A growing number of international and German buyers are snapping up wineries, historic houses and vintners’ homes at a fraction of what they would cost in France and Italy
Germany’s Moselle Region Is Ripe With Deals on Vineyard Estates
Buyers in search of wineries, historic properties and vintners’ homes are finding the area to be a more affordable alternative to France and Italy
By Cecilie Rohwedder
Dec. 3, 2020 1:35 pm ET
John and Pam Pfeiffer spent years touring the grand vineyards of France, Italy and Argentina. But when it came time to buy their own, they chose a small winery in Lieser, a town in Germany with half-timbered houses, a fairy tale castle and verdant Riesling vines along the Moselle River.
In 2016, Mr. Pfeiffer, originally from Albany, N.Y. and Mrs. Pfeiffer, from central Illinois, bought Weingut Gindorf, a winery founded in 1756 with an eight-bedroom, 3,300-square-foot house and 10 acres of grapes for around $1.2 million. They spent a further $298,000 on upgrades to the vineyards and the house, which they live in on weekends. Their son and daughter-in-law, Matt and Brittany Braun, stay full time, running the winery and a small, seven-room inn.
Along with river views and steep, neatly combed vineyards, the Moselle region comes with more affordable real estate than that in France or Italy. More international and German buyers are picking up wineries, historic houses and vintners’ homes at a fraction of what they would cost in Europe’s better-known wine regions.
“From a real-estate perspective, Moselle and German vineyards are underpriced compared with their famous cousins in Bordeaux and Burgundy,” says Mr. Pfeiffer, 50, who, during the week, works as a human-resources consultant in Essen, 150 miles away.
In recent years, German summers have gotten hotter and longer, causing grapes to ripen sooner and more dependably, making the vineyards a more attractive investment than they once were. The warmer weather also allows for new varietals, such as temperature-sensitive Pinot Noir grapes.
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