Not only is this wine a steal (2023 Breumel GG), the whole range from this producer offers exceptional value for money.
In 2018, the Müller-Catoir winery took over sections of the historic Vogelsang vineyard, a terraced southern slope with shell limestone soil above Neustadt, which will be completely rebuilt and cultivated by Müller-Catoir and the Christmann winery step by step by 2020. Already 70 percent of the vineyard area is on slopes. These include such well-known names as Bürgergarten, Herrenletten, Herzog and Mandelring (all Haardt), Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten and Schlössel. All vineyards of the company are classified by the VDP. However, the top vineyards of the estate is clearly the Breumel in den Mauern - the highest and best parcel of the Haardt Bürgergarten. It is the sole property of Müller-Catoir and has preserved its originality for centuries. A high sandstone wall surrounds the plot in a protective manner and creates a very special microclimate. In the morning, the southeast-facing location heats up rapidly, but in the evening it cools down more than the rest of the Bürgergarten due to its proximity to the forest. The soil in the Breumel is also sparser, consisting of red sandstone gravel with a high proportion of weathered material.
The most important grape variety on the Müller-Catoir estate is Riesling. It grows on 60 percent of the vineyard area and the estate owes its history and fame to it. Plant manager and cellar master Martin Franzen seeks freshness and liveliness, fine fruit and complexity, balance and elegance in his Rieslings. He achieves this through slow fermentation and gentle ageing until the filling is as late as possible.
This year, a descendant of the Riesling in the collection presented will attract the greatest attention: the Rieslaner. The new breed from 1921 is a cross between Riesling and Silvaner, which, thanks to its distinctive acidity, has proven itself, especially in the noble sweet segment. It was released for the Palatinate in 1968. Müller-Catoir is considered to be one of the model companies for this grape, which appears as a trio: Auslese, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese mark the top of the range.
The Müller-Catoir estate is a living legend. Founded in 1744, it is run by the family in the ninth generation. The architecture alone is worth a visit. The tasting rooms, in the "old building" as it were, date from the 18th century and the estate was extended to give it its present appearance: impressive Wilhelminian architecture in neoclassical style. For almost 100 years, the company was run by women. The grandmother, the great-grandmother and the great-great-grandmother of the current owner were great wine personalities. In 1968 Jakob Heinrich Catoir took over a property that had been fragmented by inheritance division. Within 40 years, he succeeded in reuniting the company into sole ownership. Jakob Heinrich Catoir and his legendary cellar master Hans-Günther Schwarz led the company to the top of the region and helped it to international recognition. With the transfer of responsibility to the current landowner Philipp David Catoir in 2002, Martin Franzen, who was born on the Moselle, took over responsibility for vineyards and cellars. In 2004, the estate was admitted to the VDP and has been certified organic since 2015.