The grapes for La Bohème ’21 come from old Gutedel vineyards in Haltingen, harvested after the Pinot varieties and carefully selected in the vineyard. It’s a process that takes time, but guarantees healthy grapes arriving in the winery for vinification. The result is a charming Gutedel with balanced acidity that dances between grass and pear. Cloudy but not funky, entry level but enticing. A wine with a quiet softness that represents both the region and a local variety.

For this light-bodied Gutedel, two thirds of the grapes were direct pressed and fermented in wooden barrels, with the remainder destemmed and mash fermented for 12 days before pressing and fermenting dry in wooden barrels. After more than 9 months on full lees in the barrel, the wine was drawn off and prepared for bottling. A young wine with surprising structure given its low alcohol content and as refreshing as cool springwater on a hot summer’s day.

This is the first Gutedel from Max and Karo, made in a cellar shared with a fellow winemaker. The grapes are from their own vineyards as well as other producers, all grown on loess, loam and marl and farmed organically for over 20 years. A low alcohol Gutedel, aged for 11 months with 70% in amphora and the remainder in used barrels. Crisp, fresh and lightly reductive.