Meeting the Famed Dr. Loosen
Just recently, my wife, Gigi, and I had the pleasure of meeting THE Dr. Loosen at Luma on the Park in Winter Park, Florida.  Needless to say, the experience was just about as unforgettable as the wines he creates. The setting was perfect. The invitational wine tasting was held in the Cellar of Luma, a beautiful and very impressive wine vault. They use this space as a private dining room that can seat up to 48 for gatherings and event and, if you are in the area on Mondays, host some nice wine tasting events. The deserved height Dr. Loosen (aka Ernst we didn’t have to call him Dr all the time, but a part of us certainly wanted to out of sheer respect for this gentleman’s accomplishments) has earned throughout the wine world certainly hasn’t diminished his personable characteristics, and his readily approachable attitude and his exceptional expertise are no doubt two very crucial reasons for his success Having the opportunity to actually taste wine with him was nothing short of extraordinary and as you can tell by the pictures: we had a great unforgettable time!
Dr. Loosen’s Entry into the World of Wine
Winemaking is engraved into Dr. Loosen’s pedigree; for over two centuries his estate by the Mosel River in Germany has been in his family, and his family’s legacy throughout the time has been, you guessed it, winemaking. In essence, our dear Dr. Loosen comes from a kind of royal wine (or, more tellingly, Riesling) family that, in turn, is from and dwells in one of Germany’s many beautiful regions. What’s particularly interesting about Dr. Loosen’s development as a winemaker, however, is his initial indifference (though this might be too strong a word) toward the industry. The early Dr. Loosen was quite captivated by the Roman ruins near his estate and, thus, spent the first few years of his career studying archaeology. Based on what I have heard and now seen for myself, I am quite confident that Dr. Loosen would succeed in just about anything he put his mind to, and would have no doubt been a very capable archaeologist if that is where his life had led him. However, due to the need for an heir, he found himself faced with the choice of maintaining his family’s vineyards or continuing his archaeological studies. He, obviously, chose the former, and has indeed realized that it was his true calling since. Dr. Loosen’s decision was and continues to be a blessing to the wine world, particularly when it comes to Rieslings!Â
And Wine on the Way Has Some of Dr. Loosen’s Masterpieces Available!
You will recognize the mark of Dr. Loosen by the fine taste and you will know that you’re about to experience winemaking skill that has been honed for over 200 years. We are thrilled to be able to offer his fine wine craftsmanship here at Wine on the Way:Â
- Dr. Loosen’s Blue Slate Kabinett Riesling Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
- 2008 Loosen Brothers/ Dr. L’s Riesling which is, inspired by our meeting, one of this week’s Top Wine Picks and our review of Dr. L’s Riesling.
- And also the 2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle Eroica Riesling from Columbia Valley, Washington which has been made in collaboration with the Dr. Loosen estate in Germany’s Mosel region.
Enjoy! I know we did!
