Jonas Dostert

Jonas Dostert
Nittel, Mosel, Germany

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Jonas Dostert began making wine under his own name in 2018, working with parcels around Nittel an der Mosel. Jonas grew up here, in an area that has neither the dramatic steep slopes and slate soils characteristic of the region, nor its world-wide renown. But, tasting the wines from Jonas and from Kaja Kohv, who makes wine just across the river, it’s clear that this is a special place with great potential.

Jonas studied at Geisenheim and travelled to Burgundy to learn from Domaine Leflaive, before returning home to make his own wines. He cultivates 2.8 hectares on limestone soils formed by ancient marine sediment with 200 million years of history, growing Elbling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir. 

The vineyards are sheltered by tall, dolomite rock faces and are home to an abundance of wildlife. Between Nittel and Wellen, in the Nitteler Fels Nature Reserve, the extent of this vibrant ecosystem and much-needed habitat comes to life in the sheer range of flora and fauna at home here, from bats, lizards, and butterflies, to orchids and other endangered plants. 

Jonas works with respect for nature and a minimalist approach that lets the vines carry an individual expression of this place. All of the wines are fermented in used Burgundy barrels and are given plenty of time to develop, rather than steering them with intervention or additives.

Resolute that all winemaking begins in the vineyard, with handwork, humility, and farming that doesn’t exile nature but includes it, his labels proclaim ‘Es lebe der Weinberg!’: long live the vineyard!