Dr. Loosen

The Dr. Loosen estate has been in the same family for over 200 years, based at St. Johannishof in Bernkastel-Kues on the Middle Mosel. Ernst F. 'Erni' Loosen took over in 1988 after his father fell ill, abandoning a promising career in archaeology to manage what was then a modestly run family property carrying significant debt. His predecessors had treated winemaking as a secondary pursuit, which — fortuitously — meant the vineyards had never been replanted, leaving Ernst with a treasure of ungrafted, century-old Riesling vines in some of the Mosel's finest sites. Inspired by old vintages and historical winemaking scripts, he systematically revived traditional methods including spontaneous fermentation and long lees aging.

• Family ownership spanning more than 200 years; Ernst F. Loosen at the helm since 1988
• Located at St. Johannishof, Bernkastel-Kues, at the foot of the Bernkasteler Lay vineyard
• VDP member since 1993, committing to origin-driven quality standards
• Predecessor neglect inadvertently preserved ungrafted vines well over 100 years old at takeover

Dr. Loosen farms 22 hectares concentrated entirely in the Middle Mosel, with 98% planted to Riesling on ungrafted rootstocks. All six major single-vineyard sites were designated Erste Lage (equivalent to grand cru) in the 1868 Prussian classification of Mosel vineyards and are recognized today under the VDP.Grosse Lage category. The sites span three distinct soil types: blue slate (Bernkastel, Graach, Wehlen), red Devonian slate (Erden, Treppchen), and the unique red Rotliegend volcanic rock of Ürziger Würzgarten, whose high iron content drives the vineyard's signature spicy, exotic character. Phylloxera cannot survive in the Mosel's stony soils, allowing the estate's vines to remain on their original ungrafted rootstocks, naturally restricting yields and concentrating flavors.

• Six grand cru sites: Bernkasteler Lay, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Graacher Himmelreich, Ürziger Würzgarten, Erdener Prälat, Erdener Treppchen
• Ürziger Würzgarten stands apart with red Rotliegend volcanic rock and high iron content, producing spicy, exotic Rieslings
• Ungrafted vines averaging 60–120+ years produce naturally low yields and concentrated fruit
• Steep south- and southwest-facing slopes maximize sun exposure in this cool northern climate

Ernst Loosen rebuilt his winemaking philosophy from historical sources, tasting old Mosel Rieslings and studying cellar records to understand what made them great. The estate relies on spontaneous (indigenous yeast) fermentation in large, neutral oak casks for all single-vineyard wines, followed by aging on the gross lees — 12 months for Prädikat sweet wines and up to 24 months for dry Grosses Gewächs selections — without racking or batonnage. This extended lees contact stabilizes the wines naturally and builds texture and depth. Starting with the 2008 vintage, Ernst also embarked on reviving the dry Riesling style of his grandfather, fermented in 3,000-liter neutral oak and kept on full lees for 12 months, connecting the estate's present to its early 20th-century tradition.

• Spontaneous fermentation in large neutral oak casks for all single-vineyard wines
• Lees aging: 12 months for sweet Prädikat wines; up to 24 months for dry GG selections
• Crop restriction, no chemical fertilization, and strict fruit selection in the vineyard
• Dry Riesling revival began with the 2008 vintage, reviving great-grandfather Peter Loosen's tradition

Dr. Loosen's range moves from the widely distributed Dr. L (sourced from grower vineyards across the Mosel) through the estate Blue Slate Kabinett and Red Slate Dry Riesling, up to six grand cru single-vineyard Prädikat wines and Grosses Gewächs dry selections. The Blue Slate Kabinett comes from high-elevation parcels in Bernkastel, Graach, and Wehlen — pure blue slate soils delivering white peach and flinty minerality. The Red Slate Dry Riesling draws from Ürzig, Erden, Lösnich, and Kinheim. Single-vineyard highlights include the Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese (exotic spice, red volcanic soil) and the Erdener Treppchen Auslese, which has averaged 92–94 points from leading critics across multiple recent vintages. Ernst's global influence also extends to the Eroica Riesling, a celebrated collaboration with Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington State since 1999.

• Dr. L Riesling: off-dry entry-level wine sourced from Mosel grower vineyards; average retail ~$13–15
• Blue Slate Kabinett: from Bernkastel, Graach, and Wehlen blue slate parcels; bright white peach, flinty minerality
• Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese: red volcanic Rotliegend soil; exotic tropical spice and outstanding aging potential
• Eroica Riesling: collaboration with Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington State, produced continuously since 1999

Dr. Loosen is broadly recognized as a benchmark Mosel producer and a driving force behind the international rehabilitation of German Riesling. Ernst Loosen has received Decanter Man of the Year (2005), Wine International White Wine Maker of the Year (2005), Wine & Spirits Best German Producer of the Past 25 Years (2007), Wine & Spirits Winery of the Year (2012), and Gault Millau Germany's Winemaker of the Year (2001). The estate was ranked among the world's top 50 wine destinations in 2020. Single-vineyard Prädikat wines regularly score 90–95 points from leading critics, with the Erdener Treppchen Auslese averaging 92–94 points across recent vintages. The Dr. L Riesling, produced in large volume, has become one of the most visible ambassadors for German Riesling globally.

• Decanter Man of the Year 2005; Gault Millau Germany's Winemaker of the Year 2001
• Wine & Spirits Winery of the Year 2012; Best German Producer of the Past 25 Years 2007
• Ranked among the world's top 50 wine destinations in 2020
• Erdener Treppchen Auslese averages 92–94 critic points across recent vintages (Wine-Searcher aggregated)

Dr. Loosen's labeling follows the VDP hierarchy and German Prädikat law, making the tier of wine clear to an informed reader. Single-vineyard wines carry the full vineyard name (e.g., Ürziger Würzgarten) and the Prädikat level (Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, etc.) or GG (Grosses Gewächs) for dry selections. Estate wines are labeled Blue Slate (Blauschiefer) or Red Slate (Rotschiefer) to indicate soil type, while the entry-level Dr. L is sold under the Loosen Bros. imprint in the U.S. market. Dry wines are labeled 'trocken' or carry the GG designation; Prädikat wines without 'trocken' are off-dry to sweet. The estate's address, St. Johannishof, Bernkastel/Mosel, appears on all bottles.

• VDP.Grosse Lage wines carry full vineyard name and Prädikat or GG designation
• Blue Slate and Red Slate estate wines indicate soil type rather than a specific vineyard
• Dr. L sold under Loosen Bros. imprint in the U.S.; grapes sourced from contracted Mosel growers
• GG = dry Grosses Gewächs; Prädikat without 'trocken' = off-dry to sweet style