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Schloss Johannisberger Riesling Grunlack Green Seal Spatlese
DOMAINE SCHLOSS JOHANNISBERG
SCHLOSS JOHANNISBERGER RIESLING SPÃTLESE
The viticultural history commences with the figure of the Emperor Charlemagne (A.D. 768-814). Legend records how from his palance in Ingelheim, he noticed that the snow melted early on the hill and he came to the conclusion that this would be an ideal site for wine growing, decreeing that the first vines should be planted.
About 1100, the Benedictine monks of Mainz built a monastery here, the first in the Rheingau. Following the consecration of the Roman Basilica in 1130 to St John the Baptist, the hill, monastery and village were named "Johannisberg".
The monastery was dissolved in 1563 and during the 30 years war seized as a pledge by the Imperial Tax Collector Hubert Bleymann and his son-in-law G. von Giese of Cologne.
In 1716, it was purchased by Konstantin von Buttlar, the Prince-Abbot of Fulda. After demolition of the monastic buildings with the exception of the church and almostm900 year old cellar he had the palace built and the church altered to the baroque style. The main cellars which were completed in 1721, owe their ideal atmosphere to the cellar fungus cladosporium cellare.
The Prince-Abbots of Fulda took great pride in restoring the neglected vineyards: As many as 294,000 vines were planted in 1719 and 1720. Whilst the 38,500 Riesling vines planted, heralded a new era in wine growing for the Rheingau and far beyond its boundaries. Today, the synonym Johannisberg Riesling is used to describe this vine varietal in many parts of the world, including the USA, Brazil, etc.
The vineyards of Schloss Johannisberg embrace an area of 86 acres and are planted exclusively with Riesling vines. Within the spacious cellars, which measure a total length of 250 metres, with a capacity of 750,000 litres, the wines are allowed to mature in wood "as in centuries past" under expert supervision, until ready for bottling.
Throughout the centuries, the wines of the monastery and Schloss Johannisberg respectively, have maintained their reputation as belonging to the finest produced in Germany. Their elegance, fruit and flavour delight the connoisseur and consumer alike, whilst wines of older vintages are even prized for the medicinal qualities.
It is incidentally, here at Schloss Johannisberg, that the first botrytis affected wine was ever made, before that these "rotten grapes" were always destroyed, since no-one knew the difference between grey and noble rot.
The wine has an apple nose which combines with one of quince fruit. It has considerable substance without being heavy and an enormous elegance. It is complete and wonderfully balanced "late harvest Riesling". Alcohol 10.0% by vol 8.5 grams of acidity and 56 grams of residual sugar!
Ideal as an aperitif, an excellent accompaniment to poultry, liver pates, cheese dishes or simply as a precious present!
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