Fitz-Ritter

Fitz-Ritter
Bad Duerkheim, Pfalz | Germany

The Spa (english for Bad) town of Dürkheim, embedded into the foothills of the Palatinate forest, marks the heart of the fertile Middle Haardt region of the Pfalz. The area is especially favoured by a warm micro-climate in the broad Rhine valley, protected from cold winds by the bordering Pfalz hillside forests. Countless almond trees can thus flourish between the vineyards, their delicate pink blossom heralding the end of the winter. The Fitz-Ritter family estate dates back to 1785 and is today owned and managed by the 8th generation in succession, Konrad Fitz and his wife Alice. The old estate mansion with its courtyard, underground cellars and surrounding garden (rare trees include the oldest and largest Ginkgo Biloba in Germany) provide a suitable birthplace for classic wines. The Abtsfronhof vineyard, formerly belonging to the Abbey, is indeed solely owned by the estate and is situated near the Spa town park and salines. The long period of vegetation and fertile soil in this area enable the grapes to fully ripen, even in lesser years. Yields are kept moderately low at the estate to produce aromatic, full-bodied and well-structured rich wines with good concentration of taste. Wines which require less residual sugar to harmonize, thus suitable for producing dry wines. Ideal conditions for the spicy Gewürztraminer with its delicate rosebud aroma, but also for Riesling, producing wines with less tartness and more body than the comparatively light Mosel Riesling wines.