We are proud to own an old cellar building of the 14 th century (1347). Often events of all kind take place here.

History
The former free realm city Esslingen is one of the oldest wine – growing villages in Wuerttemberg. Presumably the Romans were the ones who brought viticulture to the “Neckar” Valley. Already in 778 the existence of vineyards is mentioned in documents.

In the 12 th century Esslingen was possession of sovereigns called the Staufer and so received the rights of a free realm city. During the sovereignty of the Staufer the situation of viticulture changed radically.

Until then wine – growing could only be found in the valley. From about 1220 on people of Esslingen began to ground wine – growing on terraces. By that the wines' quality was improved. Wine became the towns most important exports, which even was highly estimated at the imperial court in Vienna. Since 1258 Esslingen's me as ure for wine – 1 bucket = 300 litres – is proved. The bucket of Esslingen was taken as a me as ure valid for the whole province in 1557. In the 13 th and 14 th century the wine – growing area of Esslingen reached its biggest expanse within about 1200 hectares. What is left today is about 85 hectares.

The area of the “Beutau”, which was the l as t part of town to be integrated in the city wall, became a district of wine – makers. In 1347 cellar buildings in the “Beutau” are mentioned in documents for the first time. Cellar buildings are directly connected to viticulture. In order to press the grapes huge forces are needed, which already in Roman time were brought forth with big lever presses. To protect the precious machine from weather, robbery and destruction it was put into cellar buildings.

During the harvest sworn wine-makers worked in the cellar buildings. They had to guard them all night and day long and were controlled by authorities themselves.

Discovery in the "Beutau"
In the “Beutau”street, very close to the old Gothic church, was a strange building, which was different from the surrounding area and so caused questions to monument maintenance and city planning.

The frontage consisted of a wall of broken stones that could be discovered under an incomplete roughc as t. In the front part of the building was a vestibule provided with a cellar in the back part. A bowl was found, which could indicate the use of the building as a stable or cow barn. But for that the costly construction of the roof without any pillars would not have been necessary. Consequently this building must have been a cellar building, not far from the vineyards but still inside the city wall. Enquiries in various archives finally confirmed that he building is one of the oldest cellar buildings in southern Germany.

Determining the age
It's always quite different to determine the age of buildings which – like this one - had been rebuilt several times. A so called dendrological examination should bring to light some information about the age of the cellar building. Therefore wooden samples are being compared to samples from the same region that already have been determined in age. The result showed that most trees, whose wood was used in the cellar building, had been felled in winter of 1580/81. Consequently an important rebuilding must have taken place in 1581.Only one sample from the northern part of the roof referred to the beginning of the 15 th century, proving that at le as t the northern wall must be more antique. The foundation wall even pointed out a first erection of the building in the 13 th century.

In 1878 the wine – maker Jonathan Hägele bought the cellar building, which, nevertheless, was called stable or cow barn. From then on it remained property of the family Hägele.

Sanitation measures
In 1991 the family Kusterer - directly related to the family Hägele – was able to acquire the rotten cellar building and started with its overhaul in the same year. During the process of sanitation the clients attached great importance to the use of materials being compatible with the age of building and human health.

Family Kusterer made it possible to use the historical building in its original function as a cellar building.

In 1994 some wine – t as ting, a concert and the exhibition about historical cellar buildings in Baden – Wuerttemberg framed the inauguration of Kusterer's cellar building.

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