Gunderloch Roter Hang Erste Lage Nierstein Riesling 2023

Gunderloch Roter Hang Erste Lage Nierstein Riesling

Region: Rheinhessen, Germany

Vintage: 2023

Bottle size: 75cl

Grape: Riesling

ABV: 12%

This wine has lifted aromas of wild herbs, fennel, tangerine and honeysuckle on the nose. The palate is broad and layered with concentrated fruit flavours and a hint of spice. The finish is long and complex with a mineral edge.

Fruit for this wine is sourced from selected sites in the Roter Hang (the red hillside) in the Upper Rheinhessen, including the renowned Rothenberg, Pettenthal and Hipping vineyards. It is named after its distinctive iron-rich red soils formed over 280 million years ago. This combination of red slate, clay and limestone lends a distinctive character and complex minerality to the wines. The vineyards are planted on east and south-east facing slopes, overlooking the Rhine, ensuring optimal ripeness. They are managed organically and sustainably, with practices such as no-till and dry farming, hay mulching and indigenous cover crops.

The grapes were harvested by hand. On arrival at the winery they underwent partial skin contact for 24-48 hours, a long and gentle press in a pneumatic press. The juice was then left to settle overnight. Fermentation occurred in a combination of old oak vessels ranging from 600 to 1200L, and 1200L cement eggs. The wine was then aged for 7 months on the fine lees.

Gunderloch are one of the Rheinhessen’s most respected producers, known for their complex Rieslings derived from the distinctive, red soils of Roter Hang. Though the estate has over 130 years of history, including a pivotal role in the founding of the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP), its reputation has been shaped by a willingness to adapt in pursuit of continued quality. As sixth-generation winemaker Johannes Hasselbach explains, “this is an old estate with a long history, but we have to evolve because when nature changes, so do the wines”.

https://www.gunderloch.de