2NATURKINDER
Kitzingen in Bavaria, Germany
In June 2013, Michael and Melanie left their corporate life behind and started making wine in Michael’s parents’ winery. They had been working in publishing for six years – in Heidelberg, Regensburg, London and New York. While Michael previously had no interest in returning home to take over and run the family business, they had developed a taste for natural wine and in 2012 a plan began to develop. Starting with just a few hundred bottles from two parcels (converted to organic farming by Michael's dad in the 90s), they now farm around six hectares of organic vineyards.
The climate of the region around Kitzingen is stamped by the river Main and the surrounding hills; like a big caldera. The river contributes to mild temperatures, and the mountains tend to hold back the clouds so it’s dry. There is also extreme weather – frost and heat up to 40°C. Most of the old vineyards are South or South-West facing. This is still a cool-climate region, but it was a lot cooler a few decades ago so vineyards were planted on the slopes of hills to maximise the impact of the sun.