Maximin Grünhaus

Exquisite, Expressive Rieslings from a Legendary Ruwer Estate

The historic Maximin Grünhaus estate lies at the foot of a long, steep south-facing slope on the left bank of the tiny Ruwer river, about two kilometers upstream from where it joins the Mosel. The estate belongs to the family of Carl von Schubert and is divided into three separate but contiguous vineyards: Abtsberg, Herrenberg, and Bruderberg. Each of these vineyards has its own distinct differences in terroir, which explain the unique character of the wines made at Maximin Grünhaus.

The Wines

THE CORE U.S. SELECTION

These wines offer a representative cross-section of the Maximin Grünhaus estate’s range of wines. They will be maintained in continuous supply until the vintage is sold out. But the estate also makes a lot of other amazing wines, which are available by special order (see below).

INTRODUCTORY WINE

Maximin Grünhaus Riesling “Maximin”

A delightful off-dry Riesling that combines fresh fruit flavors with an optimal interplay of sweetness and acidity. This introductory wine displays the fine character of the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region in the inimitable style of Maximin Grünhaus. It has a charming lightness that makes it hard to resist. Balanced and refreshing with fine, crisp acidity and aromas of fresh apples, mirabelle and pear.

ESTATE WINES

Maximin Grünhaus Schloss Riesling (formerly Monopol)

A precise and delicately defined dry-style Riesling, harvested from this estate’s wholly-owned hillside of contiguous vineyards. The wine perfectly captures the exotic fruit and delicate precision that are classic characteristics of the Grünhaus estate. It is made in the German trocken (dry ) style, which balances a small amount of residual sweetness (less than nine grams per liter) with vibrant acidity. This carries the official VDP classification of “Gutswein” (estate wine).

Maximin Grünhaus Grünhäuser Riesling (formerly Alte Reben)

A nuanced and complex dry Riesling selected from parcels in this cult producer’s best two vineyards. This is the estate’s “Ortswein” (VDP equivalent of villages), which expresses the unique terroir of their contiguous hillside of vineyards, their characteristic slate soil, and their singular location in this tiny, protected side valley of the Mosel. While the “Schloss” Riesling represents the distinctive style of the estate, the Grünhäuser Riesling brings you the taste of the dirt. The redundancy in the name occurs because this is the one estate in Germany where the estate and “village” share the same name: Grünhaus (“Grünhäuser” is the possessive form in German).

Maximin Grünhaus Riesling Sekt Brut

For the Riesling Sekt, 100% healthy grapes were harvested in the Herrenberg vineyard at the end of October, 2014. Whole clusters were pressed with low pressure, fermented in old Fuder casks until Christmas, and left on the full lees until April 2015. After racking and filtering the wine was taken to a local Sekt producer who handled the second fermentation in the bottle, maturation in bottle, hand riddling and disgorgement — the classic “méthode champenoise.” The dosage was done with an excellent 2011 Herrenberg Auslese, taking the wine to the upper limits of brut.

Maximin Grünhaus Pinot Blanc

Our Pinot Blanc grows exclusively in the upper portion of the Herrenberg vineyard, notable for its red slate soils. It is spontaneously fermented in neutral Fuder casks produced from our own local oak. This ensures that the wood does not influence the taste of the fruitiness and freshness of the wine, although it does impart a refined structure and elegance. The Pinot Blanc is bright and fresh, with all of the verve you would expect from a cooler, higher-elevation site.

Maximin Grünhaus Pinot Noir

Dr. Carl von Schubert long yearned to bring top-quality Pinot Noir back to the Grünhaus vineyards. His vision finally become reality in 2007, when one hectare of Pinot Noir (Dijon clones 777 and 828) was planted on one of the best and steepest parcels of the Abtsberg. Following classic maceration and fermentation in open stainless steel tanks, the Pinot Noir spends 18 months in French and Austrian oak, as well as locally made barriques from our own oak trees. In order to develop maximum complexity and structure, we use a combination of first, second and third fill barrels. The result is a complex and elegant Pinot Noir, that proudly expresses its kinship to the Grünhaus Rieslings.

SINGLE-VINEYARD WINES

Maximin Grünhaus Abtsberg

Wines from this vineyard were originally destined for the table of the Abbot (or “Abt”) of the Abbey of St. Maximin. The site covers 35 acres, parts of which have been planted with vines for over a thousand years. The subsoil is blue Devonian slate and the hillside runs south-east to south-west, achieving a gradient of up to 70 percent. Abtsberg wines are characterized by a finely structured, subtle minerality, a racy acidity, generous fruit and great delicacy. They are amongst the longest lived Rieslings of the region.

Maximin Grünhaus Herrenberg

Wines from this site were made specially for the Abbey’s choirmasters. Extending over 40 acres, the site benefits from deep soils with good water retention, over a base of red Devonian slate. Wines from the Herrenberg show fruit and body early in their lives, but also possess extraordinary ageing potential.

SPECIAL ORDER WINES

In addition to the core wines, these additional Maximin Grünhaus wines are available in limited quantities on a pre-arrival basis, and depending on vintage. For more information, contact us.

Maximin Grünhaus Herrenberg Riesling Auslese, Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Auslese

Auslese is a special selection of very ripe grapes picked quite late in the harvest, often with a bit of botrytis.

Special Fuder Nr. Auslese

Each year, after continuous tasting in the cellar, a few special barrels of Auslese are chosen for Fuder number designation. The selection changes with each vintage (as do the Funder numbers), but always represents the most dinstinctive Auslese wines of the year.

Eiswein, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese

These are extremely small-production, high-end sweet wines that are only produced when nature provides the necessary raw materials. Naturally, therefore, availability varies with each vintage.

Don't Miss Out!

Be the first to know when your favorite winemaker comes to town. Sign up to learn about awards, events, vintages and more.

Are you of legal drinking
age in your country?

You must be of legal drinking age to enter this site.