schiller-wine: Guntrum is Back (Stuart Pigott/ James Suckling): Wine Pairing Lunch and Tour at Weingut Louis Guntrum in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, with Owners Konstantin and Stephanie Guntrum - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Picture: Wine Pairing Lunch and Tour at Weingut Louis Louis Guntrum in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, with Owners Konstantin and Stephanie Guntrum

Our final stop on the Germany-South and Alsace Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017 was in Nierstein, south of Mainz, at Weingut Louis Guntrum. L. Konstantin and Stephanie Guntrum were our hosts.

Pictures: Welcome

"Guntrum is back" writes Stuart Pigott in his latest review of the Rheinhessen region. The Guntrum family makes wine has been making wine since 1648. Today, L. Konstantin Guntrum produces about 70.000 cases of wine annually with own fruit from its vinyards totalling 11 hectares (8.000 cases) and with purchased fruit ( 62.000 cases). In its haydays of its almost 400 years of history, the Guntrum family used to own 280 hectares of vineyard land.

Pictures: Recent Stuart Pigott and Robert Parker Ratings of Weingut Louis Guntrum

In addition to its world class wines, Weingut Louis Guntrum was also known for making more affordable wine and selling it all over the world. The current generation, Louis Konstantin and his wife, is clearly refocussing on quality and does this very successfully as Stuart Pigott is testifying in his lates Rheinhessen report on JamesSuckling.com. On my recent flight from Frankfurt to Washington DC, I was served as Louis Guntrum wine in Business Class.

Picture: Ombiasy Germany-South and Alsace Wine Tour 2017

We started the visit with a glass of sparkling wine in the courtyard of Weingut Louis Guntrum, overlooking the part of the Rhine River where during World War II U.S.General Patton crossed the river. Following a most interesting tour of the large and old cellar we sat down with Konstantin and Stephanie Guntrum for a tasting with a light lunch, which Stephanie Guntrum had prepared for us. Konstantin opened a number of very special wines for us, including the wine the Guntrums served at their wedding and a noble sweet wine from 1976, the year Annette and I got married.

Pictures: Starting with a Sekt

History

The Guntrum family started to make wine in 1648 and has been involved in wine production ever since. The Guntrums were French Huguenots who fled France to escape Catholic oppression.

The 8th generation, Louis Jean George Guntrum, built today's estate building in 1923. It impresses with its stunning location right on the banks of the Rhine river between Nierstein and Oppenheim.

Today, Weingut Louis Guntrum is owned and managed by the 11th generation, Louis Konstantin Guntrum and his wife Stephanie Guntrum.

During the French Revolution, the Guntrum family fled across the Rhine river and temporarily relocated in Bensheim. In 1909, Louis Guntrum returned to Nierstein and established the Louis Guntrum estate as it is known today.

In February 1945, during World War II, U.S.General Patton occupied the winery and the family mansion, having crossed the Rhein river directly at the Louis Guntrum estate.

Pictures: Cellar Tour

Louis Guntrum

Overall production is about 70.000 cases of wine, of which 62.000 cases are produced by purchasing fruit and 8.000 cases from own grapes.

The vineyard area totals 11 hectares in the following sites: Niersteiner Bergkirche, Heiligenbaum, Hipping, Ölberg, Orbel, Paterberg and Pettental; as well as in the Oppenheimer Herrenberg, Kreuz, Sackträger and Schützenhütte.

Riesling is the most important grape variety accounting for 40%. Other grape varieties include Silvaner, Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Silvaner, Gewürztraminer.

Pictures: Stephanie and Konstantin Wedding Barrel and Wine (2003)

Wine-pairing Lunch

After the tour of the winery we enjoyed a family-style wine pairing lunch, which was prepared by Stephanie Guntrum.

Pictures: Wine-pairing Lunch

The Food

We had a light, delicious lunch prepared by Stephanie Guntrum.

Quiche Lorraine with Mixed Leaf Lettuces

Apple Tarte with Fresh, Whipped Cream

The Wines

2016 Louis Guntrum PERLfein - Louis Guntrum Secco Euro 6.50

2003 Stephanie and Konstantin Wedding Wine

2016 Louis Guntrum Nierstein Silvaner trocken Euro10

2015 Louis Guntrum Oppenheim Sackträger Riesling trocken Euro15

87 points Falstaff 2016

2012 Louis Guntrum Nierstein Hipping Riesling Louis Guntrum Grosses Gewächs Euro25

89 points Falstaff 2016

Falstaff 2017: The Grosses Gewächs wines of Louis Guntrum are getting close to the top wines of the region.

Louis Guntrum Grosses Gewächs is a trademark of Weingut Louis Guntrum as opposed to the VDP.Grosses Gewächs of the VDP, which can only be used by members of the VDP.

The Hipping is a famous VDP. Grosse Lage. Konstantin explained that his parcel is right between those of Weingut Gunderloch and Weingut Schätzel, both members of the VDP. He applies to his winemaking process in the vineyard and in the cellar the same strict rules the VDP producers are obliged to follow..

2014 Louis Guntrum Pinot Noir Réserve Euro30

89 points Meiningers Rotweipreis 2016

2015 Louis Guntrum Nierstein Bergkirche Riesling Kabinett Euro9

45 g/ l RS

84 points Gault Millau 2017

1976 Louis Guntrum Dienheimer Falkenberg Riesling Auslese Euro175

Annette and I got married in 1976. Thank you for this very special wine.

Louis Guntrum Riesling in Business Class/ Lufthansa

On the way back to the USA I could enjoy more Louis Guntrum wines on the Lufthansa flight Frankfurt to Washington DC. In Lufhansa business class there is always one dry German wine among the selection of 6 wines. This time it was a Louis Guntrum Riesling!