Visit to Van Volxem by electric car

Anyone who has ever visited a winery knows they wouldn't want to miss the direct contact with the winemaker. You receive a warm welcome and are immersed in the life and work of the vineyard. But how do you get the wine if you have an electric vehicle? Most wineries are located outside of major cities.

We recently traveled along the Saar and Moselle rivers for you. At the Van Volxem winery, we not only discovered an electric vehicle charging station, but much more. Nothing stands in the way of enjoying a tasting and transporting delicious wine, even with the most modern means of transport, when visiting Van Volxem.

Van Volxem winery from Wiltingen on the Saar

The Van Volxem winery in Wiltingen on the Saar River is a modern winery with a long tradition. Shortly before arrival, you wind your way up a narrow road between vineyards to Roman Niewodniczanski's winery. As soon as you arrive in the parking lot, you head straight for the electric vehicle charging station. It's intuitive and quick to use.

The expansive grounds of Van Volxem lie above the Saar River, surrounded by vineyards with steep slopes belonging to other renowned wineries such as Markus Molitor and Von Othegraven (Günther Jauch). After just a few steps from the parking area, a monumental building in the form of an elegant cube comes into view. Abundant light streams through the large windows, suggesting a breathtaking panoramic view.

Image: Electric vehicle charging station in front of the Van Volxem winery

After passing through the entrance, you enter the tasting room and are warmly greeted by the Van Volxem winery team. All wines in every bottle size are on display and available for tasting. The sight of the many beautiful magnum bottles sends a pleasant shiver down our spines. Enough of the distractions, though. We had an appointment at Van Volxem and were first served a small snack to accompany the initial wines.

Riesling only – product range overview

Van Volxem's wine portfolio consists exclusively of Riesling from various vineyard sites. A particular specialty are the wines from their steep slopes, all of which are cultivated and harvested by hand. The entry point into the world of Van Volxem wines is offered by their Schiefer Riesling, Saar Riesling, and Rotschchiefer Riesling. The Rieslings from the Wiltinger Braunfels and Alte Reben vineyards represent a slightly higher level of quality, but are already of exceptional quality.

Image: Vinothek of the Van Volxem winery in Wiltingen

For the VDP.Grosse Lage (Grand Cru) designation, the Van Volxem winery produces the Riesling Schwarzhofberger Pergentsknopp and the Riesling Gottesfuß Alte Reben. Both varieties are also available in 1.5-liter magnum bottles . In the top VDP.Grosse Lage Grosses Gewächs (Grand Cru) category, Van Volxem presents the dry Rieslings Goldberg and Schwarzhofberger.

The hallowed halls of Wiltingen

Winery owner Roman is easygoing and cheerful. His tall, athletic build gives him a very positive presence. And he can talk, too, and quite fast. Living in harmony with nature is important to him. He demonstrates this through things like his daily exercise outdoors, his passion for viticulture on steep slopes, his own cattle breeding, and his family's oak forest in the Eifel region. The wood harvested there is also used to make the Van Volxem barrels, which we will see later in the wine cellar one floor below.

Image: Stainless steel barrels in the Van Volxem wine cellar

Sustainability is important to Roman Niewodniczanski of Van Volxem, as is the concept of premium quality. He wants to extract the maximum quality from his nearly 100 hectares of vineyards for his wines, every single vintage. He receives support in this endeavor from his cellar master, Dominik Voelk. Roman isn't exclusively focused on wine, though: he also enjoys a cold Bitburger Pilsner with a good meal.

Suddenly, Roman jumps up and asks us to follow him to the wine cellar. A spacious and elegantly lit staircase leads down. To the right, one first sees the filled stainless steel barrels, neatly arranged horizontally in an oversized frame. Only the best Riesling vintages mature here. Some, Roman Niewodniczanski explains, will only be drunk by future generations. Arriving in the main cellar, the wine- filled oak barrels are positioned along the walls. High tables with chairs stand in the center. Hints reveal that a sports car manufacturer from Stuttgart has booked an event at Van Volxem.

Image: Oak barrels from Van Volxem's own forest in the Eifel region

At Van Volxem, guests can enjoy refreshments not only in the wine cellar but also in the upstairs dining room. While the kitchen isn't a regular restaurant, they cater for events, allowing guests to savor the breathtaking panorama while enjoying excellent food and wine. We'll definitely be back, whether by electric car, combustion engine vehicle, or bicycle. This magical place is always worth a visit.

Digital visit to the Van Volxem winery

In these times, winery visits have to be put on hold. To bridge the gap until the next trip, Winetory.net sommelier Andrea is offering live tastings. He invited Van Volxem winemaker Roman to a total of four shows in May and June 2020. During these sessions, the two discuss the winery and its wines live on Facebook and Instagram. Viewers can pre-order Riesling tasting packages , watch from the comfort of their own homes, and ask questions. Participation is free but not without value: in a very short time, you'll get to know different wines and learn how they are made, what they taste like, and which dishes they pair best with. Join now and find all the details at LiveTasting .

Image: Live tasting on Facebook and Instagram with sommelier Andrea Vestri