Hexamer Spätburgunder Weissherbst Halbtrocken Nahe 2020

“When, like us, you’ve been cultivating your own vineyards for generations, then ‘sustainability’ becomes literally tangible,” says Harald Hexamer, second-generation winemaker and owner of Weingut Hexamer. Though they are still in the process of converting to organics, since taking the reins from parents Helmut and Elizabeth in the late 1990s, he and his wife Petra have increasingly worked to make operations more environmentally sound throughout their entire estate. Their 18 hectares (about 45 acres) of vines are pruned diligently, fertilized only by humus, straw and stable manure, and hand harvested; wines are bottled in lightweight glass bottles (which use less energy to produce); and the winery is powered partially by solar. Even their furniture is made exclusively with wood from their own forests. With the hope of delivering maximum flavor impact, the wines are bottled early and are usually released with a bit of age. This one certainly leaves an impression. Opening with a bit of a sizzle on the palate, it delivers loads of strawberry and cream, with a dab of sweetness, finishing with a cleansing squeeze of lemon. Sustainably grown.