Late reading rider

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The late harvest rider is a figure from a local legend that is supposed to explain the accidental discovery of the late harvest in the Schloss Johannisberg winery in the Rheingau . However, there is no historical evidence of the shape.

legend

Statue in the courtyard of Johannisberg Palace

The history of the late harvest rider leads back to the 18th century, when Johannisberg Castle was owned by the Fulda monastery , which was expanded to become a model winery and the prince abbot had the right to determine when the grape harvest could begin. So it happened in 1775 that the monks at Johannisberg Castle, like every year at the time of harvest, sent a messenger to Fulda with a sample of ripe grapes in order to obtain permission from the Prince-Bishop to begin harvesting. Although the grapes were already ripe and all the surrounding towns had long since granted permission to read on their property, the messenger did not return and the longed-for permission was initially lacking.

So the monks, loyal to their prince-bishop, had to watch how the grapes fell into decay, shriveled and dried up. When the messenger arrived several weeks late, the monks made the best of the situation and pressed the grapes nonetheless, albeit with little hope of a drinkable wine. As it turned out, a big mistake, because the wine turned out excellent. By chance they discovered noble rot and laid the foundation for the qualities of the late harvest, especially the Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese , which have made Rheingau wine world famous.

use

A statue of the late harvest rider can still be found in the inner courtyard of Johannisberg Palace. The story of the late reading rider is also taken up in the first volume of the comic Karl .

Web links

Commons : Spätlesereiter  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ NN: Voices of wisdom from older and more recent times in the area and for the appreciation of agriculture. Jonghaus, Darmstadt 1854, p. 189 f. Online , accessed August 24, 2015.
  2. ^ DuMont picture atlas Rhine between Cologne and Mainz. DuMont Reiseverlag, Ostfildern 2011, p. 92.
  3. ↑ Herbert Michel: The late harvest ... a lazy magic. Online, accessed August 24, 2015.