Soma Vines are Daisy Merrick & Antoine Lucchesi.

📍Rheinhessen & Baden, Germany

Soma Vines is the story of two paths crossing to create wines of clarity, tension, and life. Behind the project are Daisy Merrick and Antoine Lucchesi, a duo whose backgrounds in hospitality, wine education, and cellar work naturally converged toward low-intervention winemaking.

Founded in Berlin in 2018, Soma Vines initially began as an importing and distribution project focused on natural wines from France, Germany, and Hungary. The winemaking chapter truly started in 2020 with their first cuvée, Crossing Borders, a name that perfectly reflects both their personal journeys and their approach to wine.

From hospitality and oenology to natural wine

Originally from Norwich, England, Daisy discovered wine through years spent working in hospitality. Wanting to go beyond the service side, she pursued formal wine education, including the WSET Advanced, and worked with respected wine merchants in London and New York. Her growing interest in natural wine and direct relationships with producers led her to create Soma Vines as an independent importing project before stepping into production herself.

Antoine, from Marseille, trained in oenology in Alsace and spent over a decade working with wineries in Germany and France, including estates known for their precision and craftsmanship. While deeply rooted in technical winemaking, he was increasingly drawn to a freer, more intuitive approach, one that respected raw material over recipes.

Their shared desire to work without chemicals, additives, or heavy manipulation naturally pushed them toward natural wine.

Vineyards and sourcing

Today, Soma Vines works exclusively with organically farmed vineyards in Rheinhessen and Baden. They rent around 2 hectares of vines in Eckelsheim and complement this with carefully selected grape purchases from trusted friends. In total, they harvest approximately 3 hectares, all picked by hand.

Since 2023, they have also been cultivating additional organic parcels around Eckelsheim, while continuing to source smaller quantities of organic and biodynamic grapes from fellow German growers.

Every vineyard they work with follows the same philosophy: healthy soils, organic farming, and respect for the living ecosystem.

In the cellar

Vinification takes place in their cellar in Hackenheim, Rheinland-Pfalz. The approach is deliberately restrained:

• Spontaneous fermentations only
• No additives, no fining, no filtration
• No sulfites added
• Minimal movement of the wine, from press to barrel, and from barrel to bottle
• Gravity is favored over pumps whenever possible.

All wines are aged on lees in old oak barrels, allowing texture and complexity to develop without oak imprint. The result is a range of wines that feel precise yet vibrant, combining freshness, depth, and drinkability.

A growing presence in Germany’s natural wine scene

Soma Vines is part of a broader shift within the German wine landscape, where more growers are moving away from conventional practices and drinkers, especially in Berlin, are increasingly embracing natural wines. Their work stands out for its balance, wines that are expressive and alive, yet always clean, focused, and elegant.

Alongside production, Soma Vines continues to import and distribute natural wines across Germany and beyond, maintaining close relationships with the winemakers they represent. Almost all of these estates are exclusive to Soma Vines in Germany, selected for their integrity, environmental commitment, and authenticity.

They also operate an international distribution network, supplying private customers and professional buyers across the EU and worldwide, while actively working to reduce their environmental impact. For every order placed through their online shop, a tree is planted, with over 600 mangroves planted in Madagascar to date.

Vintages

The 2024 vintage proved extremely challenging due to severe spring frost, resulting in very low yields. Despite this, the 2023 wines show remarkable energy and precision, confirming Soma Vines as a project firmly rooted in patience, resilience, and long-term vision.

Soma Vines is a name to remember, and to taste, for anyone curious about the new wave of German natural wine.