The Emrich-Schönleber estate has been around for over 250 years, but it wasn't until the 1960's that it began to focus exclusively on wine. In the 1970's, Werner Schönleber took over the family’s land and expanded the vineyard holdings — from two to ten hectares — around the town of Monzingen, particularly in two vineyards: Halenberg and Frühlingsplätzchen. Today, Werner oversees the 18 hectares of vineyards, while his son, Frank, runs the winery (though Frank is gradually taking over full control of all vineyard work too). Emrich-Schönleber’s wines are among the best made not only in the Nahe, but all of Germany. They focus on Riesling, and the dedication in the vineyards and the cellar shines through in all their bottles.

Frühlingsplätzchen (which translates as a special place in spring) is a VDP Grosse Lage (Grand Cru) located around the village of Monzingen. The vineyard has a southwest-to-southeast exposure with, at its steepest point, a 70% incline. The winter snows melt the fastest, and it is here that spring awakens particularly early. Its soils mostly consist of red slate and gravel interspersed with the red-colored loam referred to as Rotliegend. Even in youth, wines from Frühlingsplätzchen are seductive with a playful, spring-like fruit character. Its aromas are often redolent of peach and ripe apple with a complex addition of fine herbal notes. After a few years of cellaring, a more pronounced minerally quality bursts forth, which makes Frühlingsplätzchen wines increasingly electrifying with age.