Reinhartshausen Castle

Reinhartshausen Castle – 700 years of Rheingau Riesling tradition

Reinhartshausen Castle in the Rheingau is one of the oldest wine estates in the world. As early as 1337, the Knights of Allendorf established viticulture at this historic site – a tradition that has continued uninterrupted for almost 700 years. The estate is situated in the municipality of Erbach near Eltville am Rhein, right on the banks of the Rhine.

The history of the estate has been shaped by a succession of noble families. Originally, in the 12th century, the ancestral seat of the Knights of Erbach stood here. At the end of the 18th century, the estate passed to the Barons Langwerth of Simmern and, in 1800, to the Counts of Westphalen, who built the present-day castle. The year 1855 marked a significant turning point, when Princess Marianne of Prussia (née von Oranien-Nassau) acquired the estate. Under her leadership, Reinhartshausen Castle enjoyed a golden age. The estate remained in the Hohenzollern family until 1987.

In March 2013, the vineyard was sold to the Lergenmüller family of winegrowers from the Palatinate. With a total of 190 hectares of vineyards across both wine-growing regions, the Lergenmüllers thus became Germany’s largest private vineyard owners. Today, the winery is managed by Stefan Lergenmüller and cultivates around 64 hectares of vineyards.

At the heart of the estate are its exceptional vineyard sites. Among the most famous are the Erbacher Marcobrunn, the Hattenheimer Nussbrunnen, the Wisselbrunnen and the Erbacher Schlossberg – the latter being the estate’s own vineyard. A unique gem is the Mariannenaue, the largest island in the Rhine. It is a nature reserve and privately owned and boasts its own microclimate, which offers the winemakers scope for exciting experiments with historic grape varieties and PIWI varieties.

The estate’s winemaking philosophy combines respect for centuries-old tradition with contemporary innovation. Since 2021, the estate has been a certified organic winery. The wines come exclusively from the estate’s own classified vineyards in Erbach, Hattenheim and Kiedrich. The range is dominated by Riesling, complemented by Pinot Noir and Silvaner. With over 48 national and international awards since 2013 and a presence in 45 countries , Schloss Reinhartshausen has long since secured a firm place amongst the great estates of the Rheingau. With the next generation – his son Laurenz, who works as the head cellar master at the estate – this fascinating blend of history, craftsmanship and quality will continue into the future.