Jörg Geiger Organic Cuvée 28. Alcohol-free organic cuvée made from apple and pear with goutweed, borage, and toasted emmer – sparkling, herbal, and fresh with a nutty finish.

Jörg Geiger Organic Cuvée 28 is a sparkling, alcohol-free organic cuvée from Schlat in the Swabian Alb: apple and pear juice from Swabian meadow orchard fruit with borage, thyme, goutweed, and popped emmer, 0.0% vol, 750 ml. Neither a spritzer nor a sparkling wine – a food companion featuring herbs and grain.

Organic Cuvée 28 by Jörg Geiger belongs to the manufacturer's numbered cuvées. These are independent compositions that Jörg Geiger developed for upscale dining and menu pairings, consciously marketed alongside the PriSecco brand. Here, an alcohol-free cuvée is a juice-based beverage: juices from old apple and pear varieties, balanced with herbs and spices, with added carbonation. Number 28 features two unusual ingredients. Goutweed is a woodland herb that resembles parsley in scent and taste. Emmer is considered one of the oldest types of grain and has a hearty, slightly nutty flavor. Both make up only a small proportion – 0.1% goutweed and 0.8% popped emmer – yet they define its character. The cuvée is EU organic certified and vegan.

Taste

Number 28 has a mild and exotically fruity aroma, with slight hints of fresh lemon balm and herbs. On the palate, it displays the fine fruit of apple and pear. The finish is defined by two elements: the roasted notes of the emmer and the green freshness of the borage. This combination of fruit, herb, and grain distinguishes it from the pure fruit compositions in the assortment.

With 8.9 g of sugar per 100 ml, derived from the juices, it tastes fruity while remaining fresh due to the herbs. Those looking for a maltier, fuller-bodied grain note will find it in the Organic Cuvée 21 with toasted Demeter naked barley, hay, and blossoms. The 28 is the brighter, greener of the two.

Usage

Chilled to 8 to 10 °C, this cuvée belongs in a sparkling wine glass and from there onto the dining table. Jörg Geiger recommends it with Asian-spiced dishes, fish, and seafood. The herbs pick up on coriander, lemongrass, or Thai basil, and the toasted emmer note pairs well with anything that gets browned in the pan.

It maintains its fruitiness while leaving room for the food when served with pan-fried zander with herb butter, wok-fried shrimp, or a curry with coconut and green vegetables. It also works as an aperitif because the herbal aroma is present from the very first sip.

Our tip: Sprinkle a few borage blossoms or finely chopped goutweed from the garden over the fish. This way, the herbal note from the glass is echoed on the plate.

Origin

Apples and pears for this cuvée grow on high-trunk trees in meadow orchards along the Swabian Alb foothills. The Jörg Geiger manufactory in Schlat calls this raw material "Swabian Meadow Fruit" (Schwäbisches WiesenObst): old, often tart varieties delivered by local farmers. All land is managed in compliance with organic standards; for the organic products, the fruit comes from certified plots. Pressing, blending, and bottling are all carried out at the manufactory itself.

Jörg Geiger is a trained chef. In 1997, at the age of 22, he took over his parents' inn, the "Lamm," and a year later began working with old pear varieties. 2003 saw the introduction of the first non-alcoholic PriSecco. The numbered cuvées are, according to the manufacturer, intended for menu pairing, and ingredients like goutweed and emmer are more familiar to a chef on a plate than in a glass.

For whom

The cuvée is for anyone who wants to drink a glass with herbal character alongside fish and spicy cuisine – a drink that offers more than just juice. It belongs at the table of people who enjoy cooking with fresh herbs and for guests who are driving. Those wishing to explore the line further will find all cuvées on our Jörg Geiger page.

Note: The popped emmer contains gluten. Therefore, this cuvée is not suitable for people who must avoid gluten or for those expecting a sweet fruit soda.

Apple, pear, goutweed, and toasted emmer in a sparkling wine glass – the alcohol-free Organic Cuvée 28 for fish, seafood, and Asian cuisine.