The family-owned estate has been in the hands of Harald Rauen since 1982, when he picked up the production from his father. Unlike many other German wineries, Rauen is focused on selling to retailers instead of the end consumer directly at the vineyard. The estate’s vineyards stretch over 7.5 hectares and produce 70,000 bottles per year. As a vintner, Harald Rauen’s wife Maria is in charge of sales and the administration of the winery.

As a trained winemaker and oenologist, Harald Rauen particularly values “viticulture close to nature.” Instead of producing large quantities, he focuses on smaller harvests that produce high quality.

The Wine

With an excellent 2001 collection, this estate received its first mention in Germany’s Gault-Millau wine guide. Its terroir consists mainly of slate and pebble stone, which holds little water and shapes vines that are deep-rooted to access water and the necessary minerals. The vineyard’s top site is the Maximiner Klosterlay in Detzem and produces mostly Riesling (71%), followed by Rivaner, Pinot Noir, Dornfelder and Pinot Blanc. The estate has also won a number of prizes at state and federal competitions.

The Production Method

It is the goal of Harald Rauen to produce top wines that reflect the terroir and impress with the fruit and aroma of ripe grapes. This includes the selective harvest of individual grapes, as well as the use of traditional cellar methods in combination with modern equipment. The grapes are pressed cautiously at a maximum of 1.5 bar. Whites ferment in temperature-controlled steel barrels with natural yeast and are filtered and bottled in the spring. Reds are aged for at least 12 months in barrique barrels, so that the wine can reach its full potential.