The family owned and operated estate Hanewald-Schwerdt was founded in 1955 in Leistadt. Today Thomas Hanewald & Stephan Schwerdt took over the family business which was established by their grandfather. The two cousins focus on Riesling and Pinot Noir. Pinot Blanc is the second most important white variety. The secret of their handcrafted wines is a unique lime-stone reef which dominates all the sites around Leistadt. A hidden treasure away off the beaten track. The vines are old and surrounded by a protected natural resort in the shade of the Haardt mountains.

The Pfalz is one of Germany’s largest and most important wine regions, stretching north to south along the Haardt Mountains, which form the eastern edge of the Vosges range in neighbouring France. Sheltered by these forested hills, the region enjoys a relatively warm and dry climate – one of the sunniest in Germany – with long growing seasons that allow grapes to reach full ripeness. However, increasing summer heat and occasional droughts have become a concern, requiring growers to adopt careful water and canopy management strategies.

The soils of the Pfalz are remarkably diverse, ranging from sandstone and limestone to loess, clay and volcanic basalt. This geological variety allows a wide range of grape varieties to flourish and gives the wines distinctive expression depending on their origin. Key towns include Bad Dürkheim, Deidesheim and Forst in the north, and Neustadt, Wachenheim and Landau further south.

Riesling is the dominant grape, producing dry to off-dry wines with generous stone fruit, citrus and floral aromas, balanced by vibrant acidity and a mineral backbone. Other white varieties such as Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and Silvaner are also widely planted. Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) has gained increasing importance, yielding elegant, fragrant reds with red berry fruit and a touch of spice. The Pfalz today is celebrated for its expressive, food-friendly wines and its dynamic combination of traditional and modern winemaking.

Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most celebrated and challenging grape varieties, renowned for producing elegant, complex wines. Believed to have originated in Burgundy, France, over 1,000 years ago, it thrives in cooler climates where its thin skin and early ripening nature are best suited. Viticulturally, Pinot Noir is notoriously difficult to grow: it is susceptible to rot, mildew, and pests, and requires precise canopy management to balance ripening with acidity retention.

Pinot Noir is planted across the globe, with notable expressions found in Burgundy, Champagne, Oregon’s Willamette Valley, California’s Sonoma Coast, New Zealand’s Central Otago, and Germany’s Baden and Pfalz regions. In Champagne, it is a key component of sparkling wines, typically blended with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. The wine's diverse geographical range means that you might also find it labelled as Red Burgundy, Pinot Nero, Blauburgunder, or Spätburgunder.

The grape produces wines of delicate colour but remarkable aromatic depth. Typical flavour profiles include red fruits such as cherry, raspberry, and strawberry, often layered with floral notes, earthy undertones, and hints of spice or forest floor as the wines mature. Styles range from light and silky to more structured and age-worthy, depending on climate and winemaking choices. Pinot Noir’s ability to express terroir with precision makes it a favourite among wine lovers, despite — or perhaps because of — its demanding nature in the vineyard.