1. The Family
Winegrowing, wine barrel production and enology have been playing a mayor role in the life of the Willy family. United we stand as a family and bundle our forces together with mother nature for your pleasure – three brothers one passion. Juergen Willy is the enologist and since 1993 responsible for the wines. Guenther Willy (MBA) and Holger Willy (MBA) are in sales and customer relations. Rolf Willy – the senior – is everyday active and helpful in all subjects.
One team, different tasks, one goal – quality without compromise!
2. The Country
On the soft hills of the Zabergaeu in Wuerttemberg between Stuttgart and Heilbronn you will find the beautiful well known winevillage Nordheim.
The individual layer “Sunday Mountain“ is part of the 15 km long mountain range “Heuchelberg”. Embedded in the flat valley of the Cat Creek Nordheim was first officially mentioned 823 a.c. Privileged with best soil and climate conditions Nordheim is part of the early settlers land. Water, climate and soil are still the key factors for settling and growing grapes.
Warm days and cool nights, many sunshine hours and sufficient rains and water reserves combined with moderate climate throughout the harvest, allow the growers to produce traditional and fruity wines for a great variety from dry to sweet in a premium quality.
3. The Philosophy
Creating wine is a wonderful task. Working with nature, feeling its power, the creative and physical works are always a new challenge. The climatic conditions during the wine year form the fundament. The mental work and craftmanship incorporate all the unchangeable conditions and combines them with sure instinct in harmony. Tradition and progress are no contradiction. Communication between old and young in common trust, innovation for new ways and passion for our wines meet in one aim: the production of individual, profound and outstanding wines. Our wines are telling you the history of our terroir, the country and the people that form them, deeper and more sensitive than any word can do. So relax and listen every time you enjoy a glass of wine. Listen to the stories the wine tells you.
4. The fundamental principles:
If the soil starts the story the wine finishes it. The chapters of this natural history report of smooth soil treatment, protection of beneficial organisms and biodiversity. Soils rich in minerals with a top layer of clay give the vines the strength and endurance to grow best and ripe grapes for great wines. Natures determines the guidelines. In the vineyard you will find each grape on its specific soil which is the individual best:
- sunloving Lemberger and Trollinger in full southern exposure
- Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet in south western layers
- Riesling on the bottom of the slopes.
Soil needs feeling and sensitivity. We cultivate our soils and our vines with great care – a fruitful partnership.
5: The Wines
Highest standards in vinification allow to transfer the quality of the grapes ideal into the bottle. To maintain the natural fruit and enhance the harmony of the wines we treat them gently through moderate pressing with modern technology and preliminary sedimentation of the must. The natural process of controlled fermentation in temperature guided stainless steel tanks and a long rest on the fine yeast we consider state of the art. Malo-lactic fermentation is always used to get digestible wines. This is a special characteristic for all Willy wines.
The wines of our best lots we treat separately. They stay traditionally between 12 -24 months in new oak barrels (Barrique). If they meet our high quality standards after the ripening process they deserve the label “aged in Barrique”.
Champagnes are produced in the traditional bottle fermentation in our house.
Numerous honours in national and international contests are the best proof for the high and constant niveau of the great wines from the Willy Family in Nordheim.