Wine at the 51st Parallel in Saale-Unstrut
Trink Magazine | That viticulture is still possible in Germany’s Saale-Unstrut in an age of climate crisis is due to the microclimate of the valleys and the perseverance of its growers.
Volume 15, Fresh Perspectives
February 2023
Dear Readers,
German-speaking wines are at an inflection point. The “trend” toward all forms of what we might call reasoned viticulture — integrated pest management, organic, biodynamic, and regenerative practices — is moving closer to a norm. As you’ll read in this volume, fresh ideas are sifting into the mindsets of Winzer:innen everywhere. Vineyards will increasingly look as they did a century and more ago. And yet they will look more like
the future, too.
As they push up against the boundaries of extractive systems, they are turning their wineries into motors and models of change. Whether it’s socially minded co-ops and crowd-supported ventures that sustain communities, initiatives that encourage the flourishing of biodiversity, or recultivation of Kulturlandschaften and the products they yield, these are just a few of the causes for hope rooted in our coverage.
In this issue, we hope to breathe fresh life, perspective, and inspiration into the conversation about these developments. We hazard forecasts for the year ahead in our coverage area. We dive into five regions that are transforming themselves in ways big and small: Carnuntum, the southern Mosel (even verging a bit into Luxembourg), Saale-Unstrut, Rheinhessen, and Alto Adige-Südtirol as a whole. We delve into the unexpected raptures of aged Grüner Veltliner and state the case for a rare Swiss variety. In Eat + TRINK we share a reminder of the sweetness and comfort of tradition.
We’d like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to one of the entities that has believed in TRINK from the very beginning. P.J. Valckenberg, historic exporter of German wines, shares our commitment to letting the world in on what makes those wines so singular and dynamic, and how those wines are experienced in Germany today. P.J. Valckenberg underwrote the profiles in our LEARN section, allowing us to share our own fresh take on seven iconic wine regions with you. We will always be grateful for the shared values that brought us together.
A note on the cover art for this volume: “Places” (2022) is an original work in watercolor and india ink by artist and designer Patricia Masibay. Masibay was born in Manila and grew up in Chicago. She currently lives and works in southwest Germany. We are proud to support and feature emerging and established artists in our pages as part of our commitment to independent journalism. We hope you find fresh perspectives here, too.
Happy reading!
Paula Redes Sidore, Bad Honnef
Valerie Kathawala, New York City
