Location on the Middle Rhine
Osterspai lies on a large bend of the Rhine, along which the river flows from west to east. The municipality belongs to the wine-growing region Middle Rhine, which includes Osterspai as a municipality within the protected designation of origin.
Viticulture and Vineyard Sites
The vineyard site Liebeneck-Sonnenlay is entered in the cadastral district of Osterspai as an official vineyard site. The Liebeneck site lies above the town in the elevated landscape of the Middle Rhine Valley. Even medieval monasteries and the establishment of collegiate foundations are documented as owners of vineyards in Osterspai.
Historical Change
The first Liebeneck residence in Osterspai is said to have been established around 1590. Liebeneck Castle was rebuilt for the von Preuschen family between 1873 and 1875. An infestation of phylloxera led in 1906 to the documented disappearance of right-bank wine growing in Osterspai.
Grape Varieties and Cultivation
A winery in Osterspai described in 2008 cultivated above all Riesling as well as Müller-Thurgau, Dornfelder, Spätburgunder and Kerner. The cultivation was described as close to nature, with a renunciation of insecticides and fertilisation with pomace and compost. The Rieslings were fermented predominantly with pure-culture yeasts in slightly chilled premium stainless-steel tanks.
