“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 |
| info@heger-weine.de |
Office Hours
Mo-Fr 8.30-12:00, 13.30-17.30; Sa 10.00-14:00 sowie nach VereinbarungOwner
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
Geology
Vulkangestein
Sites
Growing Areas
Memberships
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
