Kleines Gut, Spatburgunder vom Mergelgestein 2023

"Grapes and Love" the guiding ethos of Daniel and Frederike, the couple behind the wines from kleines gut. After surfing the atlantic coastlines, studying and working here (Mosel, Baden, Palatinate) and there (Rheingau, Burgundy, Burgenland) they came back home to Stuttgart and went all in.

The couple's adventure started with a leap of faith in 2020: leaving the local cooperative, taking on grandfather’s vineyards, an uncle’s tractor and the neighbour’s cellar- all while welcoming their first child. Out of this mix of courage and chaos came kleines gut (“little farm”), their three-hectare estate tucked away in a place called Uhlbach, just east of Stuttgart.

From the beginning they’ve been guided by a simple idea: keep things pure, balanced and true to the land. Biodiversity is their biggest ally- wild grasses, insects, and a living ecosystem all play a role in strengthening the vines. In contrast to what can at times seem manicured vineyards elsewhere, Frederike and Daniel farm intuitively and mindfully, rebuilding the soils and letting nature set the rhythm. Farming the vineyards is guided by an organic and biodynamic approach.

Winemaking here is decidedly low-tech, in the best sense of the word. Grapes are hand-picked, foot-crushed in vats, slowly pressed on a traditional press and left to ferment with native yeasts. Their wines mature in old barrels and tanks inside a vaulted cellar from 1546, resting until they’re ready to be bottled by gravity, with nothing added but the occasional whisper of sulphur. Even their packaging reflects the same ethos- lightweight bottles, FSC-certified paper, and bio-based materials keep the footprint light.

The result? Honest, natural wines that capture the spirit of their vineyards- expressive, unadorned, and quietly full of life. At kleines gut, it’s always been about grapes and love.