Karthauserhof
Karthäuserhof is, without a doubt, one of the great estates of Germany, with a complex and storied history that dates back at least to the 14th century. Officially founded in 1335, the winery was founded as part of a monastery and managed by Carthusian monks for almost 500 years. Following the rise of Napoleon, the estate was secularized and eventually sold to Valenin Leonardy in 1811. The property haes been in same family ever since. Its crown jewel is the legendary Karthäuserhofberg vineyard, a 19-hectare monopole site all in one block, with a mostly south and southwest-facing exposition on the right bank of the Ruwer, on iron-rich soils. It is perfect for Riesling. As of 2022, nearly 20% of the vines have been converted to organic viticulture.
The distinctive neck label, which has since been trademarked and has contributed to the wine’s fame, is believed to have originated when Wilhelm Rautenstrauch, a relative of Leonardy, would meet for wine and card games in the back garden with friends. To keep the bottles cool, he would stand them up in a nearby brook that runs by along property. The problem was that the labels would regularly come off in the running water. To remedy this, he had the brilliant idea of having just a neck label, which has adorned bottles of the Karthäuserhof ever since.
