We all know about Frederick the Great, arguable the most important and beloved King of Prussia. To escape the formal ceremonies and pomp of the Berlin court he built a summer palace “Sanssouci” - basically more like a large, single-story villa than a palace - in Potsdam, outside of Berlin. Frederick the Great was very modern in his thinking and an aficionado of the arts and fine living.
In his will Frederick the Great wrote that he wanted to be buried in the vineyard of Sanssouci but the twists and turns of history had it that he finally came to rest on Hohenzollern Castle in Württemberg. On August 17, 1991 (the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 made it possible) on the 205th anniversary of his death Frederick's casket lay in state in the court of honor at Sanssouci, covered by a Prussian flag and escorted by a Bundeswehr (German Army) guard of honor. After nightfall, Frederick's body was finally laid to rest in the terrace of the vineyard of Sanssouci – in the still existing crypt he had built there – without pomp, in accordance with his will.
There are 3 vinyards in Sanssauci. Frederick the Great was a great lover of dessert fruit. Fresh fruit were a must at any of his meals. Therefore he had three terraced vineyards built in three places in Potsdam between 1744 and 1769, where table grapes thrived alongside peaches, apricots, apples and other fruits: Wüster Berg, Mühlberg and Klausberg.
We visited the latter. Andreas Kramp, project leader, was our host at the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg.
Andreas Kramp took us on a tour of the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg and then sat down with us for a tasting of the wines of the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg. After the visit of the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg, we toured other parts of Sanssouci.
Wüster Berg (Desert Hill)
On the 10th of August 1744, Friedrich ordered the building of a terraced vineyard on the ridge called “Wüster Berg” (Desert Hill). The terrace levels of the vineyard were symmetrically arranged as a Rococo Garden. Under the direction of the architect Friedrich Wilhelm Diterichs the southern slope was divided into six broad terraces with their walls arching to the inside in order to achieve maximum utilization of the sunlight. On the surfaces of the retaining walls, even brick walls with trellises with local fruit and wines alternate with 168 glass-covered niches in which exotic fruits were growing. The terrace surfaces above the walls were bounded by strips of grass and planted with espalier fruit trees. Between the 96 pyramid-shaped English yews, 84 orange trees in tubs were standing on the terraces in the summer months.
Philipp Friedrich Krutisch was entrusted with the horticultural works. On the central axis 120 (now 132) steps lead up the slope. In 1746 the works on the vineyard terraces were mostly completed. Over time, however, numerous changes were made. Between 1979 and 1984 the terraces were restored to their original structural condition. Today, figs and Reseda vines grow on the terrace walls, but he vineyard terraces are now used for mere decoration. From the grapes growing here no wine is made any longer.
Mühlberg (Mill Hill)
In 1763, Frederick the Great started to build a new garden on the land below the Mühlenberg (Mill Hill), on which there was a clay pit up to that time. The garden was built on a south-facing slope featuring four 67-metre-long terraces. Due to the soil conditions, the architect Johann Gottfried Büring calculated a foundation depth of 28 meters and a cost of 29,000 thalers. Ultimately, the costs increased to 36,000 thalers. Behind glass-panes and on Trombe walls, grapes, peaches, apricots, figs and apples were ipening. The garden was fully integrated into the royal court life.
During the modernization of the terraces in 1848 directed by the garden director Peter Joseph Lenné, the lowest terrace wall was covered by an exposed brick wall with two fl ights of stairs at its centre featuring a monumental head of Bacchus. Between 1848 and 1852 the vintner’s house was converted into an Italianate villa.
The architecture enthusiast, King Frederick William IV, had the idea to build a monument of Frederick the Great in the form of a temple on the top. Ultimately, only the Triumphal Arch was implemented. Built between 1850 and 1851 according to plans by Friedrich August Stüler, it was intended to upgrade the architecture of the Winzerberg (Vintner’s Hill).
After World War II, the site fell into decay for decades and was considered partially not restorable. However, since 2004, the Bauverein Winzerberg (Building Association Vintner’s Hill) in collaboration with the Foundation Prussian Palaces and Gardens Berlin-Brandenburg has been strongly committed to its reconstruction.
In 2012, the first 100 ancient table grape-vines were planted. In 2013 the first harvest was brought in.
Klausberg
The development of the third active Potsdam vineyard was started in 1769 with the horticultural use of the Klausberg hill, which at the time was outside the park of Sanssouci. In the 19th century, the Belvedere was built on the hill to mark the western end of an elevated triumphal road planned by the Prussian king, Frederick William IV, which was to stretch from the Winzerberg (Vintner’s Hill) over the Court of Honour of Sanssouci Palace, past the new Orangery Palace up to the Klausberg hill. On the southern slope, a terraced garden was built. It was enclosed by a wall and featured glasspaned Trombe walls (built to store the heat of the sun) for growing peaches, apricots and apples. The Dragon House adjacent to the vineyard was intended to be theg ardener’s home. Until 1918, the garden produced exquisite fruits and grapes.
Since 2003, after decades of neglect and decay, there has been new life on the Klausberg hill. In 2007 the Mosaik Werkstätten für Behinderte gGmbH, a charity providing work for disabled people, took over the horticultural care. The horticultural activities here now open up new prospects for people with disabilities as well. So far, ancient vine varieties were rediscovered, new fruit trees were planted and, last but not least, a wall trellis for the future educational pathway for grape-vine varieties was built.
The dominating variety in this vineyard is Phoenix, a modern breed, arising from the crossing of the Bacchus and Seyval Blanc varieties. In the vineyard, it thrives mainly on the top Trombe wall downhill from the Belvedere on the Klausberg. Other varieties have been represented in smaller numbers so far.
In 2008, the vineyard was reopened for the first time. In 2011 a sponsorship for vines and trees was started and the first wine was made in collaboration with the Töplitz winery. In 2012, the first Royal Wine Festival took place, which is now celebrated every year in early July. The number of bottles of the 2012 vintage is still limited to 200 half-litre bottles. They can be purchased in the museum shop in the former kitchen of Sanssouci Palace. A part of the proceeds will finance the rebuilding of the Royal Vineyard.
EVENING
Dinner at Restaurant Borchardt in Berlin
Before dinner at Borchardt, we had an Aperitif at Planet Wine, a leading wine shop/ bar in Berlin. Owner Anja Schröder joined us. See: Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Berlin, Germany
The Borchardt is a Berlin institution. Politics, Press, Diplomats, ... it is here where they mingle over a perfect “Schnitzel”, “Tatar Brot” or other very well executed German dishes. The Borchardt looks back on a 150-year history. It was in 1853 that August F. W. Borchardt laid the foundation for a new dining culture that remains intimately associated with Berlin today. The main site of the Borchardt Restaurant in Französische Straße supplied the Kaiser in the Wilhelmine era and went on to survive the Second World War and the city’s division by the Berlin Wall.
Our hotel, Hotel Gendarm Nouveau, was in walking distance from Restaurand Borchard. Hotel Gendarm Nouveau is a 4 star, quiet, small, friendly hotel in the Gendarmenmarkt area, the most centrally located plaza of Berlin.
Postings: Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken (Published and Forthcoming)
Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken
Vineyard Tour and Tasting at the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg Project in Sanssouci, Potsdam
Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Lindicke in Werder an der Havel, Brandenburg, with Katharina Lindicke
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Born in Salzatal, Saale-Unstrut, with Elisabeth Born - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken
Vineyard Visit and Wine Tasting Lunch at Weingut Hey in Naumburg, Saale-Unstrut, with Matthias Hey – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Zufriedenheit in Naumburg, with Chef Robert Klaus and his Excellent Food, and Uwe Lützkendorf, Weingut Lützkendorf, and his World-class Wines - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken
Tasting at Weingut Uwe Lützkendorf, with Uwe Lützkendorf, in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours
Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in the Saale Unstrut Region, Germany
Visit and tasting at Landesweingut Kloster Pforta in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut, with Managing Director Björn Probst
Weingut Kloster Pforta: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Managing Director Christian Kloss – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Wine and Music: "Martin Luther Lunch" at the Historic Vincenz Richter Restaurant, Weingut Vincenz Richter, in Meissen with Senior Boss Gottfried Herrlich and the Music of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schuh in Coswig, Sachsen, with Katharina Pollmer-Schuh and Matthias Schuh - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken
Tour and Dinner at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz - Prinz zur Lippe in Zadel, Sachsen, with Georg Prinz zur Lippe - Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours
Visit and Tasting at the Sächsisches Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth in Radebeul, Sachsen - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken
Wine and Opera in Dresden: Mozart at Semper Opera and the Best Wines of Sachsen at Wine Bar Weinzentrale in Dresden-Neustadt, with Owner/ Sommelier Jens Pietzonka – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours
Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen (Saxony), Germany
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Aldinger in Fellbach (Stuttgart), with Matthias Aldinger - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken
Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Karl Haidle in Kernen-Stetten, Württemberg, with Moritz Haidle - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken
Vineyard Tour and Cellar Tour at Weingut Graf Adelmann, Burg Schaubeck, in Steinheim-Kleinbottwar, Württemberg, with Felix Count Adelmann - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken
Dinner with Felix Graf Adelmann, Weingut Graf Adelmann, at Burg Schaubeck in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Zehnthof Luckert, in Sulzfeld, Franken, with Philipp Luckert - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Staatlicher Hofkeller in Würzburg, Franken, with General Manager Marcel von den Benken – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Visit and Tasting at Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll in Würzburg, Franken - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Wine Pairing Dinner at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Reisers am Stein and Tasting and Tour at Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll, with Winemaker Franziska Schömig - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Rudolf Fürst in Bürgstadt, Franken, with Sebastian Fürst
Tasting and Tour with the Pinot Noir Legend Paul Fürst, Weingut Rudolf Fürst in Bürgstadt, Franken – Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Visit and Tasting at Weingut Benedikt Baltes in Klingenberg, Franken: The Wines of Weingut Benedikt Baltes and of Weingut Julia Bertram - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken
Schiller’s Favorites: 2 Legendary Wine Taverns in Würzburg – Juliusspital and Bürgerspital
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Würzburg
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