Winemakers: Hannes (Germany) & Olympia (Greece!) Warth
Where: Vaihingen an der Enz, Württemberg, Germany
Size: 4 ha Main
Varieties: Riesling, Lemberger (Blaufränkisch) & Pinot Noir
Certifications: Demeter Certified, organic certified Öko-Kontrollstelle DE-ÖKO-006.
Quick notes: Both Hannes & Olympia work within the Demeter wine association, herb cultivation, steep terraced vineyards, old oak elevage, calm and energetic wines
Weingut Roterfaden is located in the small city of Vaihingen an der Enz in Württemberg, about an hour north-west of Stuttgart. Here, Hannes and Olympia, together with their two young children, have created a small, Demeter-certified biodynamic winery, farming around two hectares of steep terraced vineyards along the river Enz.
Since their first vintage in 2015, they have steadily built a life and winery that reflects themselves as grounded and harmonious. The vineyards indeed are a beautiful reflection of their philosophy. Thick, diverse cover crops grow between the vines, encouraging biodiversity and soil vitality. Most vineyard sites sit above the river Enz on steep terraces, predominantly south-facing. The soils are defined through the presence of blue limestone, something you can clearly see in the nearby quarry that cuts through the landscape.
Olympia and Hannes really only work with three main varieties, which also happen to be the most classic for the Württemberg region; Riesling, Pinot Noir and Lemberger, as Blaufränkisch is known in Germany. In recent years, Hannes and Olympia have planted a few additional hectares of vineyards, in hillside sites long since abandoned.
Their wines clearly reflect the vineyards, their Endschleife cuvées represents their top selections each year, produced from the best parcels and grapes. The name plays on the curve of the river Enz, which forms a loop, a “Schleife”, around the vineyard area, resembling a bowtie when seen from above.
In the cellar, the approach is intentionally minimal. Fermentations are spontaneous, ageing takes place in large old oak vessels, sulphur use is very low, and the wines are neither fined nor filtered. The wines are often very gentle, thoughtful and expressive, sometimes they aren’t the loudest in the room, but the purity of terroir expression means they are simply some of the wines we love to drink often. Olympia and Hannes themselves are people that both buzz with contained energy, yet are so thoughtful and patient and a true joy to be around, we’re very excited to follow their journey in the years to come - especially as next vintage hopefully allows us a few of their Sekt bottles!
