Oliver Zeter is one of the upcoming wine producers, making some of the finest and most interesting wine in the Pfalz. From his winery on the edge of Haardt he makes wines from both his 6 hectare of vines and from his partners vines throughout the Pfalz.
From a trip to South Africa early in his career he developed a passion for Sauvignon Blanc, which manifested in him planting 7 different clones in 7 different vineyards perfect for the variety. His Sauvignon Blanc Fumé is one of the highlights of his portfolio
The Bear
The drinking bear that adorns the label comes from the quill of a well known Pfalz artist named Otto Dill, a friend of Oliver’s great grandfather Walter Baer (German for bear). On one occasion in 1933 Walter was unable to meet his friends for a regular ‘glass of wine or two’ and the artist sent the sketch on a postcard to his friend Walter the ‘bear’, and the postcard was signed by all the friends present that day. Oliver has the postcard in his kitchen. He declared that the bear had been with him all his life and when he made wine he would go on the label.
The Wines
Sauvignon Blanc Fumé 2017 -£22
The grapes from the 7 different sites are crushed and then the must undergoes spontaneous fermentation in new French Oak barrels. The wine is then transferred to stainless steel tanks and matures on lees until the next Summer.
This sparkling wine is made in the Champagne method from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This elegant sparkling wine is handcrafted and spends 64 months sur lie. No sugar (dosage) is added after disgorging. It has lovely crisp apple notes, bright citrus and finishes long and mineral.
Nussriegel Riesling 2017 – £16.99
This wine comes from the Nussriegel district near Ungstein, which is characterized by sandy soil. It slopes to the south facing the finest sites in Mittelhaardt. The vineyard lies in the immediate vicinity of the Grand Cru site Weilberg and was planted in 1976. Following fermentation the wine was kept on its lees until the following spring. A delightful dry Riesling with good texture.
This Bordeaux-style blend is made from 45% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a beautifully balanced wine with divine dark fruit and finely grained tannins. Drinking well now, it does though have the bones for further cellaring.
Goldschatz, Trockenbeerenauslese NV 375ml – £26 OUT OF STOCK!
This multi vintage blend is also a blend of four different grapes: Sauvignon Blanc, Rieslnaer, Ortega, Huxelrebe. It is exceptionally exotic with yellow apricot fruit along with nougat. A lovely accompaniment to desserts such as apricot tart or warm brownies with vanilla ice cream.