The Estate is located in the community Bischoffingen ( Kaiserstuhl ) in the south of the German wine-growing region to bathe (Baden). Karl Heinz Johner’s live as a winemaker is a bit unusual. After having received his degree in Oenology at the well-known Geisenheim University in Germany, he spent the first 10 years or so of his professional career making wine in Kent, UK in fact , he was one of the first , to produce English sparkler , which are increasingly gaining international recognition. Karl Heinz Johner then returned back to his hometown in Germany and in 1985  he founded with his wife Irene the Weingut Johner and started to make wine  in Germany. From the outset Johner worked with barrique barrels , which was unusual at this time. These wines were considered by the German wine establishment as so far away from what German wine should be at the time that the couldn’t be market as Quality or Praedikatswein. The Baden region is close to Burgundy with a similar soil and climate and there are famous for the typical Burgundy varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Grauburgunder or Pinot Noir. He always thought why it can’t be done here in his homeland and region Baden. Today Karl Heinz Johner is one of the Pioneers in Germany making world class Burgundy style wines such as Chardonnay , Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. On only 17 hectares they company is producing 100.000 bottles per year. Karl Heinz Johner’ son Patrick, also an graduate of Geisenheim with some practice in France and Australia followed in his father’s footsteps and they manage together the company. In 2001 they purchased a property in New Zealand were a new venture for the Johner’s began, Johner Estate Winery. Karl Heinz Johner spent a lot of time there, but he always keeps an eye on his Winery in Germany .