2020 Marto Manna

WINEMAKER: Martin Wörner
REGION: Rheinhessen, GER
VARIETAL: Portugieser, Scheurebe
VITICULTURE: Organic

The red answer to Weiss! A blend of Portugieser and Scheurebe off clay limestone soils. Partial co-fermentation of the grapes, additionally some portugieser was direct pressed and some Scheurebe macerated. Elevaged in old oak for 10 months prior to blending and bottling. A chilled red here, please don’t serve white wine cold. Sappy and crunchy initially. Energetic with freshness and some sour cherries. As it opens and warms up so do the aromas. Lifted red fruits, gala apples, tangerine. Cherries and goji berries. Expressive, wet stone minerality. A delicious first release.

Martin comes from an agriculture background, his grandfather was a pioneer—a grape grower that was one of the first in their village of Flonheim to bottle wine under his own banner rather than selling the grapes to the co-op. Martin’s father did not have much interest in the vineyards, making his livelihood instead farming strawberries. The family continued to maintain the vineyards, but until Martin took over in 2015, all the fruit was sold to the co-op.

Martin sought out experience from some of the best producers. In 2015 he worked at Gut Oggau with Eduard and Stephanie Tscheppe and in 2016 at Matassa with Tom Lubbe. His time with Tom was to be the most influential, and he still seeks his guidance when needed (Tom also gifted him two old demi-muds for his first harvest).