The estate has been in the same family for seven generations
Domdechant Werner'sches Weingut
This historical estate, which dates back to 1780, is now owned by Dr. Franz Werner Michel, the seventh generation of the founding family. The eighth generation is now on the scene, as Dr. Michel's daughter Catharina Mauritz has also become involved in the estate's management.
The picturesque estate is located on the edge of the small wine-growing village of Hochheim. Beneath the stylish estate manor, which dates back to 1864, lie the estate's cellars, where the grape musts are fermented, vinified and stored until they are shipped to destinations around the globe.
Rieslings from the Rheingau region are the foundation of the region's fame, as the soils and microclimate afford optimal growing conditions for this grape variety. As such, Domdechant Werner estate focuses on this varietal, supplemented with a small proportion of Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) - another grape that is traditional in this region. The Domdechant Werner estate is regarded as one of the world's leading producers of high-quality Riesling.
The estate cultivates circa. 14 ha. / 35 acres of vines, 98% of which are planted with Riesling and 2% Spätburgunder. The vineyards are located on gentle, south-facing slopes. The mineral-rich soils are predominantly chalky, with an excellent capacity to retain underground water. Therefore, the vines remain healthy even during hot and dry weather. The estate has holdings in the single vineyard sites Domdechaney, Kirchenstück, Hölle, Stein, Stielweg and Reichestal - all of which have met the classification criteria of the Rheingau region's top quality category Erstes Gewächs, or first growth.
The Rheingau classification is based on many years of scientific research carried out by the Geisenheim Research Institute. Their study confirmed that the microclimate and soil composition of 85% of the estate's holdings are eligible for Erstes Gewächs status.
Thanks to optimal growing conditions, the Domdechant Werner estate is able to produce top-quality wines of all styles, ranging from dry to lusciously sweet wines. Regardless of style, elegant fruit and mineral tones are the hallmarks of all their wines. The finest dry Riesling wines are designated Erstes Gewächs, while the finest sweet wines bear the traditional Prädikat Auslese. The red Spätburgunder wines are carefully aged in mature oak casks. They are velvety smooth, fruity, and show only a hint of oak.
Around 60-70% of Domdechant Werner wines are exported to approximately 25 countries around the world, making the estate a "global player" on a small scale. In the UK, a selection of their wines are available through Direct Wines, Berry Bros & Rudd and Alexander Wines.
Visit their website for further information: http://www.domdechantwerner.com/enindex.htm
