The "Graf Adelmann" winery is located in the municipality of Kleinbottwar (Württembergisch Unterland area) in the German wine-growing region of Württemberg. Winegrowing at Schaubeck Castle was first documented over 700 years ago in 1297. In 1914, the castle was inherited by the Count Adelmann family. Since 2012, the fifth generation of the family, Felix Graf Adelmann, has been at the helm of the winery. The estate also includes 60 hectares of agricultural land, but this has been leased out since 1990. The wines are not vinified at the castle itself, but in the 500-year-old "Amtskeller" in the municipality of Kleinbottwar, a few hundred metres away from the castle.
The vineyards, some of which are steeply terraced, cover 27 hectares of vineyards in the municipalities of Kleinbottwar (16 hectares), Grossbottwar (1 hectare), Hoheneck (3 hectares of terraces) and 6 hectares between the Bottwartal and Remstal valleys. The three individual vineyards Kleinbottwarer Oberer Berg, Götzenberg and Süßmund, defined as Grosse Lagen according to the VDP classification, are solely owned. The extensive range of grape varieties includes the red wine varieties Lemberger (Blaufränkisch), Samtrot, Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Frühburgunder, Trollinger (Schiava Grossa), Muskat-Trollinger, Cabernet Cubin, Cabernet Mitos, Dornfelder and Blauer Urban (Schiava Gentile), as well as the white wine varieties Riesling, Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grüner Veltliner Muskateller and Traminer. The vineyards have been cultivated according to the guidelines of organic viticulture since 2015 and have been fully certified organic since 2018. In addition, some areas are farmed biodynamically.
The white wines are mainly made from whole grapes. These are fermented cold to accentuate the aromas. The red wines are aged in large and small wooden barrels after the classic mash fermentation. The noble sweet wines known as "Brüssele'r Spitze"(ice wine, TBA, etc.) was introduced in 1945 as the first German premium wine. The name goes back to the Barons of Brusselle-Schaubeck, who resided here from 1853 until the beginning of the 20th century. Other wines are "Der Loewe von Schaubeck" (white and red), the cuvée "Herbst im Park" (Lemberger, Pinot Noir, Cabernet varieties), and as Grosses Gewächs "Der Schwarze Löwe" (Lemberger) and "Das Lied von der Erde" (Riesling). At a gala dinner in honour of US President Ronald Reagan (1911-2004), hosted by German President Richard von Weizsäcker (1920-2015), a Lemberger from the house was served. Fine brandies and bottle-fermented sparkling wines are also produced. The winery is a member of the VDP, as well as a founding member of HADES and the German Barrique Forum.
Schaubeck Castle: by Mussklprozz - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
