Oliver Zeter – Wines from the Palatinate
Oliver Zeter essentially discovered wine and winemaking later in life. While wine has a tradition in his family, it was only in wine distribution, not in winemaking. It wasn't until he was 40 that Oliver Zeter, after an apprenticeship with Dr. Deinhard and studying viticulture in Geisenheim, started his own winery. Today, he cultivates 20 hectares of vineyards, 6 of which he owns and 14 are leased. He also buys grapes from befriended winemakers – he confidently calls himself a Négociant éleveur – which in France refers to a producer who buys grapes or wines, ages them in his cellar, bottles them, and markets them under his own name. In Neustadt an der Weinstraße, the winery is located in a villa built in 1922 as a wine commission house.
Oliver Zeter – Red Wine and White Wine
Oliver Zeter can do red and white, that's for sure. Above all, his love for Sauvignon Blanc, which he produces as a Gutswein (estate wine), Kabinett, sparkling wine, as Sauvignon Fumé, and as the sweet wine Sweetheart, is certainly responsible for the popularity of Zeter wines. However, red wines like the Cuvée Z and the Syrah also have their fan base. The vineyards from which Oliver Zeter processes grapes extend from Ungstein in the north down to Pleisweiler in the very south, along the Wine Route. The diversity of these Palatinate sites is unique; in terms of climate and soil, no two parcels are alike. Oliver Zeter's basic wines are all true to their varietal character in aroma; they are clear and crisp, showing freshness and fruitiness. The single-vineyard wines are complex characters with deep elegance and fine oak spice. And even the entry-level line, the "kleine Bär" (little bear), is wonderful to drink, an everyday wine of good quality.
