Location and Climate
The Abtsberg is located in Hörstein, today a district of Alzenau, at the foot of the Spessart in the north-west of Bavaria. The south to south-west facing vineyard site has slope gradients of 20 to 45 percent and comprises around 10 hectares of planted vineyards. Particularly mild and/or warm climatic conditions characterise the site.
Soils and Grape Varieties
The soils consist of weathered rock with gneiss, mica schist, granite and basalt. For the Hörstein Abtsberg, Riesling, Spätburgunder and Silvaner are documented.
Wines
The wines are described as lively, powerful and distinctly expressive. The Spätburgunder is considered to be expressive and well balanced. A Hörstein Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett from the 2024 vintage is described as elegant and finely fruited, with aromas of green apple and lively acidity. It has 11 percent alcohol, 7.7 grams of acidity per litre and 28 grams of residual sugar per litre. The vineyard-site wines from the Staatliche Hofkeller are marketed as VDP.Erste Lage.
History and Classification
The tradition of viticulture in Hörstein is attributed to the Benedictine monastery of Seligenstadt. A chronicle from 1713 dates the acquisition of vineyards by Abbot Beringer to the time around the year 1000. The name Abtsberg has been documented since 1456 and was mentioned again in 1578 in the Hörstein court register. It goes back to the earlier holdings of the Seligenstadt monastery, which held vineyards in Hörstein up to the secularisation. In the Bavarian vineyard sites directory, the Abtsberg is assigned to the Alzenau wine-growing area within the Franconian wine-growing region Franken.
