Low intervention means: intervening as little as possible in the cellar so that the wine can show where it comes from. Our wines ferment spontaneously with their own yeasts, are neither chaptalized, fined, nor filtered, and receive as little sulfur as possible. This only works if everything in the vineyard is right. Therefore, low intervention does not mean doing nothing, but rather looking closely and intervening only when the wine truly needs it.

What does low intervention mean in wine?

The term comes from English and means "minimal interference." It refers to a working method in which wine is produced with as few aids and as little technology as possible. Our guiding principle for this is short: Nothing added, nothing removed.

That sounds simple, but it is not. Modern cellar technology can correct almost anything: too little sugar, too much acidity, too little aroma, a cloudy wine. Those who forgo these tools must trust that the grapes bring everything the wine needs with them.

Is low intervention the same as natural wine?

Almost. "Natural wine" is not a legally protected term, and everyone understands something different by it. It usually refers to wines from organically farmed vineyards, spontaneously fermented, without fining and filtration, with little or no sulfur. That is exactly how we work.

We still prefer to talk about low intervention because the term describes more precisely what we are concerned with: not a style or a label, but an attitude. We intervene little and observe a lot.

Why does low intervention begin in the vineyard?

If you don't correct anything in the cellar, you have to do everything right in the vineyard. Only healthy, balanced, ripe grapes ferment cleanly with wild yeasts. That is why the crucial part of our work happens outside. We work ecologically and have refrained from using synthetic pesticides since 2008. Throughout the year, every vine is tended by hand: pruned, disbudded, defoliated. The soil is loosened and planted with cover crops so that it remains alive.

We plant Furmint with up to 8,000 vines per hectare, partly on wires, partly as traditional head-trained vines. Harvesting is done by hand, and what is not healthy stays on the vine. Michael puts it this way: natural winemaking can only begin in the vineyard.

What happens in the cellar?

We continue this attitude in the cellar. Our wines ferment spontaneously, without cultured yeasts. We do not chaptalize and do not use enzymes, clarifying agents, or fining agents. The wines are aged on the lees, in steel tanks, wooden barrels, or amphorae. Some white wines ferment like red wine on the skins, and thus gain more structure and color.

We have not filtered individual wines since 2012; since 2014, all our wines have been unfiltered. We use sulfur only minimally, if at all. Time does the rest.

What do wild yeasts do?

Many different yeasts live on the grape skins and in the cellar. In a spontaneous fermentation, they work one after another and together. This takes longer and is less predictable than a fermentation with purchased cultured yeasts, but it brings more complexity to the wine.

Cultured yeasts always influence the taste, often in a specific, predictable direction. With their own yeasts, you get the taste of the grape and the vineyard in the glass, and each vintage becomes a little different. That is intentional.

Why unfiltered and with little sulfur?

Filtration and sulfur make a wine stable, but also take away some of its texture and vitality. An unfiltered wine retains the fine yeast particles that give it depth and grip. A slight cloudiness or some sediment in the bottle is therefore not a flaw, but a sign that nothing has been removed.

Sulfur is not an enemy here. It also occurs naturally in small amounts during fermentation and protects the wine from oxidation. We use it as sparingly as possible, and for some wines not at all, but not at any price: the wine should remain lively and still be able to age well.

How do low-intervention wines taste?

Often livelier, sometimes more idiosyncratic than technically made wines. However, our goal is not a specific "natural wine taste," but precision: clear fruit, tension, texture, and minerality. A good low-intervention wine tastes primarily of its origin—for us, that means Rust, the lake, and the lean soils.

Many of our wines need a little air after opening. It is worth pouring them into a large glass or a carafe and giving them time. They change in the glass, and that is part of their appeal.

Why do we do this?

Michael learned winemaking the way it was taught at the time: cultured yeasts, no malolactic fermentation, sterile filtration. There is nothing wrong with that, but it results in wines that become increasingly similar. On his travels, especially to Burgundy and Tokaj, he saw that great wines need one thing above all: origin that you can taste.

For us, low intervention is therefore not a trend, but the consequence of this experience. We want wines that do not seem made, but grown. And we want to work with nature, not against it. A healthy environment keeps us alive. We work in such a way that it can continue to do so tomorrow.

Frequently asked questions about low intervention

Is "natural wine" a protected term?
No. There is no uniform legal definition. We therefore speak of low intervention and say exactly what we do and what we do not.

Do your wines contain sulfites?
Yes, in very small amounts. Sulfur also occurs naturally during fermentation. We add only a minimal amount, for some wines none at all.

Why is my wine cloudy?
Because it is not filtered. The fine yeast particles are harmless and are part of the wine. If you prefer it clearer, stand the bottle upright for a few hours before opening.

Are low-intervention wines age-worthy?
Yes. Furmint, in particular, with its natural acidity, has great aging potential and develops over many years.

How is it best to store the wines?
Cool, dark, and at a constant temperature, ideally around 12 to 14 degrees Celsius. Wines with little sulfur are more sensitive to heat.

What is the difference to organic wine?
Organic refers primarily to the work in the vineyard and still allows many aids in the cellar. Low intervention describes how little we intervene in the cellar. We work ecologically in the vineyard and with as little intervention as possible in the cellar.