Daniel and Frederike farm 3 ha in Uhlbach, a small, peaceful valley to the east of Stuttgart. The project began in 2020, when the young couple decided to leave the local cooperative and, by 2022, they were a fully independent winery making approximately 5000 bottles of natural wine per hectare. The intention is to make wines not to impress, but to express. Combining simple techniques with highly intuitive farming, Daniel and Frederike employ a hands off approach (and one very old tractor) and let the wine speak for itself. They use natural sprays and stone powders, slowly weaning the vines off the chemical input of previous years – a process which requires patience, as radical change would most likely lead to collapse. In Daniel’s words: ‘biodiversity is our most powerful workmate’. Healthy soils and strong plants (weeds included!) play a fundamental part in the balanced ecosystem which they strive to support.
The youngest of the young wines from kleines gut, Vin de Soif is dangerously drinkable. Daniel and Frederike wanted to make a Beaujolais Nouveau style wine; a low alcohol wine to quench your thirst and satisfy your belly. The grapes were harvested over September and October, picked carefully by hand in order to catch them at their peak. The result is a light red with rosehip and hibiscus, soft tartness and very low tannins. Made with 60% Trollinger, 30% Pinot Noir and 10% Zweigelt, all of which were macerated for 5 days on their skins. Aged in steel and bottled in January this year: welcome this new delight from Württemberg. Drink slightly chilled as an aperitif or with a sausage and lentil dish.