Hessian State Wineries, Kloster Eberbach – Rüdesheimer Wilgert Riesling Spätlese Cabinet, Auction Wine 1966

Hessian State Wineries, Kloster Eberbach – Rüdesheimer Wilgert Riesling Spätlese Cabinet 1966: A testament to a legendary Rheingau vintage

The 1966 Rüdesheimer Wilgert Riesling Spätlese Cabinet from the Hessian State Wineries of Kloster Eberbach is a wine of rare historical depth – a liquid monument to one of Europe’s most traditional winemaking dynasties and a testament to a vintage that has gone down in the history of the Rheingau. It combines the centuries-old monastic culture of the Cistercians with the precision of a great German state winery and the elegance of one of the finest Rieslings the Rheingau has ever produced.

The Hessian State Wineries of Kloster Eberbach: Nine centuries of wine culture

The history of the Hessian State Wineries at Eberbach Abbey dates backto 1136, when Saint Bernard of Clairvaux founded the Cistercian monastery at Eberbach. 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 very quickly proved to be a sought-after commodity. At the height of its prosperity, the Eberbach wine estate operated 205 outposts stretching from Cologne to Worms.

Following secularisation in 1803, the estate passed into state ownership – initially to the Duke of Nassau, then from 1866 as the Royal Estate to the Prussian State, and since 1945 to the State of Hesse. The client list of the Royal Prussian Estate read like an extract from the European directory of the nobility: Imperial Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the German Emperor and the Rothschild banking family all held the wines of Kloster Eberbach in high regard. Today , the estate comprises around 200 hectares of vineyards, making it the largest in Germany; it is a member of the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates (VDP).

The Rüdesheimer Wilgert vineyard: a historic terroir

The Rüdesheimer Wilgert is a historic vineyard site in the Rheingau, which is now classified as part of the ‘Große Lage’ Berg Rottland. The site lies directly to the west of the town of Rüdesheim on the banks of the Rhine and rises gently until it meets the steeper Roseneck vineyard. The ‘Wilgert’ section of the vineyard is renowned for its ability to produce dry wines of remarkable harmony – a precise balance of body, acidity and vigour. Yields are exceptionally low, which explains the concentration and depth of the wines. As early as the 1940s, the Rüdesheim Wilgert was a renowned vineyard: at the famous auctions held by the Hessian State Wineries, Wilgert wines fetched top prices of up to 2,090 DM. To this day, the vineyard remains an integral part of the Hessian State Wineries’ portfolio and is also bottled as a ‘Große Lage’ by other renowned producers such as Carl Ehrhard.

The Cabinet Cellar: The birthplace of the term ‘Kabinett’

A distinctive feature of this wine is the designation ‘Cabinet’. The term dates back to the historic Cabinetkeller at Eberbach Abbey, built in1730 – a special place for the careful maturation of the abbey’s finest wines. The wines from this cellar were regarded as the finest produced by Eberbach Abbey in any given vintage, and the term ‘Kabinett’ – now an official quality classification under German wine law – has its origins here. The historic barrels in the Cabinet Cellar pay homage to the legendary Steinberg – the local mountain of the Eberbach monks and, to this day, one of the world’s most renowned Riesling vineyards. The designation ‘Spätlese Cabinet’ on this wine’s label therefore signifies that it is a Spätlese originating from the exclusive Cabinet Cellar – a double mark of distinction for the very highest quality.

The 1966 vintage: a legendary Rheingau vintage

The 1966 vintage is regarded in Germany as one of the great vintages of the 20th century. In the Rheingau, it produced wines of exceptional concentration, depth and longevity. The climatic conditions of 1966 were characterised by a warm, dry summer, which allowed the Riesling grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The wines of this vintage are characterised by a remarkable acidity profile, mineral character and enormous ageing potential – qualities that make them exceptionally long-lived wines.

The existence of the 1966 vintage is documented by numerous bottlings from the Hessian State Wineries: Wines such as the 1966 Rüdesheimer Berg Bronnen Riesling Spätlese Cabinet, the 1966 Rauenthaler Baiken Riesling Auslese Cabinet and the 1966 Rauenthaler Steinhaufen Riesling Spätlese Cabinethave been offeredfor saleat auctions and in specialist shops . These wines continue to fetch high prices to this day and attest to the enduring esteem in which the 1966 vintage from Kloster Eberbach is held.

The wine in the glass: a mature Riesling of rare depth

After more than five decades of bottle ageing, this 1966 Rüdesheimer Wilgert Riesling Spätlese Cabinet is in a condition reserved for only the very greatest rarities. The colour is likely to be a deep, luminous amber to coppery gold – the typical patina of a Riesling that has matured for over fifty years. The nose reveals the classic tertiary aromas of a great Rheingau Riesling: notes of dried apricots, honey and caramel, underpinned by the petrol note characteristic of mature Rieslings and a delicate minerality. On the palate , there is a harmonious balance of sweetness and acidity which, despite its age , retains a remarkable liveliness and length. The Spätlese Cabinet quality lends the wine a richness and depth that make it an extraordinary sensory experience.

Bottles from the 1966 vintage are prized by collectors and connoisseurs alike. The fact that the Hessian State Wineries have been storing their most valuable wines – including the Cabinet bottlings – for decades in the historic Cabinet Cellar and in the monastery’s wine treasury, which dates back to 1706, speaks volumes for the exceptional quality and longevity of these wines. To this day, this treasury still houses fine vintages from past centuries, which rank among the world’s most valuable wines.

A window into a bygone era

For collectors and connoisseurs, the 1966 Rüdesheimer Wilgert Riesling Spätlese Cabinetis far more than just a rare bottle – it is a piece of German wine history. It was produced in a year when the vineyards of the Rheingau were under the care of the State of Hesse, and was vinified according to the traditions developed by the Cistercians over the centuries. The designation ‘Cabinet’ refers to the historic cellar in which the wine matured – a place that had served as a storehouse for the finest wines since 1730 and which gave German wine law the term ‘Kabinett’. Anyone who opens such a bottle holds not only a rare Riesling in their hands, but a liquid monument to a bygone era of German viticulture – and a wine that, after more than five decades of ageing in the bottle, has retained remarkable depth, elegance and vitality.