Hessian State Wineries, Kloster Eberbach – Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Cabinet, naturally clear, 1963: A testament to the wine culture of the Rheingau
Introduction
The 1963 vintage in the Rheingau is one of those vintages that rarely takes centre stage in the collective memory of the wine world. It was a year that presented winemakers with considerable challenges and was characterised by changeable weather conditions. Nevertheless, some wines from this year – particularly those from the steep slopes of the Rüdesheimer Berg – have undergone a remarkable evolution over the decades. The 1963 Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Cabinet naturrein from the Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach is one such example: a wine that bears the hallmark of one of Germany’s most traditional wine-growing estates and, at the same time, stands as a testament to a wine-making tradition that has all but disappeared.
The Hessian State Wineries of Kloster Eberbach
The Hessian State Wineries of Kloster Eberbach can look back on a history spanning almost nine centuries. They have their origins in the Cistercian monastery of Eberbach, which was founded in 1136 by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. The monks, who had been sent from Burgundy, soon began cultivating vines near their monastery, originally to produce sacramental wine. However, the wine pressed from the monks’ vineyards soon proved to be a sought-after commodity, and the Eberbach wine industry expanded to such an extent that the estate became Germany’s largest as early as the Middle Ages.
Following secularisation in 1803, the estate was taken over by the Duke of Nassau; from 1866 it was managed as a Royal Estate by the Prussian State, and since 1945 it has been run by the State of Hesse as a shareholder. Eberbach Abbey has been holding its own auctions since 1806 and, over a hundred years ago, as a leading German winery, was a co-founder of the Association of Prädikat Wineries (VDP), which at that time was still known as the ‘Association of German Natural Wine Auctioneers’. The client list of the Royal Prussian estate read like an extract from the European directory of the nobility, and not least among those who appreciated the wines of Kloster Eberbach were Imperial Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the German Emperor and the Rothschild banking family.
With 238 hectares of vineyards, Kloster Eberbach is now Germany’s largest winery and is a member of the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates (VDP). The vineyards stretch across the Rheingau and the Hessische Bergstraße, with Riesling being the dominant grape variety at 74 per cent.
The Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck vineyard
Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck is one of the most renowned vineyard sites in the Rheingau, nestled between the Berg Schlossberg and Drachenstein sites. The name ‘Roseneck’ derives from the wild rose hedges that grow on the exposed rock outcrops. The vineyard was first mentioned in a document as early as around the year 1200 as ‘offe dem berge’ and thus looks back on a wine-growing tradition spanning over eight hundred years.
The vineyards on the Rüdesheimer Berg trace their origins back to old estates belonging to the Electorate of Mainz, some of which date back to the 12th century. Across its entire expanse, the Roseneck vineyard faces south with a gradient of 33 per cent, ensuring optimal exposure to the sun. The soil consists of weathered quartzite and schist deposits – a stony terroir that generally produces structured, mineral-driven Rieslings with crisp acidity, high extract levels and pronounced ripeness. The western, steeper part of the vineyard tends to produce more delicate Rieslings, whilst in the eastern part the wines often exhibit a more pronounced acidity.
The 1963 vintage in the Rheingau
The 1963 vintage was not an easy one for the Rheingau. As in other German wine-growing regions, it was characterised by changeable weather conditions, which called for careful selection and a high degree of craftsmanship. The wines from this year are characterised by moderate alcohol content and fresh acidity – qualities that often made them seem austere at first, but which, over the decades, have proved to be the foundation for remarkable longevity. Tasting notes for similar Rheingau wines from 1963, such as a Kiedrich Heiligenstock Riesling Kabinett, describe a semi-dry style with a ripe, spicy tannin structure and an alcohol content of around 9.5 per cent. A Schloss Reinhartshausen Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spätlese from the same vintage displayed a deep amber colour and was described as remarkably long-lasting.
The designation ‘Cabinet naturrein’
The term ‘Cabinet naturrein’ on the label refers to a wine terminology that is no longer in use today. The term ‘Cabinet’ – later adopted as ‘Kabinett’ in German wine legislation – referred, in the traditional Rheingau understanding, to a wine of particular finesse and character, pressed from fully ripe grapes. The addition ‘naturrein’, in turn, dates from the period before modern wine regulations and defined a wine that had not been chaptalised, i.e. not enriched with sugar. The term ‘naturrein’ was the historical equivalent of today’s ‘Qualitätswein mit Prädikat’ and disappeared from labels following the wine reforms of the 1970s. A wine labelled ‘Cabinet naturrein’ from 1963 is therefore an authentic testament to the classic Rheingau winemaking tradition, which was upheld right up into the 1960s.
Winemaking and ageing
Wine-making at Eberbach Abbey in the 1960s followed traditional methods. The grapes were harvested by hand and matured in the monastery’s historic vaulted cellars – including the legendary ‘Cabinetkeller’, where the Cistercians had for centuries stored their finest wines to mature gently. Fermentation took place in wooden barrels, and the ageing process lasted several months. The ‘Cabinetkeller’ was a special place that the monks had chosen for the maturation of their most valuable wines – a place with a constant temperature and high humidity, offering optimal conditions for the slow development of great wines.
Tasting notes and maturation
A well-stored 1963 Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Cabinet naturrein presents itself today – more than six decades after the harvest – at a fascinating stage of development. The colour has evolved from an initial pale yellow, through golden hues, to a deep amber, as is typical of mature Rieslings from this region. On the nose, the classic tertiary aromas of mature Rheingau Rieslings are evident: dried apricots, candied citrus fruits, beeswax and acacia honey, accompanied by a delicate minerality reminiscent of wet slate and quartzite. The distinctive spice characteristic of the Rüdesheim Roseneck vineyard is still present even after decades and lends the wine a remarkable complexity.
On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied to light, with a lively acidity that lends it freshness and structure despite its age. The sweetness is subtle and well-integrated; the tannins have long since become silky. The finish is long, leaving notes of undergrowth, dried herbs and a hint of petrol – that unmistakable mature note that characterises great aged Rieslings. Comparable wines from Kloster Eberbach, such as a 1943 Steinberger Riesling Cabinet naturrein, which was awarded 93 Falstaff points in 2018, also demonstrate this remarkable longevity and freshness. The tasting note describes “subtle notes of iodine, blossom honey and lime blossom”, a “completely dry palate with lively acidity” and a “long and consistent finish” – characteristics that are also likely to be characteristic of the 1963 Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck.
The significance of the 1963 vintage for Kloster Eberbach
The 1963 vintage coincided with a period of upheaval for the German wine industry. The 1960s were marked by the onset of modernisation in viticulture, the introduction of new cellar techniques and a gradual move away from traditional designations such as ‘Cabinet’ and ‘naturrein’. The 1963 Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Cabinet naturrein is thus a testament to the ‘old school’ – a wine produced using methods that are scarcely practised today, and which demonstrates the independence of Kloster Eberbach at a time of change.
The wines from Kloster Eberbach have always enjoyed an excellent reputation. The monastery’s wine treasury, which dates back to 1706, still houses fine vintages from past centuries that rank among the world’s most valuable wines. The 1963 Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck continues this tradition and stands as a living testament to the nine centuries of wine-growing heritage at Kloster Eberbach.
Conclusion
The Hessian State Wineries’ Kloster Eberbach – Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Cabinet naturrein 1963 is far more than just a historical wine. It is an ambassador for a bygone era of winemaking, a testament to the culture of the Rheingau’s steep slopes and a testament to the extraordinary longevity of great Rieslings. Anyone who has the opportunity to taste a well-aged bottle of this wine should do so – not only because of its rare age, but because it tells the story of a winery that has been making wine history for almost nine centuries. The combination of terroir, craftsmanship and time embodied in this wine makes it a quiet yet impressive testament to the history of German viticulture.
