Why it matters
The producer
Vermouth, fruit distillate and gin sit alongside Lottenlund Estate's wines. Tina Berthelsen owns the estate in Allerum near Helsingborg, where the wine range covers still white, rosé and sparkling styles.
Tina Berthelsen and Manfred planted the first stage of the vineyard in 2016. A second set of plantings followed in 2019. Lottenlund has approximately 45,000 vines divided between its vineyard sites. The plantings include Solaris, Muscaris, Donauriesling, Souvignier Gris, Cabernet Cortis and Pinot Nova.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
The principal location is just outside Helsingborg, and another lies on the Bjäre peninsula north of Helsingborg. Both are coastal growing sites, with grapes grown at each.
Each year, horse manure collected from a horse farm close to Lottenlund is spread in the vineyards. Horse manure is an organic soil amendment, so the practice belongs to field work rather than fermentation or ageing.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
Jacob Grinsted is Lottenlund's viticulturist. The plantings are entirely PIWI varieties, which are bred for resistance to mildew, and Lottenlund says this allows farming without pesticides. The estate's laboratory analyses both grape must and finished wine. Some wines spend between two and four years in barrels, followed by another year in bottle.
Wines to know
The range in view
Lotima Solaris and Lotima Selense are still white wines. Lotima Roselyn is the rosé, and the 2020 Roselyn bottling was made principally from Cabernet Cortis. Lotima Perlé brut is the sparkling wine made from Souvignier Gris, selected for its neutral profile.
Lotima Solaris opens with green apple, gooseberry, honeydew melon, lime and herbs. Its palate is fresh and nuanced. The wine rested in stainless steel for 20 months on fine lees, with regular bâtonnage during the first 12 months. Lees are spent yeast cells left after fermentation, and time on them can add body and savoury depth.