The winery is located in the municipality of Niederhausen in the German wine-growing region of Nahe. It was founded in 1902 by the Prussian state as the "Königlich Preußische Weinbaudomäne". The estate was run as a classical viticultural domain with the aim of a teaching and model estate to promote the revival and development of viticulture, which had been devastated by phylloxera. The site included a former copper prospecting site, which is now the famous Kupfergrube. To round out the vineyards, 300,000 cubic metres of earth were moved, and the first grape harvest could not take place until 1907. In 1946, the state domain became the property of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and was run under "Gutsverwaltung Niederhausen-Schloßböckelheim". In 1998, the estate was privatised and finally acquired and renamed by Jens Reidel and Dr. Christine Dinse in 2009. Karsten Peter is responsible as the farm manager.
The vineyards cover 30 hectares of vines in the single vineyard sites Bastei (Traisen), Kupfergrube (Schloßböckelheim), Hermannsberg, Kertz and Steinberg (Niederhausen), as well as Rotenberg (Altenbamberg), all of which are classified as VDP-Erste Lage (Grosse Lage from 2012). They are mainly planted with Riesling (27 ha), as well as Pinot Blanc. The product structure of the wines is similar to the VDP classification model. The hierarchy comprises the levels estate wine (Weißer Burgunder, Just Riesling!, 7 Terroirs), local wine (Vom Vulkan, Vom Schiefer), selection from first sites (Steinterrassen from terraced sites) with a yield of 35 hl/ha, Grosses Gewächs (Traiser Bastei, Niederhäuser Hermannsberg, Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube, Niederhäuser Steinberg, Altembamberger Rotenberg) with a yield of 30 hl/ha and Prädikatsweine. Bottle-fermented sparkling wines are also produced. The winery is a member of the VDP (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates).
Picture: © Gut Hermannsberg
