Winemaker Spotlights
Meet the winemakers behind your favorite German wines! In our monthly series “Whose *Wine* Is It Anyway?” we profile a German estate and delve into the story and background of the people behind the wines.
Meet Christian Dautel
This December, we’re highlighting Christian Dautel, owner and lead cellar master at Weingut Dautel. Known for breaking tradition, Weingut Dautel is the first producer in Württemberg to estate bottle wines and produce Chardonnay.
Meet Joachim Heger
This month, we’re focusing on Joachim Heger of Weingut Dr. Heger. Located in the Baden, Dr. Heger has been in the family for three generations, known one of the leading wineries in both Baden and Germany as a whole.
Meet Eva Fricke
This month, we’re highlighting Eva Fricke, who is dedicated to producing the finest Rieslings in the Rheingau through sustainable and ecological farming practices. Weingut Eva Fricke the first estate from the Rheingau to ever receive three 100-point ratings from top reviewers.
Meet the Selbach Family
This October, we’re highlighting the Selbach family of Weingut Selbach-Oster, located in the Mosel. Selbach-Oster is one of the region’s most recognized estates, and the unique conditions of the Mosel make for remarkably elegant, flavorful wines.
Meet Florian Weingart
This month, we’re highlighting Florian Weingart of Weingut Weingart, a family-run winery located in the Mittelrhein cultivating some of the best vineyards in the region. Florian and his wife, Ulrike, own and operate Weingut Weingart, which they call a representation of sustainable living, work ethic, and authentic wines.
Meet Juliane Schmitt
This August, we’re highlighting Juliane Schmitt of Schmitt Söhne, the fifth generation of her family and the first woman to lead the winery. Based in the Mosel, Schmitt Söhne is a leading producer and exporter of German wines, supplying around 50 percent of all German wines in the United States.
Meet Jürgen Hofmann and Guido Walter
This July, we’re highlighting Jürgen Hofmann and Guido Walter of Fritz Müller. Based in Rheinhessen, Fritz Müller’s sparkling wines are known as the German answer to Prosecco and highlighting the potential of Müller Thurgau.
Meet Patrick Möllendorf
This May, we’re highlighting Patrick Möllendorf of the Villa Wolf estate. Based in the Pfalz, Villa Wolf captures the many authentic expressions of the Pfalz’s diverse offerings and terroirs in its wines. Villa Wolf is committed to producing wines that capture the authentic terroir of the Pfalz and in the region’s classic style.
Meet Michael Völker and Melanie Drese
Every month, ‘Whose Wine is it Anyway?’ profiles a German winemaker to give you a behind-the-vines look at the world of German wine. This month, we’re highlighting Michael Völker and Melanie Drese of 2Naturkinder. Based in Franken, 2Naturkinder is a small family winery paving the way towards a more sustainable and ecological winemaking future.
Meet Dominik Meyer
It’s April, and we’re highlighting Dominik Meyer of Moselland. Based in the Mosel, Moselland is one of the largest Riesling producers in Germany, producing wine from dozens of small growers across four winegrowing regions. Moselland allows for small vineyard owners to benefit from the expertise and international reach of the cooperative.
Meet Stefan Doktor
This March, we’re highlighting Stefan Doktor of Schloss Johannisberg, located in the Rheingau. Known as one of the most celebrated Riesling producers in the world, the first producer of Spätlese (late harvest) Riesling, and the first producer of Eiswein, Schloss Johannisberg has been synonymous with German wine for 1,200 years. It takes a qualified wine expert to carry on that prestige!
Meet Caroline Diel
For February, we’re highlighting Caroline Diel, winemaker and proprietor of Schlossgut Diel and a member of a new generation of winemakers. Schlossgut Diel, located in the Nahe, has been known for producing exceptional wines for seven generations, with Caroline carrying on “tradition that looks to the future.” The combination of exceptional vineyard sites, vineyard management and winemaking has led the Schlossgut to receive continued acclaim.
Meet Volker Raumland
January’s winemaker spotlight highlights Volker Raumland, who helped transform the international reputation of high-quality German Sekt. Sekthaus Raumland, located in Rheinhessen, was the first sparkling wine-focused estate ever accepted into the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) in late 2019. Over the years, Volker Raumland’s skill and passion for German sparkling wine earned him the nickname of the Sektpapst, or the Pope of Sekt.
Meet Konrad Salwey
This December, we’re highlighting Konrad Salwey, who showcases his creativity through the art of winemaking. Located in Baden, the Salwey Estate’s commitment to innovation rivals its prioritization of simplicity, producing dry wines mostly from Pinot varieties. The unique volcanic topography of their premium vineyard sites and the ideal aging environment of the mountain cellar coupled with Konrad’s expertise and willingness to experiment make for some of Germany’s most prized Pinot Noir.
Meet Ulrich Stein
For October, we’re focusing on Ulrich Stein, a winemaker who harvests grapes on some of the steepest, lowest-yielding vineyards on earth, in Germany’s Mosel region. With a winemaking philosophy that balances reverence for tradition and a rule-breaking spirit, Ulli makes traditional wines like Rieslings, as well as once-banned non-traditional varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Meet Philipp Wittmann
September’s winemaker spotlight focuses on Philipp Wittmann of Weingut Wittmann, a Rheinhessen estate that dates back to the 17th century. With some 350 harvests carried out by over 15 generations under their belt, the Wittmann family combines tradition with innovation, all while making incredible organic and biodynamic wines. In addition, Philipp served many years as President of the Rheinhessen section of the VDP and helped reinvent the image of the Rheinhessen region as a co-founder of the “Message In A Bottle” association.
Meet Stefan Vetter
In August, the spotlight’s on Stefan Vetter, a winemaker who has been central to the revival of Silvaner in the Franken region of Germany. Vetter farms organically, working old vines on steep, terraced vineyards, where harvesting is done manually. He focuses mainly on Silvaner, exploring the grape’s full potential and establishing his Silvaner-based wines as some of the most celebrated in Germany.
