Region & History

Anyone wanting to know where the word Weinbrand comes from ends up in Rüdesheim am Rhein. At the western edge of the Rheingau, where the river bends north and the vineyards reach steeply down to the bank, Hugo Asbach founded his company in 1892. Born in Cologne in 1868, he had learned the art of distilling wine in France.

His goal was a German brandy that could rival French Cognac. At first it was called "Rüdesheimer Cognac," just as German brandy in general was known at the time. After the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, the word Cognac was reserved exclusively for France.

On November 11, 1907, Asbach registered the word "Weinbrand" as a trademark; a year later the brand "Asbach Uralt" followed. Since 1923, Weinbrand has been a generic term under German wine law that any producer may use, provided they meet the rules. Wine merchant Albert Sturm had already joined as a partner in 1905, when the company was called "Großetablissement der Cognac-Industrie Asbach & Co."

Hugo Asbach died in Rüdesheim in 1935. Since 2002, Asbach GmbH, based on the Rhine, has belonged to the Underberg Group. According to trade press reports, the house still operates its own distillery and a visitor center there.

When it comes to protected origin, a closer look pays off. "Deutscher Weinbrand" has been a protected geographical indication of the EU since 1989. A "Rüdesheimer Weinbrand" as a protected designation, however, does not exist, because Asbach is a brand, not an origin designation. Distilling without a permit remains illegal in Germany; Weinbrand is produced in distilleries under customs supervision.