Koehler-Ruprecht

Pfalz

 A pioneer in crafting savoury, mineral, complex, age-worthy dry German Rieslings long before it became popular is none other than Koehler-Ruprecht, a winery located in Kallstadt, Pfalz. This philosophy was initiated by Bernd Philippi and continues today with the team led by Dominik Sona with Franziska Schmitt and Ulrich Meyer. There are 10.5ha under cultivation and vineyards are farmed sustainably and most are in transition to biodynamics. The main 3 vineyards are located in the village of Kallstadt, an area near a forest and soils generally with a high proportion of sandstone, but their crown jewel is a 200+-year-old limestone-rich vineyard called Saumagen, said to be ‘the Grand Cru’! Multiple passes through the vineyards during harvest ensures grapes picked are at the optimal phenolic character for each style of wine crafted. In the cellar, wines have always been naturally fermented, which can sometimes take weeks to months, in old casks (up to 100 years) ranging from 600-2400L in size. Wines are generally released late and best enjoyed with further bottle age. What is unique to Koehler-Ruprecht is that labels do use the pradikät language but do not reference the sugar levels (as most wines are dry). Instead, labels are in reference to the “character of the wine”. Barrels are tasted often and if they don’t live up to expectations, they get blended to the lower cuvée. Occasionally, bottles labelled with “r” or “rr” are noted for their exceptional quality and are produced only in the best vintages. All wines are pure, rich, mineral, and with amazing balance through their range of Rieslings, Pinots, Chardonnays and even a Scheurebe!