Willi Schaefer

Willi Schaefer is a German wine grower and producer based in Graach, in the wine-growing region of Mosel, Germany.

For the German bobsledder, see Willi Schäfer (bobsleigh).
Willi Schaefer
LocationGraach, Germany
AppellationMosel (wine region)
Key peopleWilli Schaefer, Christopher Schaefer
Cases/yr2000-3000
VarietalRiesling

History

The Schaefer family believe their viticulture roots in Graach extend back to 1121,[1][2] with documentation from 1590.[3]

The current winery came into the hands of the Schaefer family in 1950 and Willi Schaefer took over as the winemaker in 1971.[1][4][5]

Willi Schaefer has been a member of the Großer Ring Verband Deutscher Prädikats- und Qualitätsweingüter since 1993.[2][3] In 1997, Schaefer was awarded "Newcomer of the Year" by the Gault Millau wine guide.[6]

Since 2001 Willi Schaefer's son Christoph, and Christoph's wife Andrea have been assisting with running the winery.[2][4][5]

Vineyards and wine
Vineyards above the town of Graach.

Willi Schaefer works with 3 hectares of Riesling vineyards, including vines in Graacher Himmelreich, Graacher Domprobst and Wehlener Sonnenuhr.[3] Wine writers Stephen Brook and Stephan Reinhardt are of the opinion that the best wines from this estate are usually produced from the Graacher Domprobst parcels.[4][5][7] The oldest vines are around 60 years of age and 60-70% of the vines are ungrafted, resulting in low yields.[5]

The wines ferment and are matured for around six months on lees in old 1000 litre foudres before bottling.[4][8][7]

Around 2000 to 3000 cases of wine are produced each year. Only a very small number are made in a Trocken or off-dry style and Schaefer avoids the presence of too much botrytis influence in his sweet wines where permissible.[4][7]

References
  1. Piggot, Stuart (1996). The Wine Atlas of Germany. Antique Collectors Club Ltd. pp. 55–56. ISBN 978-1857326253.
  2. "VDP - List of Wineries". vdp.de. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
  3. "Großer Ring - VDP Mosel Saar Ruwer". Grosserring.de. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
  4. Parker, Robert (2005). The World's Greatest Wine Estates. Simon & Schuster. pp. 443–444. ISBN 978-0-7432-3771-0.
  5. Reinhardt, Stephan (2012). The Finest Wines of Germany. Aurum Press Ltd. p. 255. ISBN 9781781310212.
  6. Wineries - Willi Schaefer
  7. Brook, Stephen (2006). The Wines of Germany. Mitchell Beazley. pp. 157, 167, 202. ISBN 978-1840007916.
  8. Reinhardt, Stephan (2012). The Finest Wines of Germany. Aurum Press Ltd. pp. 244–245. ISBN 9781781310212.

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