THEO MINGES: A SURVEY OF CURRENT OFFERINGS

It’s an especially cruel irony that just as Minges is really reaching cruising altitude across their (ample) range, they’re without a Stateside importer.

Mind you, the Pfalz is once again a Valhalla for interesting (mostly) young vintners making the sorts of wines we ought to be clamoring for. You want names? Ask me and I’ll send you some. But none….none are better than this old-school somewhat hidden estate in the nondescript village of Flemlingen, which Bob Parker thought was a very funny name.

When I first checked them out it was, what? Twenty five years ago, something like that? It was during the era when the Pfalz was contaminated with all manner of “new” crossings which would give Auslese every year – and little did they know how this would destroy the market for “Auslese” – and which mostly tasted garish and vulgar. The problem was especially pronounced in the Südpfalz, Minges’ region, and so I was impressed to read that Minges was an island of classicism in a sea of porn-grapes.

This was years before his organic certification, and years before he was admitted into the VDP, but I knew a fine estate – and a compelling story – when I saw one. In those days we focused on Riesling, and in those days they were restrained sweet wines that were always spicy and gingery and decidedly on the dry side. I liked them that way, but customers who opted for “sweet” wined wanted sweetwines with gushing fruit, and Minges’ little spice bombs were in a commercial in-between place. Still, we did what we could. Theo Minges was quite an original, a practicing Buddhist who spoke of “energy fields” in the vineyard and how to transmit them into his wines. He was also hands-off when not everyone was, and he was an early believer in long primary lees contact – again anticipating what would later be trendy.

The dry Rieslings, when they arrived, were rather lean-and-mean. But by then Theo’s apprenticeship with Hans-Günter Schwarz had become a friendship between two men who found themselves simpatico. Scheurebe grew in importance. Rieslaner and Gelber Muskateller arrived. Gewürztraminer, which had been there all along, became ever more expressive.

For me this was a joyful noise, but for the market it seemed to lack an easy organizing principle. Then Theo’s daughter Regine arrived and brought energy and poetry and a vivid imagination to refresh the estate. She is a marvel, not least because she’s fit in (apparently) without friction, and yet she’s introduced a radicalism that’s both striking and yet also feels as if it was the inevitable way the winery should develop.

So, what do we have now?

First, RAPIDLY IMPROVING REDS. These have become more elegant, fruit driven and vinous. Spätburgunder leads but St Laurent is maybe even more impressive.

Then, HIGHLY PROMISING DRY RIESLINGS. Based on the vintages currently being offered, these are balanced and sophisticated wines that retain a rural touch.

Then, POSITIVE PROGRESS WITH SPARKLING WINES. If the truly amazing Goldmustakeller Brut Nature is a harbinger, this is an estate to watch closely.

Then, CONTINUING SUCCESS WITH SCHEUREBE AND GELBER MUSKATELLER. These stand with Germany’s best.

Then, A REMARKABLY SUCCESSFUL SERIES OF WINES IN THE “NATURAL” IDIOM, including Riesling, Gelber Muskateller, Scheurebe, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris. These have often surmounted my wariness about such wines because they are neither odd nor flawed, just wholesome and idiosyncratic.

Then, TYPICAL MINGES SWEET WINES, mostly Riesling but also Rieslaner and other things as they happen.

The estate is successful. I don’t know whether they “need” an American importer; (each time I’ve been there the tasting room was full of drop-in private customers tasting and driving away with loaded trunks full of wine) but I very much want them to have one. That is partly because I’m ashamed at having failed them, and partly because they richly deserve to be represented, both as they are now and also in the direction(s) they seem to be moving.

So, I do what I can. It’s sweet of them to provide samples for me to taste, and I’m touched that it is done out of friendship.

This is a culling of the wines that most impressed me when I visited the estate back in October ’24. But in fact the entire lineup impressed me, and it took some doing to reduce it to what would fit into a 12-bottle case. There were also cask-samples that blew me away but which weren’t bottled when these wines were dispatched.