Luxemburg
Château de Schengen

A jewel in Schengen
Located in the picturesque village of Schengen, the Domaine “Thill “was formerly a family-owned estate created more than 80 years ago. It is now managed by the “Caves Bernard Massard” but has kept the authentic character of the terroirs around Schengen.

The best terroirs in the area
A major part of the vineyards now owned by the Domaine was bought from the previous owners of Château de Schengen, after World War II. The original label figures a drawing of the château by Victor Hugo. In a region that is much appreciated for the charm and authentic character of its gently undulating hills, the Luxembourg vineyards belong to one of the most northerly and oldest wine growing regions of Europe.
Situated on the slopes running down to the Moselle river which acts as a natural border between Luxembourg and Germany, the vineyards lie in a gentle micro-climate influenced by the river and an ideal south-westerly orientation. The 1235 hectares (3052 acres) of vines are divided into two areas: the canton of Remich with deep and rich soils and that of Grevenmacher, on slowly eroding clay soils. The former produces generous and fleshy wines; the latter is distinguished by the mineral character and finesse of its wines.

The vineyard
The estate covers 12 ha (over 29.50 acres) of vines, well located in and around Schengen and divided into some 25 different plots. The majority of the vines are spread over the slopes; they are highly demanding in manual labour and are cultivated according to integrated farming methods (“culture raisonnée”), banning pesticides and chemical fertilisers.

Harvesting
Only hand harvesting can ensure that the ripest and healthiest grapes are picked at the appropriate time. According to the vintages, the grapes are picked in several batches.
The harvest usually begins around September 25th to end in early November with the Riesling grapes.