Drop 15

Drop 15

Tino Kuban & Romain Pertusot

In the wind-swept plains of the southern Pfalz, in Zeiskam, Lukas Hammelmann is quietly rewriting what this flat landscape can deliver. He stayed where others saw only potatoes and onions, betting on character over reputation. His tiny estate is built around a few parcels—loess, limestone, sandstone, old terraces, even near-century-old vines—farmed organically, no shortcuts. The wines are tense, precise, and unapologetic, more about attention than charm. Proof that the most electric bottles can come from the most overlooked places.

Weingut Rings, run by brothers Andreas and Steffen Rings in Freinsheim, is one of the key names behind Germany’s new wine wave. Rooted in organic farming and meticulous vineyard work, they’re obsessed with letting each soil speak clearly. The wines are vibrant, pure, and charged with energy—precision with real soul. Their Pinot has become a German benchmark, and their Chardonnays and sparklings sit among the best I’ve tasted from the country. Rings is ambition done right: pushing boundaries while staying deeply anchored in their land.

In Deidesheim, at the northern edge of the Pfalz, Weingut Andres is quietly carving its own lane. Since taking over the family estate in 2015, brothers Thomas and Michael have focused on clarity of place over noise. Organic, patient vineyard work on sandstone, limestone, and marl sets the tone. In the cellar, they keep it gentle and unforced—letting each parcel speak without rush or heavy-handedness. The result is grounded yet bright wines, full of quiet energy and honest precision.

Inside the box

Herzog 23 – Winery Andres

The 2023 Haardter Herzog Chardonnay from Weingut Andres grows on a slope shaped by limestone, marl and sandstone — a site that gives the wine both firmness and quiet depth. The grapes are spontaneously fermented with wild yeasts, then aged in a careful mix of new and used barriques, gaining texture while keeping its natural tension.

The result is a Chardonnay with clear, bright fruit, a fine salty edge and a long, mineral finish. It’s structured yet elegant — a wine that speaks gently but confidently of its place in the hills above Deidesheim.

Hochstadt Roter Berg 23 – Lukas Hammelmann

The 2023 Hochstadt Roter Berg Chardonnay from Lukas Hammelmann comes from an old parcel planted in 1980, rooted in the limestone- and sandstone-rich soils that define this quiet corner of the Pfalz. The grapes are harvested by hand and fermented spontaneously, moving through the cellar with the same calm, unforced rhythm that shapes all of Hammelmann’s wines.

The result is a Chardonnay that feels finely cut and quietly expressive — cool stone, a hint of flint, bright citrus and a lean, salty finish. It’s precise, understated and deeply tied to the hillside it comes from.

Kalk & Stein 2023 – Winery Rings

The 2023 Kalk & Stein Chardonnay from Rings is shaped by its limestone-rich vineyards in Kallstadt, a cool site that gives the wine its linear, mineral backbone. The grapes are fermented spontaneously with wild yeasts and then aged for many months on the full lees in used wooden barrels, gaining quiet depth without heaviness. Bottled unfiltered and with minimal sulphur, the wine shows bright citrus, fine saltiness and a chalky precision that reflects both soil and thoughtful, restrained craftsmanship.