The Rappenhof winery is located in the centre of the municipality of Alsheim (Nierstein area) in the German wine-growing region of
Rheinhessen. The name derives from the owner's ancestors' passion for horse-drawn carriages with fiery black horses. The farm's origins date back to 1604, when Hieronymus Hirsch, an ancestor of the current owner Klaus Muth, founded the winery. Klaus Muth took over the management of the winery in the 12th generation after studying law and gaining practical experience in viticulture in Australia and the USA. The cellar master is Christian Hahn
(Geisenheim graduate), and master winemaker Hermann Muth is responsible for the external operations.
The vineyards cover around 50 hectares of vines in the single vineyard sites
Fischerpfad and
Frühmesse (Alsheim),
Bornpfad and
Himmelthal (Guntersblum),
Tafelstein (Dienheim),
Teufelskopf (Ludwigshöhe),
Herrenberg and
Sackträger (Oppenheim), and
Ölberg and
Pettenthal (Nierstein), among others. They are 80% planted with the white wine varieties Riesling (50%), Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay (40%), and Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner and Gewürztraminer (10%). The 20% red wine varieties are Pinot Noir (2/3), as well as Blauer Portugieser, Dornfelder, Regent, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (1/3).
Through selective harvesting, only ripe and healthy grapes are processed. The red wines ferment traditionally on the
mash. The Pinot Noir wines are mainly aged in 1,200-litre wooden barrels and in barriques. The white wines ferment under temperature control in stainless steel tanks. The wines are made from a single variety and are predominantly dry. In addition,
sweet specialities dating back to the 1971 vintage are also offered. The product range is divided into estate wines, local wines and Grosses Gewächs according to the
VDP classification model. In addition to marketing in Germany, the wines are exported in Europe to Poland, Denmark, Sweden and Estonia, as well as to China, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Canada. The winery is a member of the
VDP (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates) and the
German Barrique Forum.
