5 minutes with... Our Interview with Mira Wolf
8gb: What makes your wines special?
Mira: "I think all our wines are characterized by a special juiciness and live from a wonderful acid structure, are long-lasting and do not give you a headache. Am Spielberg and Siebenmorgen are very special wines for me. First of all, in the vineyard. The first is deeply rooted in a prehistoric limestone reef, this high limestone content provides delicacy and structure in the wine. It tends to be a cooler site on the western slope, so a bit more acidity comes from that. One year of barrel aging and one year of bottle aging suits it very well, so now the 2018 stands perfectly.
Herrenberg in the hands of women
Siebenmorgen is an old terrace in the here famous site Herrenberg. It is surrounded by large old trees and bushes, the soil is somewhat heavier here and the vines get more sun. As a result, the wine from here seems rounder and fuller - yet the fresh Riesling acidity remains and you can also taste the neighboring apricot tree.
8gb: What do you like to eat with your wines? Which pairings do you like the most?
Mira: "Everything that is fresh, fine and aromatic! I chose two dishes that a vegan restaurant cooked to match our wines.
To Am Spielberg: pea soup with fresh thyme, a dash of white wine, coconut milk and pumpkin seeds, served with homemade bread.
To Siebenmorgen: Wraps filled with vegetables - bell bell pepper, carrot, lettuce and sesame falafel, served with arugula-pumpkin seed pesto.
When you don't feel like cooking: Cheese. And rather a milder version of mountain cheese. At our favorite cheese store, it's called "hay flower cheese."
8gb: Did it come natural for you to produce natural wine, or how did it come about?
Mira: "A good question and not so easy to answer. In any case, it was and is the automatic inner drive to work in this way. I was particularly inspired or confirmed by two phases: working in France, where people deal with "vin naturel" in a much more natural way, and a year on the Dottenfelderhof (a biodynamic farm). Here I did a year of training to become a biodynamic farmer and learned an infinite amount about processes in nature and everything that surrounds it. Everything that my dad and grandpa have done so far here in the family business is already very close to natural wine. So it fits wonderfully into the overall concept of our winery - and that's crucial for the result, because everything is connected and the quality you now have in the glass starts in the soil!"
Aromatics ultra
8gb: What's one of the biggest life lessons you've had the opportunity to learn so far since making your own wines?
Mira: "Well, maybe not so big for life now, but that completely on the mash fermented fully ripe Gewürztraminer pure is just too gross and no one can stand more than one glass of it."
8gb: If you had the opportunity to start all over again today, would you do anything differently?
Mira: "No, I'm very happy."
8gb: How has your work changed as a result of Corona (and the global lockdowns)?
Mira: "In the vineyard, you sometimes even forget that Corona exists. A great happiness to work outside and without a mask. What is missing are the festivals, fairs, events and wine tastings. We bridge with online tastings. Which has the great advantage that the customers can also be there from afar. But the beautifully set table under our big old chestnut tree in the courtyard and the delicious organic cheese platter are missing."
8gb: What can we expect from you in the future?
Mira: "Phew, I have 1000+1 plans and ideas... Maybe the first thing you can look forward to is a photo of our sweet dwarf sheep that will move in with us in spring. And if you with the question rather squint in the direction of the cellar: Besides the already very promising follow-up vintages of Siebenmorgen and Am Spielberg, there is something else you might like. But it's still slumbering in beauty sleep - something very fine, very light, and a still-secret collaboration product."
Mira's 5 favorite wines
Thank you so much for these beautiful 5 minutes, Mira!
Did you like our interview with Mira Wolf? If you would like to learn more about other winemakers, you can visit our winemakers' page here.