VetterSylvaner “GK” 2021 (750ml)

The vineyard Stefan farms, the Kalbenstein, is in the village of Gambach. Thus, in the German parlance we’d say: “Gambacher Kalbenstein.” As Vetter bottles everything as Landwein, he is not allowed to use the village nor vineyard name. So the top, TOP selection from all the terraces of the site are bottled as the “GK.” If the Sandstein and Muschelkalk impress by pure intensity and rawness, the GK is a wine of feather-like weight and perfect harmony without any seam or ending, as if plucked directly from the vine. It is breathtaking, jaw dropping, spellbinding. Pure shells: a more mineral wine would be hard to find. This is profound juice.

Vetter’s technique is worth noting, as it’s unique. The grapes are whole-cluster pressed without any maceration or crushing and put directly into old/neutral barrels. The wine is topped up while in barrel, but not sulfured. The wines are normally racked only once and then bottled unfined and unfiltered with lower SO2.