It takes guts to do what Schätzel is doing: working biodynamically in some of the country’s most iconic sites, unafraid of no-sulfur wines (even in GGs), and – in the face of tradition and, arguably, immediate business sense – being the first to build a multiyear blend from the hallowed Pettenthal vineyard.

Add to that their contributions to the country’s understanding of how flor behaves with Riesling, and you have one of the most defining names in the vanguard of German fine wine.

We sat with them recently and were lucky to learn more about their work. 

When Kai Schätzel took over in 2008, the Rheinhessen family winery (founded in 1350!) was solidly producing technically correct Prädikat wines. Wines that, while sound, didn’t live up to the potential of its Hollywood Hills-level Roter Hang vineyard sites; the crown jewels being Hipping and Pettenthal. Changes were made immediately in both in the vineyard and in the cellar, and the work has continued to grow and evolve since.

At first, Kai converted the estate to organic farming. But with the push from his partner Jule, who joined in 2020, they dove fully into Biodynamics and became Demeter certified.

In their latest efforts to farm healthy vineyards amid a warming climate and increasingly dry seasons, they’ve gone even further; planting an incredible 250 trees per hectare within Hipping and Ölberg. They’re candid about their fears around drought, betting on agroforestry to help them stay ahead of it.

Planting 250 trees last month; photo via @weingutschaetzel

This approach to farming isn’t just about sustainability; it’s the foundation for making fine wines as naturally as possible.

They’re quick to point out that sunburn on Riesling clusters can lead to prematurely oxidized wines, explaining (in ways that admittedly went a bit over my head) that extreme heat denatures the grapes in a way that forces winemakers to use heavy sulfur doses to prevent oxidation in the cellar. Once they bring in clean, healthy fruit, Kai and Jule work to make wine as naturally as possible in their ancient cellar, letting fermentations occur spontaneously.

A handful of producers in Germany work this way, but none we know of experiment with flor—the veil of yeast that forms in barrels left untopped, famously seen in the Jura and Andalucía—like they do.

To show how revolutionary this is: as a student, Kai was told by Geisenheim that Riesling’s pH was too low to develop flor. Now, he collaborates with the same school to study and teach flor’s behavior in the cellar.

Understanding how these long-lived barrels evolve, he decided to experiment at the highest—and most expensive—level. Since 2016, he’s been holding back barrels from his most hallowed site, Pettenthal, blending completely unsulfured components over eight years, with a small portion from a perpetual solera.

Magical flor; photo via @weingutschaetzel

The result: a multiyear, flor-influenced wine—the first ever from this Grand Cru site. That wine won’t land until later this year. But the curious should seek out the 2020 Pettenthal GG, a milestone bottling as it was the first VDP-approved no-sulfur GG.

It’s a stunning wine that blends the power of the site with the salinity of flor. It’s joined by the dangerously drinkable Naturweiss, a no-sulfur blend of all their white varietals. The only wine to see a touch of sulfur is the Kabinett—as cooling as it is off-dry, sourced entirely from the Roter Hang.

The lineup below is a provocative tribute to Rheinhessen’s most famous sites through the lens of transformative places like Jura. Lovers of either place should make space for the work being done here.

Pettenthal vineyard; photo via @weingutschaetzel

 

2022 Weingut Schätzel Kabinett Riesling, $34
A crazy delightful, juicy Kabi. Note, this is now their only wine with sulfur, which is added here to control the fermentation and achieve the off-dry style.

2022 Weingut Schätzel 'Naturweiss' VDP, $35
A friendly, delicious blend of 90% Riesling and 10% a mix of Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Blanc, Scheurebe and Ehrenfelser from a range of parcels, macerated 3 days. Each variety is fermented separately, with the exception of the Pinot Blanc and Müller-Thurgau which are co-fermented. Aged about 10 months in used wood, under flor – a super fun intro to their transformative use of it.

2020 Weingut Schätzel Pettenthal GG Riesling, $285
More than just a fantastic GG, this is the historic bottling mentioned above; absolutely layered with texture, electric acidity and savory, umami accents. Foot crushed and macerated 3 days, followed by a slow press. Aged 35 months on the lees, in barrel, under flor. No fining, no filtration, and of course – no sulfur ;)

SHOP SCHÄTZEL