Interview: Christina Andrae A young winner goes her way

In 2017, Christina Andrae's organic house was launched in addition to the parents' company in Ernst on the Terrassenmosel. After studying wine and work in various wineries (organic and not organic), Christina Andrae decided to return to the Moselle. With the 2020 vintage, the first certified range of wines was presented directly as biowein and already landed on the winning staircase at Ecovin with two wines.

Pur Moselle: How does that feel: I managed to be certified and successful Biowinzin?

Christina Andrae: To be honest, calming. It was a long way. I started in 2017 and took it three years to present myself with my wines. It is a phase that is exhausting. In the end, however, it is incredibly fulfilling. You realize that now I have made it. I have been in the shade in the past three years because I had no wines on sale. I decided to actually sell my wines from the moment of my organic certification. I have sold my grapes to date and now it really starts for the wine for me.

Was there moments in between when you doubted your way to the Biowinziner, as a conventionally working winemaker, is it a little easier?

No. From the moment of the changeover, it was the feeling that it finally starts, now it is pulled through. The doubts were before.

Now the year 2021 was not an easy one. There were many mushroom diseases in the vineyard. How have you experienced your 4th year as a bio -enzel?

The three years earlier were really easier. I was already said to be: you are a good weather bio-ginine. The year 2021 was a challenge, I am glad that I had the simple years before. I was able to adjust to ecological management. I was able to trust the plants and what I do. Now I have only experienced this difficult phase after three years. I think winemakers who have only changed this year are a bit scared because it was a lot more work and risk in the vineyard.

What do you give other converters on the way because of your experiences in recent years?

If you really want to make it out of conviction, then pull it through. It is a lot of work, more work than in conventional viticulture. But it is worth doing it.

How important is it to be heard on advice during this phase?

Very important. I wouldn't have managed it without this advice. The information from the research institutions and the advice from the winegrowers in this organic community are definitely valuable. Every transformer should take this experience.

How did you use it with the help of the Ecovin organic association?

That was important in the phase before I changed. I often visited the young winemaker days and reconciliation days during my studies in Geisenheim. The associations do a great job here. This experience started before 2017, but initially only in theory.

How do you see yourself in further development as bio -enzers on the terrace moselle?

Now it starts - easy. Now the wines are there. Now I can also present what I have actually implemented in the vineyard and in the basement in recent years. With my wines I now approach people. Now the fun really starts for me. It is slowly visible what I have done in the past four years.

You got an additional push as a "Eco Winner 2021", here you cleared two winning wines.

It is fascinating. I just thought at the beginning: Come on now I need a clue? Are my wines good? In the end it was very calming and also surprising that two winning wines were awarded by Ecovin. ((Annotation: 2020 Regent Rosé dry and 2020 Valwig Riesling dry).

And now you're set in the biowing world, so to speak?

I definitely arrived. The rest must be shown now. I am traveling with my first year, it sells well. The interest in my wines is there.

Your family history is also interesting. You have your parents with a winery at your side. But you decided not to get into the parental winery and go your own way. Why was that important to you?

It was important to me to make organic. My father didn't stop me, but he had concerns. He only saw the work and not the meaning behind it, even if he always supported me on my way to the Biowinzern. I always said I want to do that and pull it through. We agree that it can work well, also separated.

The special challenge is also organic here in the steep slope on the terrace moselle?

That is the reason why my father said he will never do it for himself. For me it was clear from the start, yes it is more work, but out of conviction, I want it.

And the results are excellent with your wines?

I hope so!