Schonhals 2021 Rheinhessen Biebelnheim Saphira Piwi

"ARE YOU READY FOR A REVOLUTION?" is marked in German at the bottom of the label with an arrow pointing at an imbedded barcode to be scanned for more information. Part of the newfangled "wine of the future" grape hybrids in the PIWI family in Central Europe; Saphira is one of 8 white grapes found in Germany.  The abbreviation "PIWI" comes from German and stands for fungus-resistant wines. Created through several stages of crossing, containing high percentages of Vitis vinifera and just enough disease-resistant American Vitis to give good resistance to fungal diseases. Therefore, they taste more like the Vitis vinifera in their family tree. The resistant varieties hardly need any pesticides to be protected from parasites or mildew disease and seem to hold up better to extremes in climate. Saphira is a crossing of Riesling with Seyve Villard, marked by an intensely herbaceous nose,  high acidity and in this iteration, bright minerality. A true discovery! -GH