Bio-Weingut Lay

With a wine-growing tradition dating back to 1870, Christian & Corinna Lay have proudly taken their small estate in Ihringen am Kaiserstuhl and made it their own since taking over in 2020. They’ve strengthened the winery’s commitment to ORGANIC and sustainable farming practices, as well as pursuing low intervention techniques in the cellar.

The volcanic-weathered soils and in a warm microclimate provide the basis for expressive wines ranging from classic international varieties like Pinot Noir and Riesling, as well as more experimental grapes like the PIWI/hybrid gape called Regent. All of their wines are characterized by their minerality and characterful depth.

Key information

BADEN

IHRINGEN

5 HECTARES – ORGANIC

The wine

Naturrebel Riesling

Type: White Wine | Alcohol content: 12.5% | Additional info: handpicked, organic, unfined/unfiltered, no added SO2

This elegant Riesling is a dry expression of the classic, mineral-driven German Riesling. The unique terroir on which it is grown – a blend of löss, limestone and volcanic soil – help unleash aromas of peach and stonefruit, while also giving it a unique savory, reminiscent of a tomato and herb garden.

This wine starts with a 24 hours cold soak on skins, followed by spontaneous fermentation and aging in stainless steel for 6 months on lees.

A true “rebellious” white wine made for fun food pairings.

Rosé

Type: Rosé | Alcohol content: 13.5% | Additional info: handpicked, organic, unfined/unfiltered, no added SO2

A fresh, acid-driven rosé made via direct press of Pinot Noir, which embues the wine with elegant texture, and Regent, a hybrid grape that adds delightful red and black fruit elements. It undergoes the same process as the ‘Naturrebel’ Riesling – 24 hour maceration on skins, followed by spontaneous fermentation and 6 months aging in stainless steel with fine lees.

This is a rosé that is made to pair with a wide variety of meals – from meat dishes, to creamy pastas, even sushi.

Pinot Noir

Type: Red wine | Alcohol content: 13% | Additional info: handpicked, organic, unfined/unfiltered, no added SO2

Pinot Noir is also called Spätburgunder in Germany, where this beloved grape tends to exhibit a special kind of depth due to its slow and careful ripening in the cool climate regions in which it is grown.

But the Baden region, where this wine comes from, is especially unique. The temperature is warmer in this south-eastern section of Germany, so the grapes take on a riper, more voluptuous quality. Balancing that though, is the terroir, a mix of limestone, loess and volcanic soil, which allows the vines to pull minerality from deep within the ground and providing the wine a sublime precision.

Make no mistake, this is a dark-fruited Pinot Noir, akin to Burgundy’s Vosne Romanee, but at a fraction of the price. A wonderful Pinot from a family-owned estate that is using natural wine ethos to showcase what is possible in a more conservative sub-region of German wine.

The wine undergoes 3 weeks of skin maceration, followed by 12 months on lees in large used oak barrels.

Regent

Type: Red Wine | Alcohol content: 13% | Additional info: handpicked, organic, unfined/unfiltered, no added SO2

Regent is a hybrid grape created in 1967 by crossing Diana, itself a Vitis vinifera crossing of Silvaner and Müller-Thurgau, with an interspecific hybrid called Chambourcin. It has become one of the most important fungal-resistant grape varietals world-wide, especially in Germany.

Its dark skins provides a very deep, vibrant red color, along with rich tannins that add a complex elegance that is often hard to achieve in German red wines. This wine showcases the value of experimenting with hybrid grapes and how high-quality wines can be achieved with even the newest grapes.