The Kirchspiel Grosses Gewächs 2012 from Wittmann was served in a bring-a-bottle edition of our wine club.
Weingut Wittmann, based in the village of Westhofen in southern Rheinhessen, has been in the same family since the 17th century. Since taking the reins in the early 1990s, Philipp Wittmann has steered the estate towards organic and later biodynamic viticulture, focusing on low yields, spontaneous fermentations, and wines that speak of their origin. Wittmann joined the VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter) in 2004, and today the weingut is recognised as one of the leading estate in Germany.
Kirchspiel is one of Westhofen’s grand cru vineyards, and some say its most elegant. Facing southeast, it forms a natural amphitheatre that captures the morning sun while remaining exposed to the cooling influence of the Rhine Valley. The soils are rich in limestone with patches of clay, giving rise to wines of finesse, minerality, and finely etched acidity.
Where neighbouring Morstein tends to produce broader, more powerful wines, Kirchspiel is about focus, energy and detail – often the best balanced wine in warmer vintages.
Kirchspiel GG 2012 (Weing. Wittmann)
Still pale with a green-tinged hue. Subtle but layered on the nose: white flowers, lemon zest, yellow plum, beeswax and crushed stone. Taut and linear on the palate, with citrus, orchard fruit, wild herbs and minerals. Textured, chalky. The acidity is bright and persistent, giving the wine a long finish. Still remarkably youthful. Some wines invite celebration; this one invites contemplation.
Price: High