20213041_WGDE2021_ENGL

WÜRTTEMBERG | A PORTRAIT OF THE REGION
market remains stiff. What is there to be
done? “Plant different grape varieties,”
says Faschian, and that is just what he
did. In cooperation with former top
business manager Herbert Müller, Faschian
bottles full-bodied blends of wellknown
international varieties under the
name of “exNicrum” (= from the river
Neckar).
With their luxurious packaging, Faschian
and Müller want their wines to get listings
in the fine dining sector. Likewise, co-op
members have by now also seen the writing
on the wall and, benefiting from an EUfinanced
project “Steile Weine” (=steep
wines), they have planted Tannat and Nero
d’Avola. “These are climatically more suited
and easier to position on the market than
semi-sweet Trollinger,” Fink says. “But I
also always have to find people who are
willing to make such changes.” Judging by
his facial expression, this is no easy task.
Two other Hessigheim estates have chosen
a completely different path and have
already made waves outside the region.
RESTRUCTURED BUSINESS
Alexander and Eva Eisele left their local
co-op to found their own estate while
Fabian and Sefanie Lassak founded theirs
Karsten Faschian (Weingut Faschian, exNicrum)
grows international grape varieties on his terraced
vineyards instead of Trollinger
completely from scratch. The concept of
both estates is as clear as it is radical:
indigenous grape varieties, organic farming
and a wide diversity of clones for more
resilience in the vineyard. “Additionally,
lower yields and no irrigation,” adds Alex
Eisele. “The old vines root deeply enough.”
Of course, they harvest less: “In a good
year we get 40hl/ha as opposed to the
120hl/ha harvested over there,” Fabian
Lassak says. Both winemakers exude the
Photos: Markus Berner, provided
Fabian Lassak of Weingut Lassak in his
steep sites near Hessigheim: everything
here is harvested by hand
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