Summary
Weingut Manz in Weinolsheim, Rheinhessen, is a family estate with a long tradition: winegrowing has been in the family since around 1725, and today Eric Manz represents the eighth generation in the cellar. Across some 40 hectares around Weinolsheim, Oppenheim and Nierstein, the estate produces above all dry Rieslings and Pinots, along with ambitious international varieties. It has become known first and foremost for its Sauvignon Blanc from limestone, which was named "Riesling Champion" in 2017. The chalky soils of the Rhine terrace shape a precise, mineral style that regularly earns Manz top marks in the leading wine guides.
History
The estate's roots reach far back: as early as around 1725 the Manz family was growing vines in Weinolsheim. Over the generations the mixed farm grew into a dedicated wine estate, run today in the eighth generation. The defining figure of the present is Eric Manz, who leads the estate together with his wife Martina and takes charge in the cellar.
Under his direction, Manz has developed from a solid regional operation into one of the noted addresses of Rheinhessen. Alongside the classic Rieslings and Pinots, Eric Manz consistently backs international varieties and an uncompromisingly dry, terroir-driven style – a path that has brought the estate steadily rising ratings and supra-regional attention over recent years.
Location & Terroir
Weinolsheim lies in the south of Rheinhessen in the Rhein-Selz area, between the well-known wine villages of Oppenheim and Guntersblum and close to the so-called Rhine terrace (Rheinterrasse) – that gently Rhine-facing strip of land which counts among the region's best sites. The climate is mild and dry; the proximity to the Rhine ensures balanced conditions and long, even ripening.
Decisive for the estate's style are the soils. Alongside loess and clay, it is above all limestone soils that shape the best parcels. They give the wines – the Riesling and the Sauvignon Blanc above all – their cool precision, their minerality and their taut, saline pull. It is precisely this limestone origin that Manz has made its hallmark.
Style & Philosophy
The estate's style is clearly defined: dry, precise and terroir-driven. The wines are meant to reflect origin and variety as faithfully as possible, rather than being smoothed over by technique or sweetness. Riesling and Pinot form the backbone, made in a straight, mineral style that prizes freshness and length.
A particular concern for Eric Manz is the Sauvignon Blanc: from the limestone soils he draws a wine with clear fruit, spicy depth and a structure that sets it clearly apart from simpler examples of the variety. The range is rounded out by further international varieties such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, along with sparkling wine and – in suitable vintages – noble-sweet specialities.
Notable Sites & Wines
The estate's vineyards are spread across several villages of the southern Rhine terrace. Among the well-known sites from which Manz makes wine are:
- Oppenheimer Herrenberg and Oppenheimer Sackträger – renowned sites around Oppenheim
- Niersteiner Hipping – one of the classic Nierstein vineyards
- Vineyards in Weinolsheim, Dienheim, Dalheim and Guntersblum
On this basis the estate builds a tiered range, from accessible estate wine through village wines to the single-vineyard and limestone selections that underpin its reputation.
Awards
Manz has for years been among the consistently highly rated estates of Rheinhessen. The wine guide Eichelmann lists the estate with three stars, the Gault&Millau with three grapes; to these are added numerous distinctions at federal and state level. In the DLG Top 100 Manz was ranked among the best Rheinhessen estates, and the Sauvignon Blanc from limestone took the title "Riesling Champion" in 2017. These successes underline the estate's reputation as one of the most exciting addresses for dry white wine from Rheinhessen.