Dr. Loosen
Summary
Dr. Loosen is a family-owned Mosel estate spanning 20 hectares, focusing exclusively on Riesling from six Grosse Lage vineyards with steep slate slopes and ungrafted vines up to 120 years old. The estate employs traditional winemaking methods including indigenous yeast fermentation and extended lees aging in Fuder oak casks, while maintaining old vine parcels through massale selection.
Heritage & Leadership
The Dr. Loosen estate has remained in family hands since 1804, marking over two centuries of winemaking in Germany's Mosel region. Ernst Loosen assumed leadership of the estate in 1988, inheriting both the responsibility and a collection of ungrafted Riesling vines, many dating back 60-120 years. Under his direction, Dr. Loosen holds membership in the VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikats- und Qualitätsweingüter), Germany's association of top wine estates.
Vineyards & Wines
Dr. Loosen's 20-hectare estate encompasses six Grosse Lage (Grand Cru) vineyards along the Middle Mosel, each with distinct geological characteristics. The Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard features blue Devonian slate soils, while Ürziger Würzgarten is distinguished by its red volcanic and slate composition. These steep sites, with gradients between 30-70 degrees, are planted exclusively to Riesling. The estate's oldest parcels contain ungrafted vines exceeding 120 years of age, particularly in the Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Ürziger Würzgarten vineyards.
Philosophy & Practice
The winemaking approach at Dr. Loosen centers on preserving site expression through minimal intervention. Fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts, and the estate's Grosse Gewächs wines undergo extended lees aging in traditional Fuder oak casks. The estate maintains old-vine parcels through individual vine maintenance, preserving genetic diversity through massale selection. Temperature-controlled fermentation takes place in a combination of stainless steel tanks and traditional oak Fuders, with specific vessels chosen based on each vineyard parcel's characteristics.