Summary
Weingut Metzger in Grünstadt-Asselheim is one of the most exciting names in the northern Pfalz. Here, in the Leiningerland far from the famous Mittelhaardt, Uli Metzger has shaped a classic family business into an estate that is suddenly mentioned in the same breath as the great addresses. Across around 20 to 30 hectares it produces precise, limestone-driven Riesling and expressive Pinots – Chardonnay and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) – that combine tradition with modern cellar work. Just how well that works was shown in 2026 by the VINUM Weinguide Deutschland, which named Metzger 'Winery of the Year'.
History
At Metzger the family tradition reaches back over 100 years – viticulture of the kind that was common across generations in the Pfalz. The great leap, however, only comes with Uli Metzger, who runs the estate in the third generation and took it over fully in 2010. He has consistently geared the business towards quality: better sites, lower yields, more handwork in the vineyard and a modern, clean cellar.
In just a few years a solid but unremarkable family winery has thus become one of the most striking rising stars in the Pfalz. The fact that the fourth generation is already involved gives the estate extra momentum – this is not about quick success, but about thinking long-term. The high point so far: the award as 'Winery of the Year 2026'.
Location & Terroir
Unlike the stars of the Mittelhaardt, Metzger lies in the Leiningerland, in the north of the Pfalz around Grünstadt-Asselheim. The area is far less crowded, but climatically it is just as favoured: mild, sunny and sheltered on the edge of the Palatinate Forest. That is exactly what makes the region so interesting – good soils at prices that still allow ambitious growers to build something.
The limestone-driven soils are decisive: they give the Riesling its taut, mineral streak and lend the Pinots their elegance. The family also farms prime plots in the wider surroundings, including classics such as the Bockenheimer Kieselberg and the famous Kallstadter Saumagen. From this mix of limestone, warmth and handwork, Metzger draws its own style.
Style & Philosophy
The basic idea is simple: bring together tradition and modern winemaking without one overpowering the other. For the Riesling, Uli Metzger relies on classic ageing in large wooden casks – this gives calm, texture and a fine hint of maturity, without wood pushing itself to the fore. The wines are precise, mineral and dry, with a clear link to the limestone below.
With the Pinots he takes a different route: Chardonnay and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) mature in small barriques, gaining richness, depth and structure. The range is rounded out by Sauvignon Blanc, Grauburgunder and Weißburgunder, as well as Bordeaux varieties – and by the estate's own sparkling wines. All told, this is an estate that plays many registers, yet shows the same signature everywhere: clear, clean, ambitious.
Notable Sites & Wines
The range is clearly tiered – from accessible estate wines to ambitious single-vineyard and selection bottlings. Characteristic are the estate's own wine lines with memorable names:
- 'Prachtstück' – one of the estate's flagship lines
- 'Pastorenstück' – an ambitious selection
- 'Filet' – as the name says: the best cut
- Kallstadter Saumagen – Riesling from one of the most famous sites in the Pfalz
- Bockenheimer Kieselberg – above all a name for Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir)
It is precisely with Riesling and Spätburgunder that Metzger shows just how much lies in the vineyards of the northern Pfalz.
Awards
The biggest coup so far: Metzger was named 'Winery of the Year' in the VINUM Weinguide Deutschland 2026 and awarded 4½ stars – one of the highest honours a German estate can receive. Already in 2025 the estate had taken two gold medals at the VINUM Riesling Champion Award.
For a business that deliberately is not a VDP member and works away from the famous Mittelhaardt, that is a statement. Metzger proves that top quality in the Pfalz does not depend on places and associations, but on soils, handwork and a clear head in the cellar.