The Beginnings
The slant-faced grasshopper
An endangered species that thrives in extreme heat and dryness, relying on sparse, rocky habitats such as scree slopes, gravel areas, and very open dry grasslands.
The switch to organic farming was a turning point. Back then, it was my father’s crazy idea – today, it’s the guiding principle behind everything we do. Living soils. Blooming vineyards. Evergreen steep slopes, biodiversity and thriving ecosystems. For me as a young person, it marked a real shift. A new world. A wake-up call. Romantic, meaningful, exciting. Creating something for future generations – a healthy piece of Earth. And at the same time, rebelling against the dull monotony of conventional winemaking. A bull’s-eye.
In 1983, vineyard terraces in the nearby Tauber Valley were revitalized. Acquiring a plot in this location marked the beginning of our wine adventure. A new chapter, full of unfamiliar pages. A contrast to everything we had known. Different in many ways – yet driven by the same love. For this new piece of land. The new tasks. The new responsibilities.
The topsoil in the Tauber Valley is low in humus, which means the vines dig deep into the limestone bedrock in search of nutrients. In the early years, we harvested more stones than grapes. Today, we know our soils better than the backs of our hands – and we harvest perfectly healthy fruit.
Our wines ferment spontaneously. Without industrial yeasts or synthetic magic powders. We give them the time they need to mature. We don’t filter. And we add only a homeopathic touch of sulfur at bottling. Combined with our sustainable vineyard practices, this results in wines that vibrate with energy – living wines with soul and depth, inner strength and a character of their own. Unfiltered wines with clarity, edge, and intention.
Never opulent or obvious, but long-lasting, salty, refreshingly complex and full of tension. Marked by stony aromas and a lean, austere character. A touch of yeast. And pure, grapey fruit. In short: wines with origin and signature. Somewhere between Krämer and Franconia, the Tauber Valley and the wide world of natural wine.
The lizard
All species of native lizards are now endangered. In the stone walls, the long embankments made of collected stones (former vineyards), you will find a protected habitat.
The Wine
From Hill to Valley
The heath snail
Heat and drought are the greatest enemies of any snail. When the sun warms the soil, they climb upward, hanging from the vine like a string of pearls.
Our Tauber Valley lies just off the Main River. It’s home to our vineyards in Röttingen and Tauberzell – two small pieces of land with great potential. Here, we cultivate 4 hectares of vines. Cool-climate sites, with slopes reaching up to 45 degrees, at 400 meters above sea level.
Our vineyards open into a sparse, rugged valley. Dry stone walls and rocky ridges bear witness to a golden era of viticulture in the late Middle Ages. Forests, fields, and meadows shape this picturesque – almost idyllic – cultural landscape. We are fortunate to work here. A privilege we are mindful of every single day.
The “Tauberzeller Hasennestle” – a pure shell limestone site with a marginal winegrowing climate. Cool climate at its finest. The “Röttinger Feuerstein” is uniquely marked by flint veins within the limestone – a rare geological feature that lays the foundation for wines of strong character. Solid ground for expressive wines. And the perfect soil for us.
The art of omission – that’s our philosophy. Back to the roots of winemaking. Gentle spontaneous fermentation, without temperature control. Fermented with wild vineyard yeasts for greater aromatic complexity. Unfiltered and naturally cloudy, yet crystal clear in taste. Undisturbed contact with full lees – no bâtonnage. Followed by aging in wooden barrels – for up to 2 years. For bone-dry, purist, minimalist wines full of character. Bottled unfiltered with just a pinch of sulfur.
Our goal is to make phenolic structure and density perceptible on the palate – a new dimension defined through texture. Depth without heaviness. We gently tease tannins from the grape skins and draw structural elements from stems and stalks. Skin contact, whole-cluster fermentation, and fresh juice from direct pressing – the Krämer-style trinity. What might appear like alchemy from the outside works remarkably well for us – guided by gut instinct. By now, almost every one of our wines is composed of varying parts of these three elements.
Crafting Wine
Below Ground
The White Admiral
Its main habitats are climatically favored, warm south-facing slopes, especially in river and vineyard areas, where it depends on sun-exposed blackthorn and a supply of flowers.
Maturation
St. John’s Wort
It is a pioneer plant, much like the vine. It prefers sunny, calcareous, and nutrient-poor locations. It is also known as a mood booster – just like our Petillant Naturel.
Our wines are matured in three different types of vessels. Entry-level wines begin in stainless steel – this is where we ferment our sparkling wines and two of our introductory still wines. All other batches ferment in wood.
Most wines are aged in “Halbstück” barrels holding 700 liters, some in “Stück” barrels with a capacity of 1,200 liters. Our barrels come from a Franconian cooperage and are crafted exclusively from locally sourced oak.
Our rosé from Pinot Meunier has traditionally been aged primarily in used Burgundy barriques. Our Réserve wines spend two years in large wooden casks, followed by up to two more years in barriques. Here, we give our wines the most precious thing we have: all the time in the world.
Climate change doesn’t stop – not even at our small valley.
That’s why we don’t look away, but listen closely.
Now more than ever.
We engage in an ongoing dialogue with the earth.
Our approach to maintaining evergreen vineyards is regenerative soil management.
We avoid leaf thinning in the fruit zone
and gently wrap the shoots instead of trimming the canopy.
In the cellar, we respond to climate-related declines in grape acidity
by incorporating extended skin contact and whole-cluster fermentation.
For greater structure and freshness.
The wine’s own phenolics act as a natural stabilizer.
Macération carbonique brings additional freshness.
Tannins provide structure.
We’ve been doing it this way since 2015 –
when we began working with natural wine.
Today, it’s an essential part of our philosophy and cellar practice.
The lizard
All species of native lizards are now endangered. In the stone walls, the long embankments made of collected stones (former vineyards), you will find a protected habitat.
Wine in the Age of Climate Change
A Question of Sulfur
Flint
It represents a special feature, appearing as veins (silex) within the shell limestone of the Röttinger Feuerstein vineyard. Wines from these soils tend to be firmer and more concentrated than those from pure shell limestone.
We don’t like to talk too much – and we sulfur even less. That’s why we add no sulfur at all during fermentation. Our goal is to allow the entire native yeast flora to fully unfold during winemaking. It stabilizes and preserves the wine naturally – a strength that comes from within.
Partners
Flint
It represents a special feature, appearing as veins (silex) within the shell limestone of the Röttinger Feuerstein vineyard. Wines from these soils tend to be firmer and more concentrated than those from pure shell limestone.
A selection of restaurants, bars, and partners where our wines are available – either directly or via specialized retailers. Please note: this list may not be complete.
PLZ 1
PLZ 2
Duisburg
Flensburg
Hattingen
PLZ 3
Kassel
PLZ 7
Langenburg
Freiburg
Heidenheim a.d.Brenz
Stuttgart
Wehr
PLZ 9
Bad Mergentheim
Bamberg
Dachsbach
Erlangen
Fürth
Igersheim
Lindberg
Marktbreit
Neuburg a.d. Donau
Nürnberg
Ortenburg
Perlesreut
Rauhenebrach
Rothenburg
Tauberzell
Wirsberg
Würzburg
International
Belgium, Brüssel
Denmark, Copenhagen
Japan, Tokio
Netherland, Amersfort
Spain, Barcelona
Sweden, Göteborg
Voices
The White Admiral
Its main habitats are climatically favored, warm south-facing slopes, especially in river and vineyard areas, where it depends on sun-exposed blackthorn and a supply of flowers.