Winemaker Notes
Harvested from a single parcel of 35 year-old Müller-Thurgau vines, Fritz Rurale Brut Zero is made using the so-called "ancestral" method, whereby the primary fermentation is completed in bottle, capturing both the carbon dioxide and yeast. The wine displays ripe apple, pear and pineapple aromas, and a hint of Muscat-like aromas. The palate is richer and the bubbles are more intense that the Perlwein bottling.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
