Weingut Kühner-Adams, Mehring

They wanted to give their wine a nice home. These were the thoughts of Christa Kühner-Adams and Hans-Josef Adams when they gutted their typical Mosel family winegrower's house from 1902 in Mehring-Lörsch in the middle of the vines on the steep slopes. The renovation had to respect history: This so-called Trier ‘Quereinhaus’ traditionally houses living and working rooms under one roof. Although it is not a heritage-listed building, it was important to the couple,

says Christa Kühner-Adams, who is an agricultural engineer by profession. Her husband studied business administration. Daughter Pauline might become a theologian, but helps out on the weekend.

Quarry stone walls were restored, slate stone and natural stone walls were installed, windows, floorboards and oak stairs were renovated, and original tiles from Italy were sourced. Every pore of the main house with the lovingly designed holiday home and the adjoining terrace exudes the past.

, says Christa Kühner-Adams. Wine tastings are celebrated in the "Alten Heuspeicher" (loft), the design is an impressive mix of materials consisting of Mosel sand walls with sprinklings of mussels, pipes laid over plaster, oak cabinets and modern furniture – all protected by hundred-year-old roof beams.

In order to offer wine tourists a glimpse of their vineyards and the stunning Mosel valley, in 2018, a glass cube construction was placed in front of the gable. Conveniently, there is an old garage underneath to support it. The stairs leading up are made of stones from an old wall from the vineyard area. New visibly meets old in the "Vinothek am Flusskilometer 174", separated on the inside by an industrial door with glass, just as farmers used to separate the barn from the house. The steel counter stands in front of a rustic wall made of natural stone. The table tops are made of curved oak, that lie on strong metal legs. Thanks to the panoramic windows, everything is flooded with light, and the restrained chic of the interior creates a sensory contrast to the historically rich milieu of the old winegrower's house.

And because, in addition to the love of preservation and sustainability, biodiversity is also an important piece of the puzzle in the family philosophy, there is also an abundance of microorganisms in the vineyard. As well as the traditional Riesling grapes, the Kühner-Adams also began growing Gelben Kleinberger again four years ago. The cultivation was a risk, but a varietal researcher and a varietal refiner were on hand to offer advice and assistance. Since then, wine lovers have been looking forward to the golden yellow, slightly spicy wine with fruity aromas.

Und weil neben Liebe zum Bewahren und zur Nachhaltigkeit auch die Artenvielfalt wichtiges Puzzleteil der Familienphilosophie ist, steht im Weinberg auch ein sogenannter Lebensturm für Kleinstlebewesen. Und zu den Riesling-Reben haben die Kühner-Adams vor vier Jahren auch den Gelben Kleinberger wieder angebaut. Der Anbau war ein Risiko, doch ein Rebsortenforscher und ein Rebsortenveredler standen mit Rat und Tat zur Seite. Weinliebhaber freuen sich seither auf den goldgelben, leicht würzigen Wein mit fruchtigen Aromen.

(© text: Deutsches Weininstitut GmbH, Outstanding Vinotheks 2021)