The aesthetic concept of Wabi-Sabi originates from the Japanese Zen and describes a world where beauty is defined by imperfection.

Nature is not perfect – only human beings feel they can create perfection by manipulating nature. Something can be beautiful even though it is incomplete, not perfect. In our modern, technically driven world, most products are often merely “designed” products. This is how we feel in order to transfer this idea and approach into wine:
The cellar master aims to prevent every possible flaw in order to obtain a wine that is “perfectly” clear, sound and understandable by the customer. We see wine differently. For us, low-intervention wines cannot be perfect following a mass interpretation of fruit-driven, sterile, round wines. A Wabi-Sabi kind of wine expresses its quality as a living being with all its peculiarities and imperfections. Character and individuality are much more authentic than designed wines made in a wine laboratory.

Is low-intervention not about “doing as little as possible”?
I believe that this “doing nothing” approach is a misleading concept. For sure, we do not use additives other than sulfur. But we do a lot and every action requires knowledge and purpose. How do I prune, work the soils, the canopy, how do I apply plant protection? How quickly should I process the grapes after picking, what about the time of maceration, the method of pressing?

How do you translate “Wabi-Sabi” into viticulture and winemaking?
We like to consider it this way: the antithesis to orthodox medicine is homeopathy. Compared to the vine, this means that I do not use substances which enter the plant system but such which work as contact substances. We also believe that homeopathy has a lot to do with our attitude and with respect. It’s about allowing the other to be free – and this goes for nature as well.

The health factor is part of our philosophy. This is why we have tried to protect our vineyards without using copper and sulfur – which in fact, is a beautiful idea! We have sprayed the vines with protective microorganisms for a couple of years. We could have even drunk these substances! Unfortunately, the pressure was too high, and we have had too much mildew. We had to hold back our ego’s and concede that this was not enough – especially in more “difficult” vineyards.
We also think a lot about human health. Yes, alcohol per se is not healthy, we all know that, so we always recommend drinking consciously. However, when drinking wine, it should be really bone-dry and have a certain amount of tannins – phenolic compounds indeed are beneficial.

If I want a really pure product (without judging the term “pure”), a genuine low-intervention wine, the grapes need to be as healthy as possible. That’s why the time of harvest and quick processing are so essential. I don’t want to fine the wines in the cellar, for instance to get rid of the mildew or use substances which enhance fermentation. If the result is a wine that does not suit everyone, so be it!