Schloss Johannisberg is aneoclassical palace and historic winery located in the village ofJohannisberg, west ofWiesbaden inHesse, within the renownedRheingau wine region ofGermany. Famous as the world’s first vineyard exclusively dedicated to Riesling, the estate enjoys a winemaking tradition spanning over 900 years.^[1] Originally founded as a Benedictine monastery, the estate was transformed into a Baroque palace and winery in the early 18th century under the ownership of the Prince-Abbots of Fulda.

Schloss Johannisberg
Schloss Johannisberg within its vineyards
Location	Johannisberg (Geisenheim), Hesse, Germany
Coordinates	49°59'58.9"N, 7°59'1.7"E
Founded	1100: 919 years ago
Parent company	Dr. Oetker
Known for	Schloss Johannisberg Riesling
Varietal	Riesling
Distribution	international
Tasting	open to the public
Website	schloss-johannisberg.com

In the early 19th century, the estate entered a new chapter under the ownership of Austrian diplomat PrinceKlemens Wenzel von Metternich. It was bestowed upon him byEmperor Francis I in recognition of his pivotal role at theCongress of Vienna. TheMetternich family became instrumental in safeguarding and advancing the estate’s viticultural legacy, solidifying its global reputation for excellence in winemaking.

Schloss Johannisberg is celebrated as a pioneer in viticulture, particularly for its contributions to the development of late-harvest wines (Spätlese) andice wine (Eiswein).^[2] Its 50-hectare vineyard, planted exclusively with Riesling, stands as a testament to centuries of tradition and innovation. Today, the estate continues to flourish, blending its rich history with modern winemaking expertise.

The palace also serves as a significant cultural venue. It is a prominentlocation for theRheingau Musik Festival, a role made possible by co-founder princessTatiana von Metternich-Winneburg, who ensured the estate’s continued contribution to the arts.

According to legend, the establishment of a vineyard on a mountain along the northern bank of the Rhine nearMainz dates back to the time ofCharlemagne. From hispalace inIngelheim, Charlemagne is said to have observed that snow on Johannisberg melted earlier than on surrounding hills as spring arrived, inspiring the cultivation of vines on its slopes.

The earliest documented history of the area dates to 772, when lands in Geisenheim were donated to theAbbey of Fulda. In 817, the monks exchanged these holdings withLouis the Pious for lands in theWetterau region. The contract explicitly mentioned the parcel’s location along the Elsterbach stream, which runs at the foot of Johannisberg. By 983, EmperorOtto II had granted sovereignty over the western Rheingau to theArchbishops of Mainz, although the vineyard was already known by then as "Bischofsberg" ("Bishop’s Mountain").^[3]

Around 1100, ArchbishopRuthard gifted the vineyard to theBenedictine monastery ofSt. Alban in Mainz. The monks were tasked with establishing a new monastic community on the site, which they dedicated toSaint John (Johannes). This foundation, and its subsequent naming, were associated with the tragicRhineland massacres of 1096 (known in Hebrew asGzerot Tatnó), which took place during theFirst Crusade on 27 May, the feast day ofPope John I. The monastery’s establishment was regarded as an act ofatonement by Archbishop Ruthard and his brother-in-law, Count Richolf of Rheingau, even from a Jewish perspective.^[4][5][6]

By the mid-12th century, the estate was first referred to as “Sankt Johannisberg” ("Saint John’s Mountain"). Until 1130, Johannisberg functioned as a priory of St. Alban’s Abbey. It was subsequently elevated to the status of an independent abbey byAdalbert of Saarbrücken. Around this time, a grand three-nave pillar basilica with nine bays and a prominent transept was constructed on the site. While only its foundations remain today, the basilica marked the height of Johannisberg’s ecclesiastical significance.

For a time, the monastery at Johannisberg even oversaw a priory that would later develop into the famedEberbach Abbey.^[7] In its early years, Kloster Johannisberg operated as adouble monastery, with an adjoining women’s hermitage. One such hermitage, the Saint George’s Hermitage (German:Sankt-Georgsklause), was located at the foot of the mountain. First mentioned around 1170, it existed until 1452 and later lent its name to the present-day wine estate “Johannisberger Klaus.”

After an initial period of prosperity, the monastery experienced a gradual decline. In 1451, CardinalNicholas of Cusa lamented that "the monastery has decayed both internally and externally" due to "the disorderly lifestyle of the monks." However, the monks expressed a willingness to reform, on the condition that the hermitage and its associated estates be assigned to them to secure their livelihood. This request was granted, and in 1457, the convent joined the reform-orientedBursfelde Congregation, ushering in a new period of revival.

TheGerman Peasants' War of 1524/25 marked the beginning of the monastery's final decline, and the raid byMargrave Albert Alcibiades of Brandenburg-Kulmbach during theMargrave's War in 1552 ultimately ruined it. When the last abbot passed away in 1563, ArchbishopDaniel Brendel von Homburg of Mainz decreed the dissolution of the monastery, and its properties were placed under secular administration.

In 1635, during theThirty Years' War, ArchbishopAnselm Casimir of Mainz was forced to pawn Johannisberg to cover the costs of the Swedish occupation of the Rheingau. The monastic church had been destroyed for the first time in 1634. Imperial Treasurer Hubert von Bleymann received all wine revenues as interest on a loan of 20,000Reichsthaler he had provided. The debt was increased by 10,000 Reichsthaler in 1641, and the contract was later transferred to the creditor's descendants, Georg von Gise and his son Johann Heinrich. However, by the early 18th century, the family appears to have lost interest in Johannisberg.

In 1716, ArchbishopLothar Franz von Schönborn sold Johannisberg to thePrince-Abbot of Fulda, Konstantin von Buttlar, who spent a total of 75,392 gulden on the acquisition. He expanded the estate into his summer residence for an additional 148,000 gulden. The Romanesque church was rebuilt and its interior was redesigned in abaroque style according to the plans ofJohann Dientzenhofer.

The dilapidated monaster buildings were demolished and the leading Mainz architects, Andrea Gallasini and Johann Kaspar Herwarthel, constructed a three-winged Baroque palace with a courtyard located to the north. Of this building, the two outer pavilions and the courtyard gate remain unchanged today. Within the palace grounds, the pressing house was given a central position. In 1721, the impressive 260-meter-long vaulted cellar was completed. Significant investments were also made in the vineyards. The vineyard area grew from 14.3 to 18.9 hectares, with half of it newly planted. Almost exclusivelyRiesling was planted, with only a small portion reserved for theOrléans (grape) — then still dominant, for example, in the Rüdesheim hills — andMuscat (grape). For this reason, Schloss Johannisberg still considers itself the oldest Riesling vineyard in the world.^[1] The planting density at that time was significantly higher than today; in 1720 and 1721 alone, 293,950 vines were planted, which corresponds to at least 30,000 vines per hectare. By the second half of the 18th century, larger quantities of Johannisberger wine were being bottled—usually after ten years of barrel aging. Bottling took place in the cellar of the orangery at Fulda's city palace. This cellar, where the finest Johannisberger wines were stored, was overseen by the “secret cabinet,” the private treasury of the Prince-Abbot or Prince-Bishop (from 1752 onward).

These "cabinet" wines were, by today’s standards, selections of late-harvest or botrytized (noble rot) grapes, systematically produced by the Johannisberg estate starting in the last quarter of the 18th century. This tradition almost certainly began in 1775. That year, the courier responsible for delivering a sample of Johannisberg grapes to Fulda to obtain harvest permission was delayed by eight days. In the meantime, the grapes had been affected byNoble rot; nevertheless, wine was pressed from them. On 10 April 1776, administrator Johann Michael Engert remarked that he had never experienced such an excellent flavor. From that point forward, harvests were postponed as long as possible. The first wine officially labeled as a “cabinet” selectionAuslese was likely produced at Schloss Johannisberg in 1779, with the firstIce wine following in 1858.

A monument in the courtyard of Schloss Johannisberg commemorates the "Spätlesereiter" (late-harvest rider). However, these were not the first wines made from noble rot-affected grapes. Such wines are documented as early as the 16th century, and in 1757 a “delicate wine” made from botrytized grapes was also pressed at Schloss Johannisberg.

The estate changed hands several times during the Napoleonic Wars: after the expropriation caused by thesecularization in 1802, it became property of prince William V of Orange, the lastStadtholder of theDutch Republic, who gave it to his son, hereditary princeWilliam, who later became the first king of the Netherlands.^[8] But in 1806, he was expropriated as he refused to join theConfederation of the Rhine, andNapoleon granted the vineyard and palace to MarshalKellermann, the first duke ofValmy.^[8] In 1811, the estate was sold to the banker Peter Arnold Mumm from Frankfurt. At theCongress of Vienna in 1814, it was decided that Johannisberg became Austrian, although the Rheingau became part of theDuchy of Nassau.^[9]

In 1816 the Austrian emperorFrancis I, granted it to theAustrian ChancellorKlemens von Metternich,Prince von Metternich in exchange for an annual payment of one-tenth of the yield from the vineyards that were over twelve years old to theHouse of Habsburg.^[1] This tithe has survived all political upheavals to this day. Since 1945, it has been paid in cash, whereas previously, the barrels were allocated by lot. The current tithe beneficiary isKarl von Habsburg-Lothringen. Originally, the estate was intended to revert to the Habsburg family as afideicommis upon the extinction of the princelyMetternich-Winneburg line. However, this arrangement was abolished with the end of noble privileges in 1920.Austria only renounced its political sovereignty claims over Johannisberg in 1851, which resulted in significant back taxes being paid to theNassau state treasury.

In 1826, the Prince of Metternich remodeled the main building of Schloss Johannisberg in aneoclassical style with help ofGeorg Moller, court architect of theGrand Duchy of Hesse. The reconstruction created a striking contrast: the earlier Baroque design emphasized verticality, whereas the later Neoclassical style shifted the focus to horizontal elements. Furthermore, prince Metternich had a park designed in the English style. Initially, the Frankfurt city gardener Sebastian Rinz was enlisted for this purpose; later plans were carried out by Heinrich Siesmayer, the creator of the Frankfurt botanicalPalmgarden. Note that Schloss Johannisberg was not the main country seat of the princes of Metternich, as this wereKynžvart Castle andPlasy monastery inBohemia.

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  Before and after Georg Moller's neoclassical reconstruction: shifting from verticality to horizontality
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  The neoclassical entrance to the courtyard
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  Ground floor plan (facing south) - The east wing on the left has been rebuilt as a large hall after the Second World War
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  First floor plan (facing south) - In the middle of the main wing is the Hall of Mirrors (Spiegelsaal)

In the first half of the 19th century, Johannisberg became a destination for the emerging Rhine tourism; visitors enjoyed the famous wine right on the castle terrace. Even today, the wine bar remains in this location, surrounded by vine-covered pergolas, espaliered fig trees, and a chestnut-lined avenue. The German artist Carl Hemerlein from Mainz created a book of watercolor drawings depicting Schloss Johannisberg, which he prepared for Prince Metternich. This work is now in the Metternich collections at Kynžvart.

The library in Kynzvart Castle has a map with watercolor drawings by Carl Hemerlein from the 1840s. Professor Wolfram Siemann of the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich published about these drawings in his biography on Prince Metternich.^[10]

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  Baroque palace, 18th century
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  Neoclassical reconstruction
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  Study of Prince Metternich
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  Drawing room of Princess Metternich
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  Wine cellar

Prince Metternich primarily resided in Vienna or on his Bohemian estates, spending only a few weeks each year at Johannisberg.^[11] This pattern continued with his successors, who also spent several weeks annually at the palace.^[12] The first successor was Klemens’ eldest son, the 3rd Prince,Richard von Metternich (1829–1895).^[12] As Richard only had daughters, the title passed to his half-brother, the 4rd Prince, Paul von Metternich (1834–1906), who was then succeeded by his son, the 5th Prince, Dr. Clemens Wenzel von Metternich (1869–1930).^[12]

The Metternich princes took a keen interest in managing the vineyard, aiming to enhance the quality and reputation of its bottled wines.^[13] Their efforts paid off, as Schloss Johannisberg’s Riesling wines gained an outstanding reputation in the 19th century, becoming some of the most expensive wines in the world—often rivaling or surpassing the prices of their Bordeaux competitors.^[13] Additionally, the wines won numerous medals at international wine competitions in Paris, Philadelphia, and Vienna.^[13]

In December 1918, shortly after the end of theFirst World War, a misunderstanding arose following a demand from the occupying forces to surrender weapons.^[12] As a result, highly valuable, mostly oriental weapons from the 13th and 14th centuries—gifts from foreign rulers and part of the State Chancellor's collection—were handed over in a chest reinforced with iron bands.^[12] However, when all confiscated weapons were released on 18 August 1919, these items were no longer found.^[12] On 17 February 1923, theWeimar Republic assessed the compensation value for the lost weapons at 300,000 marks, although this amount was in the context of hyperinflation.^[12]

In 1930, when the 5th prince passed away, Schloss Johannisberg and the Bohemian estates were inherited by his son,Paul Alfons von Metternich-Winneburg, the 6th prince. In 1940 inBerlin, where he belonged to a circle of opponents of the Nazi regime, he met his future wifeTatiana Vassiltschikov, who had a position in the foreign office. Tatiana was born a princess, but had to flee Russia with her family in 1919, following theBolshevikOctober Revolution by joining a group of people who had been evacuated by the British fleet.^[14] The couple were married in Berlin-Grunewald on 6 September 1941. Initially, they lived atKynžvart, but in 1945, they were forced to flee their estates in Western Bohemia due to the advancingRed Army. After theexpulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia, the new Communist government confiscated the princely estates.

The princely couple sought refuge in the Rheingau. Three years before, in 1942, Schloss Johannisberg was heavily damaged during theair raids on Mainz.^[1] More than 300 bombs fell on and around, leaving the palace reduced to a shell.^[15] They first had to live in the housekeeper's flat.^[16] But determined to restore their new home, Prince Paul and Princess Tatiana embarked on a long and laborious reconstruction effort, which spanned nearly two decades, concluding in 1964. As part of the rebuilding, the roofs became more elevated than before the war. During the renovation, the princely couple also managed the winery. While the east wing of the palace was rebuilt, it was not restored as living quarters but was instead repurposed into an indoor tennis hall. In collaboration withHenkell & Söhnlein, part of theOetker Group, the couple introduced the sparkling wine "Fürst von Metternich," which remains a notable product of the estate.^[16]

In 1974, the princely couple shared ownership of Schloss Johannisberg and the winery with theOetker family, solidifying a partnership that ensured the estate's continued operation.

Prince Paul died in 1992, leaving no heirs, marking the extinction of the princely House of Metternich. However, the Metternich name endures through Franz Albrecht von Metternich-Sándor (1920–2009) and his descendants. Franz Albrecht's mother was a descendant of Klemens von Metternich, and he had been adopted by his aunt,Clementine von Metternich-Sandor (1870–1963), the daughter of Prince Richard. A significant portion of Paul's fortune was left to his mistress, which strained the financial position of Princess Tatiana.^[16] As a result, Tatiana was compelled to sell her remaining share of Schloss Johannisberg to the Oetker family. Despite the sale, she retained the right to reside on the estate until her death.^[17] In her later years, Princess Tatiana faced declining health but continued to live at the palace until her death.

Schloss Johannisberg remains privately owned by the Oetker family and is not open to the public, except for special events. The estate is part of Henkell Freixenet, the wine and spirits arm of the Oetker Group.^[15] The vineyards cover approximately 35 hectares (86 acres), continuing the legacy of Riesling winemaking that has defined its history. Within the wine cellar is the so calledBibliotheca Subterranea, which houses about 25,000 bottles of Riesling, of which most date back to the 19th century, although the oldest dates back to 1748.^[15]

In 2024, the vineyard was listed as the fifth best vineyard of the world.^[18] It was third time consecutively that the vineyard was included in the top ten of the world's best wine estates.^[19]

Tradition has it that on one occasion a messenger fromHeinrich von Bibra, Prince-Bishop and Abbot ofFulda, was 14 days late in bringing the papers to give thecellar master permission to start harvesting the grapes. At least two alternative stories exist to explain the delay. One is that the Prince-Bishop was away hunting and was not available to sign the permission to harvest, and the other is that he was intercepted and held by highwaymen.^[20] By this time the grapes had become affected with the "noble rot"Botrytis cinerea. The rotted grapes were then given to the local peasants, who ended up making wine of high quality.^[21] In 1775, Schloss Johannisberg made the firstSpätlese Riesling followed by anAuslese wine in 1787^[22] and an Eiswein in 1858.^[1] Unfortunately for the German tradition, theTokay classification of 1730 relied in part on an area's propensity to noble rot, which suggests that the Hungarians got there first.

Historically the estate used different colour seals for grapes of different ripeness. These classifications were used as the basis for the newGerman wine classification of 1971, thus :

Schloss Johannisberg is a single vineyard designation (Einzellage) in its own right, and one of a handful historic German vineyards which do not have to display a village name on the label. Thus, the vineyard designation on the label isSchloß Johannisberger.

Weingut Schloss Johannisberg is a member of theVerband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP).^[23]

The 35 ha of vineyards consist of a loam-loess topsoil lying on Taunus quartzite. The soils are quite stony and gravelly, enabling them to retain the day's temperature and to buffer temperature fluctuations.

The estate offers guided tours with tastings, a wine bar, shop, and various special events.

The church,Basilika, was originally built for the Benedictine monastery and dedicated to St. Johannes (St.John the Baptist). After the destruction during World War II it was rebuilt as aRomanesquebasilica and has served as the Catholic parish church for the villageJohannisberg. It is also used for concerts of sacred music, of local groups and for concerts of theRheingau Musik Festival,^[24] such as a performance of theHuelgas Ensemble.

In 1999, combined choirs ofGeisenheim andSt. Martin, Idstein, performedGiacomo Puccini'sMessa di Gloria and, in 2001, Rutter'sRequiem andBenjamin Britten'sThe Company of Heaven for speakers, soloists, chorus and orchestra (1937, not performed again until 1989). In 2009, theNeue Rheingauer Kantorei performed Haydn'sDie Schöpfung with soloistsElisabeth Scholl,Daniel Sans andAndreas Pruys.^[25]

TheOstflügel (East Wing) was rebuilt after the destruction to serve as a tennis court.Tatiana von Metternich-Winneburg, a co-founder of theRheingau Musik Festival, turned the hall into a public concert venue, staging 10 of the 19 concerts of the first summer season in 1988, and many recitals and chamber music performances every year following.^[26] After her husband's death the hall was namedFürst-von-Metternich-Saal. von Metternich-Winneburg wasVorsitzende des Kuratoriums (president of the festival's curators) until her death. The tradition has been continued by the present owners. Spanish flamenco guitaristPaco de Lucia for instance performed there in June 2012.

• Josef Staab, Hans R. Seeliger, Wolfgang Schleicher:Schloss Johannisberg. Neun Jahrhunderte Weinkultur am Rhein. Woschek-Verlag, Mainz 2001, ISBN 3-924744-35-1.
• Werner Schäfke:Der Rhein von Mainz bis Köln eine Reise durch das romantische Rheintal. 3. aktualisierte Auflage. DuMont Reiseverlag, Köln 2005, ISBN 3-7701-4799-5, S. 294 ff. (DuMont-Kunst-Reiseführer).
• Clemens Jöckle, Josef Staab:Basilika St. Johannes der Täufer – Johannisberg im Rheingau =Die Schloss- und Pfarrkirche auf dem Johannisberg im Rheingau. 5. neu bearbeitete Auflage. Schnell & Steiner, Regensburg 2007, ISBN 978-3-7954-4823-3 (Schnell, Kunstführer 1099).
• Michael Mott:Kleinod des fuldischen Fürstenhutes. Ein sommerlicher Ausflug in die fuldische Geschichte: Das Schloß Johannisberg im Rheingau. Rieslingweine und Schloßkonzerte, in:Fuldaer Zeitung, 13. Juli 1991, S. 13 (Serie:DENK-mal!).
• Michael Mott:Das Spatläßen zum Gesetz gemacht. Geschichten um den (oder die) Spätlesereiter. Der Johannisberger Ritt jährt sich in diesem Jahr zum 225. Mal, in:Fuldaer Zeitung, 22. Sept. 2000, S. 12.
• Struck, Wolf-Heino (1977).Johannisberg im Rheingau Eine Kloster-, Dorf-, Schloss- und Weinchronik (in German). Frankfurt am Main: Verlag Waldemar Kramer.ISBN 3-7829-0191-6.

• Official website(in German and English)

50°00′00″N7°59′02″E / 50.0°N 7.98378°E /50.0; 7.98378