# Wasenhaus Chardonnay Filzen (2024)

- **Producer:** Weingut Wasenhaus
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Baden, Germany
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €45
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** lemon, grapefruit, apple, pear, peach, biscuit, toast, brioche, butter, smoke

## About this wine

Weingut Wasenhaus was founded in Baden by Christoph Wolber and Alexander Götze after they spent nearly a decade learning winemaking at legendary Burgundian estates including Domaine Leflaive, Pierre Morey, and Comte Armand. Bringing Burgundian precision back to their native Germany, they focus on showcasing Baden's distinct limestone and volcanic soils. Filzen is one of their benchmark single-parcel lieux-dits located in Kirchhofen near Staufen, situated on steep west-facing limestone slopes at 300 to 350 meters altitude.

## Interesting facts

- Founders Christoph Wolber and Alexander Götze trained for nearly a decade at top Burgundian estates like Domaine Leflaive.
- The Filzen vineyard features steep limestone slopes that impart intense mineral tension to German Chardonnay.
- Micro-production of this single-cru wine is so limited that allocations are often capped at one bottle per customer.

## Food pairing

The piercing acidity and mineral core of this Chardonnay make it a stunning partner for rich seafood and delicate poultry. The wine's subtle texture from extended lees contact balances butter and cream sauces, while its sharp focus cuts through rich, savory animal fats and aged hard cheeses without cloying.

## Wine making process

Farmed using organic and biodynamic practices, the grapes are harvested by hand from steep limestone plots. Vinification utilizes whole-cluster pressing with traditional screw presses to preserve fine solids. Spontaneous yeast fermentation takes place in neutral French oak barrels. The wine ages 12 months on full lees in barrel followed by 6 months on its total lees in stainless steel tanks before being bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulfur additions.