Winemaker Spotlights
Meet the winemakers behind your favorite German wines! In our 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 Sofia Thanisch
Founded in 1636, Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch Erben Thanisch has produced high-quality, minerally-rich Rieslings for 11 generations. Current owner Sofia is committed to continuing the Thanisch family tradition in winemaking with women in leadership.
Meet Nicolas and the Michel Family
Weingut Schlossmülenhof has been in the Michel family’s hands for six generations, where today, Nicolas continues to capture the pure expression of the Rheinhessen region and the estate’s high-altitude vineyards.
Meet Simone Frigerio
Cellar Master Simone Frigerio prioritizes producing sustainable, terroir-driven wines at Reichsrat von Buhl by combining technology with tradition – all rooted in his deep knowledge of the ins-and-outs of the estate’s vineyards and harvest.
Meet Konni & Evi
Known as local heroes in the return to quality wine from Saale-Unstrut, Konni and Evi produce top-notch organic and biodynamic wines from less than four hectares of vines, reflecting the region’s limestone soil and uniquely cool climate in each bottle of their namesake, Konni & Evi.
Meet Christian Dautel
Christian Dautel is the talented young owner and lead cellar master at Weingut Dautel. Known for breaking tradition, Weingut Dautel was the first producer in Württemberg to estate bottle wines and produce Chardonnay.
Meet Joachim Heger
Read about the unique story of Weingut Dr. Heger in our profile of current owner Joachim Heger. Located in Baden, Dr. Heger has been in the family for three generations and is recognized for redefining the potential of both the region and of Pinot grapes in Germany.
Meet Eva Fricke
Eva Fricke is dedicated to producing the finest Rieslings in the Rheingau through sustainable and ecological farming practices. Weingut Eva Fricke was the first estate from the Rheingau to ever receive three 100-point ratings from top reviewers.
Meet the Selbach Family
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
Get to know Florian Weingart of Weingut Weingart, a family-run winery cultivating some of the best vineyards in the Mittelrhein. Florian and his wife, Ulrike, own and operate the estate, which they view as a representation of sustainable living, work ethic, and authentic wines.
Meet Juliane Schmitt
Juliane Schmitt is the fifth generation of her family and the first woman to lead the Schmitt Söhne 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
Based in Rheinhessen, Fritz Müller’s sparkling wines are known as the German answer to Prosecco and for highlighting the potential of Müller-Thurgau. Meet the two friends, Jürgen Hofmann and Guido Walter, who created this unique estate.
Meet Patrick Möllendorf
Villa Wolf is committed to producing wines that capture the authentic terroir of the Pfalz and the region’s classic style. Operations Manager Patrick Möllendorf is responsible for vineyard cultivation, wine development, and sales of the estate, which uniquely follows the Burgundian naming system and the vineyard classification of the Royal Bavarian Government of 1828.
Meet Michael Völker and Melanie Drese
The couple behind Franken’s 2Naturkinder estate is Michael Völker and Melanie Drese. Though they were presented with the opportunity to take over Michael’s family winery, they instead chose to create a new brand dedicated to natural wines, paving the way towards a more sustainable and ecological winemaking future.
Meet Dominik Meyer
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. While officially bearing the title of “Winemaker,” Dominik Meyer oversees much more at Moselland – working with both the winemaking and sales teams, running special projects, and setting the cooperative’s strategy and philosophy.
Meet Stefan Doktor
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 – Stefan Doktor!
Meet Caroline Diel
Located in the Nahe, Schlossgut Diel has been known for producing exceptional wines for seven generations, with Caroline Diel carrying on “tradition that looks to the future” as current winemaker and proprietor. The combination of exceptional vineyard sites, vineyard management, and winemaking has led the Schlossgut to receive continued acclaim.
Meet Volker Raumland
Volker Raumland 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.
