Dreissigacker partners with Nimbility to build presence and visibility across APAC

Top German wine estate Dreissigacker has partnered with Nimbility to build their presence, visibility and reputation across APAC markets. Nimbility will firstly work to secure the right distribution partners in each territory and then help to develop the network of downstream trade customers with a strong focus on the fine dining and hospitality sector for building reputation and visibility of the brand. Initial key focus markets will be Greater China, Singapore and Australia.

In 2001, Jochen Dreissigacker took over his family's winery and restructured it according to his own ideas. It was his vision to make Dreissigacker synonymous with top German wines. More than twenty years later, his vision has become a reality. Today, Dreissigacker is one of Germany's top wineries and stands for first-class, matured and high-quality wines.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Nimbility to build Dreissigacker across the markets in APAC,” says Jochen Dreissigacker, Owner of Dreissigacker. “Over the past few years Dreissigacker has undergone serious developments both in the vineyards and in the cellar. We are are now ready to start presenting Dreissigacker’s new strategic positioning to the world. Partnering with Nimbility means we can provide the vital in market support required by our distribution partners in APAC. Their team of experts has a profound knowledge of the markets and can help us to position our wines correctly to ensure they find their way to wine lovers across the region.”

In the early 20th century, mature German Rieslings were praised as masterpieces and the most expensive wines in the world. Winemakers had mastered the art of producing wines with incredible ageing potential. They understood the unique flavours a wine can develop if it is given time to mature, the harmonious balance it can achieve as its acidity is perfectly absorbed over time.

One crucial element for good ageing potential is a strong, deep structure rooted in inner density and concentration. Carefully cultivating vines over a long period and allowing the wine to mature help to create this structure. The process starts in the vineyard, where it takes around 15 years for a vine to put down deep enough roots to yield exceptional grapes. That means an investment in planting new vines is always forward-looking, bound up with a vision of the future. However, even the already-exceptional quality of 15-year-old vines isn’t enough for Dreissigacker’s single-site wines. For these, Jochen uses only vines that are already 35 to 60 years old and produce superlative quality that outstrips anything younger vines can offer. These vines are deeply rooted and thanks to their age have developed a harmonious growth pattern where the yield is smaller, but the quality of the grapes is far superior.

At the Dreissigacker vineyard, these grapes are placed in small boxes after picking so as to protect them during transport. They are then trodden by foot, like winemakers used to do in the past, so as to gently press the grapes without damaging them. To give the juices as much flavour and structure as possible, the grapes are left to soak in their own skins for several hours before being mechanically pressed.

The juice from each individual plot is then stored in separate vats.The juice is fermented exclusively using natural yeast; so as not to alter the structure, Dreissigacker avoids the additives commonly used in wine production. The aim is to preserve the soil and the unique character of the vineyards in the final products, and using additives would be counterproductive to this goal, as they would distort the wine’s natural structure and take away what makes it distinctive.

After fermenting for half a year with full yeast, the wines from the different plots of a vineyard are blended to produce the site’s characteristic flavour profile. The blended wines are stored with fine yeast in barrels and vats for one and a half years. The yeast is key to strong ageing potential and optimum maturation, as it enlivens and strengthens the wine. After an extended yeast storage period, the wines are bottled and then stored again for at least one more year, after which they will have achieved almost full maturity. They can then be opened or left to age for longer.

To achieve his vision of storing his single-site Rieslings in ideal conditions where they could mature overtime, Jochen had a new winery building constructed. It was designed to be both sustainable and, crucially, to provide plenty of space – space to store his wines safely until they’re ready for release at the perfect moment. Sometimes this can lead to more than a decade of storage in the cellar. This is exemplified by the Rosengarten 2010, which was released in April.

“We are really excited to begin working with Dreissigacker”, says Francesca Martin, Founding Partner at Nimbility. “I was first introduced to Jochen’s wines over a decade ago and was struck then by their quality and purity of expression. What Jochen is now achieving, however, is on a completely different level. The impeccable attention to detail at every level in the vineyard and the winery is clear to see in the outstanding quality, precison and energy of the wines through the entire range. Jochen’s vision is unique for German winemaking so we are really excited at the prospect of being able to tell his story and get these wines into the hands of top sommeliers, wine lovers and serious collectors across APAC.”

For more information about Dreissigacker in APAC please contact polly@nimbilityasia.com