We passionately believe in biodynamic Riesling from steep slate slopes in the Mosel valley—in support of diversity and sustainability.

One type of soil, (almost exclusively) one grape variety, one single valley …. «how boring», you might think. Quite the opposite—it is a challenging gift! Riesling reacts to the slightest changes in soil and microclimate. Our site Mullay-Hofberg is a fascinating example how one slope can produce a range of different wines over the relatively small area of one kilometre. Though all are made of the same grape variety, each of them is a great individual with its own unique character. All top wine regions share this microdiversity, and the Mosel is in the top league, together with Burgundy, the Douro region, the Rhine region, La Rioja, Piedmont, Bordeaux and the Napa Valley.

Our contribution as winemakers is very significant in this context: to respect what nature has to offer and to use these rich resources in the best possible way. Therefore, our winery set off on its journey into a new era of winemaking in 1995 and began to apply the principles of organic winemaking: Since that time, we have been a member of the German Organic Winemaking Association ECOVIN. Looking back, we are happy to say that this major step—a very brave one at the time—has been an all-round success, for our wines, for the natural environment in our vineyards and for us personally. So we have continued on this path, increasingly applying biodynamic methods in the entire winemaking process, and in 2013, we achieved our next goal and were awarded the Demeter^® certification. All our work is now fully biodynamic, to the benefit of the uniquely diverse natural environment that we cultivate with great care, and of course to the great benefit of our wines. As winegrowers, we feel directly responsible for the soil we work on. To see it as something we simply »use« and primarily »exploit« could not be further removed from what we actually want. It is greatly reassuring for us to see that birds of prey glide over our vineyards once again, that myriads of insects and other small creatures crawl, scurry, burrow and root around, that seven endangered butterfly species feel at home in the area and that an incredibly large population of the silver-striped (or vine) hawk-moth enjoys this new habitat.

The most recent step we’ve taken on this path is to keep goats in a tributary valley of the Mullay-Hofberg site as part of the ›Moselprojekt‹. These extraordinary and adorable animals are a valuable addition to our local biodiversity and a natural method to keep scrub encroachment at our vineyard ›Pfefferberg‹ (situated on the edge of a wood) at bay. The goats are a gentle and environmentally suitable preventive measure that protects our vines from birds that might want to feed on them, from excessive shade and humidity (leading to a higher latent risk of fungal diseases on the grapevines). This addition to our winery is something we have dreamt of for a long time, since we feel that animals enliven our family’s «microcosm».

We believe that nature, culture and human beings need to be in harmony in order to produce great wines AND safeguard a healthy environment—everything that surrounds our wine production and that we want to pass on to the next generations as intact as possible. To develop a sense for this harmony and to enter into its »flow« is a process that needs our full attention, a sensitive and holistic approach towards everything that happens outdoors, a certain element of selflessness and trust in nature and its ways. It makes us happy that we are doing this as a family and can offer you—the people who buy our wines—top quality products as a result. Our wines are a reflection of our hearts and souls. They show the beauty of the diverse environment that we are responsible for.