Outstanding Vinotheks

Weingut Georg Breuer quickly makes Riesling fans go into raptures. Already in the early 1980s, Bernhard Breuer had led the winery to international renown. In the meantime, the winery is run by his daughter Theresa Breuer.

What does the vinothek of Weingut Schreiber in Hochheim am Main have to do with New Zealand? When it comes to inspiration, quite a lot! In fact, the idea to create an extraordinary place for the presentation of their own wines came from the junior boss.

When Cathrin Tronser looks out from the spacious stone terrace across the Rhine to the Rheingau region of Hesse, she could almost forget that she is actually at her workplace.

Many wineries in Germany can look back on a rich history. In the case of Weingut Braunewell, it even goes back to the 17th century, when François Breiniville moved from Villepot-Loraine to Essenheim and established a livelihood in agriculture and viticulture.

There are only a few visitors who are not surprised after they have crossed the narrow entrance gate into the Bretz winery. Who would expect to find a touch of Tuscany in this large inner courtyard with palm trees and blooming oleander in Bechtolsheim?

Weingut Eppelman is a mature, old-school family business. Back in the middle of the 20th century it was still a mixed agricultural operation, making the transition solely to wine production in 1960.

It came as a complete, but wonderful, surprise to his parents when Nico Espenschied revealed his career plans. Given that he had already finished his university admission exams, parents Heike and Wilfried presumed their son would pursue an academic career.

Ingelheim's reds have been famous for centuries, and Josef Neus rose here as one of the "Kings of Red Wine." Neus was born on the Mosel, but came to Ober-Ingelheim in 1881, opened a wine store and soon thereafter began with his own cultivation.

Weingut Meyerhof in the Rheinhessen town of Flonheim prides itself on seven generations of family ownership. The estate has sat in this location only since the early 1980s, when Artur Meyer built new buildings here on the edge of town.

Pauser is a young, fresh and creative family-run winery, and a relatively new one at that. Founded at the end of the 1970s, Friedrich Pauser and his daughter Eva Pauser-Brand cultivate over 30 hectares of vineyards.

For Mirjam, there was never any question in her mind that she would someday be a winemaker. As a child, she spent much time in the vineyards, learning all aspects of viticulture at her father's side.

In 2006, the brothers Christoph and Johannes Thörle took over the winery from their parents. The first successes soon became apparent, the wines achieved higher scores in various wine guides and newcomer prizes were awarded.