WERMUT ZWEIGELT, NATUR070

Vermouth

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Vermouth is not interpreted here as a traditional apothecary drink or bar spirit, but in the historical context of flavored natural wines. The ideal partner for this concept is Michael Andert, a pioneer of biodynamic viticulture in Austria. For WERMUT ZWEIGELT, NATUR 070, the natural winegrower and herbalist only uses herbs from his own cultivation and foraging. Extraction is done in wine or in a brandy made from marc and wine yeast. The drink is sweetened with home-grown stevia and Demeter honey. WERMUT ZWEIGELT, NATUR 070 is not only a radical project, but also a complex taste experience.

Nose

Rose | sage | honey | rosemary

Taste

Raspberry | rosemary | sour cherry

Finish

Citrus | red currant | umami

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

Classy

Funky

Freaky

Ingredients

Red wine Zweigelt | wine yeast marc eau-de-vie | wormwood | clary sage | thyme | rose | fennel | rosemary | stevia | lemon verbena | sweet clover | honey

Preparation Michael Andert has been working on the production of vermouth at his biodynamic winery in Pamhagen since 2015. He was inspired by the historical use of herbs in wine, as used by the Romans and as described in old books. With his training as a herbalist, he developed this idea further and put it into practice. For the vermouth that Michael produces for the Freimeisterkollektiv, he uses an unsulphurized natural wine that he presses from Zweigelt. The herbs for the vermouth come from his own garden, grow between the vines or are collected from the wild. Some plants are specially cultivated to guarantee the quality and purity of the herbs. The selection of herbs is varied. Ingredients include fennel, sage, wormwood, rue, rosemary, mountain savory, mint and others. Michael explains: "We also sow or plant fennel, for example, because we also need it as a pesticide or tea drug. But most of it grows as a perennial herb. Instead of pepper, which doesn't grow here, we use mountain savory, which tastes so nice and peppery and gives the drink the right aromatic boost. I like lemon verbena because it adds something minty, and thyme gives it something more austere. I try to find the right balance. And clary sage is a very important herb for me. It is so intense, complex and sophisticated. It's like umami in wine. I came across it because the Romans used clary sage to stabilize wine." Unlike many modern methods, where maceration is carried out in high-proof alcohol before the wine is added, Michael extracts the herbs in wine and then gradually adds distillate. He only extracts herbs with a high bitter content in high-proof alcohol and then carefully mixes in this macerate. The basis for the high-proof extracts is a spirit that Michael calls "grape yeast pomace", as this is distilled from fermented, only lightly pressed grapes and wine yeast. It is distilled by his friend and experienced distiller Hermann Nyikos, who is also at home in Pamhagen. Michael adds honey and stevia extract to sweeten it. The honey comes from a nearby Demeter beekeeper. By using home-grown stevia, he only uses natural sweeteners from the region. Michael emphasizes: "I add honey and stevia extract. Stevia grows in my garden. You can harvest it four or five times a year. Just before it blooms." WERMUT ZWEIGELT, NATUR 070 is made entirely from ingredients from the Pannonian region of Seewinkel, with almost all the ingredients coming directly from Michael's vineyard and garden.
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.”