Weingut Rings is one of the most exciting family estates in Germany's Pfalz, run by brothers Steffen and Andreas Rings. In little more than two decades they have turned a mixed farm into a VDP member making benchmark dry Riesling and serious Pinot Noir. The wines are precise, savoury and built to age.
The estate and its Mittelhaardt vineyards
The brothers work top limestone sites in the Mittelhaardt, the warm heart of the Pfalz, with holdings around Freinsheim, Kallstadt, Ungstein and Leistadt. The jewel is the Kallstadter Saumagen, a famous VDP.Grosse Lage where deep limestone gives Riesling real tension and grip. Other named sites include the Ungsteiner Weilberg and the Freinsheimer Schwarzes Kreuz, where the family rebuilt the winery underground in 2018. Farming has been certified organic since 2017, and the wines ferment spontaneously with wild yeast. It is one of the reference addresses for modern German wine.
Dry Riesling and Burgundian Spätburgunder
Rings is best known for two things. First, dry Riesling that trades sweetness for stony minerality, citrus and a saline, food-friendly finish. Second, Pinot Noir, or Spätburgunder, made in a Burgundian mould: red-berried, gently spicy and finely tannic, with the Felsenberg site in Leistadt planted entirely to the grape. The estate also makes Weißburgunder, Pinot Gris and traditional-method Sekt. Critics have taken notice, with the Eichelmann guide rating the estate world-class and a first place in the 2023 Meininger red wine prize for Spätburgunder.
Weingut Rings FAQ
What does Weingut Rings do best?
Dry Riesling from limestone sites like the Kallstadter Saumagen, and Burgundian-styled Spätburgunder. Both are precise and built to age, and both reward a few years in the cellar.
Is Weingut Rings organic?
Yes. The estate has farmed organically since 2017 and ferments its wines spontaneously with wild yeast, which is a big part of their savoury, textural character.
What food suits these wines?
The dry Rieslings love seafood, pork and lightly spiced Asian dishes. The Spätburgunder is a natural with duck, game birds and mushroom dishes. For more from the region, browse the wider Pfalz range.