Profession winemaker

There is hardly a profession with as many facets as the one of the winemaker. That does not only make the profession very attractive, but also makes it more and more appealing for newcomers.

The winemaker's work requires a broad knowledge, but also real craft skills. It starts with extensive scientific knowledge of the soil, the factors influencing soil fertility, but also techniques for working the soil. The focus is, of course, the vine, its biology, its diseases, its pests, but also its beneficials. The winemaker has to take care of it in order to be able to scientifically work with it, while keeping an eye on the entire vineyard's ecosystem. The long-term goal is to keep the vineyards healthy and intact, as they are part of the cultural landscape in Rheinhessen.

What is more, is the knowledge about the technology of processing the grapes, the knowledge of microbiology and biochemistry of the wine and, of course, technical skills. He also needs a lot of experience in making the wine as gently as possible and bottling it.

Yet, only if he knows how to market his wines properly, he will sell them with profit and can, one day, hand over a successful business to his children. 

How appealing the job actually is, is very nicely shown in the project "Kinderwingert" (children's vineyard) by the "Kultur- und Weinbotschafter" (culture and wine ambassadors) of the region. In this project, children - with or without a family viticultural background - can take up the godparenthood of a vine and follow its lifecycle throughout the year. It teaches the little ones, how working and living closely with nature feels and what being a winegrower is like.