Crusius Dr

🍷 Brief report: Dr Crusius winery

The Dr. Crusius winery in the small municipality of Traisen is one of the absolute top wineries on the Nahe. It is a traditional, family-run winery that is deeply rooted in the history of the region and today stands for world-class, terroir-driven wines with a modern interpretation.

📜 History & location

A long tradition: the Crusius family has been growing grapes in the Nahe Valley since 1576 and is now the 14th generation to run the winery .
From a mixed operation to a top estate: In the 1950s, it was still a mixed agricultural operation with 7.5 hectares. Under the management of Dr Peter Crusius from 1990 onwards, the area was continuously expanded and managed to world-class quality .
Young generation: Since 2019, the estate has been managed by Rebecca Crusius, who took over from her father after completing her studies in Geisenheim .
Historic headquarters: Built in1888, the estate building with its remarkable vaulted cellar forms the centrepiece of the winery .

🍇 Vineyards & grape varieties

Today, the winery cultivates around 30 hectares of vineyards .

Grape varieties: The portfolio is clearly focussed on the king grape: Riesling makes up 55% of the planting. Pinot Blanc follows with 35%, the rest is accounted for by Pinot Noir, Frühburgunder and other varieties .
Top sites: 70% of the vineyards are classified as VDP Erste Lage or VDP Grosse Lage. The estate's best-known and most prestigious sites are:
- Traiser Bastei: The most spectacular site at the foot of the Rotenfels, the highest cliff north of the Alps .
- Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg and Kupfergrube as well as Norheimer Kirschheck .
Soil and terroir: The wines benefit significantly from the unique soils, which are characterised byred porphyry and volcanic rock - a defining element for the pronounced minerality of Crusius wines .

🌟 Wine philosophy & specialities

Craft & tradition: The work in the steep terraced vineyards requires intensive manual labour, especially during selective hand-picking. Vinification is carried out gently in the historic vaulted cellar.
Elegant style: The winery is known for elegant, straightforward Rieslings that clearly express their origin and the mineral flavour of the respective location . The winery has been a member of the VDP (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates) since 1984 .

🏆 Awards

The consistently outstanding quality of the wines is confirmed by a wealth of national and international awards.

Leading wine guides: Gault Millau regularly honours the estate with 4 grapes. The Eichelmann wine guide also regularly awards 4 stars and the Vinum wine guide 4.5 stars.
Major honours: in 2005 it was awarded the title "Collection of the Year" by Wein-Plus. The greatest recognition followed in 2018: Dr Peter Crusius was named"Winemaker of the Year" for the Nahe region by the renowned Vinum wine guide.
Top ratings: International critics such as Stuart Pigott regularly award top scores, including 98 Parker points for the 2023 Traiser Bastei Riesling GG. Hugh Johnson called the wines of Hans Crusius the "benchmark for good German wine" as early as 1976.