• Donnhoff

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    The Upper River Nahe meanders past steep slopes and precipitous vineyards, and on these slopes, between the villages of Oberhausen and Bad Kreuznach, the Dönnhoffs cultivate vines. They haven`t chosen such difficult to work sites for fun (Höllenpfad, after all, means "path to hell") but rather because the slopes offer a combination of exposure and geologically diverse, complex soils which translate into complexity in the fruit and so, eventually, the wine. It works; in fact, they`ve been making wine here since the 1750s.

  • Furst

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    We`ve worked with the Furst family for a few years now and recently visited them for the second time, in the middle of a very welcome rainstorm - the spring of 2018 was very warm and dry. Although we mainly know them for their Pinot Noir they also have some Riesling, Silvaner and Fruhburgunder. The Fursts farm some very good sites indeed and have done since 1638. Their vineyards are all pretty steep and that is where the quality is.

  • Gunderloch

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    All change at this estate as in 2010 prodigal son Johannes Hasselbach, having run away from home to train as an accountant, returned to take over the estate. Although he grew up in the vines he worked at the jobs he was given, rather than learning the business. On his return though, first he went travelling and working on all sorts of estates around the world and returned with loads of questions.

  • Jean Stodden

    In the village of Rech, nestled into the Ahr valley just south of Bonn, lies one of the best producers of Pinot Noir in Germany. Jean Stodden has been growing wine since 1578, though they`ve only had their own winery since 1900. Alexander Stodden is the current generation and had some interesting observations. This part of Germany, west of the Rhein was subject to Napoleonic inheritance laws, so vineyard holdings are as fragmented as in Burgundy. Stodden`s smallest plot is 12 square metres. Farming is sustainable - as organic as possible and no herbicides or insecticieds are used.

  • Weingut Joseph Leitz

    Leitz has changed. Last time I visited they were based in a biggish house at the top of the village. They hugely annoyed the neighbours during harvest and bottling times and were very restricted in what they could do. No longer. Now based just outside town in a brand new and shiny warehouse and office complex (that`s already slated for expansion) it is as though they`ve been freed from their previous confinement to fly. The investment has been enormous with the latest in bottling and labelling, boxing and palletising machines freeing staff for more interesting jobs.