The past year has seen a new wave of energy in the winery, and it’s directed at Riesling. Having largely avoided it during his wine studies, tired of the style and aroma, Moritz has found himself falling in love with the variety, captivated by its ability to transport terroir and excited by the chance to work with a grape that has its own strong identity, firmly rooted in the history of German winemaking. Vinified into different expressions over the years, one thing is for sure: it's a variety that refuses to play second fiddle. Together with his wife Jasmin Bähr, who brings her own expertise as a sommelier, the couple are steadily growing their portfolio. Imagining the future of the winery, the pair sought out plots they felt connected to, the energy of the vineyards feeding their own. The newly acquired, old Riesling vines in Orbel, Hipping, and Pettenthal, readily showed their distinct character; vinified in stainless steel, the wines speak clearly of the renowned, red slate of the Roter Hang. Small quantities of seven different Rieslings have just been released. Rheinriesling, from plots along the river in Dienheim, Oppenheim, Nierstein and Nackenheim, the first two made up of limestone and the second two from red slate. Four single vineyard Rieslings from Orbel, Hipping, and Pettenthal in the Roter Hang, and Kreuz, part of the Kissinger estate. And two Kabinett wines are made with pre-harvest grapes, picked to allow the remaining bunches to fully mature for the dry white wines. The Rieslings carry the winery’s new name, and as of next year all of the labels will reflect a new partnership in wine, love and life: Kissinger-Bähr.
Moritz Kissinger’s first Null Ohm Weiss, 100% Chardonnay in 2019, gained attention almost instantly. The young winemaker became known for his love of Burgundian varieties, with wine critics and sommeliers praising his wines as comparable to those made in famous French regions. Null Ohm Weiss is the ’24 iteration, and as fresh and energetic as ever. 60% Chardonnay and 40% Weißburgunder, known elsewhere as Pinot Blanc, aged for 11 months in 225 litre barrels, followed by three weeks in stainless steel. Clay, limestone and loess dominate the 13.5 ha Kissinger estate and the region itself, and with grapes harvested from all three types of soil, it’s a wine that truly captures the local terroir.