When Peter Regnery and his wife Andrea first decided to build a new vinothek on their Klüsserath estate, they knew what they didn't want from the design: "Not too many angles".
It was a requirement that architect Marco Hoffmann took to heart — and implemented magnificently. His designs for the vinothek, which opened in 2013, evolved to feature an extraordinary edifice unlike any other in this small Mosel town, and a far cry from the classic structure of the houses around it. It stretches over two stories, with a large vaulted cellar below, and a construction of steel-reinforced concrete, steel and wood behind an eye-catching, 6.3-meter-tall curtain of raw, oiled oak staves. It is an almost futuristic looking object on a property with a long history.
Founded back in the 17th century, the estate has been in the possession of the Regnery family since the start. In the 1970s, current senior boss Franz Josef Regnery and his wife Waltraud sold their flatland parcels in exchange for parcels in the top sites of the Klüsserather Bruderschaft. While the decision caused quite a turmoil initially, in the end the move paid dividends.
Franz Josef's son Peter assumed active leadership of the estate in 2000 after studying winemaking and working abroad.
Today he cultivates 7.5 hectares of steep, top quality slate vineyards. He and his wife Andrea have also been busily working on the next generation: son Jakob and twin daughters Frieda and Greta.
Riesling comprises 70 percent of the holdings, and is vinified in both stainless steel tanks and wood barrels. The estate's remaining 30 percent are dedicated to reds, especially Spätburgunder and an unusual entry for the Mosel, Syrah. That latter wine was selected in 2013 by industry journal "Vinum" as one of the Top Ten for any German-speaking winegrowing region.
Homage also came in 2016 from the Eichelmann wine guide: "A strong collection from Peter Regnery this year as well; he is rare among Mosel winegrowers in that his reds stand shoulder-to-shoulder with his Rieslings." The Rieslings have earned their share of accolades as well: 2015 saw the 2014 Edition Michelskirch earn three gold awards, including the "Berliner Wein Trophy."
Visitors are welcome to taste the wines in the interior of the impressive vinothek. Guests can choose between a lovely tasting area directly in front of a wall of brightly illuminated images from the estate, or in the light-soaked upper floor, reached by a staircase of oak and rusty steel. Thanks to an ingenious folding technique, the outer walls can be pushed aside during warm weather to blur the border between the interior and the outside terrace. The result is an unfettered view over the estate's vineyards and the gentle hill landscape all around. All without a single sharp angle.
(© text: Deutsches Weininstitut GmbH, Outstanding Vinotheks 2016)