The Happiness Seeker

One morning in June of last year, our Category Manager Theresa Zotz walked into the Flaschenpost office for the first time. We were immediately enchanted by the winemaker’s daughter from Heitersheim, without any of her family’s wines as secret weapons, which she only brought in recently. But when we did finally taste them, all we could say was «wow!» For us, it was clear: our customers urgently needed to be introduced to this fresh, premium, white wine. But wait a minute...wine from Germany? It might be right next door, but its wines have quite a difficult time in Switzerland. After all, we’re also bordered by Italy and France. However, there has been a shift in recent years, in part due to climate change – but not only. A whole new generation of courageous and open-minded winemakers are starting a winemaking revolution in Germany. These young winemakers are networking, exchanging ideas, and organizing joint events. A community has emerged, one that promotes more fun and development – two characteristics that are reflected in the country’s new wines. Since 2010, German wine exports have almost doubled. «The younger generation is cosmopolitan and networked, and has succeeded in breaking down prejudices,» explains winemaker Julian Zotz, who runs the family winery with his cousin. The Zotz siblings are a perfect example: Theresa spent six months in India after graduating from high school, then studied in Indonesia and worked in Chicago. At Flaschenpost, she keeps an eye out for trendy wines for our customers, and stays abreast of developments in the wine world. Her brother completed an internship in New Zealand, then returned home to the family and its business. Today, he helps make premium contemporary wines at the winery, which was founded in 1865. With «Grau.Weiẞ.Gut,» the Zotz family takes you on a trip to today’s Germany. Don’t be surprised if you feel like dancing the day away...

You wanted to quickly return a tool to your neighbor, but find yourself hanging out on the patio with your partner for another two hours over a glass a wine and a spontaneous barbecue. A waste of time? Or the stuff of a good life? It is said that the hours you don’t count are the hours that count the most. But who hasn’t given in to that inner voice, who is constantly encouraging us to check things off our to-do list and be more efficient? In modern everyday life, simply letting time pass by without a specific goal or purpose is almost synonymous with a lack of willpower. Philosopher and time expert Karlheinz Geissler – who incidentally never wore a watch – summed it up like this: «When you linger, you don't lose time...you live it!» Most people only experience this while on vacation: they stroll through a city aimlessly, without any real destination; they let themselves drift, stopping to listen to a street musician; they spontaneously sit down in a café and talk to the person next to them about the world and religion, forgetting about time completely. Life is much more relaxing (and interesting) when you stop for a minute instead of always rushing. Our Luã wines convey this attitude perfectly: they are light and balanced, with a subtly sweet finish. Just like the best things in life! In addition, these wines are true all-rounders, making them perfect with all kinds of foods. So, the next time you get an opportunity to linger, now you have the perspective (and wines!) to resist the temptation to tell yourself you don’t have any time. Enjoy!