To the Main Content
Interview with Pauline Baumberger Glow Glow

5 minutes with... Our interview with Pauline aka GLOW GLOW

One might think that it would be natural for a winemaker's daughter to work in the wine industry - but not for Pauline. In a roundabout way, she decided to take this path after all. Now her creativity, passion, ideas and knowledge can be found in every bottle she makes.

8gb: Hello, dear Pauline! Merci for taking the time to answer a few questions about you and your wines! For those who don't know your wines yet, what makes them so special in your eyes?

Pauline: "For us, our wines document a process in which a lot of energy flows and which gives us back an incredible amount of energy. GLOW GLOW transports this energy. They are lively and taste of lightness. Our wines are typical of the Nahe, our growing region, delicate, elegant and focused."

8gb: What do you like to eat with your wines? What pairings do you like?

Pauline: "Everything that is fresh and not too heavy. Preferably, if it comes straight from your own garden. Of course, that doesn't always work. But a good piece of sourdough bread is usually enough."

8gb: Was it always obvious for you to produce natural wine, or how did it come about?

On the way to the wine

Pauline: "Natural wine was the key to my own idea of winemaking. As a winery daughter, I was of course always surrounded by wine. But suddenly there was something that really excited me and made me curious. Until then, there were some very exciting and important detours that didn't have anything directly to do with wine at first, and for a long time it wasn't at all clear that I wanted to make my own wines."

Pauline Baumberger processing grapes

Pauline: "But natural wine was then the reason why today I produce wines together with my brother Carl and our family. So the moment I realized that I wanted to make my own wines, it was also clear that it would be natural wine."

8gb: What is one of the biggest life lessons you've learned so far since making your own wines?

Pauline: "From working with nature I have learned to give things more time, to be more patient and to trust more. In viticulture, there are no short-term decisions, everything should be decided wisely and with a long term view. Wine and working in the family winery have made me think even more about sustainability and only now I understand the importance of the three pillars of sustainability."

8gb: Can you remember your first experience with natural wine?

Pauline: "The first really formative experience was at Surk-ki's Salon Naturel in Cologne. I was completely overwhelmed by how wine can taste. At that moment, a whole new world opened up to me. Dealing with that wine was so different from anything I knew. It wasn't about dissecting the wine, looking for the flaws. It was more about philosophies and attitudes. The wines all stood on their own, were alive. I didn't like everything, but that wasn't the point. The openness and joie de vivre I experienced that day a few years ago was contagious."

It all fits like this

8gb: If you had the opportunity to start all over again today, would you do anything differently?

Pauline: "No. I'm very happy with where I am right now, and I wouldn't be here if everything hadn't gone the way it has."

Harvest at Glow Glow with Jess from 8greenbottles, Vineyard.

8gb: What is the most beautiful thing for you in the whole winemaking process?

Pauline: There's no easy answer to that question. There are so many beautiful moments in winemaking. But the feeling of having brought all the grapes home and tasting the first fermenting musts is wonderful. The sense of community during the 2020 harvest was the most beautiful thing we've experienced so far."

8gb: What can we expect from you in the future?

Pauline: "We have so many ideas and work every day to make things happen.For us, our sustainability goals are the focus right now, and we're sure with each development in that direction, the wines will become even more exciting."

Thank you very much for the exciting insights Pauline. We are already looking forward to the new vintage!

Did you like our interview with Pauline Baumberger? If you would like to learn more about other winemakers, please visit our winemakers page here.

Write Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *.