| Region of production: | Pfalz |
| Winery Location: | Wachenheim |
| Year Established: | 1597 |
Vineyard Holdings
110 ha (85 under vine)
- Forster Kirchenstück: 0.54 ha Grand Cru (Bettina Bürklin-von Guradze calls the site the „Montrachet from the Pfalz“)
- Forster Jesuitengarten: 0.59 ha Grand Cru
- Forster Pechstein: 1.71 ha Grand Cru; soil is basalt
- Forster Ungeheuer: 0.93 ha Grand Cru
- Deidesheimer Hohenmorgen: 0.88 ha Grand Cru
- Deidesheimer Kalkofen: 0.68 ha Grand Cru
- Ruppertsberger Gaisböhl: 7.5 ha Grand Cru monopole
- Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad: 0.83 ha Grand Cru
- Wachenheimer Rechbächel: 1.6 ha Premier Cru monopole
Top Wines Produced
- Forster Kirchenstück Riesling Grand Cru, VDP GG
- Forster Pechstein Riesling Grand Cru, VDP GG
- Wachenheimer Rechbächel Riesling Premier Cru
- Ruppertsberger Gaisböhl Riesling Grand Cru, VDP GG
Average Total Production
- 480,000 bottles
Summary
This is the largest family-owned estate in Germany. Bernhard Bürklin, the town clerk and later mayor of Wachenheim acquires extensive agriculture and viticulture holdings at the beginning of 17th century, and establishes the Burklin family’s viticultural traditions in Wachenheim. In the unsettled years of the Wars of Succession, the fortunes and activities of the Burklin family go unheard of for 200 years.
In 1875, Luise Wölf marries privy councillor Dr. Albert Bürklin from Karlsruhe-Durlach, laying the foundation for the winery’s current name,“Dr. Bürklin-Wolf“. Luise was the heiress to the estate of her grand-father, Johan Ludwig Wölf, who at the beginning the 1800’s was of one of the wealthiest men in the Phalz with extensive vineyard holdings in Ruppertsberg, Forst, Dieidesheim and Wachenheim, as well as owner of the Grohé banking house.
In 1924, Albert’s great-nephew of the same name ingerits the property, and after WWI the lawyer and newly entitled, Ökonomierat, works to rebuild and enhance the estate and it’s vineyards.In 1990, Bettina, Dr. Albert Bürklin’s daughter took over the estate along with her husband. It was Bettina who classified the vineyards along the Burgundian traditions, and converted the estate to biodynamic farming.
Dr. Bürklin-Wolf is a founding member of the VDP.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Vineyards have been farmed biodynamically since 2005. Grapes for the cru wines are hand-picked early in the morning with must weights of 95-98 degrees; up to 20% botrytis is permitted. When the grapes get to the winery they are whole-cluster pressed. While their Orstwein and Gutswein Rieslings are fermented and aged in stainless steel, the Premier and Grand Crus are fermented and aged in traditional oak casks. In the past few years the estate has begun using ambient yeasts for their Premier and Grand Crus. PCs are aged until May of the year following harvest, and GCs are released in July the year after harvest.
Producer Website: Dr. Bürklin-Wolf