Schloss Johannisberg

Schloss Johannisberg sits on a promontory 170 metres above the Rhine in the Rheingau wine region, with a documented history as a winemaking estate reaching back to 1100, when a Benedictine monastery was founded on the site. The present neo-Gothic palace was built between 1820 and 1824 by the Princes of Metternich after French troops destroyed the earlier Baroque abbey buildings. The architect Carl von Hofmann designed a three-winged palace in Gothic Revival style around a central courtyard, with pointed-arch windows, crenellated rooflines, and a square tower. The estate is arguably the most famous vineyard in Germany: its 35-hectare Riesling vineyard enjoys a south-southwest exposure with a unique microclimate. The claim that the first Spatlese Riesling was discovered here in 1775 has shaped German wine history according to tradition, a courier delayed in delivering the harvest permission allowed the grapes to develop noble rot, producing unexpectedly fine wine. The wine cellar with its 18th-century vaults can be toured. The terrace offers a panoramic view over the Rhine, the Rheingau, and the Taunus mountains. The estate now operates as a winery with tastings available.