Introduction
At first glance, Moritz Kissinger’s colorful, playful labels suggest wild-ferment party wines. But behind the fun exterior lies precision, purity, and high-fidelity terroir expression. These are natural wines in the truest sense – low intervention, transparent, and deeply emotional. His work has drawn attention from Vom Boden, Eric Asimov in The New York Times, and peers across Burgundy and Champagne. The hype is real: these are wines of clarity and intent that also stir feeling.
Moritz is the fourth generation of his family to farm, tending around 7 of the family’s 14 hectares in Uelversheim and Nierstein. His vineyards span limestone, chalk, and the iconic red slate of the Roter Hang. Certified organic and biodynamic (Demeter since 2023), Moritz channels inspiration from Champagne, Burgundy, Jura, and beyond, yet filters it all through his own singular lens.
In the Vineyard
Certified organic since 2015 and biodynamic since 2023, Moritz farms with conviction. No tilling, cover crops for biodiversity, compost from pomace and manure, and chemical-free soils define his approach. All work is by hand, grapes are harvested selectively, and the philosophy is always observation over doctrine. The result: fruit clarity without cosmetic farming, wines built from the ground up with vitality and transparency.
In the Cellar
Fermentations are spontaneous with indigenous yeasts. Vessels include neutral oak, older barriques, and stainless steel, chosen for subtle texture rather than flavor. Sulfur is minimal, often absent, and bottling is unfiltered. For sparklings, Méthode Champenoise is used with long lees aging and zero dosage. The cellar preserves rather than imposes, yielding wines that are taut, finely etched, and direct.
Style
The wines are textural yet driven by minerality, luminous rather than loud. They balance precision and purity with emotional resonance. As Vom Boden puts it, they feel like cousins of Jura, Savoie, or Burgundy – but remain unmistakably Rheinhessen.
Wines
Uelversheimer Talfelstein Chardonnay
From ~30-year-old vines on high limestone slopes. Fermented 12 months in barrel, 6 months in steel. Bottled unfiltered.
Sauvignon Blanc
From a tiny 0.15 ha parcel of 26-year-old vines. Barrel-aged 12–18 months, then in steel. Bottled unfiltered.
Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc)
Planted on limestone soils ~30 years ago. Barrel-aged 12–18 months, then in steel. Bottled unfiltered.
Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature (Pinot Blanc)
Traditional method sparkling from 26–32-year-old Pinot Blanc vines. Lees aging 18–30 months. No dosage, bottled unfiltered.
Deutscher Winzersekt No. 3 (Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Spätburgunder)
Traditional method sparkling from 20–35-year-old vines. Lees aging 18–30 months. Includes reserve wines. No dosage, bottled unfiltered.
Dienheimer Kreuz Riesling Trocken
From VDP.GROSSE LAGE on loess and limestone-marl. Vines 25–35 years old. Aged up to 10 months on lees. Bottled unfiltered.
Niersteiner Hipping Riesling Trocken
From the steep red slate slopes of the Roter Hang. Wild-yeast vinification. First vintage 2024.
Niersteiner Pettenthal Riesling Trocken
From fractured red slate soils of Pettenthal. Low-intervention vinification. First vintage 2024.
“0 Ohm” White (Chardonnay + Pinot Blanc)
Co-fermented Chardonnay and Weissburgunder. Barrel and tank élevage for ~10 months. Bottled unfiltered with minimal sulfur.
“0 Ohm” Red (Pinot Noir)
Pinot Noir from young vineyards on loess and clay. Fermented spontaneously with short maceration, aged ~10 months in mixed barrels. Bottled unfiltered.