Summary
VDP.Weingut Knebel in Winningen is one of the most exciting small estates on the Mosel. Across around eight hectares – planted almost entirely with Riesling – it produces wines from the terraced steep slopes of the so-called Terrassenmosel, that final stretch of the Mosel before Koblenz where the vines stand on narrow ledges above the river, held up by dry stone walls. Since Matthias Knebel took charge in 2008, the house has developed from a classic sweet-wine producer into a fixed point for dry and off-dry Riesling. The Grosse Gewächse from the Winninger Uhlen and the Röttgen now count among the reference wines of the region.
History
The Knebel family is deeply rooted in Winningen: the house's winegrowing tradition can be traced back to 1642. For centuries this was a farming operation like many others on the lower Mosel – viticulture as part of mixed agriculture, with vineyards you can only reach on foot.
The reputation of today's estate was built by Reinhard and Beate Knebel, who drew attention in the 1990s with expressive, often sweet Rieslings from the Uhlen. After Reinhard Knebel's early death, Beate Knebel carried the business on until Matthias Knebel took over as a young winemaker in 2008.
Matthias Knebel reoriented the range: away from a focus on sweet wine, towards dry and off-dry single-vineyard wines that make the differences between the individual terrace parcels visible. In 2017 the estate was admitted to the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) – confirmation of that path. In November 2025 the VINUM Weinguide Deutschland named Matthias Knebel Winemaker of the Year 2026 for the Mosel.
Location & Terroir
Winningen lies on the Terrassenmosel, the stretch between Pünderich and Koblenz also known as the Untermosel or lower Mosel. Here the slopes are so steep that viticulture is only possible on artificially built terraces, supported by kilometres of dry stone walls. Machines are barely used; almost every operation is done by hand.
The subsoil is Devonian slate in various forms. That is exactly where the Winninger Uhlen site draws its fame from: it breaks down into three geologically distinct sections – Blaufüßer Lay, Laubach and Roth Lay – each producing its own type of wine. Blue slate, calcareous slate and red slate with quartzite and sandstone components yield wines that differ astonishingly in a direct comparison. The neighbouring Röttgen is warmer and delivers somewhat fuller, more forceful Rieslings.
Then there is the microclimate: the dark slate walls store heat and release it again at night, while the proximity to the river balances out moisture. The result is fully ripe grapes with a cool, present acidity at the same time.
Style & Philosophy
Knebel's approach in the cellar is deliberately restrained. The musts ferment spontaneously with the yeasts from the vineyard, cultured yeasts and fining agents are avoided, fermentation is allowed to run slowly, and the wines rest for a long time on the fine lees. The aim is to let every site, every parcel and every barrel keep its own character, rather than laying a uniform house style over everything.
Stylistically the wines stand for tension rather than weight: they show an almost salty minerality, fine herbal and citrus notes and a long, slender finish. The dry single-vineyard wines usually need a few years in bottle to open up. In parallel, the estate continues to bottle classic Prädikat wines – Kabinett, Spätlese and, when the vintage allows, sweet Auslese.
Notable Sites & Wines
The range follows the VDP pyramid: estate wine, Winningen village wine, and above that the single-vineyard wines. The most important sites include:
- Winninger Uhlen – Blaufüßer Lay, Laubach and Roth Lay (VDP.Grosse Lage), the three geological faces of the Uhlen
- Winninger Röttgen (VDP.Grosse Lage), warmer and more powerful in expression
- Winninger Brückstück and Winninger Hamm as further classic terrace parcels
The Riesling "Von den Terrassen" is the accessible way into the estate's signature; the Grosse Gewächse from Uhlen and Röttgen form the peak.
Awards
Knebel's wines are regularly rated highly in the leading German wine guides and in the international trade press, especially the Grosse Gewächse from the Uhlen. Admission to the VDP in 2017 counts as an important accolade for the young operation. In November 2025 the VINUM Weinguide Deutschland honoured Matthias Knebel as Winemaker of the Year 2026 for the Mosel – confirmation that Winningen and the terraced Mosel have arrived at the top of German Riesling.