Jürgen von der Mark

Coming Up

Since 2003, Jürgen von der Mark has held the owner, cellar manager, and winemaker roles at Weingut Jürgen von der Mark in Baden, Germany, a setup that keeps one person accountable for the wine from cellar work to the final pour. That kind of span matters in the trade: it links day-to-day cellar decisions with the finished bottle, and it leaves little room to separate practical work from stylistic intent. His own benchmark is direct: “At the end, they should lead to a wine in the glass that moves people and is enjoyed with pleasure.” He earned the Master of Wine credential in 1996. That qualification sits behind the discipline implied by a long tenure in the same house, where the focus is not display but wines that land cleanly with the drinker.

Where They Are Now

He still works at Weingut Jürgen von der Mark in the same three-part role, keeping a close hand on both cellar work and the estate’s direction. The value of that arrangement is practical: vineyard and cellar are treated as connected parts of one process, not as separate jobs. That approach also comes through in another of his lines: “In every good relationship, communication is the basis of how it works.” Read through a winemaking lens, it speaks to the exchange between season and cellar, bottle and drinker, and the discipline of keeping those links clear.

Signature

Jürgen's signature dishes include Engertstein Pinot Noir and One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer. Together, they point to a palate that works through recognition and memory, with names that stay with you before the glass is even reached.

In Their Words “At the end, they should lead to a wine in the glass that moves people and is enjoyed with pleasure.” “In every good relationship, communication is the basis of how it works.” These two statements set out the work plainly. One defines the aim: a wine that reaches the drinker and gives pleasure. The other describes the method: steady exchange, close attention, and no wasted motion. Between them is a working ethic built on precision and contact.

Honors

Master of Wine, 1996.