Spreitzer

In Oestrich since 1641: A family line that shapes the Rheingau

The Josef Spreitzer winery is one of the oldest wine-growing estates in Oestrich-Winkel. Its first documented roots date back to 1641. The estate has remained in family hands for generations: Josef Spreitzer, the namesake of today's estate, was the grandson of the line's founder Heinrich Spreitzer and initially served as estate manager at the Hess winery — where he harvested a legendary Trockenbeerenauslese with 303 degrees Oechsle in 1920, a record must weight in the Rheingau until 2003. After the Second World War, Bernhard Spreitzer took the helm, expanded the business, and opened up international markets. In 1983, he received the State Honorary Award as the best winemaker of the year. Since 1997, his sons Andreas and Bernd Spreitzer have been running the estate together: Andreas as cellar master and head of vineyard operations, Bernd as commercial director and meticulous taster. The winery has been a member of the VDP since 1999 and is part of the Rheingau Charta, which protects Riesling as a cultural asset of the region.

Natural vineyard, gravity in the cellar

The family now manages around 35 hectares, spread across top-tier sites in Oestrich, Winkel, Hattenheim, and Hallgarten — including several VDP.Grosse Lagen such as Doosberg, Lenchen, Rosengarten, Sankt Nikolaus, Wisselbrunnen, Schönhell, and Jesuitengarten. The soils alternate between deep loam, loess, clay, and quartzite veins. Around 95 percent of the vineyard area is planted with Riesling, the rest with Pinot Noir.

Cultivation follows a natural philosophy without over-fertilization or unnecessary treatments: every second row of vines is greened, and grain is sown in winter to regulate the microclimate. The vines are deliberately pruned short to limit yields per vine and promote physiological ripeness. Harvesting is done exclusively by hand. In the cellar — a vaulted cellar from 1743 that is still in operation today — the winery relies on gravity instead of pumps: a gentle maturation process that protects the fruit of the grapes. Depending on the wine, fermentation takes place slowly in wooden barrels or in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.

Filigree and concentrated at the same time: the Spreitzer style

What distinguishes Spreitzer wines is best described by a quote from Bernd Spreitzer himself: "Our wines should be filigree and concentrated at the same time — a tightrope walk." Clear fruit, lively acidity, fine minerality, and an alcohol level that maintains lightness without sacrificing depth — that is the estate's signature. The Grosse Gewächse from the Doosberg and the Lenchen-Rosengarten are considered the most precise dry Rieslings in the region. The Hallgartener Hendelberg, as the estate's highest-altitude single vineyard, brings a lean, puristic minerality to the glass. The Wisselbrunnen wines from Hattenheim impress with a fresh, terroir-driven character. The range is complemented by a Charta Riesling traditionally matured in large wooden barrels with long aging potential, as well as a Riesling Sekt Brut and white wines made from Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris. The spectrum ranges from the accessible estate wine to the age-worthy Grosse Gewächs — and reflects the entire breadth of the Rheingau terroir.