WERMUT ROSÉ, NATUR071

Vermouth

WERMUT ROSÉ, NATUR 071 is the second vermouth that Austrian pioneer of biodynamic wine-growing and herbalist, Michael Andert, created for Freimeisterkollektiv. The process starts by the traditional wine stomping of Zweigelt grapes. After allowing skin contact for just a few hours, the obtained juice is then stored in 500 liter barrels made from Hungarian oak. The herbs used for this vermouth, which are either grown in Michael’s garden or foraged by himself, macerate directly in the wine for the period of a year. Merely the bitter drugs, such as wormwood, are extracted by Michael in an eau-de-vie made from wine yeasts and pomace. As sweeteners he uses honey (1 kg per 500 l of wine) and home-grown stevia. WERMUT ROSÉ, NATUR 071 is characterized by a perfect balance of fresh aromas, fine acidity and great complexity.

Nose

fresh | hay flowers | honey | strawberry jam

Taste

citrus | mint | strawberry | sage

Finish

menthol | bitter aromas | tannins

  • Vegan
  • Maceration
  • Fermentation by Freimeister
  • Pot still
  • Fractionating column
  • Barrel aging

Classy

Funky

Freaky

Ingredients

Rosé wine (Zweigelt) | honey | wine yeast marc eau-de-vie | wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) | southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) | sage | rue (Ruta graveolens) | fig leaf | Moroccan mint | sweet clover | stevia

Preparation Pamhagen in Seewinkel is the home of Michael Andert, who grows wine, herbs and vegetables here. The region is the beginning of the Pannonian Plain and is framed by the Hungarian border to the south and east. To the west lies Lake Neusiedl, a true steppe lake. The regionally popular red wine variety Zweigelt forms the basis for this rosé vermouth, as it does for WERMUT ZWEIGELT, NATUR 070. However, this WERMUT ROSÉ, NATUR 071 has a different character, is fresher, lighter and more aromatic than its stronger and more austere relative. After pressing by stamping with his feet, Michael only leaves the wine on the skins for a short time. Nevertheless, the wine quickly takes on the red color of the grape skin. Over the years, Michael has noticed that the color stability of his grapes has improved ever since he stopped using conventional pesticides. For many years, he has only used various herbal teas as plant protection products. For example, he fights powdery mildew with fennel tea. Michael fights for the health of his grapes with various herbal extracts. He uses wormwood, horsetail, sage, willow bark (salicin) and laurel as natural plant protection. The rosé wine is flavored with various herbs in oak barrels. In addition to wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), Michael uses rue, boar's rue, sage, sweet clover and various types of mint, especially maroon mint. This liqueur wine is blended with a brandy that a neighboring distillery distills for him from his wine yeast, marc and grape juice. WERMUT ROSÉ, NATUR 071 is finished off with stevia from its own cultivation and honey. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Pamhagen | Seewinkel Burgenland | AT
  • Michael Andert

    Winemaker, Herbalist | Pamhagen, AT

    Michael Andert is a natural winegrower and herbalist whose family roots are deeply planted in the Pannonian region of Seewinkel. This Burgenland region is located to the east of Lake Neusiedl and is characterized by a unique climate and special topography. The proximity to the lake creates mild temperatures. The landscape is characterized by vineyards and the characteristic steppes of the Seewinkel.

    Michael grew up on a small farm as the second eldest of eight siblings and the eldest son. His career as a farmer was both predetermined and his wish, he emphasizes. After completing his training in viticulture and cellar management, including the master winegrower’s examination, he worked for a winery that he converted to biodynamics. Michael gained his first experience with biodynamic agriculture and Demeter in 1999, and this experience had a lasting influence on his view of viticulture. In 2003, he also converted his own winery to biodynamic methods.

    Andert’s wine philosophy reflects not only his connection with nature, but also the influences of the unique Seewinkel terroir. He is convinced that the combination of wine and herbs is also ecologically sustainable. Michael says: “I was surprised at the variety of herbs that really make sense in wine. I will never let go of this topic. It suits our farm, because there is wine, vegetables, herbs, you can mix the order now. It’s also rural, it’s a sensible agricultural way of combining products from different gardens.”

    For him, biodynamic viticulture is the only way to preserve the soil, because this variant does not require any additional nutrients for the soil. But he also points out that consumers today are also asking what they eat and drink. “If I think about it, I have to ask myself what happens before something ends up in my glass or on my plate. And the big issue is, logically, climate change. With this concept, this way of farming, you can counteract that.”