Johann Martin Bastian, born in Stromberg in 1625, is listed as godfather, tanner and Schultheiß (mayor) in the church records of Oberdiebach, the next village upriver from Bacharach. His son, the first Friedrich Bastian, was confirmed in 1688, which puts his year of birth around 1675.
Winery
Situated in the world famous Middle Rhine Valley, ours is truly a family business. For over 300 years, we have been passionately devoted to producing wines of unmistakeably strong character in this unique wine-growing region.
Friedrich Bastian (the second) is born in Bacharach. His second marriage in 1753 is to Anna Maria Schippert, from whom the Bastian family inherits the house known as “Zum Grünen Baum” as well as its estate, which includes farmland and vineyards.
Otto Friedrich Bastian (the third Friedrich) marries Henriette Lang, the daughter of a Bacharach merchant. The Bastian family acquires the island of Heyles’en Werth as part of the dowry. Now, as well as farming, the family also operates a ship mill, which is moored amid the rocks at the southern end of the island.
From the middle of the 19th century onwards, winegrowing in the Rhine region begins to experience a definite upturn. Tourism blossoms – and travellers are quick to pass word of the excellence of the quality wines coming out of the four valleys around Bacharach. Until the end of the 19th century, Bastian wines are auctioned by the barrel to the highest bidder.
Large portions of the vineyard are sold following a split inheritance involving three siblings. Holdings are reduced from a considerable 90 morgen (approximately 22 hectares) to 30 morgen. The change also sees the historical wine-growing areas on the island turned over to animal husbandry and agriculture.
Friedrich Bastian (the fifth) hands over farming operations to his sons Fritz and Karl. He himself goes with his wife Elise to live on his island retirement estate, where as early as 1886 a small but luxurious house had been built along with a farm building.
Older brother Fritz returns from the war alone after Karl is killed in 1916. Fritz now manages the farm along with his wife Else, whom he married in her native East Prussia in 1917. His strictness is legendary – as is his ability to pin opponents to the spot with long monologues, which are admired and feared in equal measure.
Fritz (the seventh) and his older sister Ruth grow up on the farm. They quickly become familar with the daily tasks involved in a diverse business that spans winemaking, agriculture and animal husbandry. Not until 1960 does the 80-year-old Fritz senior hand over the farm to his children.
A dispute that has been ongoing for a decade comes to a head. Fritz Bastian is forced to purchase at auction the part of the island due to the widower of his deceased aunt. But that is not all: the state waterway administration is also making claims to large portions of the island. Fritz is able to win his case and, after a herculean effort, is left as the sole owner of the island. This leaves him free to pursue his vision of reestablishing winegrowing in the middle of the Rhine: Inselwein. But it is with a heavy heart that he winds down the farming operations.
The brother and sister begin operating “Zum Grünen Baum” as a tavern, initially on a monthly basis. Heartened by the great popularity of the cosy estate tavern on Bacharach’s market square, Fritz, his wife Doris and his sister Ruth take the decision to open all year round.
Cinema arrives on the island as a horde of unshaven, serious, chain-smoking young men draw up in Bacharach in a dilapidated removal van. The island becomes one of the settings for an organic plot that evolves from one day to the next, mostly at night. The result is a cult film for lone wolves. “Im Lauf der Zeit” was the first German road movie and earned Wim Wenders recognition both at Cannes and internationally. Hanns Zischler and Rüdiger Vogler have counted among the premier German film actors ever since.
Construction of the island ferry “Bacchi Ara“ begins in the courtyard of “Zum Grünen Baum”. In the early years of the modern Inselwein vintage, the harvested grapes still had to be brought over to the banks of Bacharach by rowing boat. The self-built ferry now eases the workload considerably.
In 1983 a resolute band of winemakers from Bacharach and Steeg plucks up the courage to follow many more famous wineries to London, where they attend an export fair. As expected, they attract little attention. After that there follows many a night of heated discussion where heads are cooled again with soothing Riesling, and in 1987 the winemakers decide to found the VDP Mittelrhein. Fritz Bastian is chairman for ten years. The Middle Rhine makes its entry onto the world stage as a wine region.
Having completed his training as a winemaker, the eighth Friedrich joins the family business. Just one year later – and to the horror of his parents – he travels to Munich to study opera. Women and song are much more attractive options than winemaking.
The Japanese imperial couple are served Bacharach Riesling to accompany their Rhine menu, including wine from Posten, Hahn, Wolfshöhle and from Heyles’ en Werth island, which the state visitors cruise past.
Fritz Bastian dies on 27 May 2005 following a lengthy illness.
Music begins to take the more prominent role it deserves as an accompaniment to wine. After a festive late-summer picnic at the rocky southern tip of the island, two cooks and a singing winemaker hit upon the idea of putting together all the fine ingredients they can muster to create a richly enjoyable experience. From three men in a boat, the event “Reif für die Insel” is born. Yet the project would never have been so successful without the unflinching support of wives, children and relatives.
Everything has its time. Bastian wines get a new face. And Friedrich Bastian brings his combination of wine and singing to television. This generates a lot of publicity for the winery – and considerable popularity for its wines. And the bold new design of the labels also makes its mark, earning the IF packaging design award.
The Vinothèque opens. This uncluttered and peaceful space presents the wines in a whole new light – a logical addition to the homely and extremely cosy atmosphere of Zum Grünen Baum, which many guests appreciate because it has an authenticity that’s hard to find elsewhere.
On March 15, 2015 Doris Bastian dies at the age of 76 years.
Our website is growing. The Bastian wines can be ordered in the online shop from now on.
Vineyards
For generations, the vines in Bacharach and Steeg have been home to our wines. Our VDP Große Lage and Erste Lage vineyards stretch from POSTEN by way of WOLFSHÖHLE to ST. JOST in Steeg. With all the sunlight their orientation to the south and southwest guarantees them, they provide the vines rooted deep in their Devonian slate with the ideal topography and microclimate in which to mature our single-site wines.
Walk among the vines! For those wanting to conquer the steep slopes of our vineyards for themselves, there is our “Orion trail”, which will take you on an ascent up to the first terrace high above Bacharach old town and the bank of the Rhine’s prehistoric glacial valley. Here Scheurebe and Pinot noir flourish in cultivated deep and clayey soil.
The Rhine sits majestically in the bed it has carved deep into the rock and washes around our unique wine-growing island of Heyles’en Werth. The Heine lookout point offers a stunning view of this vineyard in the middle of the river, where the fertile, sandy alluvial soil brings forth a thoroughly refreshing Insel-Riesling.
- Posten
- Wolfshöhle
- St. Jost
- Heyles'en Werth
- Zum grünen Baum winery
- Vinothèque
- Orion trail
- Posten
- Wolfshöhle
- St. Jost
- Heyles'en Werth
- Zum grünen Baum winery
- Vinothèque
- Orion trail
Estate tavern
Zum Grünen Baum is the beating heart of the Bastian winery. Dating back to 1421, it looks straight out onto Bacharach’s market square and, together with the neighbouring “Altes Haus” and the most recent part of the building on Rosenstraße dating from 1825, forms the picturesque inner courtyard.
Since time immemorial, our wine tavern has been a social hub, with its rustic rooms and airy, sunny benches offering the perfect atmosphere to enjoy an authentic Middle Rhine wine-tavern tradition. The whole range of Bastian wines is available for you to taste – and of course to buy as well! Enjoy our wines alongside home-made snacks in an unforgettable atmosphere. We look forward to your visit!
Opening times:
- Thursday to Tuesday from 12 pm – 22 pm.
- Kitchen closes at 9 pm.
- Call for reservations 06743-1208.
- We can currently only accept reservations on the same day.
Impressions
Our winery is located in the UNESCO-recognized Upper Middle Rhine Valley. To the North there is the Lorelei, to the South-East the Celtic settlement of Bingen. Come and see the beauty of this small but diverse wine growing region for yourself, and experience the picturesque charm of the high-medieval Rhine town of Bacharach.
Contact
Weingut Friedrich Bastian
Erbhof “Zum grünen Baum”
Oberstr. 63 · 55422 Bacharach, Germany
T +49 6743 1208
Vinothèque (administration)
Koblenzer Str. 1 · 55422 Bacharach, Germany
T +49 6743 93785-30
F +49 6743 93785-33
Getting here:
Coming from Rhine/Main: Exit the A60 at Bingen to join the B9 towards St. Goar. Follow the B9 for around 15 km until you reach Bacharach. Enter through one of the city gates and carry on through to the market place by St Peter’s church.
Coming from Rhine/Neckar: Exit the A61 at the Nahetal junction in the direction of Bingen. Then follow the B9 towards St. Goar until you reach Bacharach. Enter through one of the city gates and carry on through to the market place by St Peter’s church.
Coming from Cologne/Bonn/Koblenz: Exit the A61 at Rheinböllen then follow the signs for Bacharach. After around 15 km you will pass through Steeg. Continue along the main road through the Steeg gate and carry on through to the centre of Bacharach and St. Peter’s church.