currently 165,358 Wines and 25,033 Producers, including 3,160 classified producers.
The winery is nestled in the historic centre of Oestrich in the German wine-growing region of Rheingau. It has been in the family since 1759. The traditional winery is named after the grandfather of the current owner Désirée Eser Freifrau zu Knyphausen (Dipl. Ing. für Weinbau und Oenologie), who is already the tenth generation to run the business. She is supported by her husband Dodo Freiherr zu Knyphausen. The company regularly sponsors a wide variety of target groups such as the promotion of art and culture, medical research, environmental protection, children's and youth work and associations. All production is carried out with sustainability and energy-saving measures in mind. Hot water, heating and electricity generation are solar-assisted.
The vineyards cover 11 hectares of vineyards in 17 single vineyard sites, allowing wines to be produced from the different terroirs of the Rheingau. The most important sites, all classified as Erstes Gew ächs and Grosses Gewächs, are Doosberg and Lenchen (Oestrich), Siegelsberg (Erbach), Rothenberg (Rauenthal), Hasensprung and Jesuitengarten (Winkel), as well as Nussbrunnen and Wisselbrunnen (Hattenberg). They are 95% planted with Riesling and 5% with Pinot Noir. Environmentally friendly viticulture is practised. This includes a duration cover crop and the renunciation of pesticides for the control of animal pests. Only physiologically ripe and healthy grapes are processed through selective manual harvesting. Vine sponsorship is offered for 5 or 10 years with an annual bottle of Riesling.
Production is carried out with strict quality, harvest quantity and grape variety standards. The goal is aromatic and full-bodied wines, which is achieved through temperature-controlled fermentation. The wines are matured in a combination of stainless steel and wood in the approx. 300-year-old vaulted wooden barrel cellar dating back to 1650 (the oldest barrel dates back to 1898). The product range includes Rieslings in predominantly dry style as well as wines with residual sweetness up to Trockenbeerenauslese. Premium wines include the VDP.Grossen Gewächse as well as the Spätburgunder aged in traditional German wooden barrels and in barriques. Bottle-fermented sparkling wines are also produced. The winery has been a member of the VDP (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates) since 1973, as well as the Charta Rheingau, Rheingau Jungwinzer and Vinissima associations.
Photo source: Heibel