2021 Rainer Heil Brauneberger Juffer Riesling trocken Großes Gewächs

Weingut Rainer Heil is a small family-run estate on the Mosel, known for its characterful Rieslings and elegant Spätburgunders. Authentic, honest, and true to the region. It’s an exclusive yet very small winery that produces wines with remarkable aging potential, where almost everything is still done by hand. Rainer intervenes as little as possible and lets nature do the work.

His style is quite unique, as Rainer dislikes harsh acidity in his wines. He therefore allows the grapes to hang much longer than most of his Mosel colleagues. In addition to his white wines, the red Pinot Noirs are outstanding – refined, elegant, and full of finesse. The only issue: within his mere 7.5 hectares, he manages dozens of tiny vineyard parcels in the best sites and produces around 40 different wines. You can do the math – quantities are very limited, sometimes only a few hundred bottles of each top cuvée. Read more under the “Winery” tab.

Weingut Rainer Heil – Family Estate on the Mosel

In 1980, Rainer Heil founded his own winery in Brauneberg, in the heart of the Mosel. What started as a small family project has grown into a respected estate where the next generation, Waltraud and Dominik Heil, are now also involved. With around 7.5 hectares of vineyards, their focus is on quality, terroir, and pure expression. Everything is done in-house – from grape to bottle.

Location and Terroir of Brauneberg

The vineyards of Weingut Rainer Heil are situated on steep slopes along the Mosel River. The most famous sites include Brauneberger Juffer, Juffer Sonnenuhr, Mandelgraben, and Klostergarten. Here, the typical slate soil (Schiefer) gives the wines freshness, tension, and minerality. Thanks to the Mosel’s warmth and the reflection of sunlight off the river, the grapes ripen slowly, allowing aromas to develop fully. The result: wines with finesse that never tire the palate.

Grape Varieties and Wine Styles

The pride of the estate is, of course, **Riesling** – ranging from crisp dry to elegantly sweet. Rainer Heil produces several styles, including Kabinett, Spätlese, and Auslese. Each wine has its own personality, but all share that unmistakable Mosel freshness. The estate also cultivates **Weißburgunder**, **Grauburgunder**, and **Spätburgunder**. The latter is especially noteworthy: the Spätburgunder from the Kurfürstlay vineyard matures for 18 months in oak, combining depth with vibrant red fruit. A surprisingly serious red wine from the Mosel.

Specialties of Weingut Rainer Heil

Their top wines come from the Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr – a historic vineyard with perfect sun exposure. The Riesling Spätlese from this site offers a superb balance of fruit, acidity, and minerality. The Brauneberger Mandelgraben Feinherb is another Heil signature: lightly spicy, elegant, and beautifully balanced. In cold winters, the family even produces a rare **Eiswein**, hand-harvested at sub-zero temperatures – a true specialty that reflects their dedication and craft.

Sustainable and Natural Winemaking

Sustainability is at the heart of Weingut Rainer Heil. They follow the principles of “good natural farming practice”: compost instead of chemical fertilizers, organic nourishment, and minimal crop protection. This keeps the soil alive and healthy. In the cellar, the wines are treated with great care, resulting in very low histamine levels while preserving their natural freshness. Most wines are vegan – only the oak-aged reds are an exception.

Facts About Weingut Rainer Heil

• The wines have won multiple awards at “Best of Riesling” and AWC Vienna.
• During autumn, the family opens their own **Straußwirtschaft** – a seasonal wine tavern where visitors can enjoy local dishes paired with their wines.
• Guests can book tastings by appointment or even stay overnight at the estate.
• With only 7.5 hectares, it remains a truly family-run business: personal, small-scale, and with attention to every detail.
• It’s about more than just wine.
  
  “Our greatest ambition is to use sustainable and loving cultivation to unlock the full potential of our soils and vines through meticulous handwork, creating wines that truly reflect their grape variety and origin in every detail.
  
  For us, working with nature comes first. We strive to maintain and preserve the vitality of our soils and vineyards for the future, as they form the foundation of high wine quality.
  
  We believe that an excellent wine is born in the vineyard and needs little more than patience and sensitivity in the cellar. That’s why we completely avoid chemical additives. In the spirit of sustainability, we also refrain from using any animal-based products – all our wines are vegan. Thanks to our gentle approach, our wines, with the exception of those aged in barrique, contain very little histamine, making them particularly easy to enjoy.”

Order Weingut Rainer Heil Online?

At Grandcruwijnen you’ll find a selection of wines from Weingut Rainer Heil. All bottles are stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, where temperature and humidity are perfectly maintained for optimal quality. When you choose **pickup**, you’ll automatically receive an additional discount. This discount becomes visible as soon as you select “Pickup” during checkout. Enjoy top-quality wines from Brauneberg – perfectly stored and competitively priced.