Monsieur Markovic is back with a fresh set of wines that show exactly why his small-scale, hands-on style keeps grabbing attention. Each cuvee comes from a different corner of Germany, each with its own personality, and all of them share the same quiet confidence: organic farming, low intervention, long elevage, and absolutely no filtration.
Let’s go through the lineup.
Sauvignon 2023 — crisp, quietly wild, and only 700 bottles made.
This fruit comes from the famous Heerkretz vineyard in Siefersheim — one of Rheinhessen’s rockiest spots. At 200 meters, with steep terraces and a strong southern tilt, the site is warm during the day but cooled by the Appelbach Valley winds at night. The combination of rhyolith, melaphtyr, and endless stones makes it a physically demanding place to farm. “Kreetz” literally comes from scraping — a hint at the effort required here.
The grapes were picked early, pressed as whole clusters, and fermented in a 4th-fill Slavonian oak tonneau. Then came 12 months on full lees, followed by another 8 months on fine lees in stainless steel. No filtration. No makeup. Just a raw, textural Sauvignon Blanc with 11.5% alcohol, razor-low sugar (0.2 g/L), and the kind of acidity that keeps everything tight and refreshing.
Pinot Noir 2023 — the artist formerly known as Windspiel.
The name needed to change for copyright reasons, but the style didn’t. This Pinot comes from loess soils in the Kaiserstuhl — fertile, but excellent when you keep the vines in check. Loess is mostly silt, which sits between sand and clay in grain size, perfect for balanced water retention and cool root conditions. Here it also carries a good amount of limestone, which Pinot Noir absolutely thrives on.
Two-thirds of the fruit was destemmed. Fermentation took place in open vats with foot treading. Basket pressing followed, and then 20 months aging on full lees in used French oak (228–300 L). Again, unfiltered. The result: 1200 bottles of a clean, honest, slightly wild Pinot with 12% alcohol and a calm, open style.
Kirchberg 2023 — volcanic precision from Oberrotweil.
One of the jewels of the range. This Pinot comes from the old Kirchberg section of Henkenberg — high on the slope, pure volcanic rock underfoot, forest just below, and the kind of fresh air that makes vineyard work a pleasure instead of a struggle. The vines here are farmed by hand, organically, and the winemaker is actively evaluating different clones to fine-tune the vineyard in the coming years. Only 300 bottles exist.
The fermentation style stays classic: open top, foot treading, 20% whole cluster, and a basket press. Aging took place in a new 228 L pièce with an old-school toast for 20 months. It’s a step up from the inaugural 2022 release — more depth, more structure, still unfiltered.
Syrah 2022 — cool-climate edge with a Black Forest accent.
This Syrah comes from a vineyard the winemaker personally helped design in his consultancy work. The plot sits in Muggardt, at the foot of the Black Forest, on soils of granite, limestone, and gravel — a dream combination for a mineral, spicy style of Syrah. Farming is organic, though not certified.
Nature made things complicated: two hailstorms hit the region, heavily damaging foliage and berries. Sorting took forever, but the surviving fruit delivered a lighter, beautifully perfumed expression.
Only 10% whole cluster was used. Fermentation was open-top with gentle remontage. Aging lasted 20 months on full lees in a new 300 L Fontainebleau French oak barrel. Production? Just 400 bottles.
In short:
Monsieur Marković isn’t chasing volume or hype. He’s crafting tiny batches that reflect specific places — from volcanic slopes to granite foothills — with patience, long élevage, and minimal intervention. If you’re into character-driven German wines made the slow way, this lineup is absolutely worth exploring.