Winemaker: Philipp Reiß
Where: Steinbach, Baden-Baden, Germany
Size: 2,2 ha
Main Varieties: Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Blaufränkisch, Pinot Gris & Muskateller
Viticulture: Figuring how to get his Uncle onside (who has orchards next door!) for organic certification!
Quick notes: Tiny production! Opa Claus (in his 80s!) has hand calligraphed each cuvee label, extensive orchards and thus cider and schnapps production too
Our first introduction to Philipp Reiß was so impressive that we immediately asked how much wine was available for us to import, where we swiftly learned he had made only 1,800 bottles that vintage. Starting at just 26 years old, Philipp Reiß is certainly a new name in the German wine scene, but his beautiful labels (hand-drawn by his grandfather) and his equally impressive wines have made him one to watch.
Philipp studied Viticulture & Oenology in Neustadt, later travelling and working at wineries in South Africa and at Weingut Heinrich in Burgenland. He eventually returned to the family farm in Steinbach, in Baden near Baden-Baden, not far from the French border and Strasbourg.
The family farm itself covers around 5 hectares of land, with everything from plums, apples, and just 0,7 hectares of vines, which were previously sold to the local cooperative. Philipp first began experimenting with winemaking in 2016, vinifying a small amount of Pinot Noir for personal consumption and a bit of fun. After finishing his studies in 2019 and returning home, he decided to vinify the family’s grapes himself instead of selling them to the cooperative. This decision soon led to taking over a few additional vineyard parcels that required replanting, bringing the total vineyard area to around 2,2 hectares. Quantities remain very small, but will naturally increase in the coming years.
His largest vineyard is an older plot of Riesling, followed by Pinot Noir and Grauburgunder. Newly planted vineyards include Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Organic certification is pending and something to look forward to in the near future.
Vinification is, as Philipp himself describes it, “very easy, nothing special, it’s about healthy and high-quality fruit, so there is not too much work in the cellar.” Sulphur levels are low and depend on the cuvée and vintage. The cellar is located underneath his grandfather’s house and, if we’re honest, feels more like a garage than a wine cellar, exactly how many great small wineries begin. Inside are a few old barriques, one Georgian qvevri, and a handful of stainless-steel tanks used mainly for blending.
The wines are pure and precise, expressing the Baden style in a way that feels both honest and confident. Philipp’s calm and thoughtful approach is already clearly visible in the bottles, and we feel very lucky to have encountered his wines this early in his journey.
