A week with Wein Goutte in September last year painted a fuller picture of the people and the place behind these wines. Harvest was drawing to an end and the farm cats were probably the only members of the gang who'd had enough sleep, but Emily and Christoph gave a warm welcome and proceeded to cook up a storm on a daily basis, accompanied by wines that consistently hit the spot. Both chefs in their previous careers, Emily went on to work as a sommelier, wine director and writer, and Christoph studied oenology before their paths crossed by chance at Weingut Weninger in Austria. They've now been making wine for five years on the edge of Hüttenheim, where the houses dwindle and vines populate the slopes below the Steiger forest. The wines are sure-footed and serious, with names that give a glimpse of Emily and Christoph’s playful nature. The sleek branding by Simon Roy, designer, longtime friend and regular harvest support, was inspired by fruit stickers; compact and contemporary interruptions on a plain-coloured background. Line several bottles up along a shelf, and they form a deeply satisfying palette. Names are scribbled on a rolling list until their match emerges in the cellar, each capturing a moment, a line from a song, or a snapshot of a bigger story. Pasta Buzz, for the carb-fuelled high of an indulgent plate, Puffy Shirt, an ode to the shirts of pirates, Prince and Seinfeld, and What Time is Too Late to Go to Bed? ‘For farmers probably 9pm, but you can decide for yourselves’.
As for Schlado, it stands for ‘Scheiß langer Donnerstag’, a reference to the introduction of Thursday late night shopping in Germany which employees, clearly, were unimpressed by. A well-earned glass after a long day, or simply a joyful bottle alongside dinner – great with mushrooms, radicchio, sweetbreads or sausages. Made with 55% Regent, 25% Domina, 10% Pinot Meunier (Schwarzriesling), 5% Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder) and 5% co-planted PIWI varieties, it was aged in stainless steel and barrel, with a micro dose of sulphur pre-bottling. Drink slightly chilled.