INTERVIEW WITH ANDI WEIGAND
1. You’re often described as one of Franconia’s “young, wild voices.” How do you feel about that description, and how does it show in the way you make wine?
I make wine the way I want to. For me, it’s a step back to the roots to more honesty in how we work with nature. Organic farming, oak barrels, amphoras, terroir-driven wines without additives. That’s the foundation for me. If someone sees a rebellion in that, then so be it.
2. Before returning to the winery, you spent time traveling and working as a DJ. What’s one track that captures the same feeling you want your wines to evoke?
Wine, art, and music are the same thing for me. You create something that reflects what you feel and love. With that work and dedication, you give something back to people. A DJ set guides people through the night, and a wine tasting does the same. It’s always about creating a feeling. If I had to pick one track, it would be All I Need by Júlio Cruz.
3. What inspired you to pursue natural winemaking, and how does this approach reflect your personal values? Freedom and creativity are super important to me. Both are part of natural wine. During my studies, we drank wines from all over the world, and natural wine was always the most interesting style for me. I was hooked from the beginning and I still am.
4. Your cellar work is extremely minimalistic: spontaneous fermentation, long aging in oak, no additions. What challenges come with this uncompromising approach, and how do you deal with them?
You need to trust your work and your vineyards. We pick everything by hand, and only perfect grapes go into the winery, whether they’re pressed or go into amphoras. You have to work super clean and keep an eye on every barrel. If something goes wrong later, you can’t fix it without additives. So you have to do everything right from the beginning.
5. The Keuper soils around Iphofen are rugged and distinctive. How does your local terroir shape the character and energy of your wines?
Our Keuper soils are very unique and quite rare. They give the wines a strong, mineral-driven character. There’s always a herbal note and a clear tannic structure. The wines are very much driven by the terroir.
6. How do you balance tradition with innovation in your winemaking process?
For me, that distinction doesn’t really matter. I make wine the way I want to. Mostly with traditional methods, but I also use modern techniques when they help me work more precisely and clean. You need to clean a lot when you want to make great wines.
7. For our collaboration, we created A KIND OF WINE 05. What makes this wine special to you, and where can we see your personal signature in it?
It’s special because fermenting in amphoras and leaving the wine nine months on the skins is very rare. You don’t see that often. And every wine we make is personal. The long bottle aging makes it even more so. We gave it a lot of time, and you can taste that.
8. Imagine the perfect moment for enjoying A KIND OF WINE 05: the place, the people, the atmosphere. What does the setting look like, and what would you pair it with?
It’s a great wine to drink with friends. Just put the bottle on the table and enjoy the evening. It doesn’t have to be the centre of the conversation, but if it becomes one, it will surprise everyone with its character and flavours. With its gentle tannins and textured grip,it pairs perfectly with something savoury.
