The general idea of a winegrower’s everyday work could hardly be further from reality. Surely nowadays not even the steeper vineyards of the Rheingau have to be cultivated with hoe, pick and spade. There are specially built narrow gauge tractors with every imaginable attachment for this purpose.

Nevertheless the winegrower’s responsibilities involve just as much hard work all year round as in the past.

This applies especially to that most idealised activity in folksongs and romantic films the harvest. Generally this begins about the 15th October and lasts well into November. In the mornings it can be bitterly cold then and frequently it rains at this time of year. Instead of colourful traditional costumes and joyful songs as seen in the films rubber boots, numb fingers and aching backs are the norm.

Even mechanization has not changed that much except that the winegrowers now try to manage with less help to reduce costs in order to offer the wine at more reasonable prices. The winter months previously at least a short period of rest are now used to maintain and service machines and equipment. The first pruning starts in early January until March.

The yearly workload in the vineyards involves between 580 to 600 hours per hectare fully mechanized. That does not involve all the other work from pressing the grapes to the final delivery of the wine. For the wine grower the wine tasting is basically a promotional activity which also means work.

But precisely that is the pride of the family business that we are totally responsible for our own product. That includes all operation from planting the vine through to pressing the grapes and finally the bottling of the wine. Also the marketing is our own responsibility and in the respect it is only the quality of the product which can help.

The costs of cultivation plays a very important roll for the marketing.

On level sites of sufficient size the costs are about € 7.669,39 ( DM 15.000,-- ) per hectare. On difficult steep sites the costs may rise to € 15.338,76 ( DM 30.000,-- ) per hectare. Based on an average yield of 10.000 bottles per hectare this means that the work in the vineyards alone costs € 1,53 ( DM 3,-- ) per bottle.

This calculation applies to almost every winegrower in the Rheingau. Most of these are like us family businesses who are growing cultivating and selling their own wine.

The principle with fertilization and pest control is no more than absolutely necessary.

For over 1200 years wine has been grown in the Rheingau. On prime sites almost continously.
Of course it goes without saying that every winegrower with a sense of responsibility takes good care to maintain the health and continued fertility of his vineyards.

He knows that the soil and the wholesomeness of his wines are his own his children and grand children most important investment. Therefore with mineral fertilization and pest control the following principle applies: as little as possible and no more and no more frequently than absolutely necessary.

Statistics show that only a third of the amount of fertilizer and pesticides are now used compared to 10 years ago with a continued downward trend. Even so fertilization is indispensable.

The vine extracts considerable amounts of nutrients from the soil ( nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium) which in part nourish the yeast and are also absorbed as the highly valued minerals in the wine.

Through regular soil analyses the quantity of mineral fertilizer is adjusted to the actual requirement of the vine and provided at the right time i.e. at the beginning of the growing season. In addition organic fertilizer is spread on the vineyards to break up the soil and maintain its biological balance.

Since the most popular stable manure is no longer available in sufficient quantity green cover planted between alternate vineyard rows as well as foliage and vine pruning provide the organic substances (humus). Green cover also protects from erosion and prevents the soil from compacting under mechanical cultivation of the vineyards.

Sex traps for pest control

The purpose of pest control is to protect the vines from parasites harmful fungi and competing weeds. It ensures a good harvest of sound grapes. Thanks to improved application techniques nowadays pest control can be accurately directed with considerably reduced quantities.
Also fairly exact methods of forecasting infestation were developed so that only when necessary action is taken against parasites. With the use of odoriferous sexual substance traps insecticides could be considerably reduced. Therefore the males of certain vine insects (i.e. the grape berry moths) are confused and lured away by synthetically produced female odoriferous substances so that eggs laid by the females remain mostly unfertilised. This combat method is harmless for bees, non-injurios to beneficial insects and not damaging to the environment) has a high degree of efficiency of about 80 percent.

The winegrowers hope that preventing the grape berry moth from their sexual activity will not antagonise preservationists. Fungus infection has also been reduced by a number of natural measures such as wider spaced vine rows, allowing more light to the vines and cultivation of resistant vine clones. But for some fungus diseases prophylactic spraying is still necessary. Particular attention is taken that this does not occur later than mid August i.e. at least two months before the harvest begins. That leaves sufficient time for the pesticides to be almost completely washed off and neutralised by the rain and dew. Nevertheless small amounts may get into the most but these amounts are far below the maximum permissible limit.

Through fermentation they are totally destroyed so no trace remains in the wine. The Rheingau winegrowers have the additional advantage of the nearby Research Institute in Geisenheim helping them in the development of ecological winegrowing. The excellent advisory service and the frequently offered seminars by the Rheingauer Weinbauverband ensure that the Rheingau winegrowers are amongst the most advanced in the world in the sphere of environmental preservation.

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There is a saying in the Rheingau that there are more old wine drinkers than old doctors. This sounds banal but there is much truth in it which has even been scientifically proved. Justus von Liebig wrote as early as 1844: its hard to believe how many quantities of wine are consumed by people of all ages on the Rhine without any noticeable detriment to the health of the spirit and body. Blessed by nature gout and stone illnesses are nowhere less known than in this Rheingau region. In earlier centuries wine was drunk as medicine and drug at the same time. The wine played an important role in the social life of the people, in their religions and rites. In ancient Mesopotania the letters for wine and for life were identical. And Saint Augustinus ( A.D. 354 – 430 ) confirmed: in many cases the human being needs wine.

The wine strengthens the weak stomach, refreshes the exhausted strength, heals the wounds of the body and soul, brings joy and provokes the desire for conversation. What happens that wine has such a positive effect on our body and psyche? The many aromatic substances in the wine are carried through the nose to the sensitive nerve cells of the mid-brain which are directly connected to the limbic system from where as it is known the vegetative nervous system as well as emotions and instincts are controlled. Enjoyed in limited quantities wine increases the self confidence accelerates the spirit and increases creativity. At the same time discontent fear and inhibitions are diminished.

Louis Pasteur ( 1822-1895 ) has proved that wine has a germ killing effect. He established that this is not caused by alcohol but by tannin, colouring and the organic acids. But the Roman military bureaucracy knew this already for almost everywhere where the Romans built fortifications they also planted vineyards. During the past 15 years research has been carried out that moderate consumption of wine decreases the probability of a heart attack.

Perhaps the alcohol affects the metabolic process, alters the blood lipids and reduces the danger of a heart attack. Furthermore it is assumed that there is a substance in the wine which has a positive effect on the circulatory system of the heart.

The polyphenolic substances ( tannin and colouring matters ) increase the porosity of the capillary blood vessels. Substances similar to vitamins in the wine could also explain the positive effects on colds.

Of course this has not finally be proven. But Prof. Kliewe of Mainz has definitely found out that the inner walls of the blood vessels of the elderly wine drinkers were as soft, flexible and without signs of calcification as only found in the young.

Wine enlarges the blood vessels, regulates and stabilizes the blood pressure and improves the oxygen supply to the organs.

Also proven is a prophylactic effect against arteriosclerosis so that one can say to the best of ones knowledge: wine consumed in moderation increases the life expectancy.

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Wines from the Rheingau are generally suited to the accompaniment of food.

Lighter food and drinks are the current trend. Wines from the Rheingau are thanks to their low alcohol level and particularly because of their fruity acidity an excellent accompaniment to a good meal. They should have been stored for at least two years to fully complement the individual dishes.

Harmony between wine and food can be achieved by two means.

When the flavours are similar they will complement each other anyway. But when the flavours differ the intensity has to be balanced out. That is why the wine must be matched with the strongest flavoured product in a dish. The sweetness and acidity of the wine and the food should be balanced. This is the second most important rule in the combination of food and wine. The French claim ´white meat- white wine and red meat - red wine´ this is certainly simple but also easily disproved. The main course generally consists of meat, vegetables and gravy. But only very rarely does the meat tastes more intense than the gravy.

Therefore when the gravy dominates the wine must be matched with the gravy and not with the meat. In preparing the base for the gravy the process of roasting or reducing produces a light sweetness through caramelisation. Also crème, crème fraîche or double cream have a slightly sweet flavour. If a wine with low acidity is chosen it can be a dry one. If however a wine is chosen with a pronounced acidity than it should have a delicate sweetness. Here we recommend a semi-dry Rheingau Riesling or a dry Rheingau Spätburgunder. Also a Rheingau Riesling may be chosen if the dark sauce is made with red wine without spoiling the harmony.

Important is the stronger the flavour of the dish the higher should be the alcohol level of the wine. Kabinett wines are light Qualitätsweine and in particular Spätlesen have a higher alcohol level. From France comes the claim that salads and wine do not go together. Surely that is right if one uses too much vinegar. However if one mixes a good Sherry or balm-vinegar and a good olive or nut-oil together on the bases 1 : 3 than a semi-dry Riesling makes a perfect complement. This applies in particular if some rendered bacon, poultry or braised poultry liver is served with the salad. Brawn, pâté, terrines and mousse made of liver or meat are likewise complemented by a semi-dry full bodies Rheingau Riesling.

The fine fruit acidity of the Riesling takes away the fat from the tongue and allows these heavy dishes to appear lighter and more subtle. With the dessert there are five products which a less suited to the wine: vanilla, cinnamon ( dominant flavour ) kiwi, mocca and citrus fruits. Otherwise many types of fruit have a similar acidity to that of the Rheingau Riesling which therefore go excellent with such fruit desserts.

For example an apple tart shows the harmony between dessert and wine very well. Roll out short pastry very thinly top it with slices of apples sprinkle a little amount of sugar and finally add some butter on top. Bake in an oven until the sugar is caramelised. The warm apple tart is then served with a medium sweet Riesling Spätlese. .Firstly taste the wine and then the apple tart etc.

Since the tart is slightly sweeter than the wine the wine will taste less sweet . The acidity is more pronounced. Those who have tried this will hardly ever want coffee with apple tart again. As you see the Rheingau wines both red as well as the white accompany food well: they have a refreshing and stimulating effect emphasise the subtleties of the dishes extremely well are easily digested and provide perfect harmony in complementing many dishes.

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