Griesel & Compagnie Rosé Brut Tradition 2022 white

Griesel & Compagnie Rosé Brut Tradition 2022 is a characterful German sparkling wine that proves just how serious rosé Sekt can be. Crafted from Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder) and Pinot Meunier (Schwarzriesling) on the cool slopes of the Hessische Bergstraße, it balances precision, complexity and real drinking pleasure. This is not a simple aperitif rosé, but a structured, gastronomic sparkling that has already attracted critical acclaim.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the Rosé Brut Tradition 2022 shows a luminous salmon to coral-pink hue with an exceptionally fine, persistent mousse. The nose is immediately intriguing and layered: red berries and blood orange are interwoven with notes of coconut milk, peanut butter, toasted bread and a gentle smokiness reminiscent of smoked paprika. Behind that come delicate aromas of orange blossom, rhubarb, cranberries and red orchard fruits, with a subtle herbal-spicy lift. On the palate, the wine is dry, tense and very well structured, with a crisp, mineral backbone that keeps all its generosity firmly in check. The fine-boned perlage spreads across the mouth, carrying flavors of wild strawberry tart, red currant, blood orange and rhubarb, wrapped in savory nuances of beeswax, soft leather and spice. There is nothing overtly sweet or cloying here—just depth, freshness and a long, vibrant finish. Enjoyable now for its energy and detail, it has the structure and acidity to evolve positively over the next 3–5 years under good cellaring conditions.

Production
The Rosé Brut Tradition 2022 is sourced from vineyards on the Hessische Bergstraße, one of Germany’s smallest and most exciting cool-climate regions. The combination of hillside exposures, mineral-rich soils and a relatively mild yet ventilated mesoclimate enables slow, even ripening of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier while preserving naturally high acidity—ideal for top-quality Sekt. Grapes are picked by hand at modest ripeness to ensure tension and finesse, then gently pressed to obtain delicately colored juice. Fermentation takes place in a mix of stainless steel and used oak, contributing both purity and a subtle, savory complexity. The second fermentation occurs in bottle following the traditional method, with extended lees aging to build texture, fine mousse and those characteristic bready, nutty nuances before disgorgement and a carefully judged Brut dosage.

Food & Serving
This is a remarkably food-versatile sparkling rosé, equally at home as an aperitif or at the center of the table. It pairs beautifully with charcuterie and pâté, smoked salmon, trout or char, tuna tartare, or sushi and sashimi. The wine’s red-fruited core and subtle spice also make it a fine match for roast poultry, pork tenderloin, grilled vegetables, beetroot salads, soft cheeses or even a savory strawberry and goat cheese tart. Serve well chilled at around 8–10 °C (46–50 °F). A brief 10–15 minutes in a larger-bowled white wine glass, rather than a very narrow flute, will allow the aromatics to unfold; decanting is generally not necessary, but opening the bottle a little ahead of serving can help the complexity express itself fully.

Producer
Griesel & Compagnie, based in the historic cellars of Bensheim on the Hessische Bergstraße, has quickly earned a reputation as one of Germany’s most dynamic sparkling wine specialists. Founded with a clear focus on traditional-method Sekt, the estate works predominantly with classic Pinot varieties and Riesling, emphasizing low yields, meticulous hand harvesting and long lees aging to achieve depth and finesse. In a region better known for still wines, Griesel has become a standard-bearer for premium German Sekt, regularly earning top scores and podium finishes, such as 3rd place and 93 points in the VINUM Deutscher Sekt Award 2025 in the Rosé category. Their wines are now regarded as benchmarks for what contemporary German sparkling wine can be: precise, expressive and uncompromising in quality.