Region of production: Rheingau
Winery Location: Hattenheim
Year Established: 1349

Vineyard Holdings

50 ha total across 38 vineyards

97% planted to Riesling

  • Rüdesheimer Berg Schlössberg: 1 ha 
  • Erbacher Marcobrunn: 2.3 ha 
  • Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg: 6.5 ha (monopole)
  • Hochheimer Domdechaney: 1.3 ha

Top Wines Produced

  • Rüdesheimer Berg Schlössberg Riesling GG
  • Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling GG
  • Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling GG
  • Hochheimer Domdechaney Riesling GG

Average Total Production

  • 300,000 bottles

Summary

This founding member of the VDP is one of the oldest and largest privately owned wineries in Germany. It is now under the leadership of the 28th generation of the Graf von Schönborn family: Paul Graf von Schönborn. In addition to the Rheingau estate, Schloss Schönborn also own Schloss Hallburg in the village of Volkach in Franken and Casa Cadaval in Ribatejo in Portugal. The family is also involved in forestry, owns a sawmill and runs a large agricultural business growing sugar beets, wheat and barley. They claim the oldest „drinkable“ bottle of Rheingau Riesling: their 1735 Johannisberger, which was sold at auction in 1987 for $29.5K, tasted, then recorked.

Style & Vinification Techniques

Nearly all of Schloss Schönborn’s production is dedicated to Riesling, and 70% of it is dry. Harvest is done by hand, and no botrytisis allowed in the dry wines. The estate ferments the wines with cultured yeasts in stainless steel tanks. The Grosses Gewächs are aged in doppelstück and bottled in May the year after harvest. 

Producer Website: Schloss Schönborn