Günther Jauch, the Ever-Busy Winemaker-turned-TV-Host
Günther Jauch hesitant about embracing idleness - Günther Jauch remains unwilling to engage in idleness
Günther Jauch got wind of the retirement talk, but he ain't buying it. He's loving life as both a winery owner in Kanzem, Rhineland-Palatinate, and the beloved host of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" The 68-year-old shares that he's got no hankering for perpetual idleness. "Sitting around doing nothing's a load of baloney if you haven't got anything better to do."
The small town of Kanzem is no sedentary sanctuary. Jauch is always finding tasks to tick off at Othegraven winery, which he acquired 15 long years ago. Even with his laudable career as a TV personality, the vineyard keeps him flushed with opportunities. He fiddles with the park's wooded benches, answers the phone in the office, chats with the vineyard crew, and pours wine for customers.
One concern that's weighing on him is the ongoing drought. The tree-rootfortified old vines are coping just fine, but the young plants aren't as lucky. Ironically, they can't be chemically watered.
Jauch joined the winery bandwagon when it was through to be sold off after nearly 200 years of family ownership. One of its esteemed past owners was his grandmother Elsa von Othegraven, the sister of Maximilian von Othegraven who once ran the estate. Upon taking the reins, Jauch expanded the winery from five to 15 hectares.
To suggest that he's a seasoned winemaker would be a tad presumptuous. "I'm more like a perennially apprentice winemaker," he humbly confesses. He's absorbed a heap of knowledge, but he never presumes to instruct his cellar master or harbor dreams of bossing around the vineyard crew. With his wife Thea, they're more like the winery's foreign diplomats.
Jauch's foray into the world of winemaking has opened up a new universe for him. He finds the atmosphere in the Saar Valley to be earthier, more authentic, and considerably more fun than the Hollywood-like world he's accustomed to.
The residents of the region band together during tough times, extending a helping hand to those in need. The worst year for Jauch was 2024, when flooding and frost dealt harsh blows to the estate.
Since taking over the reins, Jauch has transformed the winery, modernizing facilities, and implementing a bottle hall. He's even built living quarters for seasonal workers right in the manor house. The park is now open to visitors as well, inviting admirers to bask in the picturesque setting.
A satisfied visitor remarks on their family outing to the vineyard, "You've done an excellent job here!" Jauch humbly responds, "We try our best." He's been recognized as Winemaker of the Year not once, but twice—in 2023 and 2025.
Although Jauch spent many cherished childhood moments in his great-uncle's vineyard, he still holds Potsdam in the highest regard as his first home. "Moving here permanently isn't even up for debate at the moment."
His ideal relaxation entails savoring nature's beauty on his terrace or leafing through books related to real-life experiences. "I can't get into the headspace for fictional narratives or novels." He steers clear of fictional TV dramas as well.
When not in front of the camera or amidst the vines, Jauch exudes contentment. "Life is good—all you've got to do is take a moment to appreciate it."
The community of Kanzem, where Günther Jauch's winery is located, has a strong sense of cooperation, as evident during tough times such as the flooding and frost incidents in 2024. Jauch, in his lifestyle, prefers simple pleasures like enjoying nature on his terrace or reading books about real-life experiences, distancing himself from fictional narratives and novels, as well as fictional TV dramas.
