Winery

The Fitz-Ritter wine estate is to be found on the fringes of Bad Dürkheim, a lively wine-growing spa town located at the edge of the Rhine Plain and nestled among the low, rolling hills which flank the Palatinate forest in the Pfalz region of south-western Germany.

The winery's stately, classical mansion, built in 1785, with its gleaming, yellow facade and protecting, majestic trees gives the visitor the impression of time having stood still. An artesian well feeds the arch of a sparkling, lily-pad adorned fountain in the lush, extensive garden which has been awarded the title of "Most Beautiful Garden on the German Wine Road".

Ducks swim lazily on a pond bordered by cypress knees in the shadow of a 350-year-old oak and the largest Gingko Biloba on German soil. Swallows swoop in and out of the Tudor-style half-timbered courtyard with its ancient, black, volcanic cobblestones, blooming oleander, fig and olive trees and overflowing, color-splashed window boxes.

This prestigious estate has been in the Fitz family since it was founded over two centuries ago

Since 2007 the estate, is also home to the Fitz Sektkellerei (founded in 1837) is owned in the 9 th generation by Johann Fitz. His parents, Konrad and Alice are still active in the business. Although of retirement age, Konrad’s experience in invaluable to the running of the winery and he enjoys helping whenever possible. Alice concentrates on the export and marketing. Cellar master Bernd Henninger works closely with Oenologist Field Manager Christian Klein in forming the Fitz-Ritter wines which are grown in thirty vineyard plots, scattered within a 10 km. radius of Bad Dürkheim.

In the estate office one is greeted by the Customer Service managers Steffen Becker and Ute Hoffmann.

Visitors are welcome at Fitz-Ritter. If travellers are interested in tasting and purchasing wines, they can stop by the estate during office hours. Group tastings are offered (Kabinett to Beerenauslese) in English and German for groups of 15 to 70 persons (by appointment only).

Estate functions include a classical concert series, art exhibitions, wine festivals and open-air courtyard concerts. "Open House" weekends are held for customers in the spring and fall. Please see the events listings or inquire for more information via e-mail.

Konrad Fitz explains the meaning of "Terroire" at the Open House

Fitz-Ritter is a member of the prestigious VDP, the oldest association of leading wine estates in Germany, demanding highest standards of quality control, yield limitation and natural cultivation of the vines of its 170 high-ranking affiliated estates.

Some of the practices which set VDP estates apart from the others are:
no utilization of herbicides, predominant use of organic fertilizers, mineral fertilization only following soil analysis, the planting and mulching of a wide assortment of grasses and clovers between vineyard rows and rigid yield control through strict pruning of the vines, thus ensuring highest quality, fuller-bodied wines.

The classic "Pfalz Riesling" and other Specialties

A total of fifteen grape varieties flourish on 52 acres of Fitz-Ritter vineyards. The noble Riesling constitutes 65% of the total production; other white grape specialties of the winery are Gewürztraminer, Grauer Burgunder (Pinot Gris) and Weisser Burgunder (Pinot Blanc).

Visit our Interactive Vineyard Chart

Chardonnay, produced since 1993, was catapulted to new importance when a 1994 Fitz-Ritter Chardonnay Barrique and then a 1995 traditional Chardonnay placed 5th and then 7th in an international competition against 250 Chardonnays from 17 countries! Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) and Dornfelder are the preferred red grape varieties and are so much in demand that these wines are usually sold out very early.

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