Martin Wassmer Dottinger Castellberg Grosses Gewächs 2018

Weingut Martin Waßmer is a respected family estate based in Bad Krozingen in the Markgräflerland region of Baden in southwest Germany, close to the borders with Alsace and Switzerland. Founded in 1998 by Martin Waßmer, the winery quickly gained recognition for producing Burgundian inspired wines that reflect the warm climate and limestone rich soils of southern Baden. The estate farms vineyards in some of the region’s finest sites, including the steep Dottinger Castellberg, which is classified as a Grosses Gewächs site under the VDP system. The vineyards lie on terraces of limestone and marl with sections of loess and weathered limestone scree, soils that provide excellent drainage and minerality. Viticulture follows careful sustainable practices with low yields and meticulous hand harvesting, although the estate is not formally certified organic or biodynamic. The warm and sunny 2018 vintage in Baden produced ripe, expressive wines with generous fruit, balanced acidity and excellent concentration.

Martin Waßmer Dottinger Castellberg Grosses Gewächs 2018 is produced from 100% Spätburgunder grown on the steep limestone slopes of the Castellberg vineyard. After careful manual harvesting, the grapes undergo traditional fermentation with extended skin contact to extract colour and structure. The wine is then aged for around 18 months in French oak barriques, a proportion of which are new, allowing the wine to develop complexity while preserving its fine fruit character. In the glass it shows aromas of ripe cherry, wild strawberry, subtle spice, forest floor and delicate smoky oak. The palate is elegant and structured with silky tannins, vibrant acidity and a long mineral finish that reflects the limestone terroir. It pairs beautifully with roast duck, venison, mushroom dishes and game birds. The 2018 vintage is drinking very well now but has the structure to evolve further over the next 8–12 years. Highly praised by critics, the wine received 95 points from James Suckling, who described it as “a beautifully balanced Spätburgunder with fine tannins, bright fruit and impressive depth.”