Meet the Winemakers

Wine Maker: Weingut Wittmann

Winery: Wittmann

Location: Westhofen, Southern Rheinhessen, Germany

Wittmann winery is based in Westhofen, the heart of southern Rheinhessen, surrounded by some of the region’s best vineyards. The Wittmanns are not exactly newcomers to the area, having made wine here since 1663. Over 350 years of experience of 15 generations are the family's valuable heritage. Perhaps this gives them a sense of responsibility for the soils in their vineyards: they were adopting organic methods already back in 1990, which made them one of the first organic pioneers in the country. A conversion to biodynamism followed in 2004, which does not only renounce chemical and synthetic means as for organic viticulture, it also deals with cosmic forces intensively to better support the dynamics of plant growth and flavour development during the winemaking process. This means reason and mindfulness for the family. Biodiversity of all vineyards is ensured by planting a variety of cover crops, which also nurish vines.

Needless to say, after all the effort which is put in to grow perfect grapes, all grapes are hand harvested and carefully selected, before being brought 6 metres down into the wine cellars by gravity. During fermantation only natural yeasts are working the juice (i.e. nothing is added), and balance is the main goal in Wittmann's wines.

'Making wine is brain work with the heart.' Phillip Wittmann.