Daniel and Frederike make wine on the outskirts of Uhlbach, a small village just half an hour from our Off Grid shop. They founded Kleines Gut in 2020 with 3 hectares and we’ve had the pleasure of numerous tastings, exchanges and visits over the years, awaiting each new release with eager anticipation. Their winemaking combines age-old techniques and highly intuitive farming; compost teas and stone powders enrich the ecosystem in the vineyards, supporting the soils which provide essential nutrition. In seasons of downpour or drought, it is this balanced biodiversity that secures healthy vines and quality grapes. The cellar dates back to 1546 — a pocket of history tucked beneath the family home where Daniel and Fredi raise their two small daughters. Filled with old wooden barrels, it has that tranquility that only old stone and timeworn steps can command and, at four metres below the surface, the wines are protected from fluctuating temperatures.
Known in the previous vintage as ‘Steinmergel’, with a little Kerner alongside the Riesling, this wine was reborn after Daniel and Fredi received a legal warning that the name was firmly off limits. ‘Riesling Village vom Mergelstein’ emerged, highlighting the marlstone that the wine is deeply connected to and focussing fully on Riesling grapes. The area here is a geologist’s paradise; marl (Mergelstein), clay (Keuper) and sandstone (in this case, Schilfsandstein) date back millions of years to the Middle Triassic period. The sea has since turned to stone and the vines root in diverse soils, drawing the mineral components which make this wine so tantalising. The grapes were harvested from five different plots, from vines ranging from 15-60 years old. Some were direct pressed, others left overnight on the skins, and the majority were fermented in oak barrels with just one, 600l stainless steel tank used. Aged for 12 months on full lees, it was bottled with 10mg/l of sulphur, just in time to free up the barrels for harvest ’24. Juicy and soft on the nose, this wine becomes focussed, fresh and animating on the palate, with distinctive minerality and a satisfying saltiness. Drink chilled.