KATLA WINES
Woellstein
Rheinhessen
Jasmine Swan of Katla Wines runs a small négociant project in Woellstein, Germany. Her fruit comes from organically-farmed vineyards located on the steep slopes facing the Moselle river but also from nearby regions such as Nahe and Rheinhessen. On top of looking after her tiny 0.3ha of vines in the Mosel, Jasmine aims to fully manage as many of the plots she works with throughout the year and to harvest everything by hand.
In the cellar, she favours the use of a manual wooden press and neutral vessels for fermentations. Grapes are often de-stemmed and work is carried out without the use of any additions nor corrections. “I make wines that I like to drink, but that don’t essentially go along with the traditional style of the area where I am based at. I prefer to make my own traditions, instead of following others.”
Sassy
Vintage 2022
Style Sparkling
Region Rheinhessen, Pfalz & Nahe
Varieties Grüner Veltliner, Kerner, Pinot Blanc, Riesling
ABV 11%
Soils
Farming Organic
Winemaking A blend of 40% Grüner Veltliner, 30% Kerner, 20% Pinot Blanc and 10% Riesling. The Grüner is sourced in Pfalz and does a semi-carbonic maceration for 5 days. The Riesling on the other hand, comes from Rheinhessen and spends only 3 on the skins. The Kerner and Pinot Blanc, which are grown in Nahe, don’t see any maceration and are instead direct pressed feeding straight into stainless steel vats.
Tasting Note A lightly macerated pet-nat showcasing vibrant notes of mandarin, spicy ginger tones and citrus pith. All sustained by a lovley freshnes.
Queendom
Vintage 2022
Style Sparkling Rosé
Region Rheinhessen & Pfalz
Varieties Pinot Gris, Dornfelder, Riesling
ABV 10.5%
Soils
Farming Organic
Winemaking A blend of 50% Pinot Gris, 40% Dornfelder and 10% Riesling. Whilst all grapes are processed separately in stainless steel, both Dornfelder and Riesling are direct pressed. Whole bunches of Pinot Gris instead undergo a semi-carbonic maceration which lasts approximately three weeks. The Riesling comes from Pfalz but the other two are sourced from vineyards closer to Jas’ cellar in Eckelsheim, Rheinhessen.
Tasting Note An elegantly fruity sparkling red, filled with notes of lingonberries, cranberries and red cherries.
Helja
Vintage 2020
Style White
Region Nahe
Varieties Riesling
ABV 12%
Soils Clay, slate
Farming Organic
Winemaking One hundred percent Riesling, hand-harvest and direct pressed to ferment on indigenous yeast in stainless steel. Bottled with a tiny bit of residual sugar which naturally converted into a gentle effervescence.
Tasting Note A wonderful, semi-dry riesling. The residual sugar is exceptionally well balanced, making this
a stunning wine to accompany spicier dishes. Aromatic and fruit forward with apricot, pear and a touch of honey. With an elegantly integrated acidity, this is a truly exceptional Riesling.
Hilda
Vintage 2021
Style Orange
Region
Varieties Riesling, Kerner
ABV 10%
Soils
Farming Organic
Winemaking Hilda was supposed to be a mono varietal Riesling but Jasmine wasn’t fully convinced by the final result. These Riesling grapes had a pronounced acidity due to the lack of sunshine and constant rain throughout the season. As such, Jas decided to blend lower acidity Kerner to raise the PH of the wine and ensure a successful malolactic conversion. The Riesling grapes were direct pressed and the Kerner underwent 14 days of maceration on the skins.
Tasting Note White pear, tangerine zest, hint of struck match and sage. The palate is crisp and zingy with a slight effervescence and notes of lemon and chamomile.
Piquette Chavy Schique
Vintage 2022
Style Piquette
Region
Varieties Pinot Gris, Riesling
ABV 6%
Soils
Farming Organic
Winemaking Skin contact Pinot Gris is blended with unfermented Riesling.
Tasting Note
Doris
Vintage 2022
Style Rosé
Region Eckelsheim, Rheinhessen
Varieties Dornfelder, Riesling
ABV 9.5%
Soils
Farming Organic
Winemaking Both grapes are direct pressed in to create a light and vibrant rosé. Dornfelder and Riesling are picked separately and kept separate throughout the vinification process, only blended before going into bottle. A minimal dose of sulphur was added at the time of bottling.
Tasting Note Elegant strawberry fruit, kirsch and sweeter notes are lifted by a sharp minerality and salivating finish.
Dimon
Vintage 2021
Style Orange
Region
Varieties Pinot Gris
ABV 10%
Soils
Farming Organic
Winemaking Half of the juice undergoes a semi carbonic maceration and the other half is de-stemmed and macerated on the skins for 14 days. The wine is then aged in old barriques for around a year.
Tasting Note Blood orange, roses, ginger A beautiful colour characteristic of this grape leads to a very aromatic nose with aromas of fresh nectarine, peach ice tea, blood orange and an earthy note. Refreshing but with a lovely fleshier bite on the palate from the skin contact period.
Some Kind of Peace
Vintage 2022
Style Orange
Region Pfalz & Nahe
Varieties Riesling, Kerner
ABV 11%
Soils Clay, Sand
Farming Organic
Winemaking A blend of de-stemmed Kerner and direct press Riesling, sealed for 2 weeks from oxygen exposure. This encouraged the fermentation not only of the direct press juice but also an internal fermentation of the Kerner grapes.
Tasting Note A collaboration with Grammy nominated
Icelandic musician and artist Ólafur
Arnalds (latest album Some kind od P
eace/soundtrack broadchurch/bbc
podcast ultimate calm).
A playful elegant and soothing amber wine showcasing oxidative savoury notes of brioche, cedar, honey and calendula.
Heks
Vintage 2021
Style Red
Region
Varieties Regent, Pinot Blanc, Riesling
ABV 11%
Soils
Farming Organic
Winemaking
Tasting Note ‘Heks’ stands for ‘Witch’ in Norwegian. A blend of (Witch in Norwegian): A blend of Regent, Pinot Blanc and Riesling made in a dark rosé or metisse style. A playful wine that
will hopefully be in the future Jasmine's take on a “Cuvée rot, roetlich”. This is light and pale with aromas fresh raspberry, dried goji berry and wild mint. On the palate a refreshing minerality is lifted by a delicate effervescence. Wonderful chilled.
Bara
Vintage 2021
Style Red
Region
Varieties Blaüfrankisch
ABV 11%
Soils
Farming Organic
Winemaking 100% Blaüfrankisch grapes macerated for 2 weeks. Half of the grapes are processed as whole bunches and the other half as direct pressed juice that is used to submerge the whole bunches. The wine is vinified in a closed tank to avoid any exposure to oxygen. Daniel Sage often makes wines in this way and this is where Jas has go her inspiration from.
Tasting Note A pale delicate red with perfumed sour cherry, blossom, dried earth and a herbal lift. Works very well chilled.
Móa
Vintage 2022
Style Red
Region Eckelsheim, Rheinhessen
Varieties Merlot
ABV 12%
Soils Limestone, Clay
Farming Organic
Winemaking A blend of whole bunches and crushed fruit is vinified in stainless steel. Followed by 3 weeks of maceration in old barriques sourced from Greg Guillaume in the Ardéche.
Tasting Note An homage to Ardéche, an elegant
sophisticated red wine, that is
clean and silky. Notes of blueberry blend in with savoury cedar notes. Can be aged, can be drunk.