This is how the Spätlese wine was born:
In the 18th century, the cellar master of the Johannisberg in the Rheingau still needed permission from the Prince-Bishop of Fulda to harvest the grapes. In 1775, he is said to have sent a courier, whose return with the harvest permit was delayed by two weeks. Different versions of the legend cite different reasons for the messenger's delay. Some say that the rider was held captive by robbers; others tell of a fair maiden he encountered on his journey. There is also a version that claims the Prince-Bishop of Fulda was hunting and therefore unreachable. In short, the monks could do nothing but watch their precious grapes rot day after day.
The Birth of the Spätlese wine
When the courier finally returned and delivered the Prince-Bishop's harvest permit from Fulda, the harvest was considered lost. To save what could still be saved, they decided to harvest the rotten grapes. And they were amazed: The resulting wine was excellent! In the following years, the cellar masters began producing rich wines of the highest quality from fermented grapes. The Spätlese (late harvest) was born.
Although his mishap could have led to disaster, the Spätlese rider's delay is considered the reason for the discovery of the now world-famous Spätlese (late harvest) and the so-called noble rot (noble rot). At the end of the 1980s, a comic strip was even created about Karl, the Spätlese rider. The work by illustrator Michael Apitz, in its new edition, continues to delight entire generations with Karl's adventures, which began with the ride to Fulda and back.
A sympathetic ambassador for Fulda's wine history
To preserve his story as part of Fulda's wine culture and make it a living memory, a monument to the Spätlese rider was erected in the courtyard of the city palace. The prominent location has a historical background: In the 18th century, the fine wines from Fulda's properties in the Rheingau were stored and bottled in barrels in the castle's cellars.