Alexander Schregel’s experience at his father’s winery began when he was a small child, where he spent much of his youth working in the vineyards and the cellar alongside his father. After graduating high school, Alexander pursued studies in viticulture and oenology, then worked a number of internships both in Germany and abroad to expand his experience. In 2020, Alexander ultimately returned back to Germany to start his own winery, the first vintage of which was released to the market in 2022.
With regard to viticulture and vinification, Alexander doesn’t believe in leaning into extremes. “My philosophy is to try a lot of things and never be dogmatic,” he says, stating that he’s currently working organically and plans to soon implement biodynamic practices in his vineyards. “The best thing for me is to observe changes after trying something new,” he says. For him, executing meticulous canopy management is key, as well as “taking as much taste from the soil to the wine” as possible. In the cellar, all fruit is pressed whole cluster (Alexander believes that this helps to preserve freshness and purity in Riesling), and all wines undergo extended aging in tank.
In terms of mentorship, Alexander states that there hasn’t been just one. “For me, every single person and deep talks about winemaking inspire me and give me new ideas,” he says. Although he cites his father as a big mentor, he also credits Johannes Leitz—whose winery he still works at today—and Franken-based Sebastian Fürst as other inspirations. Though above all, it’s spending time in nature that excites Alexander the most. “Being there every day in one of the most beautiful places in the world is a gift,” he says, additionally stating that drinking old Rieslings from his great-great-grandfather and colleagues is another heavy influence on his work. “When I am old, I want to have wines from now, drinking as fresh as [these wines from my older generations],” he says.
Alexander notes that his winery is still very young, so changes are always happening. For the 2023 vintage, he added two new wines to his lineup: a village wine from Hallgarten and a single-vineyard wine from Lorch “Bodental-Steinberg” (a grand cru site). This year, he will be moving to a new cellar for the upcoming harvest—and of courses, he’s always looking to expand holdings. “If there is a nice vineyard that is available, I will catch it,” he says.
