Vereinigte Hospitien 2 Items

In 1805, Napoleon issued an imperial edict which consolidated all the various hospitals in Trier; homes for lepers, for the poor and orphanages. This was the beginnings of the foundation of the United Hospices, Vereinigte Hospitien, which was then part of the French Empire. Over 25 hectares of vineyards are cultivated mainly thanks to endowments and gifts, and are situated in the Saar (Kanzem, Wiltingen, Serrig) and Mosel (Piesport, Bernkastel, Graach) valleys. The Hölle (“hell“, referring probably to the heat generated in this steep slatey hillside) in Wiltingen is a monopole site of the estate.

The wines are marketed under the Sanctus Jacobus label name, depicted on the labels by St. Jacob or James with a pilgrim's staff and seashell. This relates to the St. James Public Hospital which was originally a hostel for pilgrims on their way to the tomb of James the Apostle in Spain. Records mention Sanctus Jacobus wines as early as 1464 and this is the oldest written documentation of Riesling being cultivated on the Mosel.