On the volcanic slopes of the Kaiserstuhl, where vineyards meet the edge of the Black Forest in southwest Germany, the Höfflin family has been farming organically since 1974. Today, it is Julius Höfflin who brings fresh energy to the domaine. After studying viticulture and working in Burgundy and the Jura, he returned home with a vision of wines that are as alive and expressive as the landscapes around them. Agroforestry is central to his philosophy, with trees planted among the vines to foster biodiversity and balance, a reminder that his grapes are part of a wider ecosystem.
From just a single hectare, Julius crafts small-volume cuvées with spontaneous fermentations, long lees aging, and minimal intervention. Each bears the imprint of volcanic soils and the cool forested sites of Baden, yet carries his own signature: reds of precision and lift, whites of texture and depth, and skin-contact wines that pulse with aromatic intensity. In a region best known for powerful spätburgunder, Julius is charting his own path, making wines that feel both rooted in place and new in vision.
Nebbiolo is a rarity in Germany, a grape more readily associated with the foggy hills of Barolo than with the volcanic slopes of Baden. Yet in a warm, south-facing site of loess and clay over volcanic rock, Julius Höfflin has planted this most demanding of varieties and given it a distinctly new voice. Farmed organically, the grapes were fermented as whole clusters with native yeasts, given a short maceration, and aged for a year in used barrels before being bottled by hand with minimal intervention.
The 2022 nebbiolo carries both familiarity and surprise. Aromas of red cherry, rose, and dried herbs are lifted by the site’s warmth, while fine-grained tannins and bright acidity reflect the variety’s true nature. The volcanic substrata lend a subtle smokiness and mineral cut, shaping a wine that feels both grounded and experimental. A German nebbiolo may seem improbable, but in Höfflin’s hands it becomes a fascinating exploration, and a glimpse of how a classic variety can be reimagined far from its traditional home.
