Andreas Bender, Dajoar Riesling, 2022

Spice, Melon, Honey

Mosel / White/ Riesling / Biodynamic

In the dialect of the Mosel, the word ‘Dajoar’ means “as the olden days”. It is the term chosen by Andreas to describe this style of Riesling, made as an homage to the Mosel wines of the past: off-dry with a playful sweetness that balances out the crisp acidity. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeast in old oak casks. Finished wine has 10g of residual sugar. Powerful, textured and rich, and just off dry, with complex spicy citrus fruit, and richer notes of melon, peach and honey. Beautifully detailed and textured, with hints of wax and quince. 

Notes on the producer

Born in Leiwen in the Mosel in 1980, Andreas Bender first learnt about soil, viticulture and terroir from his father, a vine propagator, and made his own wine when he was just thirteen years old. He knew from an early age that this is what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. Andreas went on to study at Geisenheim and spent a few years working for different wineries in Germany, France, Italy and the USA before starting his own project with his family’s vineyards in 2008. His philosophy is really quite unique in the world of German wine: instead of following the widely accepted German model whereby top single vineyards are vinified and bottled separately, he blends them according to three different styles: Dajoar, Paulessen and Hofpäsch. While on the one hand his ideas are very modern, when it comes to winemaking itself, Andreas is very committed to tradition: he believes careful cellar work, simple winemaking methods and natural fermentation.