# Haardt Riesling Trocken (2025)

- **Producer:** Weingut Müller-Catoir
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Riesling
- **Region:** Pfalz, Germany
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €23
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** apple, pear, lemon, grapefruit, gooseberry, herbaceous

## About this wine

Weingut Müller-Catoir is one of Germany's most historic estates, family-owned since 1744 and currently run by the ninth-generation owner Philipp David Catoir. Located in the Pfalz region, the estate is famous for its precise, terroir-driven wines. The Haardt Riesling is a VDP.Ortswein (village wine) that acts as a bridge between regional estate bottlings and grand single vineyards. Sourced from the historic, slope-facing vineyards of the Haardt village, it incorporates fruit from premier cru sites like Bürgergarten and Herrenletten, earning it a reputation as a 'giant killer' for offering Grand Cru-level precision at an accessible price.

## Interesting facts

- Known as a 'giant killer' because it incorporates top-grade fruit from premier cru sites like Bürgergarten at a village-wine price.
- The estate has been family-owned since 1744 and is currently managed by the ninth generation of the Catoir family.
- The 2025 vintage was harvested in an early, rapid 'sprint' starting in late August, resulting in tight yields but exceptional concentration.

## Food pairing

This dry Riesling's high acidity and vibrant minerality make it an exceptional partner for fresh seafood and dishes with bright, citrusy, or herbal components. The crispness cuts through light fats, while the clean, unoaked profile respects the delicate flavors of raw shellfish and light vegetarian dishes.

## Wine making process

The grapes are 100% certified organic and hand-harvested. In the cellar, they undergo slow, gentle crushing to allow brief skin contact. Fermentation is initiated spontaneously using natural wild yeasts at low, controlled temperatures strictly inside stainless steel tanks to preserve fresh, clean primary varietal traits. The wine is then matured on its fine lees (sur lie) in stainless steel and remains completely unoaked to maintain terroir purity.