Two rows of ungrafted Portugieser vines, planted in 1906, offer us one of Germany's most curious and singular wines.
This is an art project, an act of cultural preservation, and the world's greatest expression of Portugieser.
As it turns out, Andreas Durst is actually an artist.
He has made his living over the years as a photographer; only in the last few decades has he engaged deeply with winemaking. Yet he has done so on a profoundly intimate scale.
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Andreas farms less than one hectare in total. These two rows of Portugieser represent the soul of his estate. These vines have been overlooked because they have no obvious commercial value.
Andreas has brought these vines back to life and shaped from them a singular wine: complex, almost labyrinthine, revealing layer and layer as it expands in the glass.
This is a bottle we have been obsessed with for years.
The quivering minerality makes the wine feel like it must come from some alpine region - the Savoie or Alto Adige. The delineated and saturating flavors, dark and herbal, leather and flowers, recall the Nebbiolos of Italy's more northern haunts: the Piedmont carved in limestone.
This is Portugieser, and the very fact that you have no reference point is the very reason to make the leap!
The 2022 - this is the current release - has just landed! The last time we were able to secure a small stash of this wine was nearly three years ago. This old-vine red will continue to develop well for another five years.
This is also just a perfect fall wine; the aromatics of flower and soil, the fresh red-berried fruit and darker tones feel both fresh and warming. The piquant acidity keeps it refreshing. This is a bottle that you shouldn't miss.
To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits
