A 1976 Riesling Auslese from the Erbacher Marcobrunn, made by the old Rheingau house of Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern in Eltville. 1976 was a hot, very ripe German vintage with plenty of noble rot, and its Auslesen are known for ageing well.
About This Wine
Marcobrunn is a small Riesling vineyard of under seven hectares on a gentle south-facing slope between Erbach and Hattenheim, close to the Rhine. Its deep marl and loess-loam soils hold water well, which gives full, rich wines even in dry years. The name comes from an old boundary spring between the two villages, and Marcobrunn was the first Rheingau site to appear on a wine label, in 1726. Langwerth von Simmern owned about a quarter of it. In 1976 the crop was small, grapes ripened fully, and botrytis was common, so many sweet wines from that year were rich and concentrated. Nearly fifty years on, expect deep gold colour and honeyed, dried-fruit flavours.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Honey, dried apricot and orange marmalade, with beeswax, saffron and a petrol note.
- Palate: Sweet but no longer heavy, with candied citrus, caramel and a lifting line of acidity.
- Finish: Gently nutty and lingering, with light spice.
Serving & Food
Chill lightly to 10 to 12°C and serve in small white wine glasses. The cork may be fragile, so an Ah-So or two-prong opener helps. Enjoy with foie gras terrine, blue cheese such as Roquefort, or a tarte Tatin.
How to Enjoy
Marking a 1976 birthday or anniversary with a German sweet wine from a historic vineyard.
Product Details
Producer: Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern
Country: Germany
Region: Rheingau
Vineyard: Erbacher Marcobrunn
Prädikat: Auslese
Style: Sweet white wine
Grape Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 1976
Bottling: #16
Volume: 700mL
About the Estate
The Langwerth von Simmern family's link with the Rheingau goes back to 1464, when Johann Langwerth von Simmern received a large piece of the Hattenheimer Mannberg in return for service as chancellor to the Duke of Pfalz-Zweibrücken. In 1711 the family moved to the Stockheimer Hof in Eltville, which became the Langwerther Hof and the seat of the wine estate.
For centuries the estate held parcels in some of the Rheingau's top sites, including Marcobrunn, Mannberg, Nussbrunnen and Rauenthaler Baiken. The family stopped making wine after the 2016 vintage and sold the Eltville house, leasing or selling the vineyards to other growers, so older bottles like this one are now the last record of the estate's work.
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