Leiner

  • Pfalz, Germany
Leiner
  • In the news! Weingut Leiner is the newest member of Respekt-BIODYN, the very exclusive (25 members) Austrian/German biodynamic consortium which includes A-list wineries like Clemens Busch, Christmann, Rebholz, Wittmann Ott, Preisinger, and others. Leiner was certified organic in 2005 and Demeter-certified in 2011.   Sven Leiner was also shortlisted last year for best German winemaker in Falstaff, Germany’s leading fine wine magazine. Congratulations Sven and Simone Leiner!"

Weingut Jürgen Leiner is a great example of the new generation of wine estates pushing the boundaries of ecologically minded, terroir-driven winemaking in the Rheinland after decades of technocratic efforts in pursuit of high yields and ripeness. Located in the Kalmit nature preserve in the southern Pfalz, at the edge of the Pfalzerwald (Pfalz forest) about thirty minutes’ drive north of the Alsatian border, the Leiner estate produces only a modest 120,000 bottles of Riesling and Burgundian varieties. They are Demeter-certified biodynamic; members of Slow Food; and most excitingly, recent inductees into Respekt, the exclusive and influential consortium of biodynamic winemakers in Germany, Austria and Northern Italy. 

Sven Leiner explains:  "We know from years of personal experience and observation that the biologically dynamic farming method addresses all the right issues and fosters a harmonious interrelationship of the various parts of the ecosystem. Soil, as we understand it, is a living organism that we aim to revitalise by applying our own compost, organic teas and natural preparations. Our vines respond with healthy and balanced growth. Plant diversity has come to play a crucial role in the fertility of our vineyard, as it not only provides essential nutrients to our vines, but exerts a stabilising effect on the soil life. In fact, it takes a species-rich soil ecosystem, including bacteria as well as beneficial fungal mycelia, earthworms and a variety of insects, to ensure that an efficient nutrient cycle is in place. We ‘intervene’ simply to keep this natural process going. A wide array of plant life also cuts down significantly on the use of natural fertilisers. As passionate advocates of an ecologically sensitive approach to vineyard management, we have grown our vines using biodynamic practices since 2005. Our firm belief in biodynamic viticulture earned us Demeter Biodynamic certification in 2011 without a transition period."

The soils at Leiner are a complicated geology, generally loess and loam mixed with limestone, but there is a distinct terroir of colored sandstone (bundsandstein) on the Pinot site and another special soil in the Riesling vineyards with an awesome German name: landschneckenkalk, or literally “land snail chalk.” Sven ferments his wines with natural yeasts, and experiments with longer lees and skin contact. The Rieslings imported by Bowler are vinified in steel, and the Spätburgunder "Handwerk" is aged 9 months in large fuder. The wines are “natural” in soul, but also perfectly clean and pure. Every label has a different insect from the vineyards on the label, a celebration of the life found among the vines. The Rieslings possess a riveting dynamic energy and lip-smacking fruit. The Spätburgunders, which clearly reflect the ambient warmth of the southern Pfalz, are among the freshest, most enticingly ripe and delightful Pinot Noirs in our collection.

Image Producer PRODUCT Description Country / Region

DB4528-21
Biodynamic
Leiner Spätburgunder Trocken Ilbesheim "Kalkbruch"
2021
Pinot Noir
Villages-level 100% Pinot Noir from the limestone soils (or "lime fragments" as the name Kalkbruch implies) of the Kleine Kalmit nature...
Germany

DB3508-21
Biodynamic
Leiner Riesling Trocken "Handwerk"
2021
Riesling
The “Handwerk” line is hand-crafted as the name suggests:  biodynamically grown, manually harvested and vinified in small quantities.  You...
Germany

DB3507-21
Biodynamic
Leiner Riesling Trocken
2021
Riesling
This crisp, zesty, flavorsome dry Riesling comes from rolling hillside vineyards in the southern Pfalz around Ilbesheim. Most of the soils...
Germany

DB3507-22
Biodynamic
Leiner Riesling Trocken
2022
Riesling
This crisp, zesty, flavorsome dry Riesling comes from rolling hillside vineyards in the southern Pfalz around Ilbesheim. Most of the soils...
Germany

DB3511-21
Biodynamic
Leiner Spätburgunder Trocken "Handwerk"
2021
Spätburgunder
The Leiner Pinot Noir “Handwerk” is grown biodynamically in a mix of bundsandstein (colored sandstone) and alluvial soils on gentle slopes...
Germany

DB3511-22
Biodynamic
Leiner Spätburgunder Trocken "Handwerk"
2022
Spätburgunder
The Leiner Pinot Noir “Handwerk” is grown biodynamically in a mix of bundsandstein (colored sandstone) and alluvial soils on gentle slopes...
Germany