Van Volxem is situated in the Saar in the historic centre of Wiltingen and was built on the ruins of a Roman villa, the remains of which can still be found in the estate's park. Its vineyards, some of which were planted on the best schist slopes of the Saar by the Romans as early as the 3rd century, are among the oldest in the region. Rediscovered and developed by monks in the 11th century, it was cultivated from the 16th century onwards by the Jesuit Order, then transformed into a wine-growing monastery in 1743. During the French Revolution, the ecclesiastical lands were secularised. During the French Revolution, the ecclesiastical lands were secularised and the Brussels brewer, Gustav Van Volxem, became the owner. This visionary was quick to recognise the potential of the vineyard, which was very well situated on the Saar, and succeeded in making it one of the most renowned in the Prussian Empire. The rise of the region's wines triggered the golden age of the winery, whose "nectars" appeared on many prestigious wine lists around the world.After four generations of the Van Volxem family, the estate was bought by Roman Niewodniczanski in 2000. The property was then renovated and the vineyard enlarged thanks to the acquisition of many prestigious plots. Dominik Völk, who has been managing director since 2004, is trying to revive the rich past and is aiming for an international reputation for the winery.Since its inception, Van Volxem has had a breathtaking landscape that plunges into the Saarland and is among the best vineyards in the world. Roman Niewodniczanski, who likes his wines to be ripe, healthy and easily digestible, is keen to preserve his heritage and pass it on to future generations in the best possible condition. The interaction between the Devonian schists, which are the basis of his work, the exposure and maintenance of his vineyards and the cool local climate provide an exceptional constellation for producing great whites. In fact, thanks to the age of most of them, the estate has preserved a genetic variety that allows it to offer a whole range of grapes with small, very aromatic berries: this is the basis of the complexity and timelessness of the estate's wines.Faithful to the estate's tradition, the Riesling wines here are dry and designed for the table, since they are moderate in alcohol, endowed with "ripe" acidity, and are complex and very dense in their structure. They are helped by very modest yields, strict selections, a harvest that starts as early as mid-October, a high level of physiological maturity and finally spontaneous fermentation.