About

“A great wine begins in your head.” So goes the philosophy of Ernst “Erni” Loosen, owner of the 200-year-old Dr. Loosen winery in Germany’s Mosel River valley. To Erni’s mind, a great wine should be true to its roots, vividly expressing its grape variety, geography, soil and climate. In his 30-plus years as the estate’s owner, Erni has propelled Dr. Loosen into the upper echelon of world-class producers by adhering to this clear vision – the same vision that guides his diverse winemaking ventures around the globe.

Erni was born into a great tradition of German winemaking, so you’d think it only natural for him to want to continue the family legacy. But in the early days, he resisted. Although he did help out in his father’s winery and even completed studies at Geisenheim University, Germany’s renowned wine-making school, his heart wasn’t in it. As a young man, Erni found the area’s Roman ruins more fascinating than its vineyards, and eventually, he left home to study archaeology. Acknowledging the meager employment prospects for aspiring archeaologists, Erni finally agreed to do it – but he insisted that he be allowed to manage the estate on his own terms.

Once committed, Ernst dove into the wine world with characteristic intensity. To further his education, he embarked on a self-directed exploration of the great wines of the world, travelling to Austria, Burgundy, Alsace, and even to California and Australia. Returning from his travels, Erni was eager to apply what he’d learned – to move beyond the easy and familiar, the tried and not necessarily true, to make wines that stood out as genuinely distinctive and world-class.

Beyond his own projects, Erni has been a tireless global ambassador for Riesling, traveling endlessly in an effort to revive and promote the grand reputation of this noble grape variety. In 2007, he partnered with Chateau Ste. Michelle to launch the tri-annual Riesling Rendezvous event, an international conference that brings together winemakers, trade and media representatives, and consumers for three days of full immersion into the diverse wonders of Riesling. Because of his energy, enthusiasm, deep wine knowledge and unabashed opinions, he is a highly sought-after speaker and panelist for professional wine events all over the world.

Erni’s efforts as both a Riesling grower and evangelist have been recognized with countless awards and glowing reviews in the press. The Dr. Loosen estate is a member of the prestigious VDP, Germany’s association of top-rated wine estates, and has been named one of the best estates in Germany by nearly every wine publication in the world. Erni was named Germany’s Winemaker of the Year in Gault Millau’s Weinguide Deutschland in 2001, Decanter magazine’s Man of the Year in 2005, and Wine Ambassador of the Year by Falstaff magazine in 2016.

An excellent cook, he loves nothing more than entertaining true wine lovers at the estate for unforgettable evenings of discussion, discovery and pure sensory pleasure. As Erni likes to say, “Wine is special to humans, and has been for thousands of years. There is no other agricultural product that inspires such passion in people, and great wines turn them into eager, adventurous wine fanatics. My kind of people!”

See me at:

The Grand Decant
Grand Tasting