REBECCA & JOACHIM HEGER

VDP.ESTATE
DR. HEGER

“98 PERCENT OF OUR WINES ARE DRY.”

JOACHIM HEGER ABOUT HIS WINES AND HIS WINE ESTATE IN IHRINGEN AM KAISERSTUHL

Dr. Heger

Bachenstraße 19
79241 Ihringen

Phone+49 (0)7668/995110
Fax+49 (0)7668/9300
eMailinfo@heger-weine.de
Office Hours
Mo-Fr 8.30-12:00, 13.30-17.30; Sa 10.00-14:00 sowie nach Vereinbarung
Owner

Joachim Heger

Cellarmaster

Team Dr. Heger

Member Since

1986

Wine Area

28,00 acres

Grape Variety

je 30% Spät- & Grauburgunder, 15% Weissburgunder, 10% Riesling, je 3% Silvaner & Chardonnay, je 2% Muskateller & Gewürztraminer, 1% Scheurebe sowie 4% weitere Sorten

VDP: What is so special about your winery?

Joachim Heger: Many special vineyard sites! The best known is probably the VDP.ERSTE LAGE® Ihringer Winklerberg. It is one of the most famous vineyards and one of the warmest in Germany. Another special feature is that 98 percent of our wines are dry.

VDP: What is your winery philosophy?

Joachim Heger: Our wines are authentic, un-oaked and dry. Residual sugar is usually under four grams per litre, which is ideal for me. Not too much, but also not too little.

VDP: To what wine style do you aspire?

Joachim Heger: As I said, a consistently dry style.

VDP: Do you have a favourite grape variety?

Joachim Heger: I have many: Riesling, all Pinots, Chardonnay, Muscat. And, as you probably already anticipate, all will be fermented dry. 

VDP: Which of your wines would you recommend to someone who does not yet know your winery – as an introduction, so to speak?

Joachim Heger: "Pferd Willi" – a truly unique Silvaner with an admittedly idiosyncratic name, which translates to “Horse Willi”. By the way, Willi is not a marketing gag, but the name of a young draft horse who helps us cultivate the soil of the 40-year-old Silvaner vineyard. By ploughing in a traditional way, we can counteract soil compaction and at the same time revive an old cultural treasure.

"I'M TRYING TO SEE TRADITION AS SOMETHING INNOVATIVE."

VDP: Why did you become a vintner?

Joachim Heger: I wanted to become a doctor and study medicine like my grandfather. After two months I thought, "It's better if you go to Geisenheim". I haven't regretted that decision for a second!

VDP: Do you have role models?

Joachim Heger: "Mimus"– that was my father Wolfgang’s nickname since childhood. When I took over the winery in 1992, I dedicated an eponymous wine to him – a very special wine, of course. Another role model is Henri Jayer – the legend from Burgundy.

Pferd Willi
Silvaner
VDP.GUTSWEIN

VDP: What are your next goals?

Joachim Heger: Keep turning the quality screw a bit tighter, continuously work on improving details. At some point, I'd like to hand down the winery to my daughters in the best possible condition. 

VDP: How do you combine tradition and innovation?

Joachim Heger: I strive to interpret tradition as something innovative. We'll continue to use wooden barrels!

Pictures: ©VDP by Peter Bender