Reinhard Löwenstein’s family have been growing grapes in the Mosel from 1520, but he never really considered it as a vocation until after finishing his university studies in Paris.  As a student, he worked for an organization that helped refugees from Pinochet's Chile, and eventually hoped to work in Cuba or Afghanistan, but ultimately returned to winemaking and to his native village of Winningen, along with his wife Cornelia Heymann, where they launched Weingut Heymann-Löwenstein in 1980.

Heymann-Löwenstein's style of dense, powerful dry wines, veering towards the baroque rather than the rectilinear, has been an inspiration for a whole generation of Moselaner winemakers. 

The Mosel wine region, located in western Germany along the winding Mosel River and its tributaries, is one of the country’s most celebrated viticultural areas. Known for its steep, terraced vineyards—some of the steepest in the world—it benefits from a cool continental climate moderated by the river, which reflects sunlight and retains warmth, aiding grape ripening. Long, sunny autumns allow for extended hang time, producing grapes with intense aromatics and balanced acidity.

Soils are dominated by heat-retaining slate, both blue and red varieties, which store warmth, promote excellent drainage, and impart distinctive minerality to the wines. This terroir, combined with the region’s climate, creates ideal conditions for Riesling, the star grape of the Mosel. Smaller plantings of Müller-Thurgau, Elbling, and Pinot varieties also exist, though they play a supporting role.

Mosel wines are celebrated for their lightness, finesse, and purity of fruit. Rieslings range from bone-dry to lusciously sweet, often displaying aromas of green apple, white peach, lime, and floral notes, underpinned by a hallmark slate-driven minerality. The best examples show vibrant acidity and remarkable ageing potential, developing honeyed, petrol-like complexities over time. The region’s wines are prized for their elegance, balance, and ability to vividly express their unique origin.

Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most celebrated and challenging grape varieties, renowned for producing elegant, complex wines. Believed to have originated in Burgundy, France, over 1,000 years ago, it thrives in cooler climates where its thin skin and early ripening nature are best suited. Viticulturally, Pinot Noir is notoriously difficult to grow: it is susceptible to rot, mildew, and pests, and requires precise canopy management to balance ripening with acidity retention.

Pinot Noir is planted across the globe, with notable expressions found in Burgundy, Champagne, Oregon’s Willamette Valley, California’s Sonoma Coast, New Zealand’s Central Otago, and Germany’s Baden and Pfalz regions. In Champagne, it is a key component of sparkling wines, typically blended with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. The wine's diverse geographical range means that you might also find it labelled as Red Burgundy, Pinot Nero, Blauburgunder, or Spätburgunder.

The grape produces wines of delicate colour but remarkable aromatic depth. Typical flavour profiles include red fruits such as cherry, raspberry, and strawberry, often layered with floral notes, earthy undertones, and hints of spice or forest floor as the wines mature. Styles range from light and silky to more structured and age-worthy, depending on climate and winemaking choices. Pinot Noir’s ability to express terroir with precision makes it a favourite among wine lovers, despite — or perhaps because of — its demanding nature in the vineyard.