Heilig Geist foundation wine
Enjoyment for a good cause
With every bottle of foundation wine, Peter Mertes contributes to supporting social projects in Bernkastel-Kues.
For around 700 years, the citizens of Bernkastel have been committed to charitable causes - in a variety of ways: One family donated warm clothes and shoes for the needy at the beginning of winter, another invited people to a free lunch after mass on church holidays. Yet another donated wine at Easter and Whitsun.
All of these foundations arose from the deepest Christian conviction and were dedicated to the Holy Spirit. During the Napoleonic occupation, they were amalgamated and placed under the control of a committee consisting of the mayor of the town and a council of elected citizens. Following the example of foundations in the German Empire at the time, it was given the name ‘Armenstiftung zum Heiligen Geist, Vereinigte Hospitien, Bernkastel’.
The foundation is still active today. It owns its own church at the historic Bernkastel cemetery as well as several houses with flats for socially disadvantaged families.
However, its most valuable assets are the first-class vineyards in the best locations in Bernkastel, which have also been donated by local families over the centuries. The income from leasing these vineyards flows directly into the foundation's charitable projects.
One of the tenants is Peter Mertes KG, which presses and markets the foundation's famous wine every year. With every bottle sold, the Heilig-Geist-Stiftung receives a share to support its social work.
All of these foundations arose from the deepest Christian conviction and were dedicated to the Holy Spirit. During the Napoleonic occupation, they were amalgamated and placed under the control of a committee consisting of the mayor of the town and a council of elected citizens. Following the example of foundations in the German Empire at the time, it was given the name ‘Armenstiftung zum Heiligen Geist, Vereinigte Hospitien, Bernkastel’.
The foundation is still active today. It owns its own church at the historic Bernkastel cemetery as well as several houses with flats for socially disadvantaged families.
However, its most valuable assets are the first-class vineyards in the best locations in Bernkastel, which have also been donated by local families over the centuries. The income from leasing these vineyards flows directly into the foundation's charitable projects.
One of the tenants is Peter Mertes KG, which presses and markets the foundation's famous wine every year. With every bottle sold, the Heilig-Geist-Stiftung receives a share to support its social work.
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