The roots of the von Schönborn family can be traced back to the crusades and the first mention with respect to viticulture was in the year 1349. Schloss Schönborn is the oldest estate in Germany and one of the oldest in the world, continuously owned by the same family, (27 generations).

Many of the vineyards along the slopes bordering the Rhine river have been part of the Schönborn family estate since 1349, which has been added to continuously since then. Several top sites were acquired in the 17th and 18th centuries, giving the estate a real boost. In the 17th century, they acquired the famous Erbacher Marcobrunn. With almost 50% ownership, the Schönborn’s have by far the largest ownership in this great vineyard. Today, the estate owns over 50 ha of vineyards throughout the Rheingau, of which 90% are planted with Riesling. The remaining vineyards feature Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc. It is the only estate in the region with 38 single vineyard holdings in the best parts of the region. The Schloss Schönborn wine estate is one of the founder members of the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates (VDP).