The Terrace

There is no doubt that Schloss Saarstein has always been a place where people liked to party. Perched high above the river and the vines, a generously proportioned terrace, which had been designed by the builders of the manor house, has been the setting for many a glittering event. At any time of the year, visitors can enjoy the fully glazed, conservatory-style events venue that is unique to the Saar region. It accommodates up to fifty guests who can savor the views across the vineyards, the river and the entire valley. And to those who are interested, the landlord happily points out the exact site where the wine in their glasses was grown.

The Terrace

The Wine

While it is important to Christian Ebert that every vintage tastes differently, he sets much greater store by a distinct profile. His wines represent various types. They have character because they are real Saar wines! Schloss Saarstein believes in making wine in tune with nature although Ebert does not have a certificate as he wants to keep his options open. He categorically rejects the use of artificial fertilizers and insecticides. What does matter to him a great deal though is the age of the vines. Age defines quality and depending on the quality Ebert decides which grapes are used for which wine. Due to the extreme location of the vineyards, almost all vineyard work needs to be done by hand. While the vineyard crawler tractor is a great help and Christian Ebert does everything in order to use it on more parcels in the future, the Saarstein site is and remains a steeply sloping vineyard. And this means: work by hand!


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"If we do not reach
a certain level of quality,
I do not make the wine."

The Wine

To the Terrace...

The Work

Watching the crawler tractor working its way up the steep slope looks unreal. Ever since, in his final study project in Geisenheim, Christian Ebert investigated the options of mechanizing vineyard work on steeply sloping hills, this machine has become dear to his heart. It reduces the hard work on the steeply sloping land by many hours even if it cannot be used on all vineyard sections. When new vineyards are designed, the most important consideration is the width of rows. For years, tracks have been altered and dams have been built to make the best possible use of the crawler. Despite its ten hectares, the team that works at Schloss Saarstein is not overly large: For all the vineyard and cellar work, Ebert relies on his long-term employee who is virtually part of the family. Taking on one or two trainees is considered important and passing on one’s expertise seen as a duty. Of the approximately 60 wine producers in the Saar region, only four take on apprentices and these days, there is, once more, an increasing interest in becoming a vintner.

"Winemaking is cleaning."

The Work

To the Wine...

The Team

Without a team of qualified employees, it would be impossible to tackle the ten hectares of vines grown on steep slopes. The team, which consists of Polish and local helpers, has been familiar with the vineyards for many years and everyone knows exactly what is takes to produce genuine top-quality wines. Excellent people with a great team spirit who perform their work, year after year, to the best possible standard.

The Team

To the Work...

The Man

Christian’s work as a vintner is multi-facetted and he faces new tasks every day: He is keen on perfecting his craft in the vineyard and wine cellar. He wants to be close to the action in order to obtain the best possible quality. The special location of the winery enables him to keep an eye on his vines and coordinate the work processes in the best way possible. Frequent trips to the US, Great Britain, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Scandinavia are part of his job. Exports are a key factor for the winery and being in close contact with his merchants is very important to Christian. In order to relax and protect what’s his, he likes to go hunting in his free time. The deer love the young vine shoots and the wild boar adore the juicy grapes. The forest that shelters the vines from the cold starts directly at the back of the vineyard. Living in Schloss Saarstein means living close to nature albeit in an environment that has been shaped by men for hundreds of years. It is a place that leaves an imprint on wine and man: Christian Ebert and his Saarstein – forever linked and inseparable.

"I live right in the middle of it."

The Man

To the Team...

The Castle

However cool he likes to appear, Christian Ebert cannot deny that he is passionate about his life’s mission. He sees it as his task and duty to look after and carefully maintain the historical buildings. His family acquired the estate in 1956 when Ebert‘s parents – after having lost everything they owned in Brandenburg due to the war – arrived in the Saar region. It was at this point that the modern history of Schloss Saarstein began. The manor house and the spacious outbuildings were erected at the beginning of the 20th century by an industrialist from Trier who knew how to combine his idea of prestigious living with the production of high-quality Riesling wines. Schloss Saarstein was one of the founder members of the Großer Ring wine auction association in Trier and therefore, as early as one hundred years ago, one of the most prestigious wine producers in the region. To Christian Ebert, Schloss Saarstein is a living monument that is filled with life rather than a museum. It is about family and tradition, about past, present and future.

"It is my job to keep
the show on the road."

The Castle

To the Man...

The "Stein"

Schloss Saarstein is a genuine German Château! Rather unusually for Germany, the manor house is situated right in the middle of one realigned wine growing site with similar exposure and consistent soil quality. Its southerly/south-westerly aspect ensures perfect sun exposure. The grey shale soil warms up easily and stores the heat of the day. It is the perfect basis for the Riesling grape, which is grown on more than 90 percent of the vineyard. The age of the vines plays an important part during the harvest: Only the oldest sites provide the grapes for the finest wines. Christian Ebert’s credo: “Every vine should be able to see the river.” River and soil, water and shale – they all form the character of the wines. They give the wines their unique elegance, delicate structure and noble fruit.

"To me terroir means
the impact of the mountain
and what it does to the wine."

The "Stein"

To the Castle...

The Saar River

The Saar River is everywhere! It meanders around the hill of Schloss Saarstein and shapes the micro-climate of the vineyards above all else. It is the river that lends the wine its distinctive Saar style. When the Ebert family took over the winery, the vineyards were considered frost-prone, which, unfortunately, was confirmed by the many difficult vintages in the 1950s and 60s. The expanse of water of the Saar River has a positive impact as it takes the edge off the wine’s pronounced acidity.

"The higher you climb in the Saar region the more typical of the Saar and the more sophisticated the wines become. And Saarstein is up at the very top."

The Saar River

To the "Stein"...

One man and his mountain

The mountain shapes the man and the man shapes the mountain. Residing in Schloss Saarstein does not just involve working in the vineyards but living right in the middle of them. This makes Schloss Saarstein a very special kind of home. Christian Ebert was born in nearby Saarburg two years after his parents had bought the winery. He grew up in the castle where he also brought up his own three children. Just like the oldest of his vines, the vintner has put down deep roots in Saarstein.

"This is my livelihood
and my life."

To the Saar River...