Founded in 1756, in the Pfalz region of Germany, the J.L. Wolf estate (now called Villa Wolf) was a successful and highly regarded winery for more than two centuries. In the latter years of the 20th century, however, the estate languished, lacking a firm hand to guide its wine production. In 1996 the revered Ernst Loosen, of the Dr. Loosen estate (Mosel), took over the vineyards, launching a dramatic turnaround in the estate’s quality and reputation.