Introduction
I first met Julian and Nadine Haart in 2017, when I was an intern at the Keller estate. They extended genuine warmth and generosity that left a lasting impression. Later encounters, especially during harvest at Schubertslay, revealed their intensity and commitment. That seriousness defines their wines: taut and structured at first, then opening with air and time into fruit, volume, and depth.
The Haart family has farmed vines in Piesport since 1337. Julian apprenticed with Egon Müller, Klaus-Peter Keller, and Werner Schönleber before bottling under his own name in 2010. Together with Nadine, he has expanded to around five hectares in Piesport, Wintrich, and a limestone plot in Niederflörsheim. Their ethos is simple: handwork, minimal intervention, and devotion to old, often ungrafted vines. Each bottle carries “Fleiß und Herzblut”—hard work and heartfelt effort.
In the Vineyard
The Haarts’ vineyard work is disciplined and precise. Steep slopes demand hand labor, and every decision is guided by observation rather than quotas. Canopy management ensures airflow and light penetration, yields are carefully adjusted, and biodiversity is maintained through ground cover and soil care. Sustainability is built into the rhythm of their attentive, consistent farming.
In the Cellar
The cellar is quiet and restrained. Grapes are whole-cluster pressed, fermentations are spontaneous, and élevage is long on fine lees. The Mosel Fuder, a neutral 1,000-liter oak cask, allows slow fermentations and extended lees contact. Stainless steel supports clarity where needed. Sulfur is applied sparingly, guided by tasting. Every decision aims to let the vineyards speak without embellishment.
Style
Julian and Nadine’s wines are defined by structure and clarity. Acidity and slate minerality provide a taut frame, with fruit and extract adding depth without weight. Alcohol is restrained. Residual sugar, when present, balances acidity rather than sweetening. Dry wines are linear and tensile; delicately sweet wines are filigreed and precise. These are wines that reward patience.
Wines
Riesling Kabinett Old Vines
Entry-level off-dry Riesling from older vines. Red label.
“HaartRiesling” Trocken
Entry-level dry Riesling. Red label.
Moselle Riesling Trocken
Appellation-level dry Riesling sourced from Piesporter Goldtröpfchen, Wintricher Ohligsberg, and Piesporter Günterslay. Barely off-dry, effectively a Grand Cru blend. Red label.
Piesporter Riesling Trocken
Village-level dry Riesling from declassified Goldtröpfchen fruit. A Grand Cru in all but name. Red label.
Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Grosse Lage QbA Trocken
Bone-dry Riesling from Germany’s iconic Grand Cru Goldtröpfchen vineyard. Weathered Devonian slate, old vines, some ungrafted. Fermented in Fuder, aged on lees. Red label.
Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett
Off-dry Kabinett bottling from Goldtröpfchen. Red label.
Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett Alte Reben
Old-vine Kabinett bottling from Goldtröpfchen. White label.
Zellerweg am Schwarzen Herrgott Riesling Grosse Lage QbA Trocken (Rheinhessen)
Dry Riesling from the prestigious Zellerweg am Schwarzen Herrgott site in Rheinhessen. Calcareous soils with loess/marl. Red label.
Wintricher Ohligsberg Riesling Grosse Lage QbA Trocken
Dry Riesling from the Grand Cru Ohligsberg. Grey-blue slate with quartzite bands. Red label.
Wintricher Ohligsberg Riesling Kabinett Alte Reben
Old-vine Kabinett from Ohligsberg. Notable for the 2020 vintage, the first Kabinett to receive 100 points. White label.
Wintricher Ohligsberg Riesling Kabinett “1925 wurzelecht”
Micro-bottling from ungrafted vines planted in 1925. Extremely limited production. Artist label.