![Steinberg Rheingau 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Steinberg_Rheingau_2.jpg)
Steinberg is a wall-enclosed vineyard (a ''
Clos
Clos may refer to:
People
* Clos (surname)
Other uses
* CLOS, Command line-of-sight, a method of guiding a missile to its intended target
* Clos network, a kind of multistage switching network
* Clos (vineyard), a walled vineyard; used in France, ...
'', using French terminology) near
Hattenheim
Hattenheim is a ''Stadtteil'' in Eltville am Rhein, Hesse, Germany. It lies within the Rheingau wine region.
Points of interest
* Burg Hattenheim
* Eberbach Abbey (Kloster Eberbach)
* Schloss Reichartshausen
* Steinberg, Kloster Eberbach
...
in the
Rheingau
The Rheingau (; ) is a region on the northern side of the Rhine between the German towns of Wiesbaden and Lorch near Frankfurt, reaching from the Western Taunus to the Rhine. It is situated in the German state of Hesse and is part of the Rheing ...
.
[Der Steinbergkeller](_blank)
, accessed on December 29, 20109
accessed on January 24, 2013 It is the largest wall-enclosed vineyard in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
.
Steinberg is one of handful single vineyard sites in Germany which for reasons of historical significance have dispensation from having to include a village name together with the vineyard's name, so the wines from Steinberg are simply labelled ''Steinberger''.
The vineyard belongs to the government-owned ''Hessische Staatsweingüter'' (Hessian State Wineries) and is today planted with only
Riesling
Riesling (, ; ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling wh ...
vines.
History
![Steinbergkeller Rheingau2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Steinbergkeller_Rheingau2.JPG)
It was founded around 1170 by
Cistercian
The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...
monks of nearby
Eberbach Abbey
Eberbach Abbey (German: Kloster Eberbach) is a former Cistercian monastery in Eltville in the Rheingau, Germany. On account of its Romanesque and early Gothic buildings it is considered one of the most significant architectural heritage sites in ...
(''Kloster Eberbach''). The 2600 meter long wall encircling the vineyard was completed in 1767.
The new winemaking facility of the owner ''Hessische Staatsweingüter'' was built just outside the wall of Steinberg. It is now the central cellar of the state wineries and was put into operation here in 2008. Since then the Steinberg has become the operating centre of the largest winery in Hesse.
The Steinberg Cellar was built from 2006 to 2008 according to the plans of the architect Reinhard Moster from Neustadt an der Weinstraße at a cost of 15,800,000 euros. It occupies a floor space of 64 meters by 83 meters and extends from the level of the courtyard with three floors to 14 meters in depth. The top of the cellar was covered with a two-meter thick layer of earth. It has a storage capacity of 1,300,000 bottles and provides 1,800,000 litres of tank space. On half a hectare the vines grow above the cellar. Up to 140.000 kg grapes per day can be processed in the facilities.
The name Steinberg
The name ''Steinberg'' is German for "stony hill" after ''Stein'' = stone and ''Berg'' = mountain or hill. Although Steinberg is surrounded by a stone wall, the name actually refers to the vineyard's stony soil, rather than to the wall.
The name was originally used for only a part of the vineyard, but later became the name of the entire area.
The name Steinberg is also used for several other single vineyard sites in Germany. However, for all these other vineyards, the name Steinberg will be used together with a village name, such as
Durbacher Steinberg (in
Baden
Baden (; ) is a historical territory in South Germany, in earlier times on both sides of the Upper Rhine but since the Napoleonic Wars only East of the Rhine.
History
The margraves of Baden originated from the House of Zähringen. Baden is ...
) or
Niederhäuser Steinberg (in
Nahe).
Wines
![Steinberg Rheingau 4](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Steinberg_Rheingau_4.jpg)
The Hessian State Wineries produces wines of many different styles from Steinberg, both dry, semi-sweet and sweet Rieslings. The vineyard is classified as an
Erste Lage
The German wine classification system puts a strong emphasis on standardization and factual completeness, and was first implemented by the German Wine Law of 1971. Nearly all of Germany's vineyards are delineated and registered as one of approxi ...
and therefore may be used for the production of dry wines using the
Erstes Gewächs
The German wine classification system puts a strong emphasis on standardization and factual completeness, and was first implemented by the German Wine Law of 1971. Nearly all of Germany's vineyards are delineated and registered as one of approxi ...
designation. Some of the Steinberg grapes are used for small-lot auction wines sold at the biannual
wine auctions
A wine auction may also auction other alcoholic beverages than wine. There are two basic types of wine auctions: ''first hand wine auctions'', where wineries sell their own wines, and ''second hand wine auctions'', arranged by auction houses or ...
.
In similarity to many other large, wall-enclosed vineyards such as
Clos de Vougeot
Clos de Vougeot, also known as Clos Vougeot, is a wall-enclosed vineyard, a ''clos'', in the Burgundy wine region, and an ''Appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) for red wine from this vineyard. It was named for the River Vouge, which is in ...
, the entire vineyard is not homogeneous in quality. The slope varies between 15% and 35% inside the wall, which results in differences in sun exposure and drainage. Typically, different parcels (sub-areas) of Steinberg will be used for wines of different types. A parcel named ''Zehntstück'', located in the middle slope, is the source for the best dry wines in most vintages.
A row of vines just inside the wall are trained in an
espalier
Espalier ( or ) is the horticultural and ancient agricultural practice of controlling woody plant growth for the production of fruit, by pruning and tying branches to a frame. Plants are frequently shaped in formal patterns, flat against a struct ...
fashion directly against the stone wall, and these vines have a markedly different
microclimate
A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squ ...
because of the heat reflected by the stones. The grapes from these vines are harvested separately and are made into small amounts of ''Mauerwein'' ("wall wine"), which typically only are found at the wine auctions.
References
External links
{{portal bar, Wine
Vineyards of Germany
Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis
Rheingau