Fifth Generation, Two Brothers
In Bockenheim at the Haardtrand — where the northern Pfalz meets the German Weinstraße. Daniel and Jonas Brand craft electric natural wines: Pet-Nats racing with energy, 1-liter bottles of pure joy, and zero-sulfur Pur wines bottled by taste, not calendar. Oma Helga draws every label.
From 1891 to Zero-Zero
The Brand family has been making wine since 1891 — five generations deep in Bockenheim soil. Their father Jürgen was ahead of his time, joining an organic organization back in 1994 and refusing herbicides when conventional farming dominated the Pfalz. But the real revolution began when Daniel (born 1990) and Jonas (born 1994) took the reins in 2014.
After apprenticeships across Germany, Austria, and Australia — including stints with Jousset in the Loire and Jurtschitsch in Kamptal — the brothers returned home with a mission: convert the estate to organic viticulture and explore natural winemaking. By 2018, they were certified organic. Today, they're pursuing biodynamic philosophies while maintaining the pragmatic, playful spirit that defines their approach.
"We are 5th generation winemakers, so stepping into that role and work was really easy. But making it our own? That required courage, wild yeast, and Oma's drawings."
— Daniel & Jonas Brand
The Wild Garden
At the Haardtrand — the edge of the Haardt Mountains where the northern Pfalz begins its descent toward the Rhine — the Brand brothers tend 18 hectares of vines ranging from 5 to 80 years old. This is limestone country, with loess and loam studded with fossilized seashells, delivering wines of crystalline acidity and mineral backbone.
Their vineyards look different. No herbicides, no tilling, reduced mowing. Instead: cover crops of clover and wild herbs, herbal teas and plant extracts to strengthen the vines, and a biodiversity that makes walking the rows feel like a garden tour. Bees and beneficial insects thrive here. It's beautiful, wild, and pure hell for those with allergies — but perfect for grapes full of character.
Limestone dominant soils with loess and loam, constant winds from the Haardt Mountains, and sunny days balanced by cool nights. The northern Pfalz shares its climate with Alsace — dry, sunny autumns that preserve acidity even in warm vintages.
Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Noir, Dornfelder, Cabernet Franc, and Portugieser. Vines aged 5-80 years, including rare 60+ year old parcels on pure limestone that limit yields and maximize intensity.
Bottled by Taste, Not Date
The Brand philosophy is hands-off with perfect preparation. Wild yeast fermentation starts spontaneously. The wines rest long on their lees — extended élevage is mandatory, not optional. And the decision to bottle? Made only by taste, never by calendar or market pressure.
Their "Pur" line represents the pinnacle of this philosophy: zero sulfur, no additives, no fining, no filtration (or very light if absolutely necessary). All vegan. It started with an experiment — one Pinot Blanc with 30mg/L sulfur, one with zero. The zero-sulfur batch won hands down: deeper, more complex, more vivid. Thus, the Pur line was born.
Pet-Nat Revolution
Jonas first fell in love with natural wine during his training in Austria, and the brothers began experimenting with Silvaner in 2014. But it was their Pet-Nats — bottled while finishing fermentation — that captured the world's attention. Racing, focused, and riveting, these sparkling wines have garnered a dedicated following from Brooklyn to Berlin.
Drawn by Oma Helga
From the very first bottle, Oma Helga — the brothers' grandmother — has drawn every illustration. The labels tell stories: the first Silvaner featured Elis, an old woman from the village who planted the Sylvaner vineyard and farmed it her entire life before handing it to the brothers. They dedicated the wine to her.
These hand-drawn portraits — whimsical, emotional, deeply personal — have become as distinctive as the wines themselves. In a world of slick marketing, Oma Helga's art keeps the Brand Bros grounded in family, village life, and the eccentric personalities that surround them in Bockenheim.
"His whites are textural, his rosé electric and his red bright and full of joy. These are wines for the natural and classic, fine, elegant and a joy to enjoy."
— Vom Boden
The Brand Bros Lineup
All wines are certified organic, hand-harvested, fermented with native yeasts, and vegan. The "Pur" cuvées see zero sulfur. The 1-liter bottles (marked below) deliver exceptional value — fresh, bright wines meant for the table, not the cellar. Pet-Nats are bottled with ~2.5 bars of pressure for gentle, joyful bubbles.