Schloss Reinhartshausen - Hattenheimer Nussbrunnen Riesling Auslese 1976

⏳ Introduction - The Schloss Reinhartshausen winery

With a documented history dating back to 1337, Weingut Schloss Reinhartshausen is one of the most traditional wineries in the Rheingau. It has been an important name in Rheingau wine culture for more than 680 years, with Riesling taking centre stage.

The winery covers around 80 hectares of vineyards, including some of the most prestigious sites in the region, and is a certified organic winery. A speciality is the ownership of Mariannenaue, the only private wine island on the Rhine. The "Original Schlossabfüllung" designation on the labels guarantees a centuries-old tradition and the highest quality characterised by the terroir.

🌍 The Hattenheimer Nussbrunnen vineyard - the namesake

The VDP.GROSSE LAGE® Nussbrunnen is located to the east of Hattenheim above the Rheingau railway:

• Location & climate: The approximately 10-hectare, south-southeast-facing vineyard extends at an altitude of around 100 metres above sea level with a flat slope of around 10 percent. Thanks to its south-southeast exposure, the Nussbrunnen is protected from cool north winds and can benefit from a high level of sunlight, which means a clear ripening advantage and a favourable microclimate.

• Origin of name: The vineyard owes its name to a spring surrounded by walnut trees in the middle of the vines, which still exists today.

• Soil: The deep loess and sandy loam soils as well as light tertiary marl of this high-quality spring location are characterised by their enormous water storage capacity. Even in hot summer months, the water reserves in the lower soil layers and good oxygen circulation ensure an optimal supply for the vines.

🍷 The 1976 vintage - "One of the better vintages"

The 1976 vintage is considered outstanding in the Rheingau. According to the Wine Spectatorvintage charts , it was awarded a very good 96 points and described as "ripe, powerful; plenty of botrytis".

The ideal conditions with high levels of sunshine enabled the grapes to achieve exceptional physiological ripeness. The strong expression of noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) gave the wines of this vintage a special concentration, complexity and exceptionally long ripening potential.

👅 Tasting notes & enjoyment forecast (condition 2026)

The age of 50 years gives this wine an extraordinary complexity. The following sensory impressions are described by various sources for similar wines from this vineyard and vintage:

• Appearance & Nose: The colour is a "glorious buttercup yellow". The bouquet is perfumed and soft, with aromas of rich peach, barley candy, ripe pear, honey and white flowers.

• Palate & Finish: The wine shows a medium sweet, ripe and fleshy profile with good length and a surprisingly warm but not intrusive acidity structure. The palate is initially dominated by honey and pear, followed by apple, floral notes, dried apricot and a hint of lemon. It is described as very rich and has a long, elegant finish.

• Food recommendation: The auction experts at Christie's recommended drinking this wine on its own - specifically as an accompaniment to itself and not with savoury dishes. "To be drunk by itself, not with food and certainly not as a 'pudding wine'." (To be drunk by itself, not with food and emphatically not a 'pudding wine').

📈 Market presence & collector's value

Due to its age and outstanding provenance, this wine is a very rare collector's item and accordingly sought-after:

• Rarity: The search platform "goowine" classifies it as "hard to find".

• Condition: The value depends heavily on the condition of the bottle. At auctions, a "Levels: 2cm or better" (level 2 cm or more below the cork) is expected for comparable wines from this period. A similar lot of 8 bottles was offered at Christie's in the past.

• Price trend: In recent years, the price for this wine has risen continuously (upward trend). A current price is difficult to determine, but comparable Auslese wines from this top vineyard and this vintage of the century are expected to fetch a mid to high three-digit euro amount per bottle at auction.

🔎 Conclusion

The Schloss Reinhartshausen - Hattenheimer Nussbrunnen Riesling Auslese 1976is a rare and valuable testimony to a golden era of the Rheingau. It combines the famous terroir of a VDP.GROSSEN LAGE® with the ideal conditions of a vintage of the century to create a monumental wine that is a profound and unforgettable experience even after five decades.