In Heaven with the Doctor
Bernkastel Doctor
Today, the traditional heart of the Berkastler Doctor, the VDP.GROSSE LAGE® DOCTOR, covers 3.22 hectares. With slopes of up to 70%, it’s one of the steepest vineyards in the Mosel, an area renowned for the steepness of its slopes. With its south-south-west orientation, the Doctor benefits from long hours of sunshine. The Devonian weathered soils, with a high proportion of fine earth, also have excellent heat and water storage properties.
Area
3,22 hectaresSoils
Devon weathered slate, grey slateExposure
South-southwestAltitude130-190mVarietiesRieslingClassificationVDP.GROSSE LAGEBernkastler Badstube
At almost 30 hectares, the VDP.GROSSE LAGE® BADSTUBE is an extremely heterogeneous site boasting different soil formations. From blue slate with clay marl to loam, the soils range from stony to fine sand. With a maximum slope of 65%, the BADSTUBE faces south-southwest and looks out over the Bernkastl district of Kues on the other side of the Mosel.
Area
29,39 hectaresSoils
Grey and blue Devonian slateExposure
South-southwestAltitude110-250mVarietiesRieslingClassificationVDP.GROSSE LAGEBernkastler Lay
The VDP.GROSSE LAGE® LAY is located below the Badstube on the banks of the Mosel and covers 9.6 hectares of classified land. It extends over about 50 metres in altitude from 110-160m and has a south-south-west orientation with a slope of 50% to 70%.
The Lay consists of blue slate soils with a high clay content, which gives them a good water-holding capacity.Area
9,60 hectaresSoils
Blue Devonian slate with clay contentExposure
South-southwestAltitude110-160mVarietiesRieslingClassificationVDP.GROSSE LAGEGraacher Himmelreich
The VDP.GROSSEN LAGE® HIMMELREICH is situated in an exposed position on the banks of the Mosel and benefits from the heat-storing and reflective properties of the river. At 66.57 hectares, it is one of the larger sites of the Middle Mosel and consists of heat-storing blue and grey slate soils with a south-southwest to southwest orientation. The slope, which is sheltered from the wind, is criss-crossed by veins of water, so that the vines suffer little drought stress even in warm years. At 110 to 260 metres above sea level, the Himmelreich has a moderate 45-65% slope.
Area
66,57 hectaresSoils
Blue Devonian slate with clay contentExposure
South to southwestAltitude110-160mVarietiesRieslingClassificationVDP.GROSSE LAGEWehlener Sonnenuhr
The VDP.GROSSE LAGE® SONNENUHR is located opposite the village of Wehlen on the other side of the Mosel and, with its 60 to 100% slope gradient, is one of the steepest sites in the Middle Mosel. The original nucleus covered around eight hectares until four adjacent sites were added to the Sonnenuhr in 1954. Today it covers 46.49 hectares and sits at 110-320 metres above sea level. The soils consist of Devonian weathered slate, have a south to south-southwest orientation and benefit from the thermal reflection of the Mosel.
Area
46,49 hectaresSoils
Grey-blue Devonian slateExposure
South to southwestAltitude120-160mVarietiesRieslingClassificationVDP.GROSSE LAGE


Bernkastler Doctor
In 1900, during the heyday of Mosel Riesling, Julius Wegeler was offered the unique opportunity to buy a part in the heart of the Bernkastler Doctor from the then Mayor Kunz. The price at the time, 100 gold Marks per vine and thus per square meter, surpassed anything previously seen and was the subject of lively discussion in the industry.

Wegeler acquired 4,300 square metres, and the price included not only the vines, but also the historic Doctor cellar from 1650, as well as the wine stored in it. A further purchase in 1910 made the Weingüter Wegeler the largest owner in this historic location. It was a wonderful investment: The Doctor is still the most expensive vineyard site in Germany today.
