Carl Jung — The Inventor of Alcohol-Free Wine
Carl Jung — The Inventor of Alcohol-Free Wine
Five generations at Boosenburg Castle in the Rheingau, and the patent that started it all in 1907.
About the Winery
Carl Jung is a name woven into the very origin of alcohol-free wine. Founded in 1868 in Rüdesheim am Rhein, in the heart of Germany's Rheingau, the family company is run today in its fifth generation. From its home at the storied Boosenburg Castle — acquired by the Jung family in 1936 — it has grown into one of the world's leading producers of de-alcoholised wines and sparkling wines, with more than 10 million bottles a year reaching wine lovers in over 30 countries.
What sets Carl Jung apart is not a single plot of land but a craft: taking carefully selected wine and gently lifting out the alcohol while keeping everything that makes it wine — the aroma, the structure, the character. The house works across a remarkably broad range, from a Mousseux that has become a classic of the category to still Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz, alongside a certified organic line. Since 2026 the company is led by managing director Dr. Bernd Kost, with the Jung family — Bernhard and Teresa Jung — remaining closely involved.
- 1868Founded
- 5thGeneration
- 1907First patent
- 30+Countries
- 10M+Bottles / year
History
The house was founded in 1868, but its place in history was sealed around 1900, when Carl Jung Junior began to ask a then-radical question: could you remove the alcohol from a fine wine without destroying the wine itself? In 1907 he was granted a patent by the Imperial Patent Office for his vacuum process — the birth of alcohol-free wine as we know it. The refined "Carl-Jung-Method" is protected by three patents to this day. In 1936 the family acquired Rüdesheim's Boosenburg Castle as its headquarters, and in 2018 the company celebrated 150 years.
The People Behind the Wines
Five generations of the Jung family have carried the same conviction: that drinking less alcohol should never mean drinking less well. Today Bernhard and Teresa Jung keep the family present in the business, while managing director Dr. Bernd Kost (since 2026) leads the next chapter. New to the range? Start with the Mousseux — the bottle that built the house — or the elegant Blanc de Blancs.
Terroir & Sourcing
Carl Jung is, in the best sense, a cellar house rather than a single-vineyard estate. Its roots are in the Rheingau — one of Germany's great Riesling regions, perched along the Rhine — and that tradition of precise, aromatic winemaking runs through everything it makes. For its broad portfolio the house draws on carefully selected base wines, including classic varieties grown beyond the Rheingau, each chosen for how well it will carry through de-alcoholisation. The terroir here is as much a matter of selection and craft as of any one slope.
How the Alcohol-Free Range Is Made
This is where Carl Jung's century of experience shows. The patented Carl-Jung-Method removes alcohol by vacuum extraction: under reduced pressure, alcohol evaporates at temperatures below 30 °C, so heat — the great enemy of aroma — is largely kept out of the equation. Crucially, the delicate aromatics lifted off during the process are captured and returned to the wine, preserving its bouquet and minerality. It is a gentle, patient method, refined across three patents and more than a hundred years, and it is the reason a Carl Jung wine still tastes like wine.
Food Pairing
The sparkling Mousseux and Blanc de Blancs make a natural aperitif and pair beautifully with canapés, sushi and fresh fruit. Reach for the Riesling with light fish, Asian dishes or a cheese board; the Cabernet Sauvignon and organic Merlot stand up to roasted vegetables, mushroom dishes and mature cheeses — the same pairings you would choose for their alcoholic counterparts.
Sustainability
Alongside its classic range, Carl Jung offers a certified organic line — including an organic Chardonnay, Merlot and Mousseux — for those who want their alcohol-free wine grown organically and made vegan. Less alcohol, lighter calories, and a clear-headed next morning come built in.
A Pioneer's Legacy
- Inventor of alcohol-free wine — first patent, 1907
- The Carl-Jung-Method — protected by three patents
- 150 years of family winemaking (1868–2018)
- One of the world's leading producers of de-alcoholised wine & sparkling wine
- Exported to more than 30 countries
