Nell家族的祖先是愛爾蘭奧尼爾王族Irish O’Neill clan, Irish O’Neill紋章上左右紅藍海怪的混合便成了Nell家族的紫色
Dominikaner Weingut C.Von Nell-Breuning成立於1670年，其實C Von Nell-Breuning家族已有340年釀酒歷史，到現在第11代人一直在德國世界著名，在盛產Riesling的Mosel產區的Ruwer Valley種植葡萄及釀酒，之前只在本土銷售，從不出口。
有趣的是，這個日耳曼紫色貴族，一直同歐洲歷史結下不解之緣。沿著Ruwer River走過歷史長河，不單可以飲到Riesling葡萄由Blue Slate土壤帶來的獨特風土，更飲出一段段故事。這家族經歷之多更是令人驚訝，Peter Christian Nell在1709年獲神聖羅馬帝國皇帝約瑟一世封為貴族，為哈斯堡皇室服務。在拿破崙時代，Christoph Phillipp von Nell更成為了國會成員，繼而獲封更多領土及葡萄園。而在1911年，他們的葡萄酒便獲得俄國沙皇尼古拉二世垂青，曾將1100瓶Dominikanerberg Monopole葡萄園送到俄國皇宮，在充滿歷史和貴族薰陶下，這酒莊不單止見證歐洲各皇朝的興衰，更出現在音樂天才貝多芬的人生中，而大女Eleonore Breuning是貝多芬的初戀情人，貝多芬也將他人生中唯一一部歌劇Fidelio獻了給她，而Stephen Breuning更成為了他的一生好友，之後貝多芬將他的小提琴協奏曲作品61獻了給Stephan，以珍重和他的友誼。
C Von Nell-Breuning作為Ruwer Valley首個釀造Sparkling Riesling的酒莊，一直堅守傳統技術，將凝聚了數個世紀經驗，將Riesling最好的一面帶給葡萄酒愛好者。
Established in 1670, Dominikaner Weingut C.Von Nell-Breuning has more than 340 years of winemaking history. 11 generations of the family have been planting grapes and making wines in Ruwer Valley, Mosel in Germany.
Walking along Ruwer River, not only can you taste the terroirs from blue-slate soils but also listen to stories of history. Since Peter Christian Nell, the founder of the winery, was ennobled by the Roman emperor Joseph I of Hungary and Bohemia in 1709, the German noble family had been leaving its steps on European history. Under Napoleon Bonaparte, Christoph Phillip von Nell became a member of the National Assembly and obtained large areas of land and vineyards. Their wines were even appreciated by the Russian Tsar Court of Nicholas II, who ordered 1100 bottles of “Dominikanerberg” from the year 1911. The winery witnessed the rise and fall of different European empires.
They even appear in the legendary life of Beethoven, who had his first romantic relationship with Eleonore Breuning and a life-long friendship with Stephan Breuning. As the oldest sparkling wine manufacturer in the Ruwer Valley, the Breuning family persists in their tradition and technique, combining the three centuries of experiences of and the terroirs to make the best wines for the wine lovers.
(Photo from the internet)
