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Riesling Estates in Rheingau
Rheingau is the most famous German wine region, but in recent decades it has suffered a slip in quality from which it is just now recovering. The region is situated on a remarkable section of the Rhine that flows east to west for about 30 miles, from Mainz to Bingen. The vineyards on the steep northern bank of the river have truly great potential because of their ideal southerly exposure.
Georg Breuer
Grabenstraße 8, 65385 Rüdesheim, Germany
Phone (+49) 6722-1027
Fax (+49) 6722-4531
E-mail georg-breuer@t-online.de
Bernhard Breuer is a major force in the re-emergence of Rheingau as a preemminent wine region. He is very active in promoting the food-friendly Charta wines. And he is a major player in the "Erstes Gewachs" vineyard classification movement that is under development.
Breuer is especially successful with his dry Rieslings, which are clean, firmly structured and finely balanced.
Best vineyards
Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg
Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland
Rauenthaler Nonnenberg
Domdechant Werner
Rathausstraße 30, 65234 Hochheim, Germany
Phone (+49) 6146-835037
Fax (+49) 6146-835038
E-mail weingut@domdechantwerner.com
www.domdechantwerner.com
This estate has 30 acres of vines in some of the best sites in the uniquely warm microclimate of Hochheim, almost all of which are planted with Riesling. That warmth brings an earlier flowering and longer ripening time than elsewhere in Rheingau, which means the wines can get very rich. The soil is packed with minerals that give an even more powerful, extracted character to the wines.
Best vineyards
Hochheimer Hölle
Hochheimer Kirchenstück
Hochheimer Domdechaney
Prinz von Hessen
Grund 1, 65366 Johannisberg, Germany
Phone (+49) 6722-8172
Fax (+49) 6722-50588
The Prinz von Hessen estate was formerly owned by the ruling House of Hesse, and is now owned by a charitable foundation that is responsible for preserving its cultural heritage. The estate has 125 acres of very good vineyards in and around the village of Johannisberg, including the very fine Johannisberger Klaus. It also has a new estate director, so its quality is on the rise. These are delicious new-age Rheingau wines that are well-made and show off their noble origins with pride.
Best vineyards
Winkeler Hasensprung
Johannisberger Klaus
Johannishof
Grund 63, 65366 Johannisberg, Germany
Phone (+49) 6722-8216
Fax (+49) 6722-6387
E-mail weingut.johannishof@t-online.de
Here is another estate that is working hard to restore the high-quality standards of Rheingau's legendary past. Johannes Eser, the young and energetic winemaker at Weingut Johannishof (not to be confused with Schloss Johannisberg) is making clean, racy wines that have vibrant fruit and an elegant texture.
Best vineyards
Geisenheimer Kläuserweg
Johannisberg Hölle
Johannisberger Klaus
Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland
Franz Künstler
Freiherr-vom-Stein-Ring, 65239 Hochheim, Germany
Phone (+49) 6146-8-2570
Fax (+49) 6146-8-5767
Immense wines from great vineyards in Hochheim's warm microclimate. Günter Künstler's style is for powerful, extracted wines that will appeal to the international palate. His dry wines are especially intense.
Best vineyards
Hochheimer Hölle
Hochheimer Kirchenstück
Hochheimer Domdechaney
Robert Weil
Mühlberg 5, 65399 Kiedrich, Germany
Phone (+49) 6123-2308
Fax (+49) 6123-1546
E-mail info@weingut-robert-weil.com
www.weingut-robert-weil.com
The current undisputed king of Rheingau heavyweights, Weingut Robert Weil (pronounced VIAL) makes the most phenomenally huge and impressive Rieslings anywhere. The incredibly rich and ripe dessert wines are some of the most highly sought in the world, fetching unheard-of prices at auction.
Some would argue that Weil's wines are over-done just to impress, with the Kabinett, for example, already tasting like a very ripe Spätlese. But it's all a matter of expectations. Once you know the Weil style, you expect the wines to be heavy hitters. Like Château d'Yquem in Sauternes, Robert Weil is the premier grand cru supérieur of Rheingau.
Best vineyard
Kiedricher Gräfenberg
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