An icon of the Mosel wine region, Mosel Riesling wine and German Riesling

The middle section of Germany’s Mosel wine region is home to some of the best vineyards in the world and one of the world’s best wine destinations. It is also home to some of the best wine producers in the world and arguably the most internationally well known and famous of these is Dr. Loosen.

An icon of German Riesling and specifically Mosel Riesling wine, a visit to this wine region in Germany isn’t complete without a visit to Weingut Dr. Loosen. We had the pleasure of visiting in the Summer of 2023 and also organised a wine tasting here for the Yorkshire branch of the International Wine & Food Society, in September 2023.

Read all about our experiences below!

See the video here:

About Weingut Dr Loosen

The Loosen family has been growing Riesling grapes and producing Mosel Riesling wine for over 200 years. The current owner is Ernst - or ‘Erni’ -  Loosen, who assumed ownership in 1988. His mission then was to greatly improve the quality and international reputation of the Loosen estate, the Mosel wine region, and German Riesling in general. We think it’s safe to assume that he has indeed achieved this - with Ernst Loosen known as an iconic and influential figurehead and global ambassador for the German Riesling grape variety. 

• Dr Loosen was invited into Germany's prestigious ‘VDP’ association of top-rated wine estates in 1993.

• In the 2023 list of the ‘World’s Best Vineyards’, Dr. Loosen is positioned at number 12.

Ernst Loosen philosophy

Similar to most of the world’s top wine producers, Ernst Loosen has always set out to produce world-class wines that authentically reflect the distinctive and individual terroirs of the region and the vineyard and wines of great character and complexity which deliver a highly enjoyable, memorable, sensory experience to the drinker.

Dr Loosen restricts grape quantities in order to optimise the quality of the fruit.

Read about the philosophy behind Dr Loosen wine here.

Dr Loosen vineyards

The Dr Loosen estate possesses some of Germany's most respected and spectacular vineyards - historic Grand Cru sites of the Middle Mosel - many with old vines up to 130 years old. In Germany these classified Grand Cru sites are called ‘GG’ sites or ‘Grosses Gewächs’.

The vineyards are spread throughout the Mosel wine region, listing about 10 separate vineyards in total, each with individual and unique characteristics. Since 1988, Dr Loosen has exclusively bottled Rieslings from the classified Grand Cru/GG sites as ‘single vineyard’ wines. 

The 2 closest vineyards to the estate, which you can walk or cycle through, along the banks of the Mosel River are the Bernkasteler Lay vineyard and the Bernkasteler Johannisbrünnchen vineyard, which gave the Dr Loosen estate its old name, St. Johannishof.

Dr Loosen Riesling wine

A full range of Riesling styles is produced including the single vineyard ‘GG’ wines, ‘Estate’ and ‘Village Rieslings’ and a variety of styles from dry to ‘feinherb, to ‘sweet’ wines. 

Dr Loosen single vineyard GG wines are highly prized, top quality wines, made with grapes from some of Germany’s top vineyards, all low-yield and harvested by hand, with excellent ageing potential. Dr Loosen wines are exported and available around the world.

A wine tasting at the Dr Loosen winery near Bernkastel

By visiting the Dr Loosen winery, you get to sample the famous Dr Loosen Riesling wines but also get to learn more about and appreciate the Dr Loosen wine and winemaking philosophy. The beautiful Dr Loosen estate lies on the banks of the Mosel, just minutes from Bernkastel-Kues. The modern and welcoming visitor centre is located directly next to the Loosen family home and the new guest accommodation (see below).

Dr Loosen is not open to walk-in visitors - all wine tastings must be booked in advance, which ensures the best welcome and hospitality as well as a fully bespoke and tailored experience. Also note the estate is only open for wine tastings, not cellar or vineyard tours.

At the time of writing, the cost for a tasting of 5 wines of your choice is 15 euros and for 7 wines, 25 euros.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this iconic Germany winery as did the group from the Yorkshire branch of the International Wine & Food Society, who experienced an amazing wine tasting in the superb, formal upstairs tasting room - ideal for larger groups.  

Dr Loosen guest accommodation

Adjacent to the estate’s tasting room is a new guesthouse, which offers excellent accommodation in 7 double bedrooms. The guest rooms and breakfast room are all beautifully appointed and furnished and there is a fabulous terrace which offers superb views across the Mosel and the vineyards. Just the place to relax and enjoy a glass of Dr Loosen wine!

Erni Loosen lives here on the estate and when not travelling the world educating and evangelising about German and Mosel Riesling, he can often be seen around so maybe you’ll be lucky enough to meet him and on your visit!

The Middle Mosel (Mittelmosel) and German Mosel Riesling

The 120km long stretch of Germany’s famous Mosel wine region - known as the Middle Mosel - or Mittelmosel -  is defined by two distinct areas: the vineyards around the famous village of Piesport and those around the popular and well-known wine town of Bernkastel-Kues.

The most famous of the Middle Mosel’s vineyards are located around Bernkastel-Kues and produce spectacular, world-class German Rieslings and also some fine Spätburgunders (Pinot noirs). 

What is Mosel known for?

The Mosel vineyards are typically planted on steep slopes in soils made up of mainly flint and slate, producing beautifully characterful wines. The terroir in the Mosel wine region is ideal for the Riesling grape to flourish, with the protected valley enabling a warm climate and the steep slate slopes storing the heat of the sun during the day.

Mosel Riesling wines tend to be elegant, fresh, fruity and mineralic, with relatively low alcohol.

Although much Mosel Valley wine is now produced in a dry style, this wine region in Germany is also world-renowned for its off-dry (feinherb) and award-winning noble-sweet wines, popular with wine collectors, fetching incredibly high prices in wine auctions. 

The world famous top wine producers of Mosel Riesling wine 

Some of the larger wineries around Bernkastel-Kues are also some of the world's top wine producers, including:

• Dr. Loosen - Bernkastel-Kues 

• J.J.Prüm - Bernkastel-Wehlen 

• Weingut Markus Molitor - Bernkastel -Wehlen 

• Weingut Fritz Haag - Brauneberg

These top winemakers have helped to put German Riesling and Mosel Riesling wine on the world stage, not just to wine experts, but appealing to mass audiences too, with their excellent food matching qualities.

We can highly recommend a visit to these top wine producers, to taste the wines of course, but also for the wine tourism experience!

Tips for your visit to the iconic Dr Loosen winery

Not only are some of the finest wines in the world produced in this beautiful part of Germany’s Mittel Mosel wine region, there is so much more to discover and experience here!

Discover what you can experience visiting Bernkastel-Kues and exploring this famous stretch of vineyards along the Mosel river by bike!

For more information about visiting the beautiful Mittelmosel see ‘VisitMosel’ and ‘Mosel Inside’. 

 Conclusion

We loved our visit to Dr Loosen and our friends from the IWFS also loved their wine tasting here too!

These are world-class vineyards and world-class wines and Ernst Loosen is a wonderful ambassador for German Riesling. If you plan to visit the Middle Mosel then make sure you plan in a trip to its most famous winery!

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