Heymann-Löwenstein

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Rebell for quality on the Terrassenmosel

Löwenstein is one of Germany's leading winegrowers and is considered the "Mosel rebel", because he has for many years been uncompromisingly committed to a philosophy of quality to the extreme. Löwenstein himself coined the now common term Terrassenmosel, which describes the region of the lower Mosel valley, characterized by extremely steep terraced vineyards and sandy schist. The winery is a member of the VDP (Verband deutscher Prädikatsweingüter), where Reinhard Löwenstein is involved as vice president. He was also instrumental in the founding of Fair'n Green and is now active in the board of directors.

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Roettgen - Winningen

Superb Riesling wines from premium vineyards

Located in the spectacular landscape of the terraced Moselle with its steep and laborious slate terraces, Cornelia Heymann-Löwenstein and Reinhard Löwenstein have been elaborating top-class German wines since 1980. The estate, located in Winningen, has been a member of the VDP since 1997. Reinhard Löwenstein repeatedly underlines that the naturalness of the wine is particularly close to his heart and that sustainable viticulture has a high priority. He proves this, among other things, as a founding member and his position as vice chairman in the association for sustainable viticulture Fair'n Green. The vineyards of 14 hectares are almost exclusively Riesling and a very small part Pinot Noir (about 2%).

Sustainable winemaking results in extraordinary wines from steep slopes

There are 14 hectares of steep slopes in the Kirchberg and Stolzenberg (Hatzenport), classified by the VDP as Grosse Lagen, as well as Röttgen and Uhlen in the Blaufüßer Lay, Laubach and Roth Lay (Winningen) areas. They are 98% planted with Riesling. On 2% is Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), which is vinified as "Schieferterrassen in Rot". The sustainable management, which embraces the vineyards as well as the cellar and the entire farm management, is carried out according to certified Fair'n Green guidelines. Reinhard Löwenstein vinifies his wines with the goal of "condensing the creative synthesis of soils, vines, microclimate and the skills of the winemaker into a unique, authentic sensory experience of the wines."

Weinlage - Vignoble - Vineyard - Uhlen

The vineyards of Heymann-Löwenstein's wine estate

The vineyard Uhlen - Roth Lay

It is certainly on the arid terraces of Roth Lay that the most expressive Rieslings grow. From dawn to dusk, the ferruginous schist heats up here and transfers its warmth to the vines until late at night, creating an exceptional mineral structure.
The very name of this vineyard conceals the red iron oxide-rich schist on which the Riesling vines are rooted. This is the westernmost part of the Uhlen amphitheatre, where the dry terraces face southwest. The region is located on the lower Moselle in the municipalities of Kobern and Winningen.
The vineyards are traditionally cultivated on south-facing terraces at an altitude of between 75 and 210 metres. The soil is a rigosol of various quartz shales.

The vines are maintained with a lot of work. The intensive care has a great influence on the quality of the harvest in terms of the natural alcohol content, the expression of the aromas and the harmony of the acidity of the wine. The long vegetation period, together with the particular topography of the region, the microclimatic conditions and the characteristic composition of the soil, determine the typology of the wines. They lead to a corresponding expression of the wine type with fine but clear aromatic and taste notes. The human influence is based on a thousand-year-old wine-growing tradition. The art of terraced vineyards supported by dry-stone walls has been documented since Roman times. In recent decades, in the context of growing ecological awareness, the gradual abandonment of easily soluble mineral fertilisers should be noted.

The vineyard Uhlen Laubach

Once, 400 million years ago, the primeval sea, which was up to 14 km deep, was completely filled with sediment. It was from this last sediment that the VDP.GROSSE LAGE® UHLEN LAUBACH was created. But how do we know this? Simply because countless mussels and corals have seeped through the Laubach slate. To live, they need a lot of oxygen, which can only be found in shallow waters. With up to 10% limestone - and a ph value of 7.5 - Laubach is the great exotic among the other almost lime-free and rather "acidic" Devonian shales. The relief is characterised by dizzying little terraces clinging to the rock with a slope of up to over 170%. The numerous kilometres of dry stone walls are populated by badgerworts, buttercups, Apollo butterflies, lizards, adders and snakes. A subtropical steep slope habitat!

The vineyard Röttgen

The steep terraced vineyards of the VDP.GROSSE LAGE® RÖTTGEN stand like a miracle of nature on the banks of the Mosel. With a slope of up to 170 percent, RÖTTGEN near Winningen is one of the steepest vineyards in Germany. The shale was formed in the sea under reducing conditions and is blue in color. In our warm microclimate, however, the iron in the stones oxidizes quite quickly. In a short time, they take on their typical yellow-brown color.  The terraces supported by dry stone walls are located at an altitude of 80 to 180 meters above sea level, with an SSW orientation.
At the beginning of the 19th century, winegrowers discovered the high quality of the soil and cleared the entire area of hedges and trees to create a unique vineyard. The vines grow here on steep southern slopes, protected in a slight depression.  The thin layer of soil is mostly sandy slate with veins of quartzite running through it.  The rain and the weather constantly carry loess from the upper parts of the slope, which provides important minerals and protects the soil from acidification. It is here that elegant and fine quality wines flourish.

Weinsortiment - wine selection - assortiment de vins

Wine assortment

Riesling

  • dry
  • Selection (Auslese)
  • Late harvest (Spätlese)
  • Grand Cru (Grosses Gewächs)
  • Sparkling wine

Pinot Noir red wine

Winemaking and assortment

The product range is structured according to the VDP classification model. In principle, the wines ferment spontaneously using the vineyard's and cellar's own yeasts without any addition of artificial yeasts, bentonite and enzymes. Among the premium wines of the house are the Grossen Gewächse from RÖTTGEN and the UHLEN Roth Lay, UHLEN Laubach and UHLEN Blaufüsser Lay, which are bottled only after 24 months of aging. The latest products are a mash-fermented Orange Wine and a fruity-juicy Schieferterrassen Bohème aged with long yeast storage. In suitable years, Prädikatsweine such as Auslesen and Trockenbeerenauslesen are also pressed. Bottle-fermented sparkling wines are also produced.

Expressive wines with terroir characteristics

With great sensitivity, Reinhard Löwenstein translates the character of the terroir into a corresponding wine character. He relies on experience passed down from generation to generation and on methods that have been tried and tested for many years, and he proceeds with care and takes his time; He interprets the character of the terroir in the best possible way in dry or sweet tastes, he strives for well fermented dry wines.

Thanks to extremely late harvesting and consistent spontaneous fermentation, the high weights of the musts sometimes remain stuck at a few grams of residual sugar - in spite of a 10 to 18 months maturation on lees, in spite of a sometimes slow and laborious fermentation phase of several months. In his great dry Riesling wines, he makes the schist resonate in the different colors, his wines seduce with their density, great extract and a particular flavor.