Cellar & Crafts
From racking to the ageing vessel — the interventions that shape a wine.
Every move in the cellar is a decision. Here is what it does in the glass.
Every move in the cellar is a decision. Here is what it does in the glass.
Sulfite
Sulfites are sulfur compounds that protect wine from oxygen and unwanted microorganisms. Almost every wine contains some, as fermentation naturally produces sulfur. How much is...
Abstich (Soutirage)
Racking is often described as a technical act of purification: sediment and yeast are separated, the wine becomes "clearer." This description captures the process, but...
BSA
Malolactic fermentation is often reduced to deacidification. This oversimplification overlooks its true significance. The breakdown of malic acid not only alters the acid structure but...
Filtration im Wein
Filtration is often discussed along moral lines: filtered or unfiltered, "pure" or "manipulated." This juxtaposition misses the point in practice. Filtration is not a question...
Trübungen im Wein
Cloudiness is often interpreted as a flaw in everyday life: as a sign of incomplete work, lack of quality control, or improper storage. This interpretation...
Hefelager (Sur Lie)
Yeast aging is often described as a technique: an extended maturation process, a source of specific textures, a means of aromatic concentration. This view is...
Presswein
Pressed wine has a dubious reputation. It is often considered inferior or coarse. This assessment is too simplistic.Pressing releases phenolic compounds that can give the...
Verschluss & Reife
The bottle closure does not determine a wine's taste, but rather the pace of its development. Natural cork, technical cork, and screw caps differ primarily...
Spontangärung
Spontaneous fermentation is considered by many to be the epitome of artisanal authenticity. At the same time, it is seen as an incalculable risk. Both...
Low Intervention
Low intervention means intervening as little as possible in the cellar, and only when there is a clear reason to do so. The term does...
Ausbaugefäße
A fermentation and aging vessel does not determine how a wine tastes, but rather the conditions under which it matures. Whether wood, concrete, clay, or...
Hektarertrag
In viticulture, yield is often understood as a mere quantity. It refers to the number of hectoliters per hectare that a vineyard produces. This number...
Limitierung/Auflage
Limited production in wine is often understood simply as a signal of scarcity. A small number of bottles is perceived as a promise of exclusivity....
Analysewerte
Alcohol content and pH value appear on technical data sheets like dry facts. They seem precise, measurable, and objective. Yet they are frequently misunderstood.Analytical values...
Tannin
Tannin ist der Gerbstoff des Weins: eine Gruppe von Polyphenolen, die vor allem aus Traubenschalen, Kernen und Stielen stammt und beim Ausbau im Holzfass um...
Säure im Wein
Zwei Säuren bestimmen fast alles, was im Glas als Frische ankommt: Weinsäure und Apfelsäure. Beide sind schon in der grünen Beere angelegt, doch ab dem...
Assemblage
Die eigentliche Entscheidung fällt nicht bei der Lese, sondern Monate später an einem Tisch, auf dem die getrennt vergorenen Partien eines Jahrgangs nebeneinander stehen. Eine...
Flaschenform
Wer eine gereifte Sarabande 2015 vorsichtig aus dem Keller holt und sie schräg gegen das Licht hält, sieht am Boden oft einen dunklen Schleier: feine...
Kristalle im Wein
Man zieht den Korken einer gut gereiften Flasche, und an seiner Unterseite glitzern feine, fast durchsichtige Kristalle. Bei einem Weißwein sitzen sie manchmal als heller...