Vineyard and Cellars

The hills of the Ottenberg region consist of rock from the Upper Freshwater Molasse, mainly nagelfluh (pudding stone) and sandstone. On top of that is Wurm moraine – rubble that was left behind when the glaciers retreated during the last Ice Age. Our soil is classified as sandy loam. The chalk and skeletal content is quite similar to that of the Burgundy terroir.

Six hectares of vineyard, situated at the very heart of the Ottenberg region, surround the house and farm buildings. This means that managing the vineyard is very easy and the ripe grapes have a very short distance to travel to the cellar. 70% of the land is planted with Pinot Noir vines and the rest is divided between Müller-Thurgau, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Chardonnay. The entire vineyard is on a favourable south-facing slope which enjoys plentiful sunshine. The cool climate of Ottenberg is what gives the wines their characteristic freshness.

For years we have gone without insecticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers. Rebberg is not just a production location but rather an increasingly important biotope home to countless plants and animals. Hedges, compensating areas, revegetation and flowering planst between the vines support diversity. After some very instructive years of conversion we have been certified with the Bio-Bud-Label in 2021.

Cellars

When it comes to quality of wine, we do not compromise. We want to produce expressive, elegant and vibrant wines that reflect the climate and soils of Ottenberg and which develop well with age.

Our cellars date from different eras and so reflect the way cellaring philosophy has changed across the generations.

Whereas, in the past, pressing took place only in wooden barrels and using wooden tools, during the 1970s there was a period of very strict sterility when stainless steel vats were used. Today we take a more relaxed but controlled “laissez-faire” attitude: stainless steel vats are reserved for the white wines, while the red grapes ferment in wooden vats and mature in oak casks, with the size varying depending on the type of wine.

Grapes and wine are mainly moved by gravity so as to spare them the mechanical stresses and strains that occur inside a pump. We have recently started pressing our Pinot Noir No. 3 with our magnificent restored beam press again, which dates from the 16th century.