The winery is located in the municipality of Winningen (Burg Cochem area, or Terrassenmosel) in the German wine-growing region of Mosel. It was founded in 1980 by Dipl. Ing. agr. Reinhard Löwenstein and his wife Cornelia Heymann-Löwenstein and built up into an outstanding quality business. Löwenstein is one of Germany's top winemakers and is often referred to as the "Rebel of the Mosel" because he has been committed to an extreme and uncompromising quality philosophy for many years. He coined the now common term Terrassenmosel, which describes the area of the lower Mosel valley characterised by extremely steep, terraced vineyards and sandy slates. In the meantime, the estate has been handed over to the 14th generation. M.A. Sarah Löwenstein shares with her parents a holistic view of the wine and the terroir: "I want to consistently think this concept further around the people, their community and relationships
The vineyards cover 14 hectares of steep slopes in Kirchberg and Stolzenberg (Hatzenport), classified as Grosse Lagen by the VDP, as well as Röttgen and Uhlen in Blaufüßer Lay, Laubach and Roth Lay (Winningen). They are 98% planted with Riesling. Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), which is vinified as "slate terraces in red", accounts for 2%. The sustainable management of the vineyards, the cellar and the entire business is carried out according to the certified rules of Fair'n Green. Reinhard Löwenstein vinifies his wines with the aim of "condensing the creative synthesis of soils, vines, microclimate and the skills of the winemaker into a unique, authentic sensory experience of the wines". Sarah Löwenstein expands on this as follows: "Viticulture in steep terraces with over 2,000 working hours/hectare requires a high level of commitment. I am convinced that every single employee leaves his or her mark on the wine and that the work preserves the historic cultural landscape for future generations".
The product range is structured according to the VDP classification model. In principle, the wines ferment spontaneously using the vineyard's and cellar's own yeasts without any addition of artificial yeasts, bentonite or enzymes. The premium wines of the house include the Grossen Gew ächse from RÖTTGEN and the UHLEN Roth Lay, UHLEN Laubach and UHLEN Blaufüsser Lay, which are bottled only after 24 months of maturation. The latest products are a mash-fermented Orange Wine and a fruity, juicy Schieferterrassen Bohème matured with long yeast storage. In suitable years, Prädikat wines such as Auslese and Trockenbeerenauslese are also pressed. Bottle-fermented sparkling wines are also produced. The winery is a member of the VDP (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates), where Reinhard Löwenstein is involved as vice-president. He was also instrumental in the founding of Fair'n Green and is active on the board today. Changing exhibitions in the winery and sculptures in the vineyard make it possible to enjoy art and wine together on site.
Building: T. Vollmer
Röttgen: VDP
