The Estate of Maximin Grünhaus is situated on a south facing slope on the left bank of the small Ruwer river, which shortly after flows into the Moselle about six kilometers downstream from Trier. Trier is one of the oldest cities in Germany. The vineyards face the old buildings of the former monastery with its spacious cellars, dating back to the Roman era, when vines were already planted here in the first century A.D.

The monopole of the Maximin Grünhäuser vineyard encloses 33 ha (about 80 acres) and is situated on a steep, south-facing hillsite. Riesling is the only grape grown here. The soil, due to its sun exposure, is quickly warmed up providing a warm micro-climate which in combination with sufficient rain produces good quality wines even in rather difficult years.

Grown healthily and according to organic agricultural principals, the grapes are harvested by hand. To collect the grapes at their best three to four, sometimes seven pickings are conducted. Despite the use of modern techniques in the cellar, the wines are still stored and aged in traditional oak barrels allowing the wines to develop their individual character.

Minimal intervention is the philosophy at the estate; a philosophy carried by Dr. Carl von Schubert, the owner and his winemaker Alfons Heinrich, who has been with von Schubert for close to 20 years.

* The "Bruderberg" (ca. 2.5 acres) with light soil of weathered slate is located on the bottom of the hillsite and produces strong, hearty wines with fine traces of minerality provided by the soil.

* The "Herrenberg" (ca. 47.5 acres) consists of a mix of red and blue slate taking up the middle and top part of the hillsite and producing filigrane, strong wines with an elegant bouquet. They always display fine acidity and represent the better and best quality of the year.

* The "Abtsberg" (ca. 35 acres) is located in the center, which is the steepest part of the hillsite, consisting of blue Devonian weathered slate. The wines of

The monopole site of Maximin Grünhaus is divided into the
single vineyards:

          "Bruderberg"
          "Herrenberg"
          "Abtsberg".

The names date back to the 6th century, when Emperor Otto I., successor of Charles the Great, gave the estate and the vineyards to the Benedictine Monastery of St. Maximin in Trier.
Documentation of this transaction still exists in the French National Library in Paris.

Other documents from the Middle Ages prove that the Maximin Grünhäuser wines were already recognized for their high quality at the time fetching the highest prices in the region laying ground for the world wide recognition of the wines today.

In 1802, the monastery was forced to release the estate into the possession of the French government due to the secularization under Napoleon I. annulating all ecclesiastical property. In 1810, Maximin Grünhaus was sold to its first owner from whom it was bought by the von Schubert family in 1882, who then continued the high quality tradition of the estate to this day.


Since 1981 Dr. Carl-Ferdinand von Schubert leads the estate together with his manager and winemaker Alfons Heinrich. In 1995 they were named the "Dreamteam" in the Gault Millau wine buying guide. Together they are responsible for the high quality of the wines with their incomparable finesse and elegance.

The bottom label shows the crest of the von Schubert family, the winery and the vineyards and is used by itself on all quality wines (QbA). With all higher quality level wines (i.e. Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauselse) a special neck-label is used in addition displaying the family crest together with the quality category. The presentation of this great wine gives full credit to its origin and merits.

The Maximin Grünhaus wines stand for highest quality of German wines and are known worldwide as being among the best produced in the country.

A specialty product of the estate is the "Eiswein" (IceWine). Many years of experience has gone into the process of making a good Eiswein. Below is an article by Dr. Carl von Schubert about his experience regarding Eiswein.