Producer >
In Rudolf’s own words, he feels in “a privileged situation to make a living from 2.5 hectares of vines”. His early years as a boy working with his father, spraying the vines with chemicals and fertilisers led to a realisation that there must be another way. Various figures in his life shaped the direction Rudolf took. It was a book by Rudolf Steiner (the founder of the biodynamic approach to agriculture), that marked the beginning of over 40 years in biodynamic viticulture for the Trossen vines. The purity of the Trossen wines, their filigree minerality and energy seem to reflect the abundance of life both above and below the soils in these vineyards. In the winery, Rudolf takes what could be described as a sympathetic approach coaxing his wines through their ferments, some taking over a year. The purus wines are natural, the others have tiny additions of sulphur to avoid losing the vineyard expression in the glass.
Viticulture >
The wine village Kinheim-Kindel is located in the midst of the ancient cultural landscape of the Middle-Mosel. Already the Celts and Romans were using the ideal climatic conditions to grow wine in the region. Five Roman villas used to exist within the borders of Kinheim-Kindel. In the gravel of one of those villas a unique statue of the Gaulish-Roman god of vintners and coopers, Sucellus, was found.
The soil of weathered grey and blue slate gives fine fruit aromas and stimulating minerality to the wines that are produced here. Wines from Kinheim are rarely heavy and alcoholic but of a delicate fragrance and contained in their saline and cooling zest. The Romans knew why they tended their vines here. Since 1978 we continue their efforts for a natural viticulture. With the help of biodynamic supplements we can incentivise the processes in the vineyards, so our wines can speak of their heritage. "With nature for good wine" is our motto, and our success speaks for itself.
Winemaking >
Through careful manual picking, gentle pressing and slow fermentation, preferably with natural yeast in small barrels, we accomplish the production of our wines so that their heritage, the vineyard so to say, can be perceived. If we succeed, this makes them singular and unmistakeable.
Encouraged by sommeliers and oenophiles we have started to explore the world of "vins naturell". In 2010 we bottled our first Riesling without intervention: nothing added, nothing taken away - no additives and no filtration. Without sulphur as a stabiliser this Riesling develops very differently in smell and taste and reveals hitherto hidden depths and finesse.
We keep these wines on the lees for a very long time and wait until all biological processes have come to an end. Then we fill the wines by hand into champagne bottles and seal them with a crown cap to preserve the natural carbon dioxide. As a result these wines are protected from premature oxidation and can be kept for years.
Riesling, Silvaner
11
GERMANY
6
Cork
Weingut Rudolf Trossen
Biodynamic 
Fact Sheet
