Blog Winery J. G. Orb
The innovative wine brothers in the Garden of Eden
Jan and Jens sounds almost like the famous Yin and Yang – but in this case, the idea that opposing forces together have a great effect is not entirely accurate. Jan & Jens Orb attended different viticulture colleges (one in Geisenheim, the other in Neustadt), but they share a common philosophy when it comes to winemaking.
On the one hand, the two men in their early 30s continue to serve their parents' customer base, which has grown over decades, with classically produced wines. On the other hand, since taking over the business in 2019, the two wine brothers have been transforming the traditional winery into a "wine think tank" for modern, trendy wines with innovative ideas.
Natural wines preferred
Some people love nature – Jan and Jens turn it into wine: and what wine! Jens, the younger brother, spontaneously wrote creative names for the different wines on the wine tanks – and these became brand names. The first ideas are often the best: under the name SILVY VAN AIR, the Orb brothers offer an "orange," unfiltered Silvaner; GANZ GROSSES VINO is a "cool" mix of Müller-Thurgau, Kerner, and Silvaner; AMPHITHEATER is a Gewürztraminer; OUT OF ORBIT is a Riesling. Today, the younger generation produces contemporary wines – the dialogue gastronomy scene in large cities is a grateful customer for wine creations without residual sugar.
The Orb family cultivates 13 hectares of vineyards around Westhofen in Rheinhessen. These include such illustrious names as Kirchspiel, Morstein, and Westhofener Steingrube. More than half of the area is planted with Riesling, but Burgundy varieties are playing an increasingly important role.
Historic garden oasis
The historic “Garten Orb” is a perfect fit for the dynamic brothers’ nature-oriented winemaking philosophy. Over 200 years ago, their ancestors laid out a magnificent garden covering approximately 2,500 square meters. The terraced garden was originally designed as a kitchen garden—but from the very beginning, it also featured elements of courtly pleasure gardens. Claudia Orb, the brothers’ mother, gradually uncovered the garden piece by piece in the 1990s and discovered many old rose bushes in the process. A rose garden had always been her dream—and it came true.
Today, around 200 rose bushes thrive in the garden, and visitors can admire nearly 80 different varieties. In the sheltered microclimate on the lowest terrace, the roses bloom several times a year. “I was inspired above all by the ideas of garden designers Franz Sales Meyer, Friedrich Ries, Gertrude Jekyll, and Penelope Hobhouse,” says Claudia Orb. This green oasis features shady meadows—framed by flowering perennials. Thorny bushes grow along the remains of old walls; in this “Vogelsang” (Bird Song), you can hear a striking number of birds chirping, finding shelter here. Of course, a wetland habitat is also part of the grounds. Claudia Orb loves to cook (and does so well!)—which is why many herbs grow on the top level, inspired by Hildegard von Bingen’s herb garden.
This magnificent natural garden is known far beyond the region and can be visited on scheduled dates with guided tours—a living example of Rheinhessen’s garden culture.
The Orb Winery in Westhofen has been awarded the Great Wine Capitals Best Of Wine Tourism Award 2025 in the “Architecture, Parks & Gardens” category, with a focus on parks and gardens. The jury was impressed by the preservation of tradition and the thematic focus of the historic garden.
About the blogger
Wolfgang Junglas, a TV and wine journalist, works in the entertainment department at SWR Television in Mainz, where he produces programs such as “Election of the German Wine Queen.” He is an author, chairman of Weinfeder eV, president of FIJEV, and an adjunct lecturer at Geisenheim University—and, since 2021, the blogger for GWC Mainz | Rheinhessen.