Heiliggeistspitalstiftung Winery – Freiburg Schloßberg Ruländer Spätlese, dry, 1985

Heiliggeistspitalstiftung Winery – Freiburg Schloßberg Ruländer Spätlese dry 1985: A Baden classic at its peak

The 1985 Freiburg Schloßberg Ruländer Spätlese dry from the Heiliggeistspitalstiftung Foundation Winery is a remarkable testament to Freiburg’s wine-growing tradition, which stretches back over 700 years – and, at the same time, a rare find from a vintage considered to be very good in Baden. The Heiliggeistspitalstiftung, one of Germany’s oldest charitable foundations, has been running its vineyard since 1298, when a ‘Spitaltrotte’ was first mentioned in a document. At that time, citizens donated their vineyards to the foundation as benefices in order to be cared for in their old age – a principle that shaped the link between viticulture and social welfare for centuries. Since 1895, the winery has been based at the Jesuit Castle in Merzhausen, where the wines are still matured today.

The Freiburger Schloßbergvineyard is one of Baden’s finest sites and is classified as a VDP.GROSSE LAGE. The south-facing steep slope, at an altitude of 300 to 360 metres, has a gradient of 40 to 60 per cent and is structured by retaining walls and transverse terraces. Geologically, the soils are characterised by gneiss and the weathering of this rock. Night-time downdrafts from the Black Forest provide cooling and promote the development of acidity and fruit in the grapes. The Stiftungsweingut cultivates around 16 hectares of vines on the Schönberg, Tuniberg and Freiburg’s Schlossberg.

The Ruländer – better known today as Grauburgunder or Pinot Gris – is a Burgundian mutation of Spätburgunder and is one of Baden’s most traditional grape varieties. The name dates back to the merchant Johann Seger Ruland, who discovered the variety in the Palatinate in 1683. In Baden, the historical name ‘Ruländer’ is still used today for fuller-bodied, often somewhat more robust wines, whilst the term ‘Grauburgunder’ tends to refer to the fresher, drier varieties. The dry Spätlese combines the ripeness and richness of a late harvest with the clarity of a dry wine.

The 1985 vintage in Baden was characterised by favourable climatic conditions. In regional wine literature, it is highlighted, alongside 1990 and 1997, as one of the few years with ‘very good results’. After almost four decades of ageing in the bottle, this wine is in a condition enjoyed by only a few bottles. The colour is likely to be a deep gold with amber-coloured highlights. The nose reveals the typical tertiary aromas of a matured Ruländer: notes of dried apricots, honey, caramel, nuts and a hint of quince, underpinned by the delicate spice and minerality characteristic of matured Pinot Gris. On the palate, it displays a harmonious structure with remarkable richness and length, retaining a lively freshness despite its age.

For lovers of great Baden wines, this 1985 Freiburg Schloßberg Ruländer Spätlese dryis an extraordinary experience – a liquid testament to a bygone era of Freiburg viticulture and a rare find from the collection of one of Germany’s most traditional foundations.