The VINUM Wine Guide Germany 2027, available since 3 November 2026, names Emrich-Schönleber Winery of the Year. The title offers a timely reason to look at the estate, but does not explain what makes it tick. For that, we must turn to Monzingen in the Nahe: to a family that transformed a mixed farm into a Riesling-focused wine estate – and that still takes its bearings from more than just what would be easiest to sell.
From mixed farm to wine estate
According to the estate’s own chronicle, winegrowing in the Emrich family is documented from the mid-18th century. In the 1960s, arable farming and livestock provided a safeguard against the risks of viticulture. Between 1965 and 1985, the business gradually became a dedicated wine estate; according to the estate, its vineyard area grew from around two to ten hectares. Werner Schönleber continued the expansion. In 1994, the estate joined the VDP.
Since 2018, sole responsibility has rested with Frank Schönleber, who had previously run the estate alongside his father Werner. The division of work remains a family affair: Werner contributes his many years of experience in the vineyards, while Frank is responsible for the cellar and viticultural decisions. Hanne Schönleber primarily looks after sales and private customers; Anja Schönleber helps with office work and bookkeeping. These roles are described by the family themselves – offering an insight into an organisation in which vineyards, cellar and customer relations do not appear to be separate worlds.
The hillside as a long-term commitment
The Halenberg is more than a name on a label. In an interview with the VDP, Frank Schönleber says the family owns more than 60 per cent of the VDP.GROSSE LAGE (the VDP’s highest vineyard classification). A large proportion, he says, was reclaimed after decades of becoming overgrown. That is a long-term decision: reclaiming land requires work before it can yield a crop again. The estate also lists the Frühlingsplätzchen and Auf der Ley sites in Monzingen, as well as Monzinger Niederberg.
The VDP lists 22.8 hectares of vineyards, with Riesling by far the most important grape variety. The estate’s own chronicle refers to around 22 hectares, with Riesling accounting for around 90 per cent; the figures differ slightly on the proportions. The overall picture is clear: the estate focuses strongly on Riesling, complemented by Pinot varieties. The VDP lists slate, quartzite and pebbles as geological features of the vineyards.
Not simply following the market
A business decision can also be revealed by what an estate chooses not to give up. In the VDP interview, Frank Schönleber describes how demand increasingly favoured dry wines. In his view, switching entirely to dry wines would make obvious economic sense. Nevertheless, the estate remains committed to fruity, sweet Spätlese wines (a late-harvest category): a Nahe tradition to be developed further rather than dropped from the range.
This is not a rejection of change. Schönleber speaks of refining the style of these wines and mentions another plan: holding back some of the village and single-vineyard wines in the cellar for longer. This ties up storage space and delays sales; the extent of its financial impact cannot be quantified from publicly available information. It does show, however, that decisions here are not guided solely by short-term sales.
The award and everyday life
The wine guide title honours the estate, but is no substitute for looking at its development: the transformation from a mixed farm, the reclamation work on the Halenberg and the division of responsibilities across several generations. Emrich-Schönleber is a family business where continuity does not mean leaving everything unchanged. It is evident in a younger estate manager taking responsibility while experience and long-standing commitments remain present in the vineyards – and in allowing even a less sought-after category of wine to retain its place.
Original reviewed by the editors · 5 November 2026
