„… the sun is shining into the spacious courtyard … with romantic quarry stone walls, oleander bushes and the large horse chestnut tree … trying the new vintage in this Tuscany atmosphere, engaging in inspiring conversations… many a wine lover will ask himself why he used to travel across the Alps for such an experience … ”
—Lorenz Beckhardt, Süddeutsche Zeitung
Siefersheim is located in the extreme west of the German region known as Rheinhessen, just a few kilometres south of the town of Bad Kreuznach, amidst a landscape of steep hills of volcanic origin, interspersed with heath, untouched brooks and small streams, old stone quarries and overgrown walls built of rocks – the volcanic bridgehead of Rheinhessen to the Nahe valley.
The foundation for the Wagner estate was laid in 1845, with earlier generations shaping what was originally a classic mixed farming operation into a widely renowned wine estate, and leading the Höllberg and Heerkretz vineyard sites to supra-regional importance in the early decades of the 20th century.
The Wagner family has been involved in wine production now for nine generations, and since the early Nineties Daniel Wagner is responsible for the vineyards and the cellar. Since then, he has concentrated on the classical grape varieties such as Silvaner, Pinot Blanc and more especially Riesling, and converted to organic production methods.
Far-reaching measures are implemented to reduce yields. Manual pruning and canopy management as well as selective hand-picking in the autumn are corner-posts of his philosophy of wine production, which is based on the principle that outstanding wines are made in the vineyard.
The fruits of this passion for wine are evident each year in a range of wines characterized by clarity and freshness on the one hand, challenging, complex and concentrated on the other hand. An original style that is possible in this hidden corner of Rheinhessen where the gentle warmth of the hilly landscape meets the jagged and cool rocks of the neighbouring Nahe valley.
