von Othegraven

From a traditional Saar winery to the seventh generation of the family

The roots of the von Othegraven winery date back to the early 16th century — the first documented evidence of a wine press house dates to 1604. Since 1805, the estate has been in the same hands without interruption: the family name changed, but the lineage remained the same. In 1925, Maximilian von Othegraven took over the estate from his ancestors, the Grach-Weissebach family, and, as a co-founder of the VDP Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, developed it into one of the most respected Riesling producers in the region. Günther Jauch, whose grandmother was a born von Othegraven, spent many summers as a child with Uncle Max and Aunt Maria in Kanzem. When he learned in 2010 that the estate was for sale, he took action: he and his wife Thea bought it back from Dr. Heidi Kegel and have been running it in the seventh generation of the family ever since. The stately manor house, the park laid out in the style of an English garden with ancient exotic trees, and the adjacent Kanzemer Altenberg are all listed as protected historical monuments.

Handwork on the steep slopes, restraint in the cellar

The winery cultivates 14.8 hectares exclusively in VDP-classified Grand Cru and First Cru sites on the Saar: Kanzemer Altenberg, Ockfener Bockstein, Wiltinger Kupp, and Wawerner Herrenberg. All vineyards are located on extreme steep slopes where no machinery can be used — every pruning and every harvest is done by hand. The soil is the classic Devonian slate of the Saar; in the Altenberg, iron oxide deposits give it a reddish hue that distinguishes it from other slate parcels in the region. The Altenberg is also considered Europe's longest continuous steep slope, with a gradient of 66% and a consistent southern exposure.

In the cellar, the motto is minimal intervention: the wines are consistently fermented spontaneously and given sufficient time to develop. Günther Jauch summarized the philosophy behind this in one sentence: "The grape decides what it becomes." Cellar master Swen Klinger and managing director Grit Schedlinski implement this approach operationally. The fact that the concept works was confirmed by the VINUM Wine Guide with the award for Winemaker of the Year 2023. Sustainability standards are anchored through Fair'n Green certification.

Pure Riesling, four Grand Cru sites, an unmistakable Saar character

Von Othegraven grows 100% Riesling — no other grape variety, no compromise. The range extends from accessible estate wines to fine-fruited Kabinett and Spätlese wines, up to the Grosses Gewächs from Altenberg and Bockstein. The site-specific wines show what slate soils and the cool Saar climate do to Riesling: taut acidity that never feels harsh, dense minerality, aromas of peach, citrus zest, and stone fruit, carried by a salty, long finesse. The Altenberg brings a bit more body and spicy depth, while the Bockstein impresses with lean fruit and tension. A Riesling Sekt brut is also part of the program — consistent with the line the estate has followed for more than a century: Saar wine in its purest form.