Location and History
The Josefsberg, also known as the Bronnbacher Josefsberg or Josephsberg, is located in Bronnbach, a locality of Reicholzheim within the town of Wertheim in the state of Baden. The vineyard was laid out in 1720 by Abbot Joseph Hartmann. Its name is connected with Saint Joseph and the abbot.
Vineyard Areas and Cultivation
The vineyard area covers about 23 a and belongs to the Bronnbach monastery. Since 2017, it has been cultivated by the Fürst Löwenstein winery in Kleinheubach. For the renewal, around 600 young Tauberschwarz vines were planted in 2026; some vines on the stone walls were kept. In doing so, they partly replaced vines over 30 years old; in addition, the row spacing was increased for modern mechanised cultivation.
Grape Varieties and Wines
For the 2021 and 2022 vintages, Schwarz Riesling, Zweigelt, Silvaner and Riesling are documented as a mixed planting. A Bronnbacher Josefsberg Spätburgunder from the 2017 vintage was made dry. From the vines, the Bronnbacher Josephsberg Rotling 2021 was also produced, marketed under the name Landratsviertele. The cellar production of the Kloster-Bronnbach wine has been with the Fürst Löwenstein winery since the 2017 vintage.
Harvest and Bottling
For the documented 2021 harvest, the vineyard was foggy. Persistent rain led to an estimated crop loss of 10 to 15 percent and to increased acidity in the grapes; damage caused by wasps, bees and the cherry vinegar fly was also observed. Kloster-Bronnbach wine is bottled in Bocksbeutel and produced in limited quantities.
