvin, the biodynamic certifier for Leflaive, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and 175 other top growers in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland.
The winery has both a deep history and a reputation for innovation. Today, Bürklin-Wolf produces only handpicked, estate-grown wines on 86 hectares, with 15 different top vineyard sites. The idea is to focus on the raw material, health, and balance in the vineyards using biodynamic methods to produce wines of outstanding quality.
