Leon Gold 'Rosè Gold' 2023 1L

The vibe: This textural German rosè is a cheerful blend of Trollinger and Muskat-Trollinger that will blast you off to bramble town. A heckin’ liter of blood orange, zesty orange marmalade, and dusty brambleberries. Muskat-Trollinger is a black grape grown for both wine production and table consumption, which makes it a great candidate for rosè as it is juicy, sweet and not overly tannic, and lends some great color. Speaking of color, hold this up to the light for a second. This is the perfect autumnal rosè; hefty in its hue but not overly dense on the palate, restrained in its structure but doesn’t fall apart as you’re drinking it either. It might even have some slight bubbles in the glass depending on the bottle. It’s the perfect wine for both unseasonably warm fall days and wet, rainy days at home watching reruns.

The winemaker: Leon Gold was fascinated with wine from a young age, growing up next to neighbors with vines. After training in Oenology, he founded his own winery in the Swabia region of Germany, Württemberg to be exact. According to the motto "quality arises in the vineyard and not just in the cellar,” a healthy dose of idealism and perseverance is needed to produce a special quality of wine instead of "Goldgräberstimmung" (digging for gold). Knowing the importance of biological cycles and moon phases, Leon chooses to support the wild balance in the vineyard, forgoing synthetic agents and instead using specially prepared compost. In taking a step back and letting nature run its course, Leon has found his own gold. His vines are healthy and abundant, standing on layers of gypsum keuper, red sandstone, Bunte marl and pebble sandstone. These layers of terroir translate to layers of texture in the glass : the embodiment of independent, living wines.

The geeky details: A thirty-six hour maceration of Trollinger and Muskat-Trollinger from 45 year old vines. Aged in stainless steel. Sandstone and marl soils.

Serve: With a chill.

Food pairing: Blackberry strudel, Kürbissuppe pumpkin soup, currywurst?? Treat it like a light red wine rather than a rosè.  

Album pairing: Melodiesinfonie – Softboi