The steep and imposing vineyards of he Maximin Grünhaus estate have grown some of the most celebrated Rieslings of the past century. the exceptional quality of this site was recognized as far back as Roman times, and vines were growing here as early as the first century. The estate and its three distinct vineyards – Bruderberg, Herrenberg and Abtsberg – acquired their present names in 966, when Emperor Otto I bestowed the property to the Benedictine monastery of St. Maximin in Trier. Maximin Grünhaus was renowned for its wines throughout the Middle Ages, and documents from the time show that its wines consistently fetched the highest prices in the region. In 1802, the estate was appropriated by the French government of Napoleon I, and was sold to a private owner in 1810. The von Schubert family purchased Maximin Grünhaus in 1882, and today Dr. Carl von Schubert is the fifth generation of his family to head the estate.
Each of the three vineyards has a distinct personality, and they are always vinified and bottled separately. Bruderberg, supposedly named for being the vineyard the produced wines for the monastery’s novices, creates the lightest wines, which are often sold only in Europe. Herrenberg, previously the source of wine for the senior monks, is composed of a mixture of red and blue slate, creating wines of pronounced body but also of great elegance and finesse. It was particularly successful in the 2006 vintage, as expressed by the refined and concentrated Auslese and the even richer Auslese # 49, a special selection picked at hither must weights. Abtsberg, once the vineyard of the monastery’s abbot, consistently produces the finest wines of the estate, its blue Devonian slate soils imparting a finely honed minerality. The 2006 Abtsberg Beerenauslese is a classic, combining richly concentrated depth with a remarkable clarity and poise. This is winemaker Stefan Kraml’s third vintage at the estate, and with three outstanding performances in a row, he looks to be restoring Maximin Grünhaus to its place in the top ranks of Germany’s wine producers.
Top – Scoring Wines
94 2006 Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Beerenauslese
93 2006 Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg Riesling Auslese Nr. 49
92 2006 Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg Riesling Auslese
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