G’mischter Sotz is Andert Wein’s name for their version of a Gemischter Satz, or a ‘field blend.’ Most blended wines – say, a Bordeaux – are vinified individually, and then the wines blended. In a field blend, the grapes are grown and vinified together. Historically, it might not have even have been known what all the varieties were. I was fortunate enough to visit Michael Andert with my partner-in-wine Julia a few years ago. I’ve met up with him a few times at wine fairs as well. (I’ve met his brother only briefly.) A lovely, kind man. When I came across his wines in the UK – you have to go looking for them – it was time to revisit it. So, yes, I’m probably biased, but I do my best to not let that influence me too much.
In the glass
Cloudy. Dark. Intriguing. Definitely a skin-contact wine, judging from appearance alone. It’s a very appealing colour, even if I don’t know what to call it. A sort of faded orange? A dull amber? TY points out that when you hold it to the light, the sediments swirl and give the appearance of tiger stripes. She has a point about the patterns.
The nose
There’s a hint of very faint – something. Apricot? Dried apricots? Orange peel? TY suggests candied orange overladen with pollen. She’s oddly insistent about the pollen bit.
The palate
I almost cough and choke on the first mouthful. I had taken a gulp, and not a sip. Silly me. But it’s a wonderful wine. It’s fairly full-bodied. There’s a hint of sourness. Apricot, general sour citrus, a hint of orange eventually. A hint of tannins.
Good acidity, and a nice mouthfeel. It’s a wine you can just let sit in your mouth and enjoy the feel of. It’s tart, with just the tiniest hint of a puckering sensation. It invites you to swallow it down, and refill.
It’s not a delicate wine. More of a rough-and-tumble one, but that’s no bad thing. Think charcuterie, summer picnics, strong cheese. It could clean up nicely for a posher dinner, but I think this is its natural home.
Rating
Pretty on the visuals, and an easy Yummy-Plus overall.
Sustainability
Yes. Organic, Biodynamic (Demeter-certified). Low-intervention. Unfined, unfiltered. When I visited Michael Andert, his vineyard was also home to some animals – guinea fowl, chickens who grubbed for insects and helped keep the soil healthy. He said he brought sheep into the vineyards at times to do some trimming. His winery, as I recall, was mostly, if not entirely, gravity-fed. (That bit, admittedly, is from hazy memory.) It’s a full-on ‘vineyard is part of a larger ecosystem’ approach.
The technical info and such
11% ABV. The field blend is apparently a mix of Welschriesling, Rülander, Grüner Veltliner, Chardonnay, Frühroter Veltliner. £23.25 from Good Wine Good People