Rieslings since 1720

Schloss Johannisberg is celebrating “300 Years of Riesling”

Schloss Johannisberg in the Rheingau region is the first Riesling estate in the world and now combines nearly 1,200 years of wine-making history with exactly 300 years of world-class Riesling tradition. The estate with the oldest single-variety Riesling vineyard wants to celebrate this anniversary year with a varied programme of events and, in the second half of the year, also plans to invite visitors to celebrate the popular grape and its many exceptional Riesling wines together.

Exclusive Riesling grower since 1720

The Schloss Johannisberg estate can look back on an eventful history that has resulted in a unique wine-making culture: Established as a Benedictine monastery in around 1100, the Johannisberger Abbey quickly became the focal point and initiator of wine-growing in the Rheingau region. In 1716, the already famous but neglected vineyard was passed to the Princely Abbey of Fulda under Prince Abbot Konstantin von Buttlar, who revitalised it from the ground up and attempted a major viticultural experiment: He replanted the estate’s vineyards with only the noblest grape in the world, the Riesling. Around 300,000 new vines were planted over the following two years. This is how the world’s first cohesive Riesling vineyard was created in 1720.

Real gems from 300 years of Riesling history

To this day, the oldest Schloss Johannisberger Riesling – a 1748 vintage – still lies in the Bibliotheca Subterranea, the 900-year-old cellarium and the estate’s treasure trove. Alongside are numerous precious Riesling wines created by the estate’s cellarmasters over the past 300 years. One of these masterpieces is a 1920 Schloss Johannisberg Riesling Goldlack, which was auctioned to a wine lover at Kloster Eberbach in early March for the princely sum of €18,000.

With their strong regional character, authenticity and individual appeal, the exclusive single grape variety wines from Schloss Johannisberg have a dedicated fan base around the world. They are found on the wine lists of the best restaurants in the world and regularly achieve top results and win awards at international wine competitions. In 2019 alone, the 2018 Schloss Johannisberger Riesling Purpurlack Beerenauslese won the highest mark of 100 points from James Suckling, a renowned wine critic and former editor-in-chief of “Wine Spectator” magazine. In the same year, the “Best in Show” award at the major international wine competition Mundus Vini went to the 2018 Schloss Johannisberger Riesling Grünlack Spätlese as the best German Riesling with residual sweetness.