Daniel and Jonas Brand are 5th generation winemakers who took over the family vineyard in Bockenheim, Northern Pfalz, in 2014. With the support of their father, Jürgen, the brothers converted just over 20 hectares of vines to organic farming and began making natural wines that are now enjoyed far and wide across the globe. Alongside winemaking, Daniel and Jonas are slowly returning to the mixed-arable approach the farm saw in their grandparents’ day, with the aim to build soil health and nurture biodiversity. Fruit trees, cover crops and vegetables are grown as well as winter wheat; a mix of twenty five different strains that flourish intermingled and are milled into a complex, high protein flour. Cooler than other parts of the Palatinate, Bockenheim’s climate generally allows the grapes to ripen slowly with vineyards sheltered by Donnersberg, a mountain that acts as a natural defence against incoming weather fronts and creates a wind flow that diminishes the risk of mildew. Despite the location, this year saw early veraison and the harvest was completed in three weeks, finishing on the 8th of September, with team members moving fast to bring mature, healthy grapes to the cellar before rain could affect the quality of the fruit.
Pinot Blanc Pur ’23 was harvested from different plots of vines, ranging from 25 to 42 years old. Two thirds to half of the grapes are typically picked early for Pet Nat, with the remaining fruit left to mature one or two weeks longer on the vines. After harvesting, the grapes were crushed underfoot and left to macerate for 18 hours on the skins before pressing. Aged in wood for around 8 months, it was bottled in May ’24. A crisp wine with minerality, good acidity, and a herbal touch.