Professionnel du Vin André Zahn earned his master winemaker qualification in 2007 and today steers the course of the business. As cellar master, he gives the Zahn wines their unique character. Whether it’s stainless steel, large wooden barrels, or barriques, André finds the right aging method for each wine. True to the motto: “Something great can grow in the cellar!”

Elvira Zahn-General, following in the footsteps of her sister Annett (Thuringian Wine Princess 1998/1999 and Saale-Unstrut Wine Queen 1999/2000) as Saale-Unstrut Wine Queen 2009/2010, studied wine business management at Heilbronn University and gained experience in Austria’s wine regions. Innovative, creative and full of ideas, Elvira, together with her husband, Maître Hôtelier Torsten General, is now responsible for the wine restaurant and marketing of the wines.

Hartmut Zahn, founder of the estate, still enjoys keeping an eye on the vineyards. His wife, Christina, remains the heart and soul of the business. However, a thriving vineyard would be nothing without its diligent helpers working behind the scenes, especially tending the vines. Throughout the year, a qualified and dedicated team is available in the vineyard, cellar, and vinotheque.

The quality of the Zahn family wine originates from the vines’ roots planted on 13.5 hectares in Kaatschen and the surrounding area. Not only do 1,600 hours of sunshine per year and the fact that this is one of Germany's driest regions provide a good foundation, but also the interplay of soil and climate is one of the most important prerequisites for producing wines with character.

Both vineyards, Kaatschener Dachsberg and Tultewitzer Bünauer Berg, reflect the terroir in a unique way in the glass. Besides coloured sandstone, loess loam, and keuper marl, the weathered shell limestone soil is particularly essential for the full-bodied wines with an unparalleled play of acidity, minerality, and extract. The Thuringian Forest, which blocks much bad weather from the Atlantic, and the river valleys of the Saale and the Unstrut with their special microclimates make the Zahn wines exceptional.

Quality grows in the vineyard, but a particularly important aspect of wine quality is attributed to aging and winemaking. The cellar built in 2005 provides the best conditions for this. Already practicing environmentally friendly viticulture in the vineyard and handpicking all grapes to meet high-quality standards, great importance is placed on gentle and clean winemaking in the cellar.

True to the philosophy “Nature in the foreground, technology in the background,” terroir- and varietal-typical wines are created.

André Zahn’s aim is to produce individual wines of the highest quality. According to their character, wines are aged in large wooden barrels, temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, and since 2005, also in barriques. The result is delicate, fresh, and elegant white wines and equally elegant, full-bodied, and rich red wines.

Thüringer Weingut Zahn
Weinbergstraße 18
99518 Großheringen

Web: www.weingut-zahn.de
Tel: +49 (0)34466 179984