Dr. Bürklin-Wolf

Overview & Philosophy

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf is a historic, family-owned estate founded in 1597, located in Wachenheim, along the German Wine Route in the Pfalz region.
Since 1990, the estate has been led by Bettina Bürklin-von Guradze, who has redefined the winery’s approach through a focus on ecological viticulture and terroir expression.
The estate’s philosophy centers on producing dry, terroir-driven Rieslings that reflect the unique characteristics of each vineyard site.
Today, Bürklin-Wolf stands as a benchmark for biodynamic winemaking and site-specific Riesling in Germany.

Vineyards & Terroir

• The winery manages around 85 hectares of vineyards, making it one of the largest family-run estates in Germany.

• The vineyards are spread across prime sites in Wachenheim, Forst, Deidesheim, and Ruppertsberg, within the Mittelhaardt region of Pfalz.

• The estate classifies its wines using a Burgundian-inspired system: Estate, Village, Premier Cru, and Grand Cru, each representing distinct terroir expression and quality level.

• Notable vineyard sites include Forster Kirchenstück, Pechstein, Jesuitengarten, Ungeheuer, Deidesheimer Hohenmorgen, Ruppertsberger Gaisböhl (a monopole), Wachenheimer Gerümpel, Rechbächel, and Böhlig.

• Soils vary across sites, from volcanic basalt and sandstone in Forst to loess and limestone in Deidesheim and Wachenheim. This diversity creates a wide range of textural and aromatic profiles in the wines.

• The climate of the Pfalz is one of Germany’s warmest, allowing consistent ripening, yet cool evenings preserve acidity and balance.

• The entire vineyard area has been farmed biodynamically since 2005, certified under Biodyvin.

• Vineyard work includes organic composting, minimal mechanical intervention, and in some parcels, horse tilling to protect soil structure.

• All grapes are hand-harvested, often in small batches and during early morning hours to preserve freshness.

Winemaking & Techniques

• Pressing: Grapes, particularly from Premier and Grand Cru sites, are whole-cluster pressed to ensure gentle extraction and purity.

• Fermentation: Wines are fermented spontaneously with native yeasts in large, old oak casks (German Stück or Fuder, 600–3,000 L), allowing slow, cool fermentation and integration.

• Aging:

  • Entry and village wines are often matured in a mix of stainless steel and large oak.

  • Premier and Grand Cru wines remain on the lees for extended periods—typically 6 to 12 months—developing depth and texture.

• Sulfur & Filtration: Sulfur use is restrained, and most wines are unfined and lightly filtered to maintain structure and natural character.

• Release Schedule:

  • Premier Cru wines are released in the spring following harvest.

  • Grand Cru wines are held until summer for additional bottle aging and refinement.

• Style: Bürklin-Wolf focuses on dry Rieslings (Trocken) that express site identity and mineral clarity, rather than the sweeter Prädikat styles traditionally associated with Germany.

Production & Portfolio

• All wines are produced exclusively from estate-grown fruit; no outside sourcing is used.

• The portfolio is structured in tiers: Estate Riesling, Village Rieslings (from Wachenheim, Deidesheim, Ruppertsberg, and Forst), Premier Cru, and Grand Cru bottlings.

• The Ruppertsberger Gaisböhl vineyard is a monopole (under exclusive ownership of Bürklin-Wolf) and is one of the estate’s flagship Grand Cru sites.

• Annual production is approximately 450,000–480,000 bottles, depending on vintage.

• While the estate is renowned for Riesling, it also produces limited quantities of Pinot varieties (Weißburgunder, Spätburgunder) in a Burgundian style.

Strengths & Distinctive Features

• Over four centuries of winemaking tradition, maintaining family ownership and continuity.

• One of Germany’s pioneers in biodynamic viticulture, joining Biodyvin in 2005.

• Site-driven philosophy modeled on the Burgundian classification of terroirs.

• Focus on dry Riesling as a pure expression of soil and microclimate.

• Use of large traditional oak casks, extended lees aging, and native yeasts for authenticity and balance.

• Ruppertsberger Gaisböhl monopole—a singular vineyard producing some of the estate’s most distinctive and long-lived Rieslings.

• Consistent international recognition for precision, depth, and longevity of the wines.

• Combination of traditional craftsmanship with modern ecological awareness, positioning the winery among the most respected in Germany.

Would you like me to prepare this next as a one-page export or sommelier technical sheet (formatted with key specs like soil type, altitude, yields, and aging time)?