Summary
Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim is one of the best-known and most storied Riesling addresses in Rheinhessen. Across around 28 hectares – predominantly Riesling – it produces wines closely bound to one of Germany's great sites: the Nackenheimer Rothenberg on the Roter Hang. The red slate and clay soil of this steep slope above the Rhine yields Rieslings of unmistakable spice and minerality – from taut, dry Große Gewächse to legendary noble-sweet Auslese. Founded in 1890 by Mainz banker Carl Gunderloch and shaped over generations by the Hasselbach family, the estate today stands under Johannes Hasselbach for uncompromising sense of origin and world-class Riesling.
History
The estate's roots reach back to 1890, in the middle of the Gründerzeit boom. Carl Gunderloch, a Mainz banker from the region, acquired the Dalheimer Hof and several outstanding vineyards, among them parcels in the Nackenheimer Rothenberg on the Roter Hang. He thereby laid the foundation for an estate that ranked early on among the region's most respected and was among the founding members of the forerunner organisation of today's VDP.
After Carl's death the property was divided and passed down over several generations. The decisive turn towards its present renown came from 1979, when Fritz Hasselbach and his wife Agnes Hasselbach-Usinger gave up their previous careers to devote themselves fully to the estate. Fritz Hasselbach made Gunderloch – and the noble-sweet Rieslings from the Rothenberg – internationally famous and shaped the estate's modern reputation. After his death in 2016, his son Johannes Hasselbach, who had already taken charge in the cellar, assumed leadership and continues the estate in the sixth generation.
Location & Terroir
Nackenheim lies south of Mainz on the left bank of the Rhine, in northern Rheinhessen. Decisive for Gunderloch is the Roter Hang (Red Slope) – a steep slope facing south-west towards the river, running between Nackenheim and neighbouring Nierstein. It owes its name to the strikingly red soil of clay and slate of the Rotliegendes, a geological rarity among Germany's vineyards.
This red slate stores warmth during the day and releases it to the vines at night, while the steep south-west exposure captures plenty of sun and the nearby Rhine ensures a balanced climate. At its heart, the Nackenheimer Rothenberg, old Riesling vines root deep in the meagre rock. The result is wines with pronounced spice, saline minerality and great ageing potential.
Style & Philosophy
At the centre stands Riesling and the ambition to bring origin into the glass as purely as possible. Gunderloch works site by site and relies on spontaneous fermentation, sometimes with a little skin contact and ageing in traditional wooden casks to give the wines added texture and depth. Johannes Hasselbach has refined the style further in recent years – towards dry wines of balance, power and elegance that emphasise the character of the Rothenberg.
At the same time the estate upholds the great Rheinhessen tradition of noble-sweet Rieslings. In suitable vintages the Rothenberg yields Auslese, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese that rank among Germany's most sought-after sweet wines. The range is rounded out by Weißburgunder and Silvaner as well as approachable estate and village wines.
Notable Sites & Wines
The range is clearly tiered: from uncomplicated estate wines through village wines to the Große Gewächse from the top sites. Among the most important vineyards are:
- Nackenheimer Rothenberg – the heart site and VDP.Große Lage, source of the flagship Große Gewächs and the legendary noble-sweet Rieslings
- Niersteiner Pettenthal – another grand cru on the Roter Hang, for deep, mineral Rieslings
- Niersteiner Hipping – elegant, finely spiced wines from red slate
Both the dry Große Gewächse and the noble-sweet specialities regularly rank among the highest-rated Rieslings in Rheinhessen.
Awards
For decades Gunderloch has been among Germany's consistently highly rated estates and appears regularly in the leading wine guides (Falstaff, Gault&Millau, Eichelmann) and in international tastings. The noble-sweet Rieslings from the Rothenberg in particular have enjoyed world renown since the Fritz Hasselbach era; under Johannes Hasselbach the dry collection has gained further standing too. The estate is today regarded as one of the definitive addresses for Riesling from the Roter Hang.