Rheinhessen is the largest wine growing region in Germany, and has been largely associated with bulk production. However, in recent years, the region’s reputation has begun to shift as a new generation of younger, more... Read More

Rheinhessen is the largest wine growing region in Germany, and has been largely associated with bulk production. However, in recent years, the region’s reputation has begun to shift as a new generation of younger, more innovative growers are reducing yields and honing in on the largely undervalued terroir of this region. There is a small but rapidly growing group of very talented winemakers and growers who are pushing the envelope when it comes to quality wine produced as naturally as possible. At the epicenter of this movement you will find husband and wife Daniel and Bianka Schmitt.

Their Schmitt estate has been in the family for over 200 years and was originally a cereal and sugar beet farm. During the latter half of the 20th century, the family began bottling and selling their wine, and at the beginning of this century converted to biodynamic farming. Today, Bianka and Daniel have 16 hectares of vineyards on clay, limestone, and sandstone. Theirs is one of only about 75 properties in Germany to be Demeter certified and thus farmed by hand with an emphasis on low yields of extremely high quality fruit

In the cellar, they keep their interventions limited: native yeasts, no temperature control, and no fining or filtering. Some skin contact wines, some amphorae wines, some aged in neutral oak. All of their wines are fresh and delicious and follow their motto: “wine just from grapes!”