Review: Wittmann, 100 Hills, Pinot Blanc

I’ve commented before about how mind blowing it is to me when I come across a European vineyard that has been in the same family for hundreds of years and this is another one of those stories. The wine estate of Weingut Wittmann has been operated by the Wittmann family since 1663. That’s over 350 vintages of experience, spanning across 15 generations. Now that’s a lot of winemaking.

And while there is a long and rich history of winemaking in this family, they don’t just do the same thing every year. They’ve evolved with the times. For example, they were early adopters of modern organic and biodynamic viticultural practices — which they began using in 1990 and 2004 respectively.

The Wittmann estate is in the Rheinhessen region, in the village of Westhofen. Their “100 Hills” product line is their entry-level wine (i.e., most affordable, which is music to my ears).

Wet stone aromas dominate the nose of this wine, with subtle layers of peach, pear, honeysuckle and herbs in the background. The palate is light but bright and crisp, offering tart lemon, peach and granny smith apple flavors. It’s quite minerally on the palate too, displaying both some flinty and salty characteristics. The mouthfeel is pleasant and slightly creamy. The finish is fairly long with salty tart apple flavors.

Wine: Wittmann, 100 Hills, Pinot Blanc
Varieties: 100% pinot blanc
Vintage: 2017
Alcohol: 12%
Rating: 88
Average price: $18.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.