VDP Liebrecht estate in Rheinhessen has a new manager

At the same time, it became known that the traditional estate will get a new manager: Sabine Fleischer, junior at the Fleischer wine estate /City of Mainz in Mainz- Hechtsheim, mutually decided with her family to conclude a lease contract with the Nacke family running for 25 years. Thus, the possibility exists that a grandson of the 88-year-old Nacke (The 5-year-old Felix would be a candidate) will re-enter the family-owned business in 25 years.

His VDP membership has been questioned for years because the quality has not been that good anymore. Only Nacke’s high age has prompted the regional VDP not to take action. There have been rumors for quite a while saying that the estate would have to be sold or leased. After a friend of Nacke’s and Fleischer’s introduced them to each other, some winemakers from Bodenheim will now have to bury their ambitions to obtain the “masterpieces” located in the good vineyards of the wine estate.

By taking over the estate, Sabine Fleischer is pursuing a second career. She actually works as a lawyer and approved attorney. Perhaps inspired by the success of her brother Michael, who caused a sensation with red wines, she eventually decided to study viticulture. She still has to study two more semesters in Geisenheim, but she is already working very hard in the 20-hectar family-owned business in Hechtsheim.

The first vintage of the estate, produced under her direction, is still maturing in wooden barrels in the cellar (Riesling and Silvaner) in Bodenheim after it had spontaneously been fermented. A large part of the wines have officially been bought for the Winery of the City of Mainz, and will be grown in Hechtsheim. The 38-year-old newcomer has already cleared some of the new varieties such as Juwel and Reichensteiner which have been planted in First Growth vineyards. She wants to grow Spätburgunder grapes there.

New laws apply to the vineyards: Previously, Fritz Nacke aimed at high Oechsle and amounts, but this is a thing of the past. Instead, yields will drastically be reduced and biodynamic winemaking will be applied. Sabine Fleischer describes her work as “consequent and radical”. We can look forward to her 2009 wine…

The VDP membership currently remains dormant. Sabine Fleischer will have to prove herself first in order to be formally accepted. She immediately wants to meet the VDP limits for yields and prizes. The estate in Hechtsheim will not apply for a membership. Senior Willi Fleischer knows: “Our range of varieties would not fit.” (r.knoll)