Nierstein Oelberg Riesling Trocken, Louis Guntrum 2018

The Louis Guntrum who founded this property in the 17th century, was a French Huguenot who fled France to escape Catholic oppression and settled in Benzheim. Guntrum subsequently crossed the river to Nierstein and bought vines in Nierstein Pettenthal and Hipping, which in hot years make finer wine than their more famous vines in Nierstein Orbel and Oelberg. Today, the company is run by the 11th generation, Louis Konstantin Gunstrum.

The Nierstein Pettenthal vineyard is part of the Rhein-Terrasse – the steep, south-east-facing vineyards planted on red sandstone on the banks of the Rhine, which are considered by some to be ranked among the finest vineyards in Germany. The Nierstein Orbel and Oelberg vineyards are south-facing and planted on clay soils, and the property also has vines in Oppenheimer Sacktrager, a south-facing amphitheatre of clay-loam sheltered by the surrounding hills.

Only traditional grapes are grown, such as riesling, silvaner, spätburgunder (pinot noir) and gewürztraminer. Much of the steeper vines are hand-picked to ensure only the best fruit is selected, but the property also uses machine harvesting in some of its less difficult vineyard sites.

The cellars, built by the 8th generation of the family in 1923, are on the bank of the Rhine between Oppenheimer and Nierstein. Wines are fermented in stainless-steel tanks, with no oak used in order to retain their natural fresh fruit character.