spiess_04I, © Michael Zellmer© Michael Zellmer

Winery Spiess GbR - Riederbacherhof

The Spiess family has been growing vines in Bechtheim since the year 1509. For a long time, the family was involved in livestock breeding alongside wine and arable farming.

Only with the last generation, the decision was made, to only produce high quality wines. Jürgen Spiess, his wife Ute and their two sons, Christian and Johannes, never lost sight of what the family had learned in five centuries of farming: that respect for the family and nature is of great importance and how much can be achieved through hard work.
"Overall, a company that has established itself at the head of Rheinhessen."
(Gault Millau, 2010)

In 2011 Johannes Spiess took over the responsibility for the wine cellar, his brother Christian has been taking care of the work in the vineyard since 2014. Together, the two have already made some bold decisions, such as the specialization in high-quality Rieslings, white Pinot varieties and Pinot Noir, or in 2014 the certification by Fair & Green. So the brothers jointly lead the winery in a new direction, giving the wines their own signature.

It is probably this combination of modernity and respect that has led to SPIESS wines receiving reviews like these:

"The current wines are finer and more elegant than ever." (Gault Millau, 2015)

Awards:
2 red grapes in Gault Millau 2015
3 stars in Eichelmann 2015
Named in Falstaff 2015 and Gourmet 2015

English speaking visitors are welcome. 

Logo currently, © Weingut Spiess GbR - Riederbacherhof
Logo currently
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spiess_02I, © Michael Zellmer
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spiess_03I, © Michael Zellmer
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spiess_04I, © Michael Zellmer
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spiess_05I, © Michael Zellmer
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About us

  • Winemaker Johannes Spiess
  • Vineyard-area 30 hectare
  • specialist trade

Contact details:

Weingut Spiess - Riederbacherhof
Ute Spiess
Gaustraße 2 67595 Bechtheim

Processed vineyards

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Bechtheimer Hasensprung

Bechtheimer Hasensprung (Hare jump of Bechtheim)

Long ear, deep well? Definitely a large diversity of varieties

Another very popular vineyard name in the German wine countries: “Hasensprung” (Engl: hare jump). There are various interpretations: Either the name comes from the Middle High German word "spring/sprung" and means spring or well. Or the location refers to the animal hare, which was or is abundant there and stands for fertility. Various grape varieties grow on the very fertile loess soil: great Riesling, fantastic Pinots, just as well as new grape varieties.

  • Discover the other single vineyard of Bechtheim: GeyersbergRosengartenStein
  • Discover the "Wine Festival on the Pilgrims' Path", with the "Rheinhessen AUSGEZEICHNET" seal of quality.
learn more
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Alternativbild für Bechtheimer Heiligkreuz

Bechtheimer Heiligkreuz

The location was mentioned around 1500 with the name "yn the gewanden against the heyligen Creuz". The name of the location refers to a corridor.
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Bechtheimer Geyersberg

Bechtheimer Geyersberg (Vulture hill of Bechtheim)

Rieslings under the wings of birds of prey

In Medieval times, birds of prey were called vultures (German: “Geier”). And these animals are indeed the eponym here. The mountain used to have wooded areas and vultures nested there. The location was already mentioned in documents around 1500 with the name "ym nesten geierßbuhl". On the carbonate-rich loess soils with a high lime content, mainly Rieslings grow, but also many other grape varieties. The wines from there are powerful and expressive – just like birds of prey.

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Bechtheimer Rosengarten

Bechtheimer Rosengarten (Rose Garden of Bechtheim)

Whether wild rose or rose garden – today it is a vineyard

Such a simple term, yet so many possible interpretations! It could refer to natural growth of wild roses. Those often grow in Rheinhessen and their rose hips shine in autumn. It could also have been early medieval burial grounds, a very vague interpretation. In Bechtheim, people say that the then sovereign and local lord, the Count of Leiningen, maintained a "Roßgarten” (Engl.: horse garden") there. It belonged to the farmstead in the centre of the village. The vineyard was first mentioned in documents around 1500 with the name "ym roß garten". The predominant soil types here are loess loam and limestone. The wines are rich in fruit aromas, concentrated and long-lasting on the palate.

> Discover the other sites in Bechtheim: Geyersberg, Hasensprung, Stein
> Various hiking trails run through Bechtheim and its vineyards: Rheinterrassenweg, Lutherweg, Pilgerweg Ortsschleife Bechtheim and the village's own wine trail with old agricultural equipment. 

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Bechtheimer Stein

Bechtheimer Stein (Stone of Bechtheim)

Medium gravelly, top Pinots

Another candidate, like "Sonnenberg" and "Hasensprung": "Stein" is an extremely popular vineyard name, resulting in Bechtheimer Stein. This name always refers to the nature of the soil. Yet, anyone who now thinks that the vines growing here are sitting on a hard stone rock is mistaken. The humus-rich loess and clay soil has portions of clayey silt and lime, but is not cast from stone. Instead, it is studded with smaller stones. Pinot varieties in particular appreciate this vineyard site, but other grape varieties also grow here.

  •  Discover the other vineyards in Bechtheim: Geyersberg, Hasensprung, Rosengarten
  • Discover the "Wine Festival on the Pilgrims' Path", with the "Rheinhessen AUSGEZEICHNET" seal of quality.
learn more