Jason Groebe took a small slice of his family's old Rheinhessen estate and turned it into one of the region's most committed zero-sulfur projects, making his first vintage in 2014.
Backstory
Bergkloster sits in Westhofen, in the heart of Rheinhessen. Jason Groebe represents the fifth generation of winemakers on the property. The family began working organically in 2006, and Jason carved out around 3 hectares for himself from the estate's 7.7 hectares, debuting his own wines with the 2014 vintage.
The Region
Rheinhessen is Germany's largest wine region and the engine room of a new wave of young, natural-minded growers who have transformed its reputation in barely a generation. Westhofen, in the southern Wonnegau, is known for limestone-rich sites that give Riesling both power and tension, and sits among the region's most respected villages.
Vineyards & Farming
Groebe farms about 3 hectares on limestone soils, working the vines organically since the family began the conversion in 2006 and harvesting everything by hand. He belongs to a generation of Rheinhessen growers reworking inherited estates around terroir and minimal intervention, pushing toward wines that are as close to nature as possible.
Winemaking
Fermentation is spontaneous. Depending on the variety, fruit is whole-bunch pressed or fermented on the skins, then aged for roughly nine months in large oak casks of 1,200 to 4,500 liters or in stainless steel. Since 2018 the wines carry zero added sulfites and no other additives, with no fining and no filtration. The aim is wines that are elegant and fresh while keeping a distinct, driving acidity.
The Wines
The vineyards hold Riesling, Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder, Pinot Noir, St. Laurent, Sauvignon Blanc and aromatic crossings such as Bacchus and Huxelrebe. Bottlings include the Marstein Riesling and the Cuvée Weiss and Cuvée Rot (labeled Super Lecka) blends. Across the range the wines trade obvious power for clarity, freshness and energy, a snapshot of where young Rheinhessen is heading.
