The tasting at Weingut Knewitz was the last event of the Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: See: The Sun-Kissed South: Germany’s Pinot Noir, the Other Whites, the Culinary Regions - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen.
We had a wonderful tasting of a wide selection of Weingut Knewitz wines, including 4 Chardonnays. Laura Henrici was our host. Laura had just returned from an internship at a winery in Michigan. She is working part-time at Weingut Knewitz and is about to open her own winery in the area.
Tobias Knewitz had excused himself as he was working in the vineyard. The vineyard work was until recently the main responsability of Tobias' father but he has fallen ill and Tobias took over his duties. Ergo, no tasting with us. But Laura Henrici did a wonderful job.
After the tasting we went back to Mainz and enjoyed the evening in a typical wine tavern.
Vinum: Bester Weißer Burgunder - Weingut Knewitz, Chardonnay Reserve 2016 (Rheinhessen)
The last time I had seen Tobias Knewitz was at the Vinum WeinGuide 2018 Award Ceremony in Mainz, where he had won in the category Weisser Burgunder (Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Auxerois, etc).
Weingut Knewitz
Weingut Knewitz is in Appenheim (near Bingen) in Rheinhessen.
Since 2009 Weingut Knewitz has been run by Tobias Knewitz in the third generation. Tobias studied oenology in Geisenheim and did a number of internships. He is now supported by partner Corina Knorr and brother Björn.
The family has been making wine since since the end of the 19th century. Grandparents Erwin and Magdalena Knewitz moved the winery to the current location. In 1976, when Gerold Knewitz was in charge, wine was bottled for the first time.
The vineyard area totals 20 hectares in the Eselspfad and Hundertgulden (Appenheim), Goldberg and St. Laurenzikapelle (Gau-Algesheim), Steinacker (Nieder-Hilbersheim) and Schlossberg (Ingelheim).
There are the white varieties Riesling (29%) , Sylvaner (16%) , Sauvignon Blanc , Pinot Blanc (20%) and Chardonnay , and the red varieties Pinot Noir (10%) and St. Laurent planted.
The wines are fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, in traditional large wooden barrels or in barrique . They are marketed as Gutswein, Ortswein and Lagenwein.
The ultra-premium wines are Riesling Hundertgulden and Chardonny Réserve.
Annual production is 10000 cases.
Weingut Knewitz: An Estate by the Sea
There is hardly another winemaker as Tobias Knewitz who embodies the new generation of excellently trained, and ambitious winemakers of Rheinhessen. To describe his estate and his vision, I simply quote his website – I could not come up with something better:
Weingut Knewitz: An Estate by the Sea. In Rheinhessen? Of Course! 40 million years ago, anyways. During that epoch, the northern section of Rheinhessen known today as the Mainz Basin was actually part of the Tertiary sea. It was an age in which continents shifted, mountains rose from the ground and a large coral reef took shape in the place where we now live and our grapes grow. The reef has long since disappeared, of course, but its legacy remains — especially in the high limestone content of the soil it left behind.
For us it is a true gift, with those limestone remnants serving as the distinctive foundation for our wines. Tasting their almost unbelievable life and energy, one is reminded that the greatest of Burgundian wines thrive on limestone as well. Each and every grape variety we grow at our estate flourishes in these ancient coral reefs. Riesling, as it turns out, is an unparalleled translator of this kind of soil. Appenheim serves as a confluence for those elements we love so much: our beloved limestone vineyards — Hundertgulden, Laurenziberg, and Steinacker — and our Riesling. We tend to our vines deliberately but conservatively, spending hundreds of hours in the vineyards each year. This philosophy of care and consistency ultimately helps the wines better tell their own story. A story of their origin and our obsession.
The Wines we Tasted
2017 Weingut Knewitz Riesling dry Gutswein
2016 Weingut Knewitz Appenheimer Riesling Kalkstein (limestone) dry
JamesSuckling.com/ Stuart Pigott: KNEWITZ RIESLING RHEINHESSEN APPENHEIMER TROCKEN 2016 This understated wine has an impressive depth and a nice creaminess. The crisp finish is rather mineral. Better from 2018.
2016 Weingut Knewitz Nieder-Hilbersheimer Riesling Eisenerz (iron ore) dry
JamesSuckling.com/ Stuart Pigott: KNEWITZ RIESLING RHEINHESSEN NIEDER-HILBERSHEIMER TROCKEN 2016 The tannins in this make it a little chewy, but there's no denying the ripeness and it will certainly be better after a year or more of further ageing.
2016 Weingut Knewitz HUNDERTGULDEN Riesling dry
2013 Weingut Knewitz HUNDERTGULDEN Riesling dry
JamesSuckling.com/ Stuart Pigott: KNEWITZ RIESLING RHEINHESSEN HUNDERTGULDEN TROCKEN 2016 A stunning single vineyard dry riesling which reminds me of some top Alsace wines, but with a citrusy freshness that they often lack. The austere mineral finish goes on and on. Drink now.
2016 Weingut Knewitz GOLDBERG Riesling dry
2013 Weingut Knewitz GOLDBERG Riesling dry
2016 Weingut Knewitz STEINACKER Riesling dry
2014 Weingut Knewitz STEINACKER Riesling dry
JamesSuckling.com/ Stuart Pigott: KNEWITZ RIESLING RHEINHESSEN STEINACKER TROCKEN 2016 Still rather tight and very crisp, this is a young dry riesling with a striking licorice and lemon character, but also plenty of earthy power. If you aren't afraid of acidity this will be very rewarding from 2018 onwards.
2017 Weingut Knewitz Weisser Burgunder dry Gutswein
2016 Weingut Knewitz Appenheimer Weisser Burgunder dry
2016 Weingut Knewitz ESELSPFAD Weisser Burgunder dry
2016 Weingut Knewitz Chordonnay dry HOLZFASS
2016 Weingut Knewitz Chordonnay dry RÉSERVE
2015 Weingut Knewitz Chordonnay dry RÉSERVE
2014 Weingut Knewitz Chordonnay dry RÉSERVE
Back in Mainz (at Wine Tavern Wilhelmi)
After a busy day with 3 tastings, some of us stayed at the hotel to watch the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. I also stayed at the Hilton and watched the German soccer cup finals between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern München. Others went to the near-by wine tavern Wilhelmi, where I joined them after the game for a glass of wine and an home-made Spundekäs. See: Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany
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