Statue of the Spätlese Rider in the farmyard of Schloss Johannisberg
The Spätlese Rider is a figure from a local legend that is supposed to explain the accidental discovery of Spätlese wine at Schloss Johannisberg winery in the Rheingau. However, there is no historical evidence for this figure.
The story of the Johannisberg Spätlese Rider demonstrates how an apparent catastrophe can lead to an epoch-making discovery.
Unlike other Rheingau wineries, whose grape harvest times were dictated by the municipalities, the cellar master at Johannisberg once required special permission from the Prince-Bishop of Fulda, the then owner of the castle. In 1775, however, the courier sent out with the harvest permit was late.
There are various versions as to why the return of the mounted messenger was delayed by 14 days. One version claims that the Prince-Bishop was out hunting and therefore unreachable.
The other is that the courier fell victim to robbers and was captured. In short: The monks on the Johannisberg waited day after day for the harvest to begin, watching as the grapes on the vines became increasingly rotten and shriveled. When the rider finally arrived with the prince-bishop's permission to harvest, the harvest seemed ruined. Nevertheless, the monks conscientiously harvested the seemingly spoiled grapes. And soon the cellar master was amazed: The wine made from the rotten grapes surpassed all previous wines in quality.
By chance, noble rot was discovered, a mold that can develop in grapes rich in Oechsle in mild autumn weather with early morning fog. Thus, the foundation was laid for the qualities of the Spätlese, but especially the Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese, which have helped Rheingau wine achieve world fame.
The cellar masters on the Johannisberg deserve credit for recognizing this coincidence and using it to improve the quality of their wines.