Hessian State Wineries, Kloster Eberbach – Assmannshäuser Höllenberg Pinot Noir Cabinet, Barrel No. 35, Treasure Chamber, Compartment No. 55, 1953

Hessian State Wineries, Eberbach Abbey – Assmannshäuser Höllenberg Pinot Noir Cabinet, Barrel No. 35, Treasure Chamber Compartment No. 55, 1953

1. Introduction

This wine is an extremely rare gem from the Hessian State Wineries at Kloster Eberbach. The 1953Assmannshäuser Höllenberg Pinot Noir Cabinet – more precisely described as Barrel No. 35 from the Treasure Chamber,Compartment No. 55 – ranks among the most outstanding Pinot Noirs ever produced in the Rheingau . The 1953 vintage is regarded as one of the great ‘Golden vintages’ for German red wine and is ranked by connoisseurs on a par with the finest Burgundies.

2. The Winery: Hessian State Wineries of Kloster Eberbach

The Kloster Eberbach State Wineries are based in the historic Cistercian monastery of Eberbach in the Rheingau and can look backon a history spanningalmost 900 years. They are among Germany’s most renowned wine-growing estates and today cultivate around 200 hectares of vineyards, predominantly planted with Riesling and Pinot Noir. The estate’s wines are characterised by mineral elegance, fruitiness and exceptional ageing potential.

The winery regularly opens its ‘treasure chambers’ as part of annual auctions held in the monastery’s lay dormitory – a tradition dating back to 1806. It is there that exclusive rarities, such as the wine discussed here, are offered for sale.

3. The vineyard: Assmannshäuser Höllenberg

The Assmannshäuser Höllenbergvineyard is one of Germany’s most famous Pinot Noir sites. The vineyard, situated above the Rhine village of Assmannshausen, gained widespread renown as early as the 19th gained great renown thanks to the emergence of Rhine tourism and the opening of the railway line in 1862. Even Emperor Wilhelm II was an enthusiastic consumer of Höllenberg wines and drank an average of one bottle a day.

The golden age of these Pinot Noirs began in 1925 with the construction of one of Europe’s most modern red wine cellars – a gravity-fed facility that was far ahead of its time. Under the winemaker Ewald Schug (father of the later Californian winemaker Walter Schug), world-class wines were produced.

4. The 1953 vintage

The 1953 vintage was an exceptional year for the Höllenberg. Due to coulure (flower drop) , the harvest was modest at just 30 hl/ha, but the optimal weather conditions resulted in exceptional grape quality. The wine is described as ‘super-fine and almost perfectly balanced’ – a breathtaking masterpiece.

The 1953 Höllenberg is one of those wines that regularly receivestop scores of 90 points or morein vertical tastings – alongside other legendary vintages such as 1947, 1926 and 1921.

5. Specification: Barrel No. 35 – Treasure Chamber Compartment No. 55

The precise designation ‘Barrel No. 35, Treasure Chamber Compartment No. 55’ refers to its origin in themonastery’s‘Cabinet’ cellar, where the estate’s most valuable and longest-aged wines are stored. The term ‘Cabinet’ was traditionally the highest quality classification in the Rheingau for dry or semi-dry wines from exceptional sites and barrels.

The wine was vinifiedas a ‘Spätburgunder Cabinet dry ’. Variants also exist as ‘Rot-Weiß Edelbeerenauslese Cabinet’ – a rare, noble-sweet wine. This bottle, from barrel no. 35, represents one of the most exclusive bottlings from this legendary vintage.

6. Tasting notes and ratings

The 1953 Assmannshäuser Höllenberg Pinot Noir was tasted by several renowned critics:

• James Suckling (2022), following a tasting at Biebrich Palace, described it as “super-fine and almost perfectly balanced” and as “a breathtaking masterpiece from one of the world’s great Pinot Noir vineyards”.

• Jancis Robinson MW tasted the wine in July 2008 and awarded it a rating (the exact score is behind a paywall, but the tasting is documented).

• On CellarTracker, the wine is listed with notes describing “a hint of sweetness, red berries, spice, an intense menthol note and minerality, good acidity” as well as a “heavy mouthfeel ”.

• The Tastingbookplatform rates the 1953 Steinberger Cabinet – a comparable top wine from the estate – at 94 Tb points.

7. Market and availability

Wines of this quality and age rarely come onto the open market .They are usually offeredvia auctions or the monastery’s exclusive ‘rarities’ menus. Prices for top vintages of the Assmannshäuser Höllenberg range in the region of several thousand euros per bottle. For example, a 1953 Assmannshäuser Höllenberg Pinot Noir recently fetched around 2,550 euros, whilst other rarities from the treasury are offered for up to 2,500 euros.

8. Conclusion

The 1953 Assmannshäuser Höllenberg Pinot Noir Cabinet – Barrel No. 35 from Treasure Chamber Compartment No. 55 – is a wine of almost mythological status. It combines the outstanding Höllenberg vineyard site, the centuries-old tradition of Eberbach Abbey, the winemaking artistry of the golden era under Ewald Schug, and one of the greatest vintages of the 20th century. For collectors and connoisseurs of great Pinot Noirs, this wine ranks among the most sought-after rarities of the Rheingau – a living testament to an era in which German Pinot Noir rivalled the finest Burgundies in the world.