Hannes and Claudiu began as a friendship between two people who simply loved wine, and grew into one of the most charming hands-off projects in Germany's South Pfalz.
Backstory
Winemaker Hannes Bergdoll and Claudiu Dumea met in Frankfurt, where Claudiu ran a wine bar. When the two decided to try their hand at vinification together, Hannes's family offered up a portion of their vines for the project. Bergdoll, who hails from Landau-Wollmesheim in the Pfalz, trained formally in viticulture and oenology and released his first vintage in 2016.
The Region
The wines come from around the municipality of Landau in South Pfalz, southern Germany, on the edge of the dense Palatinate Forest. The vines grow in limestone bedrock and red sandstone soils.
Vineyards & Farming
The vines average around thirty years of age. Bergdoll adopted biodynamic methods early on and became certified Demeter in 2018, working the vineyards with tea-based sprays in place of copper-sulfur treatments. A wide range of native and international grapes is grown, including Riesling, Scheurebe, Silvaner, Mueller-Thurgau, Gelber Muskateller, Huxelrebe, Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder, Chardonnay, Spaetburgunder, Dornfelder and Blauer Portugieser.
Winemaking
The fruit enters the cellar for a decidedly hands-off vinification. The pair neither fine nor filter their wines and bottle everything without added sulfites, relying on spontaneous fermentation to let each parcel speak.
The Wines
The lineup runs from juicy whites and skin-contact oranges such as the LAU Grauburgunder to a Riesling Solera, a Bianco blend, rosato and a lively Pet Nat, all built around easygoing freshness and energy.
