Winzergenossenschaft Königschaffhausen-Kiechlinsbergen eG

About Winzergenossenschaft Königschaffhausen-Kiechlinsbergen eG

The picturesque villages Königschaffhausen and Kiechlinsbergen are typical South German wine growing villages, situated in the vulcanic Kaiserstuhl hills in Baden.
Baden is in Germany’s Southwest, bordering on to the river Rhine and the Black Forest. Commonly known as the warmest and sunniest wine growing region in the Republic, the Kaiserstuhl volcanic mountain was transformed both by nature and its inhabitants into a unique cultural landscape. It offers ideal climatic and geological conditions for viticulture.
The Winzergenossenschaft Königschaffhausen-Kiechlinsbergen eG is a wine-growers‘ cooperative located on the northern side of the Kaiserstuhl. 150 winemaking families from both villages are connected to the cooperative as its members. Together, they cultivate around 381 acres of vineyard area, spread over five specific vineyard sites: ‘Steingrüble’, ‘Hasenberg’, ‘Vulkanfelsen’, ‘Ölberg’ and ‘Teufelsburg’.
The Königschaffhausen and Kiechlinsbergen wine-growers, as well as the team of the cooperative make topmost quality their main priority. The production of high-quality wines is the common goal – upholding the motto: Five sites, one treat!

Representative Biography

Michael Eißler, Managing Director

Michael Eißler, born in 1969 comes from the Hohenlohe area in Germany’s Southwest. He is married with two teenage daughters. After completing his A-levels he joined the then still obligatory German military service.
His academic career began at the University Hohenheim with a course in Economics, swiftly followed by an extra-occupational course in Industrial Engineering at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
His professional career encompasses profound experiences in the wine industry, agricultural engineering- and technology, as well as retail. After beginning his career as company director of a vine dressers‘ cooperation in Württemberg in 1996, he switched his playing field and became company director of a big Raiffeisen commodities cooperative society in Württemberg, responsible for different business segments, subsidiaries and holdings.
His last responsibility saw Eißler on the board of management of a broadly diversified Volksbank with a large commodity trading sector in Northern Germany, overseeing the market, agricultural sales and logistics divisions.
In April 2022 he made the conscious decision to move back to the sunny South with his family, where he was able to follow his passion for great wines at the Winzergenossenschaft Königschaffhausen-Kiechlinsbergen eG professionally.
His personal interests and endeavours include volunteering for the Kiwanis-Club Crailsheim, engaging children from disadvantaged backgrounds as well as serving as reserve officer as part of the civil-military collaboration in regards to civil defence and protection.

His top priority and main goal is to enchant, enthrall and tie customers to the Winzergenossenschaft, together with his team, some hard work, professional approaches, and innovative ideas.

Eißler can count on a highly motivated and professional ensemble, consisting of quality-oriented vintners, an exceptional team in the wine cellar surrounding cellarer Reiner Roßwog, as well as a forward-looking sales team, who are all extremely invested and dedicated to their common goal.
Main points of contact for Canadian customers are Nathalie Spiske and Mario Siegel.

Why We're Cool

The Winzergenossenschaft Königschaffhausen-Kiechlinsbergen has dedicated a selected area on the northern side of the Kaiserstuhl volcanic hill to its Chardonnay vines.
The first Chardonnay vines were planted by the coop’s vintners in 1990. To this day, the coop considers its Chardonnay wine and Sekt (sparkling wine) a highly sought-after niche-product for special wine enthusiasts.

The lack of what can sometimes be described as sweltering midday heat, makes the significantly cooler northern side of the Kaiserstuhl hills a brilliant Chardonnay location, even though traditional microclimatic conditions do not necessarily mark the Pinot-heavy Kaiserstuhl terroir as a typical growing region for Chardonnay vines. Layers of loess soil on top of mineral-rich vulcanic rock provides ‘grip’ for the fastidious vines, as well as warmth. This, combined with altitude, provided by the steep location of the vineyards makes the location intriguing and worth pursuing.
The location is situated in Kiechlinsbergen, and the name gives it away… ‘…..bergen’ means mountain. Although more a hill than a mountain, the village is decidedly more elevated than its neighbouring village Königschaffhausen.

True to the traditional vinification style for top Chardonnays, the coop relies on the sur lit method, followed by delayed fermentation at 16 degrees Celsius. Filtration takes place at the 6-month mark.
A small percentage is fermented in Barrique barrels, the rest is allowed to age in steel tanks. The wine delivers on both fronts; a buttery, warm wooden depth, as well as a certain harmony and lightness.
The grapes for Sekt are traditionally harvested, roughly 10-12 days before the general wine harvest begins. This ensures a slightly more neutral aroma as well as a reduction in actual alcohol. Sekt is entirely fermented in steel tanks, followed by the obligatory second fermentation in the bottle.