The word Trockenbeerenauslese describes the rare phenomenon, whereby the grapes shrivel up like raisins and a beneficial mold (botyrtis cinerea – noble rot) imparts a rich flavor. Enough grapes are typically picked by one person in a day to produce a single bottle.
In 1994 Holger Wasem produced a small quantity of Huxelrebe TBA and with 14 years of aging, a rich, full-bodied wine has evolved with honey, raisin and smoky caramel flavors. This TBA is dark bronze in color, powerful and long lasting, designed to impress a serious wine drinker. The bouquet of this gem is full of exotic dried fruit, berry jams and entrancing maracuja notes. The high acidity will allow this wine to age for a long time to come and assure that it remains fresh and lively.
A very impressive wine, both as an aperitif and a dessert wine, particularly with creamy delicacies. Another great match are strong blue cheeses, such as Roquefort.
Huxelrebe is a cross between Gutedel (Chasselas) and Coutillier Musqué that was developed by Georg Scheu (also responsible for the Scheurebe, a cross between Riesling and an unkown wild grape). Cultivated almost exclusively in Germany, it is named after Fritz Huxel, who planted the first larger plots in Rheinhessen in the 1950s. Huxelrebe produces juicy to spicy wines that can ripen on the vine for a very long time until they are raisin-like and covered in botrytis. |
