(Manfred Klimek / WELT am SONNTAG)
German wine drinkers are familiar with their traditionally prized wine-growing regions: the Moselle, the Rheingau, the Roter Hang in Rheinhessen, the vast and diverse Palatinate, the beautiful slopes near Radebeul on the outskirts of Dresden, and to a lesser extent Baden – particularly the vast Kaiserstuhl vineyard there. But deep in the far south-west of Germany, not a few kilometres below the Kaiserstuhl and wedged between France, Switzerland and the Black Forest, lies a wine-growing region that has little in common with the traditional image of German viticulture: the largely unknown Markgräflerland. In the evening, the Black Forest sends cool air into the vineyards; the Upper Rhine retains the day’s warmth; and Alsace is often just a few minutes’ drive away – and yet the wines there taste fundamentally different from those on the German side of the Rhine
The reason for this distinctiveness lies in the Markgräflerland’s leading white grape variety: Chasselas. No other grape variety is better suited to our times: moderate alcohol levels, delicate floral aromas, often accompanied by notes of hazelnut and almond, coupled with an unwavering smoothness on the palate.
The Blankenhorn winery in Schliengen also marks the very south-westernmost tip of German winegrowing – a few minutes’ drive and you’re at the Swiss border. Just across the border, in Switzerland, there are a few interesting winemakers too, but that’s where winegrowing quickly comes to an end.
At Blankenhorn, they demonstrate in a truly impressive manner the potential that lies within this region. Ever since Martin Männer took over the business from the family and shaped it into what it is today (including a spectacularly beautiful new building with ample space and a professional kitchen for gastronomic events), work here has been carried out with great dedication. No wine is run-of-the-mill or trendy; no wine tries to chase trends. The cellar is state-of-the-art, and the cellar master, Christoph Fischer, is the sort of introverted tinker who has found in Martin Männer a boss who knows full well that this tinkering also requires freedom: a freedom that he must finance even in economically challenging times such as these. The Blankenhorn team’s signature style is characterised by precision, patience and a remarkably analytical understanding of what wine is expected to deliver today. And it is a signature style that makes itself felt through the estate’s winemaking culture, which incorporates the element of recognisability. In other words: Blankenhorn wines leave behind enough flavour and aroma to be recognised as Blankenhorn wines at any time.
Even the local wine, the Schliengen-Chasselas 2024 (€13.50), proves that great drinking pleasure needs no extravagant gestures: apricot, a hint of bay leaf, a touch of meadow herbs, and absolutely delicious on the palate. The premier cru Chasselas ‘Schlienger Kirchberg Le Clocher 2022’ (€22.50) gains depth and salinity without losing any of its playful elegance. This is precisely where its greatness lies, and where the greatness of the cellar master lies, who imbues the wines with a kind of pop-cultural relevance – wines like catchy tunes somewhere between The Beatles and Oasis.
The ‘Große Lage’ Chardonnay from the ‘Sonnenstück’ (2021 vintage, €35.00) also displays that controlled power which is increasingly rare these days – and, moreover, proves just how elegantly subtle the use of oak can be. It has body on the palate, yet isn’t a gram too heavy. The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot ‘Postillon’ (€42.00) is a curious, utterly successful Bordeaux from Germany that makes one thing clear: we can do this too – even if nobody’s singing its praises. Finally, the Crémant Réserve Brut Nature (€35.00) is particularly impressive; after 72 months’ ageing on the lees, it has developed a precision rarely encountered in this price range – a distinctly German sparkling wine with a recognisably cosmopolitan style. It would be hard to do better.