9 months agoThis pairing is truly special! Because here we are witnessing a genuinely significant meeting of generations. Our Franconian, Manfred Rothe, uncompromisingly follows his philosophy, shaped by his boundless commitment to nature and species conservation. Nearly 40 years ago, he decided to forego artificial fertilizers, glyphosate, and pesticides of any kind in the vineyard. Manfred says he is still delighted by anyone who wants to embrace this approach in future agriculture. And the future is on his side at FrankenFreunde, with the Hainbusch winery! Luisa Hodbod and Elias Hippert met in 2021 during their winemaking training. In Geisenheim, where Luisa still studies today, they made plans and now proudly call their own winery on the Middle Rhine their home. In the small town of Kaub, they have everything—except a fear of heights! Here, they tend to vines in steep and very steep locations. Their uncompromising pursuit of quality is shared with Manfred, making it clear that the commitment of both wineries has nothing to do with compromising on quality. It’s no surprise that the statements from both establishments sound like little love letters. Luisa and Elias express their admiration for how long Manfred has been committed to organic practices and how deeply he engages in this field. Additionally, he was a pioneer for amphora wine in Germany alongside Peter Jakob Kühn! And Manfred says, “It’s quite a challenge to farm organically in steep, small plots—respect!” Then he tries the Hainbusch Riesling, a ‘real’ Riesling, a delightful treat for the palate, with beautiful, fresh acidity. He also describes the Spätburgunder from the Middle Rhine as a distinctive representative of its family. Luisa and Elias tasted the Silvaner Indigenius, which they liked very much. It is not, as often seen in the orange wine category, rough and over-extracted, but rather very fine, with a lovely salty tannin structure. “That’s how orange should be fun!” We are so excited about this Franconian and his friends, about excellent wines and great entertainment. Sure that!
