My Adventure in Germany

PIWI AND REGENERATIVE FARMING

WE ARE IN THE CLOUDS

I first visited Germany in 2006 while I on a semester abroad in Budapest. I instantly felt at home, in a way that is hard to explain- I've often joked since then that I must have been German in another life. I have visited several times since then, including in 2016 as a guest of Wines of Germany for a masterclass and visit of the Nahe region. I also extended that trip to visit the Mosel with a winemaker friend from Italy. On arrival I was swept away by the beauty of the landscape as I observed the Mosel river snake its way through vineyards perched on steep slopes above.

I originally planned to spend the 2023 harvest in Ardèche, but nature decided otherwise and i found myself at Staffelter Hof in the Mosel working alongside Jan Matthias Klein. Spending the majority of my time in the vines harvesting with the team, I learnt a great deal from Kosie, the chief of viticulture at the estate, including about disease resistant PiWi vines. Cellar work was also intense, with lots of fruit to process. Jan's mother Gundi cooked the most delectable lunches for all of uus, and Lucie, Tyra, Olenka and the rest of the harvest team made my Mosel vintage an unforgettable experience.

Weingut Staffelter Hof

Staffelter Hof, founded in 862 AD is probably the oldest still-operating winery in the world. Jan Matthias Klein is the 7th generation of his family to make Riesling from the estate vineyards on the steep slopes of the Mosel Valley. After taking over the management of the Estate from his parents Gerd and Gundi, he introduced organic agriculture (practiced since 2011 and certified since 2014) and the production natural wines with minimal intervention in the cellar.

He also been a pioneer in implanting PIWI vines in the region. Staffelter Hof's work for a more sustainable and regenerative viticulture in the Mosel and their awareness of the impacts of the changing climate make them leaders in the region. On top of planting PIWI vines for more resiliant and lower-inpu viticulture and the use of alternative energy and careful water management at the winery, Jan is also a key member of the Klitzekleine Ring, a group of winemakers around Traben-Trarbach dedicated to saving steep slope Mosel vineyards that would otherwise be abandoned. Furthermore, Jan and his team have implemented a vitiforestry system on around 2.5ha with the possibility to keep developing that system to 6 ha in the future.

All these efforts and practices are reflected in wines that are fresh, vibrant, and alive!