Dr. Loosen

Dr. Loosen is one of the most influential and renowned wineries in Germany, a true global benchmark in the production of high-quality Riesling. Located in Bernkastel-Kues, in the heart of the Mosel Valley, the winery embodies the purest expression of this historic region of steep slopes, slate soils and cool climate. Under the direction of Ernst F. ‘Erni’ Loosen since 1988, Dr. Loosen has played a key role in restoring the international prestige of German Riesling, showcasing its elegance, complexity and ageing potential.

The Loosen family has cultivated vineyards in the Mosel for more than 200 years, but it was with the arrival of Ernst Loosen that the winery underwent a profound qualitative transformation. After training through visits to some of the world’s most prestigious wine regions, Loosen returned to the family estate determined to prioritise origin, old vines and terroir expression over mass production.

His philosophy is built around one central idea: great wines are the faithful expression of soil, climate and grape variety. At Dr. Loosen, the focus lies exclusively on Riesling and the uniqueness of the historic vineyards of the Middle Mosel.

Dr. Loosen’s vineyards are located on some of the steepest slopes in the Mosel, where manual labour is essential. The soils, dominated by blue, red and grey Devonian slate, store heat during the day and release it at night, promoting slow and balanced ripening. This extreme environment produces wines with low alcohol, remarkable aromatic finesse and pronounced minerality, qualities that have made Mosel Riesling one of the world’s most admired white wines.

Dr. Loosen’s vineyard heritage is exceptional: many of its plots are planted with very old vines, many of them ungrafted and pre-phylloxera. These low-yielding vines produce grapes of extraordinary concentration and depth.

The winery follows a respectful approach to viticulture, focused on yield reduction, manual harvesting and preservation of vineyard ecosystems. Dr. Loosen has been a member of the VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter), the association of Germany’s top wine producers, since 1993.

In the cellar, intervention is minimal. Fermentations take place mainly in stainless steel tanks and large traditional fuders, aiming to preserve aromatic purity and the identity of each parcel. The wines cover the full classic spectrum of German Riesling, from dry styles (Trocken and Grosses Gewächs) to wines with perfectly integrated residual sugar such as Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese. The Dr. Loosen style is defined by precision, mineral depth and ageing capacity, always maintaining remarkable harmony between acidity, fruit and structure.

The winery owns parcels in some of the Mosel’s most prestigious vineyards, including Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Ürziger Würzgarten, Erdener Prälat and Graacher Himmelreich. These sites produce iconic wines considered true ‘Grand Crus’ of world Riesling.

In addition to its single-vineyard wines, Dr. Loosen also produces a more accessible range that preserves the character of the Mosel and serves as an introduction to the estate’s style without compromising quality.