Weingut Alte Grafschaft

The Alte Grafschaft estate, steeped in a fascinating history, has endured through the ages. For more than four centuries, our walls have borne witness to the highs and lows of the wine world. Founded by a renowned wine merchant from Wertheim, the estate grew under the patronage of the Wertheim nobility until it finally reached its current size. In 2010, the estate returned to the hands of a dedicated wine trading family from Wertheim and has been run in co-operation with a family of winemakers from Champagne since 2023.Based in Kreuzwertheim and with plots in Baden and Franconia, Alte Grafschaft covers an area of 14 hectares and is divided into five vineyards: Satzenberg, Kaffelstein, Ebenrain, Sonnenberg and First. Exclusively dedicated to dry wines, the estate relies on the richness of its terroirs to explore the full potential of Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Silvaner, and Pinot Noir grape varieties. The Spielmann family has been running their wine trading company since 1932, which was founded in Wertheim and remain based there today. Over the generations, the core business has shifted away from buying wine in barrels and bottling towards a trading business focusing on French Wines. This also how two families Spielmann and Legras, met. The two families have been working together for almost 30 years now and the relationship has grown far beyond the business, when the opportunity finally arose for Jérôme Legras to take a stake in the Alte Grafschaft Estate in 2023, he didn’t hesitate.

Our Winemaker Julius Spielmann (born in 1998 and by the way "Germany`s Newcomer 2026" by Falstaff Wine Guide) says: I want to produce wines that preserve the uniqueness of each vintage, the character our our vineyards and the microclimate of our cellar. For me, wine is a kind of liquid memory that preserves the work of the entire winery team and the special characteristics of each vintage.If I had to describe my influence on my winemaking style, I would say that I patiently wait for the right moment to move the wine and trust the aging process. If there is one thing I have learnt about winemaking on recent years, it is that you do not know anything about the complex processes that go on inside the wine. It is like predicting the weather for the next year. For me, the key factors are a perfect healthy grape and a very strict and careful selection during the harvest. The rest is trust in the terroir and the microclimate of our cellar.

Vineyard Portfolio

Kaffelstein
Kaffelstein is one of our steep-slope vineyards, with an incline of approximately 60%. It was first mentioned more than 700 years ago. Ancient names such as "Römerberg" testify to a much longer history, linking this vineyard back to the era of the Roman Empire. Today, it stands as one of the sunniest vineyard sites in Franconia.

Satzenberg
Satzenberg is our exclusive monopole vineyard. First documented in 1318, it remains the only surviving terraced vineyard in the Tauber Valley to this day. In its long history, the vineyard has changed ownership only twice. Over 16 km of dry stone walls are built into the site, creating its unique and characteristic microclimate.

Ebenrain
Ebenrain is one of the few sites in the region featuring 100% Muschelkalk (shell limestone). The Spielmann family has been cultivating grapes here for four generations. The combination of its distinct soil, high altitude, and south-facing slope makes it the perfect terroir for growing Pinot Noir.