Winemaker
Max von Kunow
- Discipline
- Winemaker
- Based in
- Konz-Oberemmel, Germany
i. Biography
The estate’s history begins in 1803 with the former St. Maximin monastery estate, and that line still sets the terms at Weingut von Hövel. In the Saar, that kind of continuity matters: it gives the work a frame, and it keeps the wines tied to a place that has already been lived in by generations of growers and cellar hands.
Coming Up
Training at VDP (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates) placed Max von Kunow inside a discipline built on precision from the outset. The next stage, as an international wine consultant until 2011, widened the brief: different markets, different standards of judgment, and a clearer sense of how wine is evaluated beyond a single estate. That wider circuit came back to a specific address in 2011, when Max von Kunow joined Weingut von Hövel in Konz-Oberemmel, Saar. He became winemaker from 2011, taking responsibility for translating the vineyard’s character into finished wines. In the same year, he also became owner of Weingut von Hövel since 2011, binding the estate’s running to his own working path. The two posts place him between cellar and marketplace, with one foot in the estate’s daily work and the other in the regional structures that present and price the wines.
Where They Are Now
At Weingut von Hövel in Konz-Oberemmel, Saar, the brief is still to let the wines speak in a regional register. The estate’s history, reaching back to 1803 and the former St. Maximin monastery estate, sits behind the current work as context rather than decoration. Under Max von Kunow’s stewardship, the emphasis is on clarity, restraint, and the Saar’s cool-toned structure, with an eye toward ageing rather than immediate effect.
Signature
Max's signature wines include Saar Riesling, 2010 »Goldkapsel« Oberemmel Hütte Riesling Auslese, and Cremant Brut. Taken together, they show the range of the work: Saar Riesling for a direct regional line, 2010 »Goldkapsel« Oberemmel Hütte Riesling Auslese for concentration and sweetness as named, and Cremant Brut for a different mode altogether. The common thread is the same: wines shaped by place and built to keep their shape over time.
In Their Words “My philosophy is to produce wines that are authentic and show the Saar region.” “We produce wines for long ageing.”
Recognition
Max von Kunow has received Wine Award, Newcomer of the Year (2016).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Max
Where did Max von Kunow train or study?
Max von Kunow trained at VDP (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates).
