Erbach: Marcobrunn (Rheingau Grosse Lage)

Marcobrunn's name traces back to before 1200, when the site was recorded as 'Markenburne,' derived from 'Marka' meaning border, and referring to the spring on the boundary between Erbach and Hattenheim. By 1726 the vineyard had become the first in the Rheingau to appear by name on a wine label, signaling a reputation already well established among the region's nobility and merchants. A famous 1810 border dispute between the two villages over ownership of the spring led to rival inscriptions on the stone fountain; Hattenheim's side declared: 'For Erbach the water, and for Hattenheim the wine.' The vineyard attracted celebrated admirers over the centuries, including US President Thomas Jefferson, who visited the Rheingau in April 1788, as well as the poet Goethe and writer Theodor Fontane.

• Name recorded as 'Markenburne' before 1200; derives from 'Marka' (border) and the spring between Erbach and Hattenheim
• First appeared on a wine label in 1726, making it one of Germany's earliest single-vineyard bottlings
• Thomas Jefferson, Goethe, and Theodor Fontane are among the prominent historical figures recorded as admirers of the wine
• Schloss Reinhartshausen's Prussian royal connections (through Princess Marianne of the Netherlands, who acquired the estate in 1855) brought international prestige to the surrounding area

Marcobrunn occupies a gently sloping south-facing site on the Rhine's right bank, positioned at 90 to 100 metres above sea level, with the lowest parcels barely 100 metres from the riverbank. The Taunus mountains to the north protect the Rheingau from cold northerly winds, while the east-west flow of the Rhine along the Rheingau creates south and southwest-facing exposures that maximize sun exposure. The vineyard's soil profile distinguishes it clearly from higher Rheingau sites: tertiary marl and deep loess loam with mica content provide excellent subterranean water availability, benefiting vines during hot, dry years. Parts of the soil are highly calcareous. This combination of riverine proximity, gentle slope, and moisture-retaining soils gives Marcobrunn wines their characteristic full body and opulent fruit character.

• Entirely south-facing, lying at 90 to 100 metres above sea level along the Rhine's right bank
• Soil is tertiary marl and deep loess loam with mica content; parts highly calcareous; subterranean water availability is notably good
• Taunus mountains protect against cold northerly winds; Rhine proximity moderates temperature and provides reflected warmth
• Closest Rhine vineyard parcels in Erbach sit barely 100 metres from the riverbank, making this one of the lowest-elevation premium sites in the Rheingau

Marcobrunn is planted exclusively with Riesling, consistent with the VDP Grosse Lage regulations for the Rheingau. Dry wines released under the VDP Grosses Gewächs designation, used by Rheingau VDP members since the 2012 vintage, must contain no more than 9 grams per liter of residual sugar. The marl and loess loam soils impart a markedly different character from slate-dominated Mosel or Nahe sites: Marcobrunn Rieslings are typically fuller in body, with ripe orchard fruit, a creamy texture, and a savory mineral depth derived from the calcareous marl. The vineyard's moist, low-lying position and strong subterranean water supply support consistent ripeness even in challenging vintages, making Marcobrunn wines reliably rich and structured. Both dry GG expressions and traditional Pradikat styles such as Spatlese and Auslese have been produced here for generations.

• 100% Riesling, as required by VDP Grosse Lage regulations for the Rheingau
• GG (Grosses Gewachs) bottlings must contain no more than 9 g/L residual sugar and are released on 1 September following harvest
• Marl and loess-loam soils produce fuller, richer Riesling than the slate-driven styles of the Mosel, with characteristic orchard fruit and savory mineral depth
• Traditional Pradikat styles including Spatlese, Auslese, and noble-sweet wines are also produced from the site by various owners

The producer landscape at Marcobrunn has shifted considerably in recent years. Schloss Reinhartshausen, owned since 2013 by the Lergenmüller family and a pillar of Rheingau wine culture since 1337, holds significant parcels and remains the most internationally visible producer from the site. Baron Knyphausen, a family estate since 1818 and a VDP member since 1972, cultivates a prized small parcel and is currently managed by Frederik zu Knyphausen with cellar master Arne Wilken. The once-prominent Langwerth von Simmern, whose Rheingau history dates to 1464, ceased wine production around 2017; their Marcobrunn parcels have since been farmed by Corvers-Kauter under a long-term lease. Schloss Schonborn also owns 2.7 hectares in Marcobrunn and is a founding VDP member. The state-owned Kloster Eberbach (Hessische Staatsweinguter) has also historically vinified Marcobrunn Riesling.

• Schloss Reinhartshausen: in Rheingau wine culture since 1337; owned since 2013 by the Lergenmuller family from the Palatinate; flagship Marcobrunn bottlings produced in both dry GG and Pradikat styles
• Baron Knyphausen: family ownership since 1818; VDP member since 1972; currently around 17 hectares in total; small Marcobrunn parcel farmed by Frederik zu Knyphausen and cellar master Arne Wilken
• Corvers-Kauter: took over 15 hectares from the defunct Langwerth von Simmern on a long-term lease from 2018, including Marcobrunn parcels
• Schloss Schonborn: founding VDP member with 2.7 hectares in Marcobrunn; wine-growing tradition in the Rheingau dating to 1349

Marcobrunn holds the VDP Grosse Lage designation, the highest tier in the VDP's four-stage quality pyramid, equivalent in concept to a Burgundian Grand Cru. The four-stage classification system was unanimously adopted by VDP members beginning with the 2012 vintage. Dry wines from a Grosse Lage are labeled VDP Grosses Gewächs (GG) and must contain no more than 9 grams per liter of residual sugar; they are released on 1 September following the harvest vintage. In the Rheingau, prior to 2012, the equivalent dry classification term was 'Erstes Gewächs,' a legally recognized designation in Hesse that applied from the 1999 vintage. Fruity and noble-sweet wines from Grosse Lage sites continue to carry traditional Pradikat designations. The VDP classification operates under private law and is separate from the statutory German Wine Act of 1971, which does not rank vineyards by quality.

• VDP Grosse Lage: highest classification tier, equivalent in concept to Burgundy Grand Cru; Marcobrunn officially listed on vdp.de
• GG (Grosses Gewachs): max 9 g/L residual sugar; white GGs released 1 September following harvest; used by Rheingau VDP members from the 2012 vintage onward
• Prior designation 'Erstes Gewachs' was used in the Rheingau from the 1999 vintage through the 2011 vintage before transition to GG
• VDP classification is based on private law; uses historical Prussian tax and quality maps as a basis for site assessment

Erbach is a small wine-growing town in the Rheingau, approximately 40 to 45 kilometres by road from Frankfurt am Main and directly accessible along the scenic Rhine Valley. The famous Marcobrunnen spring fountain, with its carved 1810 inscriptions from both Erbach and Hattenheim, is a tangible landmark at the vineyard boundary and a popular stop for wine tourists. Schloss Reinhartshausen, now a hotel and restaurant as well as a winery, welcomes visitors to tastings and the estate. Baron Knyphausen operates a wine tavern and shop called 'knypHAUS' at the Draiser Hof in Erbach. The Geisenheim University, one of Europe's foremost viticultural and oenological teaching institutions, is situated nearby in the Rheingau. The annual VDP Grosses Gewächs Vorpremiere takes place in Wiesbaden in late August, where new vintage GGs from sites including Marcobrunn are previewed.

• The Marcobrunnen spring fountain (1810) on the Erbach-Hattenheim boundary is a celebrated wine-tourism landmark with rival inscriptions from both villages
• Erbach is approximately 40 to 45 km by road from Frankfurt am Main, with easy access along the Rhine Valley
• Baron Knyphausen's 'knypHAUS' wine tavern and shop at the Draiser Hof offers tastings and estate visits in Erbach
• Geisenheim University, a leading European institution for viticulture and oenology, is located nearby in the Rheingau