2023 Weingut Von Winning Riesling Ungeheuer Forst Grosses Gewächs

Von Winning is a German wine producer based in the Pfalz. The Pfalz is one of Germany's 13 wine regions and is known for producing high-quality white wines, especially those made from Riesling.

History of Weingut Von Winning

Weingut Von Winning has changed name and owner several times over the years. It was founded under the name 'Deinhard', by Friedrich Deinhard (1812 – 1871) and his wife Auguste Jordan, after she inherited part of her father, Andreas Jordan's, domain in 1848. In Deidesheim this is still spoken of as the “Jordan'sche Teilung”, whereby the vineyards of the estate were divided among his three children, a division that has continued to this day. The winery under the name Deinhard was continued by their son Dr. Andreas Deinhard, and he was in turn succeeded by his daughter Emma, who led the company from 1907 with her husband, Captain Leopold von Winning. Under his leadership the winery experienced its heyday. It became a co-founder of the “Deutscher Weinbauverband” and the “Verband der Naturwein-Versteigerer”, an association that is now very highly regarded under the name VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter). During this period the name of the domain was changed to “Hauptmann von Winning'sches Edelweingut”. In 1918 the wine company became the property of Karl Josef Hoch from Neustadt an der Weinstraße. The Von Winning family did not allow him to use the name “von Winning”, so it reverted to its old name: Dr. Deinhard. In November 2007, entrepreneur Achim Niederberger became the new owner. He appointed Stephan Attmann as the new director. Within five years he managed to bring the three wine companies that emerged from the “Jordan'sche Teilung” back under one roof. Not only did he become the owner of Dr. Deinhard, but also from the other two, Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan and Reichsrat von Buhl, once owned by Andreas Jordan. He thus became the largest owner of private vineyards in Germany, with a total of 150 hectares. The three companies will continue to operate completely independently of each other and develop independently.

Weingut Von Winning's production

The total annual production is between 250,000 and 300,000 bottles. Riesling is by far the most important grape of the domain, with a planted area of more than 80% of the total 38 hectares of vineyards. In addition, on the slopes of the domain we find Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer and Muscatel. Pinot Noir and a red blend are also made. Sauvignon blanc has also been in the range since 2008, because this grape thrives on the lighter soils of the region, with a high content of sand and gravel. The extensive plantings of Riesling have everything to do with the special class of the terroir of the domain. No fewer than 10 hectares of the winery are classified as 'Großes Gewächs', the German version of the French concept of Grand Cru. The vineyards are worked entirely according to sustainable principles, everything focused on quality, so that perfectly ripe and aromatic grapes can be harvested. The young and motivated team is all about quality, of course helped by the investment power of Achim Niederberger. The pursuit of perfection is reflected in both the work in the vineyard and in the cellar.

Von Winning's ecosystem

In the vineyard, everything is done not to disturb the ecosystem of the vineyards, but to support it. The grapes root deeply, so that they perfectly express the special character of the terroir in the wines. And this means they are also able to thrive perfectly under difficult conditions, such as extreme drought or heavy rainfall. They also do not suffer from a lack of water due to the undergrowth in the vineyard, a beautiful display of flowers in the summer. That is the way to work sustainably and to ensure vineyards in which natural balance is central. In the cellar the principle of as little manipulation of the wine as possible is applied. For the top wines, minimal filtering, natural and spontaneous fermentation and the omission of means to clarify the wine are used. This ensures wines with an authentic character, in an elegant style, that stand out from the crowd. The working methods in the vineyard and cellar therefore guarantee that wines with a special character are made here.