@Lars_Carlberg I have a challenge for you…can you say something positive : ) (Lest anyone think this is rude Lars and I have been friends offline for many years).
I thought Heymann-Löwenstein was sold?
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The current crisis is an opportunity for change and for producers to rethink their approach.
Who bought it?
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I agree with that.
As for HL I only heard that. I know it has been on the market for a bit.
Personally, I’m positive, but the mood in the wine trade is negative.
Yes, I’ve known that it’s been on the market for a while.
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An early cold spell in Germany. Reports of Eiswein harvest from all over, for some winemakers the first in some years.
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Great news!
In case you missed the news from earlier this month, Heymann-Lowenstein was sold to a wine merchant in Stuttgart. A press release was issued on November 11.
Vinum published an article about the sale on November 19. (Note: The heading above the title should be a “Prestige-Weingut an der Untermosel,” not the Mittelmosel.)
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In the last several years, the following Saar wine estates have closed down: Dr. Wagner, Dr. Fischer, Peters, Resch, Peter Neu-Erben, and Vols. The first two were VDP members. Rumor has it that a couple more members want to sell their estates. In addition, many lesser-known smaller growers have either downsized or closed. Let’s hope for the best.
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Hadn’t heard about Vols. 
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This is extra unfortunate from a climate change perspective considering the Saar is cooler; wines from here could still be produced in Mosel typicity while other areas show tropical tendencies
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Helmut Plunien of Vols decided to stop operations in 2024.
Other regions look even more bleak and neglected.
Back again to give another perspective…
Lars is absolutely correct that a lot of Saar wineries have shuttered but this is not the whole story. Falkenstein the winery that Lars works at is one of the most successful wineries in Germany and is sold out all over the world and highly acclaimed / allocated in the U.S. Why? They make excellent wines.
Not going to mention names but some of the wineries that are closed were not making great wines.
I am currently in the Mosel for a week, my 3rd time this year. Met with a winemaker this morning who moved here from Oregon and his first two vintages are sold out.
I had a visit at Dr. Hermann yesterday on the heels of their entry into the VDP early this year and critical acclaim including a few 100 pointers and they mentioned they had a great year of sales in the U.S. And oh by the way the wines are excellent, I will try to get a report up.
Saw Konstantin from Weiser-Künstler at my Kabinett event, I asked him when is he coming to NYC. He said he has no plans because he has way more demand than wine so it does not make sense at this time.
Earlier this year I tasted with Christoph Schaefer who said he has 10x the demand, admittedly 24 was a small vintage.
BTW - the 24s are insanely great!
All of these wineries have two things in common they make not good or very good but GREAT wine and all are relatively small (Dr. Hermann is medium size for the Mosel with 17 hectares). Not making great wine and being big does not work in this environment.
There are problems all around the globe in the wine industry for reasons discussed here at length. This is not unique to Germany.
There are many great things happening here including many younger winemakers taking the helm at family estates.
Germany is the MOST EXCITING wine country in the world! Period.
I could go on…
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And it’s an appreciated perspective, Robert.
Many thanks.
And please do go on (but perhaps in a new thread related to your trip & event).
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Thanks for always sharing you love of German wine. I am mesmerized by how good riesling is on my visits to Germany and now have a small stash at home but want to get more age on them before I drink.
Going to have to buy some at retail in the US I can drink now.
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Thank you so much! I am working on my 2022 Mosel Pinot write up this moment. I appreciate the kind words.
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Thanks, Robert. I appreciate your perspective.
It’s not just those Saar wineries that have closed, but many others have unsold stock, which accumulates quickly.
The situation is worse in other parts of the Mosel and Rhine. Top producers in various regions have sales problems.
Are you referring to Chad Singley? I had a long talk with him at the Moselle La Paulée last year.
As for Dr. Hermann, I mentioned in an earlier post in this thread what Christian Hermann told us at an event in Mainz. Namely, a lot of growers are giving up in Erden and Ürzig.
A few days ago, the Süddeutsche Zeitung published the following headline “Wohin mit all dem Wein?” (“Where to put all the wine?”) in regard to the current German wine crisis.
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Lars, is this thread just a commentary on the ‘circling of the toilet drain’? Or did you perhaps have an opinion (or want to start a conversation) on what might be useful in helping to reverse any current predicaments?
A month (or more) after sharing the news of Heymann-Lowenstein, seemingly for no reason (as ‘in the last several years’ doesn’t seem particularly like a ‘I gotta share now’ scenario) you follow that up with more closings and a plea for hope (and a rumor of more estates wanting to sell).
Pretty sure hope won’t be the solution to the invisible crisis.
But again, no prob - if this is just the thread where we count the bodies, I can just stop tuning in.
Also, if some Mosel/Saar folks have quantities of awesome wine unsold - PM me.
Michael, I posted that to give an end-of-year tally of the closings in a single subregion. It gives an idea of what has happened in a relatively short period of time. The German wine industry is at a crossroads, but I don’t have the answers to all the problems. My guess is that more producers will close or downsize in the current market. The silver lining is that new producers should emerge.
As for unsold wines, you should reach out to various importers, who know which of their producers might need some help.
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