“That’s me.“ or “That’s so not me.“ are the two sentences Tina Pfaffmann uses most often.

Tina Pfaffmann

She is like the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle in physics: you never know what she is going to do this time. One time, her Muskateller with zero gram of residual sugar is the driest wine in her range; one year later the same wine is just the opposite with 22 g of residual sugar per litre. “I want to take new decisions every year about what kind of wine it’s going to be. That’s my hallmark. That’s me.“ she states. Nature is slightly different every year, and Tina Pfaffmann adjusts her wines to these natural changes.

One thing, however, is consistent with Tina Paffmann: quality! And she is quite aware that quality means to walk that extra mile. But it also means emotion: she puts little notes on the barrels – wishes as to what should become of the wines in them. Or sticks a little heart on the cask when fermentation seems to cease. Lo and behold: her Riesling HERZGLÜCK profited from her heartfelt passion and became one of the best wines in her range.

Crazy? No – passion! As early as at the age of 16 she knew that “as a girl, that is exactly what I want to do,“ and began an apprenticeship as a winegrower. Against some prejudice and with some detours – even as far as Australia – she succeeded and finally took over her parents’ 15-hectare estate. She does not intend expansion; she doesn’t want mass products. Instead, she wants to put her character into her wines.

Brace yourself: with Tina Paffmann you have to be prepared for just about anything…