Philosophy

CARING FOR OUR VINEYARDS

We cultivate nearly 40 hectares (ca. 100 acres) of vines that are up to 40 years old and planted at a density of 5,000 vines per ha. Our holdings number among the finest in the Rheingau. All the more reason to care for them in an environmentally sound manner. This includes planting green cover in every other row to ensure a supply of nutritionally rich humus. We use pheromones to control vine pests.

QUALITY NOT QUANTITY

Low yields are one of our prerequisites for high quality. This calls for considerable intuition and manual labor in the vineyard. Crop thinning and timely foliage removal are like a tonic for the vines. Last but not least: grapes must be allowed to completely ripen under optimal conditions to enable them to reach their full potential. The harvest is the highlight of every year. Everyone pitches in to help. From dawn to dusk!

WINEMAKING

High-quality, ripe grapes are the basis of every good wine. To retain the quality of the crop, we have to work quickly and precisely. State-of-the-art wine presses ensure that grapes are processed gently. After preclarifying the musts through natural sedimentation, they are stored in stainless steel tanks. At this stage, they need time, care, and attention. Fermentation takes place within six to twelve weeks, optimized by constant, computer-controlled temperature monitoring. Prolonged contact with the fine lees influences the character of the wines and brings forth the desired balance. Strong cooling is used to arrest fermentation in the production of wines with natural residual sweetness. After filtration, the wines are gently bottled, after which they are stored under optimal conditions at the estate.