Franz Keller

Volcanic precision: when fire becomes finesse

The volcanic soils of the Kaiserstuhl give Franz Keller’s wines their unmistakable minerality. Six VDP Grosse Lage sites, from the legendary Achkarrer Schlossberg to the Oberrotweiler Kirchberg, provide Friedrich Keller and his team with the foundation for wines that marry Burgundian elegance with the warmth of Baden. Spätburgunder finds ideal conditions here, as does Chardonnay, which develops exceptional complexity in sites such as the Kirchberg. The philosophy of “Burgundy as the benchmark” shows in the uncompromising site selection and in the respectful handling of the fruit.

Architecture follows the grape: the gravity-flow principle

Since 2013, the new winery has embodied Franz Keller’s philosophy of wine in stone and steel. Built into the hillside in terraces, it allows for gentle, gravity-fed winemaking. Planted with native species from the Badberg nature reserve, the green roof blends the building harmoniously into the landscape, while inside, state-of-the-art technology works discreetly in the background. This carefully considered architecture reflects the winery’s philosophy: technology serves the grape. Winemakers Uwe Barnickel and Christian Häuber make the most of these ideal conditions, ageing the wines in a way that brings out the character of each individual site. The Schlossberg Achkarren Spätburgunder GG 2022 benefits from this symbiosis of architecture and precise vinification.

Starred since 1969: an unbroken culinary heritage

The Schwarzer Adler restaurant is more than the estate’s culinary calling card; it is living wine culture. It has held its Michelin star without interruption for more than 55 years, a consistency unmatched in German gastronomy. Irma Keller blazed a trail as Germany’s first female Michelin-starred chef, and her French-inflected Baden cooking shaped generations of gourmets. Today the Kellers still think of their wines as partners for food. This close bond between kitchen and cellar shows in wines such as the Kirchberg Oberrotweil Chardonnay GG 2023, which shines both on its own and with a meal. The proximity of Weingut am Klotz, also on the Kaiserstuhl, shows how much quality is concentrated in this privileged wine region.

A new generation, Burgundian at heart

Friedrich Keller, the fourth generation, has steered the long-established estate since 2016, yet his vision goes far beyond a mere handover between generations. For him, the gradual conversion to organic farming, with biodynamic elements, is a necessity for lasting quality. Through it all, the estate’s Burgundian character remains unchanged: minimal intervention, maximum respect for the site, precise vinification. The roughly 400,000 bottles produced each year are the result of rigorous selection and meticulous craftsmanship. This continuity in innovation makes Franz Keller an estate that keeps tradition alive by moving it forward.