Weingut Lukas Kesselring

Since 1648 in Ellerstadt: From grape supplier to winery with its own standards

The Kesselring winery is one of the oldest family businesses in the Palatinate – its roots go back to 1648, when the Peace of Westphalia reorganized Europe and the Kesselring family was already growing wine in Ellerstadt. For generations, the business supplied grapes to neighboring wineries and cellars; very few of their own wines were bottled. This changed fundamentally when Lukas Kesselring took over management in 2009. He had previously studied viticulture in Geisenheim and developed his own perspective on the profession through internships at wineries at home and abroad. With the takeover, he began to consistently convert the winery to independent operation – and in 2012 he officially became the owner. Today, the business cultivates about 25 hectares of vineyards in and around Ellerstadt.

Organic farming as an attitude, not a marketing message

Since 2009, the Kesselring winery has been working organically. Synthetic pesticides are taboo; instead, Lukas Kesselring relies on organic fertilization and natural soil care. The vineyards are located around Ellerstadt on sandy loam and gravel soils – a soil type that stores the heat of the Palatinate sun well and at the same time ensures natural drainage. The vines are left hanging as long as possible so that the grapes come into the cellar fully ripe. Lukas Kesselring puts it clearly himself: "High quality can only be achieved if synthetic pesticides are avoided, organic fertilization is used, and natural working methods are observed in the vineyard." In the cellar, no animal-based fining or clarifying agents are used – the wines are vegan.

Fruity directness, Palatinate breadth: what awaits you in the glass

The range reflects the variety of grape varieties in the Palatinate: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, and Muscat form the backbone of the white wines. In addition, there are more unusual positions such as an alcohol-free Pinot Grigio – both as a still and as a frizzante variant – and a cuvée of Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. The style is designed for fruit clarity: ripe, accessible aromatics, restrained acidity, creamy finish. Wines that immediately reveal their origin – the generously sun-drenched Palatinate plain, the warm sandy soils. Lukas Kesselring describes his standard briefly: "I am only satisfied when the grape, just as it is, can be tasted in the glass." The result is wines that work without detours – for the end of the day on the terrace just as much as for a meal.