The Astheimer Chardonnay is delicate, playful and powerful at the same time. The shell limestone soil imparts fine minerality and the delicious Mediterranean fruit flavours while the aging of the barrique gives the Chardonnay its roasted aromas and maturation on the yeast imparts majestic complexity.

The Astheimer Chardonnay from Rudolf Fürst is a VDP local wine and comes from the Astheim vineyards in Franconia. The main part of the grapes comes from the "Karthause Astheim", an old, slightly south-facing vineyard near the Eschendorfer Lump. The Chardonnay grapes of Rudolf Fürst grow here on very stony shell limestone mixed with loose shell limestone soil.


In the westernmost corner of the Franconian wine region, framed by the low mountain ranges of Spessart and Odenwald, unique conditions have been created by time and weather. Here the Fürst Family have been making wine since 1638. In 1979 Paul and Monika Fürst built the new estate amidst the vineyards and in 2007 they were joined in its management by their son Sebastian.

The quality and struture of the wines is ensured by minimal intervention in the vineyards, reduced yields, gentle vinification and long barrel aging. Chardonnay grapes are pressed gently, fermented and aged in both barrels and stainless steel tanks for 6 - 12 months. Lowtech vinification assures each wine gets the necessary time to develop.

"The 2019 Chardonnay Astheimer shows a clear and intense, concentrated yet still reductive bouquet with rice and slightly leathery (reductive) aromas. Full-bodied, round and fresh yet still leathery on the palate, this is a charming, fine and elegant, fruity rather than terroir-driven Chardonnay from a vineyard that Paul bought 23 years ago as a Sylvaner vineyard. There is still a bit of Sylvaner there, but the larger part was substituted with Chardonnay in 2011. Natural cork.
Drink 2023-2033. 92 points."
Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate (October 2022 - commenting on the previous vintage)