Our home
Vinotheque opening hours Mon - Sat 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.Other appointments on request!
Created by a glacier, Lake Constance and its hilly landscape form the basis for our privilege of being able to grow wine. The hills rise and fall like waves deep into the interior of the country. This is why we have the south-facing slopes that we need to catch the sun in our pre-alpine climate. The landscape is characterized by a diversity that is unique. Between various fruit crops, forest, cherries, berries and wine, you are presented with a picturesque backdrop. Further away from the lake line you will find hops and arable farming.
Our locations
Our locations are within a radius of three kilometers around Nonnenhorn, with the exception of the wine location in Austria. Locations near the lake are characterized by sandy and loose soils; the further away you go from the lake, the heavier and more clayey the soil becomes. The "Gundelsberg" is the first hill ridge from the waterline; the best Pinot Noirs grow here. The "Sonnenbichl" is closer to the lake and is characterized by somewhat more barren soils with a gravelly subsoil.
The wine year begins in January with pruning and tying the vines. In winter we can prune the vine without causing any damage. This work lays the foundation for the harvest in autumn. Traditionally, we cut a flat arch on our farm. The rod is then tied down by hand onto the so-called bending wire. A new shoot with grapes then grows from each eye (bud).
(pictured: Magdalena Hornstein)
Depending on the year, budding occurs at the beginning or end of April. The shoots grow rapidly, up to three centimeters on some days. During this time, all attention should be given to the vineyard. The vines are "broken out," which means checking how many shoots are growing on each vine. If there are too many shoots, they are broken off by hand. This minimizes the yield and guarantees us a loose and healthy canopy. We walk through the vineyard again and again and help the shoots to grow upwards. When the top wire is reached, the shoots are shortened at the top.
With a proud 15% of our cultivation area, Pinot Noir is one of the core products in our winery. Its appearance in this picture shows the perfect beauty of this noble grape. Influenced by the cool maritime climate, it presents itself as a light red wine with pleasant spiciness and the aroma of sun-ripened berries. The Cabernet Mitos in our range presents itself completely differently. With intense density, it matures for years in our wooden barrels, a wine of impressive depth and complexity.
The Lake Constance region is famous for its excellent white wines - fine, delicate and with a pleasant acid structure. We grow more than ten different grape varieties and offer a wide range of flavors. We cultivate some of these varieties out of curiosity to find out which vines will find optimal conditions here in the future. The main players in our vineyards are Müller-Thurgau, Bacchus, Sauvignon Blanc and the diverse Burgundy grape varieties, which make up the majority of our cultivation area.
During the ripening phase, the leaves in the grape zone are removed. This allows more light to reach the grapes and the wind dries the dew that settles on the leaves and grapes in the morning. Autumn quickly sets in and we watch our grapes ripen with attentive eyes. Not only the sugar plays a decisive role, but also the texture of the grape, acidity and the color of the seeds. The time of harvest is determined depending on what the character of a wine should be. The grapes are harvested and sorted by hand in painstaking detail. This is one of the most important steps in transporting the quality from the vineyard to the glass.
The harvest is also the smooth transition from the vineyard to the cellar. During fermentation, our wines are tasted daily in order to check and bring out the fine nuances. Our grape varieties grow on over 50 plots.
The small size of our vineyards means that we need to develop our wines in a very specific way. The majority of our wines are stored in stainless steel tanks, where they are left to rest on the wine yeast until spring. The length of time the wine is left to rest on the yeast is crucial for smooth and elegant wines. Some of our red wines are aged in wooden barrels for up to 8 years.
(in the picture: Josef Hornstein)
In our red wine cellar you will find large wooden barrels with a capacity of up to 3000 liters, but also the classic barrique barrels (225 liters). The wine has a different character depending on the size and age of the barrels. Renovated in 2011, this cellar is the cornerstone of our business. Built in 1763 with a natural stone wall. We have exposed this, so that the room has natural moisture, which the barrels need. In November and December you have the opportunity to book our red wine cellar for your celebration. Please feel free to contact us about this.
(in the picture: Josef Hornstein)
We have a wide variety of locations that make our range so exciting and extensive.
Our entry-level cuvées, which show the different facets of the wine like a compass. Our vineyard in Vorarlberg is an absolute rarity, with its cooler climate and higher altitude. Everyone will find their favorite in our varied range. Take your time and let the Bavarian Lake Constance melt on your tongue. Sit down by the lake with a bottle and you will understand why everything tastes the way it does: great!
(pictured: Natalie, Josef Hornstein)
Fruit growing
The alchemical process of distilling has always been a craft passed down from generation to generation. Processing local fruit in such a way that it rounds off the evening and develops its full flavor is both exciting and mystical. Here too, the best brandies are made from the best fruit. There are no limits to the spirit of discovery. Almost all local fruit can be found in our range: classic with Williams, cherry brandy or something unusual like sloe and wild plum.
The Edelbrandkeller
A highlight of our company is definitely our brandy cellar. Here we store spirits dating back to 1993. A wide variety of distillates made from plums, cherries and old apples. A visit to this treasure trove is reserved for only a few.
(pictured: Peter Hornstein)
