Weingut Immich-Batterieberg

The complex, high-pedigree dry Rieslings of Immich-Batterieberg count among some of the best of their kind in Germany. This estate focuses on sustainability and innovation as a means of improving the quality of its wines on a continual basis.

Weingut Immich-Batterieberg is based in the idyllic Mosel Valley – in Enkirch on the Lower Mosel, to be precise. The property has established an international reputation for its impressive portfolio of Rieslings.

A bastion of Mosel viticulture

Immich-Batterieberg is one of the oldest estates on the Mosel. While it can trace its history as a winery back to 1425, one of its buildings has a longer history and was first mentioned in 908 AD, in a deed that confirmed the estate’s transfer to the church. The Immich family were especially crucial to the development of the winery – few other estates on the Mosel have been in the hands of one family for so long (from 1425 to 1989). Winemaker Gernot Kollmann has been directing the fortunes of Immich-Batterieberg since 2009. His Rieslings tend to be quite powerful and at times a little more untamed than those of his peers. In particular, his single-vineyard interpretations are wines made for the long haul.

Steep slate vineyards

Kollmann farms four extremely steep vineyards. Ellergrub is the most subtle and elegant of these crus. Zeppwingert, where the vines are probably the oldest on the estate, is more masculine and expressive in comparison. Monopole vineyard Batterieberg produces complex, powerful, ageworthy Rieslings, whereas wines from the ferrous soils of the south-facing Steffensberg tend to be a bit more approachable and softly structured – and, therefore, eminently suitable for pairing with food.

Sustainable and innovative

Sustainability and innovation inform everything that Kollmann does at the estate, where he now farms all his vineyards organically, eschewing the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilisers. Immich-Batterieberg can now include the certified-organic label on its bottles, starting with wines from the 2022 vintage. Kollmann uses both oak and stainless steel in the cellar, more or less leaving his wines to do their own thing for long periods of time on their gross lees. Cultured yeasts, enzymes, protein stabilisers and clarifying agents are a no-no at the winery. This more natural approach results in pure, unadorned and quite powerful Rieslings with ripe acidity and pronounced structure that augur well for a long life ahead.

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