23 editor-picked estates growing Chardonnay in Pfalz.
Where to taste Chardonnay in Pfalz: the estates that grow it, how the region expresses the grape, and how to book a visit.
A respekt-BIODYN Siebeldingen estate at 26 ha under Hansjorg Rebholz, VDP member since 1991, with Grosse Lage parcels at Birkweiler Kastanienbusch, Siebeldinger Im Sonnenschein and Mandelberg.
Tasting: Vinothek at Weinstrasse 54; biodynamic vineyard walks on Kastanienbusch, Im Sonnenschein and Mandelberg by appointment; vintner tastings during the Sudliche Weinstrasse open-cellar weekend in late August.
A Schweigen Pinot Noir specialist at 29.8 ha under Friedrich Wilhelm Becker, VDP member since 2000, with 80 percent Burgunder plantings and Grosse Lage vines literally crossing the French border into Alsace.
Tasting: Vinothek and shop at Hauptstrasse 29 by appointment; Pinot-focused tastings of Sankt Paul, Sonnenberg, Kammerberg and Heydenreich GGs, with vineyard walks that physically cross into French Alsace.
A 99.7 ha Laumersheim estate under Werner, Volker and Stephan Knipser, VDP member since 1993, and the German barrique-pioneer estate for Cabernet, Merlot and Pinot Noir from the 1980s onward.
Tasting: Estate Vinothek at Hauptstrasse 47-49 by appointment; tastings cover Kirschgarten, Mandelpfad and Steinbuckel GGs and the Knipser Bordeaux-blend reds that pioneered the category in Germany from the 1980s.
A 61 ha north-Mittelhaardt and Zellertal estate at Laumersheim under Philipp Kuhn, VDP member since 2008, with Grosse Lage parcels at Kirschgarten, Steinbuckel, Im Grossen Garten, Schwarzer Herrgott and Kallstadter Saumagen.
Tasting: Vinothek at Grosskarlbacher Strasse 20 by appointment; estate tastings cover the Laumersheimer Kirschgarten and Steinbuckel GGs and the Zellertaler Schwarzer Herrgott and Kreuzberg Rieslings.
A 19.9 ha Birkweiler VDP estate (member since 1991) under Franz Wehrheim, respekt-BIODYN certified, with Grosse Lage parcels at Mandelberg, Kastanienbusch (Koppel) and Siebeldinger Im Sonnenschein.
Tasting: Vinothek at Weinstrasse 8 by appointment; Mandelberg, Kastanienbusch and Im Sonnenschein vineyard walks bookable in season.
A 12.5 ha Kallstadt traditionalist working Saumagen, Steinacker and Annaberg with spontaneous fermentation in old oak; the Saumagen R Riesling has been bottled in this house style since the Bernd Philippi era from the 1970s.
Tasting: Estate tastings by appointment in the Kallstadt Weinstrasse cellar; traditional spontaneous fermentation in old oak with extended lees contact, Saumagen R bottlings released years after vintage.
A 16.3 ha Ungstein estate at Pfeffingen 2 under Jan Eymael, VDP member since 1986; Herrenberg and Weilberg Grosse Lage Rieslings and the historic Pfalz Scheurebe reference bottling.
Tasting: Vinothek at Pfeffingen 2 by appointment; tastings cover Ungsteiner Herrenberg and Weilberg GG plus the estate's Scheurebe lineup, the Pfeffingen reference.
A 24.9 ha Bad Durkheim estate at Weinstrasse Nord 51 under Johann Fitz, nine generations of family ownership and a VDP founding member; Grosse Lage parcels at Durkheimer Michelsberg and Ungsteiner Herrenberg.
Tasting: Vinothek at Weinstrasse Nord 51 by appointment; cellar tour of the 1785 vaulted cellar; on-site Park Hotel Fitz-Ritter for estate-stay packages.
An 18.1 ha Leinsweiler estate under the Siegrist and Schimpf families, VDP member since 2000; barrique-aged Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Kalmit and Leinsweiler Sonnenberg GGs in a 1555 tithe cellar overlooking the Max Slevogt summer residence.
Tasting: Vinothek by appointment at Am Hasensprung 4; tastings in the 1555-built tithe cellar; Kalmit and Sonnenberg vineyard walks bookable in season.
A 27.6 ha Sudliche Weinstrasse estate at Ilbesheim under Boris Kranz, VDP member since 2012; Grosse Lage Riesling and Pinot Blanc from Ilbesheimer Kalmit and Kirchberg and a share of Birkweiler Kastanienbusch.
Tasting: Vinothek at Morzheimer Strasse 2 with views over Kalmit; tastings of Kalmit, Kirchberg and Kastanienbusch GGs by appointment.
A 19 ha Godramstein Burgunder specialist under Gunter and Friedrich Kessler, VDP member since 2000; flagship Munzberg Schlangenpfiff Weisser Burgunder GG and a Pinot Noir-led portfolio on calcareous soils.
Tasting: Vinothek at Bochingerstrasse 51 by appointment; tastings of Munzberg Schlangenpfiff Weissburgunder GG and the Godramsteiner Erste Lage bottlings.
A 20.4 ha Schweigen border estate under Gerd Bernhart, VDP member since 2004; certified organic with the Radling Pinot Noir GG as flagship and roughly two-thirds of the vineyard land lying in France under the Pfalz wine-law exception.
Tasting: Vinothek at Hauptstrasse 8 in Schweigen by appointment; Pinot-focused tastings of the Kostert, Radling, Sonnenberg and Guldenwingert GGs.
A 31.8 ha Schweigen-Rechtenbach estate under Werner and Johannes Julg, VDP member since 2021; certified organic, with Sonnenberg, Kammerberg and Guldenwingert Grosse Lage Pinot and Riesling on Muschelkalk limestone at the French border.
Tasting: Vinothek at Hauptstrasse 1 by appointment; Pinot-focused tastings of Sonnenberg, Kammerberg and Guldenwingert GGs and the estate-bottled Sekt program.
A 30.8 ha Mittelhaardt-South estate at Duttweiler under Carolin Bergdolt, VDP member since 1993 and certified organic; Pinot Blanc specialist with Grosse Lage parcels at Reiterpfad, Duttweiler Kalkberg and Kirrweiler Mandelberg.
Tasting: Vinothek at the Klostergut courtyard by appointment; tastings of Reiterpfad An den Achtmorgen, Duttweiler Kalkberg and Kirrweiler Mandelberg GGs and the estate Sekt.
A 58 ha Bissersheim estate in the north Pfalz under brothers Frank and Thomas Pfaffmann; vineyards on Goldberg, Held, Orlenberg and Steig in Bissersheim, Steinacker in Kirchheim and Burgweg and Osterberg in Grosskarlbach.
Tasting: Vinothek at Bissersheim by appointment; tastings cover Bissersheim Goldberg Sauvignon Blanc Fume Reserve and Bissersheim Kalkmergel Chardonnay Reserve.
A 92 ha Ellerstadt estate founded by Markus Schneider in 1994 with one hectare; modern-label Pfalz red and white program around the Black Print Bordeaux-blend brand and the Kaitui Sauvignon Blanc.
Tasting: Vinothek at Am Hohen Weg 1 in Ellerstadt with regular tasting events; cellar tours and brand portfolio across Black Print, Kaitui and the Riesling line.
A 35 ha Hainfeld estate under Annette Borell and Thomas Diehl, with roots back to 1619; expanded from five hectares since the 1990 founding-by-marriage and known for Pfalz-priced everyday Sauvignon Blanc and traditional-method Chardonnay Sekt.
Tasting: Vinothek at Hainfeld with regular Saturday afternoon open hours; tastings of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and the methode-champenoise Chardonnay Sekt.
An 85 ha Hainfeld estate in the 15th Lergenmueller generation since 1538; broad Burgunder-led portfolio, ownership of Weingut Sankt Annaberg from 1998 and a sustainability-driven cellar program.
Tasting: Vinothek at Weinstrasse 16 with daily opening hours; tastings cover the Burgunder lineup and the Sankt Annaberg single-vineyard reds.
A Pfalz traditional-method Sekt manufactory founded in 1989 by Michael Andres and Steffen Mugler, sourcing from Deidesheim, Ruppertsberg and Maikammer vineyards for long-lees-aged Riesling and Pinot cuvees.
Tasting: Manufaktur visits in Deidesheim by appointment; flights of methode-traditionnelle Pfalz Sekt sourced from Deidesheim, Ruppertsberg and Maikammer Grosse Lage parcels.
A 22 ha Sudliche Weinstrasse estate at Walsheim under Rolf Pfaffmann, working calcareous and Buntsandstein soils for Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir at accessible Pfalz prices.
Tasting: Vinothek at Hauptstrasse 73 in Walsheim by appointment; tastings of Walsheimer Forst and Silberberg Rieslings and the Burgunder lineup.
A 20 ha Grosskarlbach family estate working calcareous and loess soils across Burgweg, Osterberg and Im Grossen Garten for dry Riesling and Pinot Noir.
Tasting: Vinothek at Hauptstrasse 14 in Grosskarlbach by appointment; tastings of Grosskarlbacher Burgweg, Osterberg and Im Grossen Garten parcels.
An 18 ha north-Pfalz natural-wine address at Bockenheim under brothers Daniel and Jonas Brand, certified organic with low-sulfite Pet Nat and skin-contact Riesling alongside the dry estate range.
Tasting: Vinothek at Mannheimer Strasse 3 in Bockenheim by appointment; tastings of the natural-leaning Brand Pet Nat range alongside dry Riesling.
Stylish tasting room of the 1849-founded von Winning estate on Deidesheim's central Weinstrasse. Tastings of Riesling from Forst Kirchenstueck and Pechstein sites alongside Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and the estate Pinot range.