Summary
Weingut Anselmann in Edesheim is one of Germany's largest private family estates. Across around 150 hectares along the Southern Wine Route in the Pfalz, it produces an exceptionally broad range – from dry Rieslings and Pinots through rosé and reds to noble-sweet specialities. What defines the estate is this diversity combined with reliable quality across the whole price range, plus a large, self-contained sparkling-wine section that makes Anselmann a wine and Sekt estate. Today the business is run by siblings Ralf and Ruth Anselmann, whose family has been rooted in winegrowing for over 450 years.
History
The roots of the Anselmann family reach far back: for over 450 years they have been active in winegrowing in Edesheim, and the family coat of arms dates back to 1541. That makes Anselmann one of the most tradition-rich winegrowing families in the Pfalz.
The leap from a classic winegrowing operation to a well-known estate was set in motion by Werner Anselmann. From 1959 onwards he consistently expanded the bottle-wine business and thereby laid the foundation for the estate's present scale. In the following decades the vineyard area grew steadily until Anselmann rose to become one of Germany's largest private family estates. Today the siblings Ralf and Ruth Anselmann run the business together – with Ralf standing for the estate's oenological signature.
Location & Terroir
Anselmann lies in Edesheim on the Southern Wine Route, one of the warmest and sunniest growing areas in Germany. The Palatinate Forest shields the vines to the west, giving rise to a mild, almost Mediterranean climate – figs, almonds and chestnuts thrive between the vineyards.
The vineyard holdings are spread across several villages around Edesheim, Edenkoben and Rhodt. The soils are varied: loam, loess and sandy weathered soils alternate on a small scale and give the wines different characters. This range of sites is one basis for the very broad portfolio – from light, fruity everyday wines to substantial single-vineyard wines and noble-sweet specialities.
Style & Philosophy
The estate's philosophy is geared towards diversity and reliability. Rather than concentrating on a few wines, Anselmann offers an exceptionally broad programme spanning almost every style and price class. It ranges from dry Rieslings and Pinots such as Grauburgunder and Weißburgunder through fresh Sauvignon Blancs to sturdy reds from Dornfelder and Spätburgunder.
A special pillar is the Sekt: as a wine and sparkling-wine estate, Anselmann produces a large range of sparkling wines that repeatedly rank among the estate's awarded flagships. Added to this is a fine section of noble-sweet wines, in which the warm sites of the Southern Pfalz play to their strengths. Above it all stands the ambition to offer a cleanly and reliably made wine for every occasion and every taste.
Notable Vineyards & Wines
The range is broadly tiered: from accessible estate and litre wines through village wines to substantial single-vineyard and noble-sweet wines. Among the estate's well-known sites are:
- Edesheimer Rosengarten – one of the core sites around the estate seat
- Edesheimer Mandelhang – a warm site with a typical Southern-Pfalz character
- Edesheimer Ordensgut – a tradition-rich site near Edesheim
- Edenkobener Kirchberg – for substantial, ripe wines
- Rhodter Klosterpfad – a classic site near Rhodt unter Rietburg
From these sites come both dry Riesling and Pinot wines and the noble-sweet specialities for which the warm Southern Pfalz is ideally suited.
Awards
Anselmann is among the regularly awarded estates of the Pfalz. Ralf Anselmann was named DLG Winemaker of the Year in 2010 – one of the most respected honours of the German Agricultural Society. The estate's large sparkling-wine section was recognised in 2020 with the State Honorary Prize for Sekt, followed in 2021 by a Federal Honorary Prize in bronze. These successes underline that, despite its enormous size, the estate maintains reliable quality across the whole range – from the simple litre wine to award-winning Sekt.