Term formerly used in Germany and Austria to classify a particularly outstanding wine, a so-called Kreszenz. The origin of the term is a Cistercian wine cellar built in 1245 in Eberbach Monastery (municipality of Eltville-Hattenheim in the Rheingau). The term cabinet is derived from a cellar compartment in which the best wines were stored (French cabinet = adjoining room; the term treasure chamber has a similar meaning). It was first used in 1712 to designate a wine as reserve quality. This historic cellar is still called "Cabinet-Keller" today. Such wines were not allowed to be enriched with sugar (for the purpose of increasing alcohol).
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