Their 11.6 hectares of vines lie on the banks of the Mösel and include the famous vineyards of Treppchen and Prälat in Erden, Würzgarten in Urzig and Sonnenuhr in Wehlen.

The Dr. Loosen estate has been in the same family for more than 200 years. When Ernst Loosen, one of the greatest characters in the wine world took ownership in 1988, he realized that, with ungrafted vines averaging 60 to 70 years old in some of Germany’s top-rated vineyards, he had the raw materials to create stunningly intense, world-class Rieslings.

To achieve this, he changed the estate’s vineyard practices to dramatically reduce crop size. He stopped all chemical fertilization, preferring only moderate use of organic fertilizers and soil amendments. Fully mature fruit undergoes strict selection and undergoes a gentle cellar procedure to allow the wine to reach its potential with a minimum of technological intervention.

Dr. Loosen makes a wide array of wine styles from the great Riesling grape – ranging from botrytis-free dry Rieslings to his luscious, rich, sweet offerings such as his Trockenbeerenauslese. Few will argue that this estate offers some of the greatest value-for-quality fine wine in the world.

Photo Credits:
Image 1 – Leigh-Ann Beverley
Image 2 – Chris Marmann