Rudolf and Rita Trossen’s winery is located in Kinheim, among the slate slopes close to the banks of the Middle Mosel. The extraordinary microclimate in the Mosel valley and the soil, easily warmed by the sun and“breathable”through its slate soils, produce very elegant, mineral-driven and fine Rieslings with a unique balance between acidity and fruit. With such exceptional terroir, Rudolf believes it is up to the winemaker to let it “sound” through the wine. In 1978 Rudolf switched to biodynamic farming methods for the family vineyards, a step taken after thoroughly studying Rudolf Steiner’s original lectures on the subject. The aim was to“revitalise” the soils and in turn increase the vitality of the vines. His vineyards are easily visible as a result, with a distinctive green colour the comes from the other ground crops growing between the vines. In Rudolf’s own words: “We believe that the less the winemaker interferes in the entire process of the winemaking (from the vineyard to the cellar), the better the true character of the vineyard is able to fully develop.” Rudolf believes that the use of biodynamic preparations has balanced and refined the wines, leading to more delicate and concise characters. Ever the pioneer, in 2010 he took his principles a step further by offering his “Purus” range. The wines are biodynamic of course, but also use the natural wine approaches of zero intervention, so are unfined, unfiltered and have no added sulphur.