Ökonomierat Rebholz

In Siebeldingen since 1632: A family shapes the Rebholz type

The Rebholz family has been demonstrably growing wine in Siebeldingen since 1632 — and in all the generations since, there has always been at least one winemaker in the family, even if individual members were active as brewers or mayors in the meantime. The estate building, which the family has inhabited for over 100 years, dates back to the 16th century and is now a listed building. The winery received its decisive character from Eduard Rebholz (1889–1966), a trained forester and later economic councilor, who took over the family wine business after the Second World War. He uncompromisingly rejected the artificially sweetened, sugared wines of his time and countered them with his idea of natural wine. His son Hans Rebholz consistently continued this line; today, Birgit and Hansjörg Rebholz manage the estate — and with them the next generation, sons Hans and Valentin, who have returned to Siebeldingen after apprenticeships at renowned companies in Germany and abroad.

Biodynamic by conviction, not by trend

What appears as a fashionable buzzword in many wine letters today has been practiced by Rebholz for generations: even before the official organic certification, respectful work with nature was the focus. Since 2005, all 26 hectares of vineyards have been managed exclusively organically, and biodynamic certification followed shortly thereafter. The winery is a member of the biodynamic association RESPEKT-BIODYN as well as the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates (VDP). Herbicides, chemical-synthetic fungicides, and mineral fertilizers are consistently avoided. All grapes are harvested by hand and sorted in the cellar. The 26 hectares of vineyard area are distributed over core plots of first-class sites — including the Birkweiler Kastanienbusch, Im Sonnenschein, Ganz Horn, and Schäwer. The Kastanienbusch in particular, the highest VDP.Große Lage in the Palatinate at an altitude of 220 to 320 meters, shapes the identity of the winery: a steep south-facing slope in a natural valley basin, surrounded by sweet chestnut trees, with a red sandstone-Rotliegend weathered soil as a foundation. The winery also relies on the natural diversity of the soils — from Rotliegend to shell limestone to red sandstone — which give the wines their characteristic forms of expression.

Taut, clear, mineral: the unmistakable Rebholz style

The idea of natural wine is inseparably linked with the name Rebholz: dry-vinified wines with clear varietal typicity and a distinct terroir reference. The range extends from accessible entry-level wines made from Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Muscat to Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and the Rieslings for which the estate is internationally known. What all wines have in common is a taut, mineral structure, a lively acidity, and a finish where you can literally taste the origin from the soil. Gault Millau, Eichelmann, and Vinum each award the top rating of five stars — a consensus that speaks for itself. Those who engage with Rebholz do not get smoothed-out, crowd-pleasing wines, but wines with attitude: straightforward, without compromise, with the goal of bringing the respective terroir into the glass as clearly as possible.