Wiltingen, Saar, Mosel, Germany
Wines by Roman Niewodniczanski
Varietals and key wines include; ‘GG’, Saar Riesling
In the far western corner of Germany, in the historic centre of Wiltingen on the Saar, are the ancient vineyards that form part of the Van Volxem estate.
Vineyards were originally planted by the Romans in the third century. In the 11th century, monks rediscovered the vineyards before they became part of a monastery winery under the Jesuit order in the 17th century. Latterly, the winery was run by the estate’s namesake, the Van Volxem family, before Roman Niewodniczanski took over the winery in 2000.
The wines of the Saar are given their character by the mineral-rich, fertile slate soils and the prevailing cool climate. Harvesting happens by hand, with conscientious selection guaranteeing consistently high quality. Largely rootless vines have been perched on the great sites for many decades.
Van Volxem produces exclusively natural wines, which means no additives and a lower alcohol content. The winery produces great site wines in limited quantities, as well as more unusual estate wines. The average estate vine is 35 years old. In the Wiltinger Gottesfuß vineyard, one of the steepest Saar vineyards, there are Riesling vines over 130 years in age.
The wines are spontaneously fermented, with a long maturation period, and artisanal ageing without preservatives. Van Volxem ensures its wines follow in the footsteps of its ancestors: ‘We follow this legacy of sustainable wine production with a winery with the highest ecological and social sustainability standards’.
