VDP.ESTATE
RUDOLF FÜRST

VDP: What is so special about your winery?

Paul Fürst: Our top competence in Spätburgunder. The mild climate in the Miltenberg valley creates ideal conditions for this grape variety.

Our estate is designed entirely for the production of the highest quality Pinot Noir: the vines are rooted in stony red variegated sandstone soils, only the best small berry Pinot Noir types grow in our dense plantations, and they are aged exclusively in wooden barrels. In addition to the Pinot Noir, we also cultivate the traditional indigenous Pinot Noir grape variety Frühburgunder on 1.7 hectares in Bürgstadt.

VDP: What is your winery philosophy?

Sebastian Fürst: The special vineyards are cultivated individually, depending on the microclimate and geology in dense plantations and on extremely steep terraces in the best locations of the area. We even cultivate the soil in the terraced vineyards with a hand hoe and fertilize with our own compost.

And we focus on a variety of greening and herbicide-free cultivation. All this has the aim of producing the best grapes, which clearly reflect the character of origin. In the cellar it is very traditional - keyword "Low Tech". The wines are stored on the yeast for a long time, we only clarify them by long storage in the Pièce and decant the barrels individually. Filling takes place without filtration.

VDP: To which wine style do you aspire?

Paul Fürst: With Riesling, we want to preserve the crystalline style that the stony red soils make possible. For the Pinots we rely on very moderate extraction and long storage in pièce barrels to achieve a brilliant ruby red colour, freshness, silkiness and an intense, long finish. The Pinots should also make an elegant, fresh impression in the mouth and their power should gradually evolve there.

VDP: Which of your wines would you recommend to someone who does not yet know your winery – as an introduction, so to speak?

Sebastian Fürst: Bürgstadter Spätburgunder VDP.ORTSWEIN

VDP: Of which wine are you particularly proud?

Paul Fürst: White: VDP.GROSSE LAGE^® CENTGRAFENBERG Riesling GG; Red: VDP.GROSSE LAGE^® HUNDSRÜCK Spätburgunder GG.

VDP: Why did you become a vintner?

Paul Fürst: I have helped with the vineyards and farm since childhood. I started my apprenticeship at Schloss Johannisberg in 1971, where I was able to taste several matured Johannisberg vintages, for example 1911, 1921, 1945, 1959. That impressed me deeply.

VDP: Do you have role models?

Paul Fürst: There are several role models that are true-to-style, hands-on vintners such as Wilhelm Haag. And then there is the constant inspiration from the circle of German-speaking Pinot pioneer friends: Joachim Heger, Werner Knipser, Werner Näkel, Bernd Philippi, Daniel Gantenbein...

VDP: What are your next goals?

Paul Fürst: Continuous development of quality production in the vineyard.