The estate is located in the village of Winningen (Burg Cochem area) in the Mosel wine-growing region in Germany. The wine-growing tradition of the Knebel family dates back to 1642. The property was run as the “Brothers Knebel” after the Second World War, and was split among several family members in 1989. Reinhard Knebel, together with his wife Beate, took over a section with 1,7 hectares of vineyards. In a combination of purchases, exchanges and leases, the newly founded property grew to a vineyard area of more than five hectares over the next few years. In addition, grapes are bought in from neighbouring producers with a total vineyard area of 1,5 hectares. Since the death of her husband in 2004, the business has been run by Beate Knebel. By far the largest section of vineyards owned by the estate is located in the Röttgen site. This is planted with Riesling vines on traditional single-pole trellises, with an average age of 40 years, with a portion of ungrafted vines. The vineyard slopes are extremely steep, making it almost impossible to use machines of any kind, and spraying against pests has to be done by helicopter. The remaining vineyard parcels are in the Bruckstück, Hamm and Uhlen sites. Yields are reduced, and hand-picking is strictly selective, if necessary grapes are sorted and selected once more before pressing. The musts are then fermented in stainless steel tanks at a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, using natural yeasts wherever possible. Further maturation takes place either in the stainless steel tanks, or in several 1000-litre oak vats, or in a single barrel of acacia wood. Great attention is paid to keeping the wines as natural as possible. The estate generally produces a range of sweet Spätlese and Auslese wines designed to show off the differences between the individual micro-terroirs of the Röttgen site, these can usually only be identified by their varying official control numbers. The estate produces dry wines, using the predicate classifications intentionally, as well as regularly producing absolutely great botrytis dessert Riesling wines.
The 2000 vintage range of Reinhard and Beate Knebel is crowned by a spectacular series of sweet botrytis delights, with a breathtaking Trockenbeerenauslese right at the top. Even the most basic wines are exceptionally good, this is documented particularly by the basic dry quality wine, as well as by the off-dry Kabinett from the Winninger Hamm vineyard site, which already received high praise for its previous vintage. If any further proof were needed, the Knebels have now firmly established their deserved place among the leading wine producers in Germany.
The densely structured and juicy of the 1999 vintage are a great success across the board. From the basic quality wines up to the Auslese, everything has come together perfectly. We were particularly impressed by the incredibly characterful and racy off-dry Kabinett grown on the Winninger Hamm vineyard site. Bravo!
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