Weingut Vollenweider
Founded in 2000, Daniel Vollenweider became one of the new guards of Mosel crafting his superb Riesling from 12.4 acres of vines, predominately laid out over extremely steep slopes with a high percentage of old and ungrafted Riesling vines. Moritz Hoffmann joined Daniel in 2019 and has taken the reigns since Daniel’s sad passing in 2022. Hoffmann has continued Vollenweider’s legacy and achieved organic certification in 2023.
History
Swiss-born Vollenweider initially wanted to buy vineyards in Burgundy but had to consider looking elsewhere due to the steep price tag. He wanted to make wine in a region rich with history and potential, and a bottle of Egon Müller 1990 Scharzhofberg Auslese has been credited as the decisive inspiration for his journey to make wine in the Mosel.
After working in vineyards both in Germany and abroad, Daniel began with 1.3 hectares in the Wolfer Goldgrube: an ideal vineyard in the sense that it boasts a fine pedigree, yet had fallen out of spotlight in recent decades. There is now six hectares under Weingut Vollenweider, spread across the Goldgrube as well as parcels in Kröver Steffensberg and Trabener Würzgarten (Schimbock), and they are member of der klitzekleine ring, a group of winemakers that revive derelict, steep old-vine vineyard sites in the Mosel.
Continuing Daniel’s legacy of hard work, Moritz is dedicated to the uniquely gruelling lifestyle choosing to responsibly farm these harrowing sites by hand and without using pesticides and herbicides, knowing the hard work is beneficial to both the vines and ultimately the wine.
Viticulture & Winemaking
Vineyards and Viticulture
The Goldgrube is a steep amphitheater rising above a bend in the Mosel river, south to southwest-facing, with predominately Devonian gray slate (certain parcels variegated with iron-rich red slate). Old vines here are ungrafted and some are over 80 years in age. The estate is 100% Riesling and 100% steep, slate sites. Everything must be done by hand in the vineyard.
Winemaking
The winemaking philosophy is as simple as it gets: work hard. Daniel works alone, with no short cuts and no compromises. Vinification happens in the multi-level cellar located under his house in Trarbach, a town (along with its sister-city Traben across the river) that was an invaluable wine shipping hub during the last half of the nineteenth century and into the early 1900s. Taking a minimalist approach, Daniel uses stainless steel tanks and prefers spontaneous fermentation for all wines except for those affected by Botrytis. In more recent vintages Daniel has expanded into making dry and dry-tasting wines, which are also outstanding and full of verve.