Hey, I’m Niklas!

A young winegrower from Eckelsheim in good old Rheinhessen, Germany – the fourth generation of our family winery. We cultivate 14 hectares organically (certified since 2025), with all vineyards rooted in rare volcanic soils called porphyr.

The grapes are harvested by hand and fermented spontaneously. Depending on the cuvée, the wines are fermented and aged in used French oak (barriques and tonneaux) and stainless steel. All wines remain on the full lees for a minimum of 11 months, and are bottled without fining, filtration, and with low to no added sulphur – just healthy grapes, patience, and time. Since vintage 2023, top cuvées like Chardonnay, Silvaner, Riesling, and Spätburgunder are aged 24 months on the lees.

I focus on traditional varieties of my region – Riesling, Silvaner, Chardonnay, and the Burgundy grapes – and try to bring out their unique character through careful farming and minimal intervention. My journey began in 2021 with less than 1 hectare and has grown step by step, always putting quality before quantity.

I trained as a winemaker in Rheinhessen, working at three different wineries during my two-year apprenticeship. Afterward, I studied at Geisenheim University for three years, while doing internships at Weingut Wagner-Stempel (Rheinhessen), Pranzegg (Alto Adige), and Weingut Ziereisen (Baden).

  

Our Region: Cool Climate & High Altitudes

Our vineyards are located in the northwestern corner of Rheinhessen, close to the Nahe Valley – a cooler and drier subregion compared to places like Westhofen or Nierstein. Harvests here often happen 1 to 1.5 weeks later. The vines grow between 180 and 280 meters above sea level, with rows oriented west to east and growing on north faced slopes – exposed to fresh winds and cool nights that help preserve natural acidity, keep pH levels low, and stabilize the wines.

Locally, this landscape is known as the Rheinhessische Schweiz – a hilly region where villages sit in the valleys and vineyards rise up on surrounding slopes. Millions of years ago, these slopes were actually islands in a prehistoric sea.

Geology: Where Volcanic Rock Meets the Ancient Ocean

What makes this place truly special is its geological story. Our vineyards are rooted in layers of volcanic and marine history:

On the surface of the plateau, it's about 1.5 meters of loess and clay cover roughly one meter of sandy gravel, shaped by a primeval sea that covered this area some 40 million years ago. Below that lies the volcanic core: porphyr rock, over 285 million years old.

At lower altitudes (180–200 meters), the marine influence is strongest – soils are lighter and sandier, dotted with rounded porphyry stones smoothed by wave action from the ancient coastline. Higher up on the plateau, large fractured slabs of porphyry emerge directly, lending the soils a more rugged, stony profile.

This rare combination of volcanic bedrock and marine sediment creates a unique terroir. It gives our wines a precise, mineral-driven structure, marked by salinity, herbal depth, and a natural sense of tension.

Cheers!