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.
Spätburgunder is the German name for pinot noir, a variety that found its way from Burgundy centuries ago and now thrives in Baden’s volcanic soils. In Höfflin’s hands, it becomes something distinctly his own: whole-cluster fermentation, gentle extraction, and long élevage bring out both delicacy and structure.
The 2022 Vulkanstoff comes from a cool site at 320 meters, bordered by forest and planted in deep clay and loess over volcanic rock. Co-fermented with 90% whole cluster pinot noir and riesling juice, it spent 24 months in used barrels before being bottled by hand, unfined and unfiltered. The wine opens with vivid aromas of red cherry, rosehip, and currant, touched with floral lift, subtle smoke, and a hint of chocolate. On the palate it is lean and vibrant, its lively acidity carrying fresh red fruit through a fine web of tannin. Focused, textural, and brimming with energy, it offers a new interpretation of spätburgunder and a striking expression of pinot noir’s adaptability.
