Young winegrowers from the Rheingau: Wine tips for connoisseurs

Aurelia Wehrheim-Hamm's domain is a cross-vaulted cellar, exceptional even for the Rheingau region. Stone columns support the roof, and her barrels stand between them. Cellar flora peels from the ceiling. "These microorganisms are important for us and our wines. They are our cellar spirit," she says. Wehrheim-Hamm is the successor in the...

THE NEW STARTERS

Marius and Marcel Dillmann, Geisenheim

This afternoon it is on the

THE COURAGEOUS

Carolin Weiler, Lorch

If

THE ECOLOGICAL

Peter Bernhard Kühn, Oestrich-Winkel

Peter Bernhard Kühn had originally decided to pursue a different career than his father. He was fascinated by sports and journalism; becoming a sports reporter was his dream, and he had even chosen a university. But his career planning coincided precisely with the time when his parents took a bold step with their winery: the transition to biodynamic farming. "The evolution from a traditional winery to a biodynamic one, and the associated transformation, was a turning point for me. The change brought with it a perspective that fascinated me," Peter Kühn says today. He altered his future plans and decided to join the family business – a striking example of how much the biodynamic approach differs from the conventional one. Biodynamics goes further than purely organic farming. It views a vineyard as a holistic organism, relies on special preparations to strengthen the soil, and even the moon plays an important role. It is generally more subtle, even spiritual for some, but due to the resulting leap in quality, it has reached the top tier of the wine industry. That's it.

UNPLANNED BOSS

Philipp König, Assmannshausen

When a winery passes from one generation to the next, it usually begins a process that lasts for years. In the best-case scenario, the handover and takeover happen almost simultaneously. This was quite different for Philipp König, who became the head of an established winery practically overnight.