Weingut Cantzheim - "die Gärtnerin" Riesling Feinherb 2024

Weingut Cantzheim was founded in 2016 by Anna and Stephan Reimann, a husband-and-wife team whose backgrounds in horticulture, agronomy and winemaking brought them to the Saar with a shared ambition: to revive neglected steep-slope vineyards and make precise, site-driven Rieslings from some of the region’s most distinctive slate soils. Their story began with two hectares of abandoned parcels in the Kanzemer Sonnenberg, followed by the acquisition and rehabilitation of additional vineyards in Kanzem, Saarburg, Wiltingen, Filzen, Ayl and Wawern. Anna studied viticulture and enology in Montpellier and has extensive experience in the Mosel wine trade, while Stephan, who grew up in a family of gardeners, holds a doctorate in plant pathology and trained as a master winemaker. Their wines are shaped by the demanding terrain — steep vineyards worked largely by hand — and by a philosophy centered on expressing the depth, finesse and mineral character of Saar Riesling. Cantzheim ferments spontaneously with indigenous yeasts and works with both stainless steel and oak, with Riesling at the heart of the estate’s production.

The 2024 die Gärtnerin opens with a cool, lifted nose of citrus blossom, green apple and white peach, followed by hints of fresh herbs and crushed slate. On the palate, its Feinherb sweetness is beautifully balanced by brisk Saar acidity, with flavors of lime, yellow apple and ripe stone fruit giving way to a distinctly stony, mineral finish. Light on its feet, yet wonderfully juicy and energetic, this is the kind of Riesling that manages to feel both refreshing and substantial, with just enough sweetness to broaden the wine without ever being cloying. Its combination of fruit, acidity and mineral tension makes it especially versatile at the table… try it with spicy Thai or Vietnamese dishes, sushi and sashimi, pork dumplings, roast chicken, or lightly sweet-and-savory preparations such as glazed pork or duck.