Steinberg, Kloster Eberbach facts for kids
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Steinberg is a very large vineyard in Germany, located near Hattenheim in the Rheingau area. It covers about 32.4 hectares (which is like 80 acres) and is completely surrounded by a tall stone wall. This makes it the biggest vineyard in Germany that is enclosed by a wall.
Wines from Steinberg are special because they are simply labeled Steinberger. Most German wines need to include the name of the village they come from, but Steinberg is so famous and historically important that it doesn't have to.
The vineyard is owned by the government of Hesse, called Hessische Staatsweingüter (Hessian State Wineries). Today, only Riesling grapes are grown here.
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History of Steinberg
The Steinberg vineyard was started a very long time ago, around the year 1170. It was founded by Cistercian monks from a nearby place called Eberbach Abbey. These monks were known for their farming skills.
The long stone wall that surrounds the vineyard took many years to build. It is about 2600 meters (or 1.6 miles) long and was finally finished in 1767. Imagine how much work that was!
A Modern Wine Cellar
The Hessische Staatsweingüter, which owns Steinberg, built a brand new winemaking building right outside the vineyard wall. This modern cellar opened in 2008. It is now the main place where the state wineries make and store their wines.
This cellar is very large and goes deep underground. It can hold 1.3 million bottles of wine and has huge tanks for 1.8 million liters of wine. Up to 140,000 kilograms of grapes can be processed here every day!
What Does "Steinberg" Mean?
The name Steinberg comes from two German words: Stein, meaning "stone," and Berg, meaning "mountain" or "hill." So, Steinberg means "stony hill."
Even though the vineyard has a big stone wall, the name actually refers to the soil. The ground in the vineyard is very stony. The name was first used for only a small part of the vineyard, but later it became the name for the whole area.
Other Vineyards Named Steinberg
There are a few other vineyards in Germany that are also called Steinberg. However, these other vineyards always use their village name along with "Steinberg." For example, you might see wines from Durbacher Steinberg or Niederhäuser Steinberg. This helps people know which Steinberg vineyard the wine comes from.
The Wines of Steinberg
The Hessian State Wineries make many different kinds of wines from the Steinberg vineyard. They produce dry, semi-sweet, and sweet Riesling wines.
Some of the best dry wines from Steinberg are given a special label called Erstes Gewächs. This means they come from a top-quality vineyard area. A small amount of Steinberg grapes are also used to make very special wines that are sold at wine auctions.
Special "Wall Wine"
Not all parts of the Steinberg vineyard are exactly the same. The ground slopes differently in various areas, from gentle to quite steep. This means some parts get more sun or drain water better than others. Because of these differences, grapes from different sections are often used to make different types of wine.
There's a very special wine called Mauerwein, which means "wall wine." This wine is made from grapes that grow right next to the stone wall. The vines are trained to grow flat against the wall. The stone wall reflects heat, creating a unique tiny climate (called a microclimate) for these grapes. This makes them ripen differently. Mauerwein is made in small amounts and is usually only found at special wine auctions.
