We travelled to Lorch to the very end of the Rheingau region where it touches the Mittelrhein region. We left the heart of the Rheingau region. The Rhine river left its east to west direction, took a turn to the right and flows south to north again Lorch is a unique place: it sits on one of the narrowest parts of the Rhein river where the Taunus mountain range plunges nearly 60 % down into the valley. The sun's rays strike with all their power on the slate soil rich with minerals.
Gundolf Laquai, Weingut Laquai, was our host. Our visit consisted of 3 parts.
First, following the welcome Sekt we went down to the Sekt cellar and took a look at how Weingut Laquai produces its Sekt in the méthode champenoise. Gundolf Laquia showed us the remuage (riddling) and dégorgement. We then had a Sekt brut nature, i.e. without dosage.
Second, we drove to the vineyards of Weingut Laquai and walked up and down the vineyards, with a beautiful view of the Rhine River Valley.
In 1990 brothers Gilbert and Gundolf Laquai started to revitalize extremely steep vineyards and introduced the terrace system. They became pioneers in the Rheingau of planting the slopes horizontally instead of vertically. The embankements of the terraces leave enough room for the development of healthy fauna and flora to help grow healthy vines that give healthy fruit.
Third, we went back to the car which took us further down the Rhine River Valley. We stopped at a place with a gorgeous view of the Rhine River Valley for a tasting of the Weingut Laquai wines.
Weingut Laquai
The Laquai family in Lorch has a long tradition of producing wine, going back to 1716.
In 1950 Paul Laquai, the father of our host Gundolf Laquai took over with his wife Cilli and started to revitalize the estate after the difficult 2. World War period.
In 1990 Gundolf Laquai took over with his brothers Gilbert Laquai. They started to revitalize the extremely steep vineyards and introduced the terrace system. They became pioneers in the Rheingau of planting the slopes horizontally instead of vertically. The embankements of the terraces leave enough room for the development of healthy fauna and flora to help grow healthy vines that give healthy fruit. Their wines reflect the soil: the Rieslings have an herbal, mineral character, and the Pinot Noir shows Cassis and Cherry, herbal notes, strong tannins and a long finish.
Today, Weingut Laquai accounts for 22 hectares, of which 20 hectares in Lorch and 2 hectares in Eltville and Rauenthal. 95% of the vineyards are steep slope vineyards, with the steepest vineyard having an inclination of 70%.
56% Riesling 29% Blauer Spätburgunder 7% Weißer Burgunder 2% Cabernet Sauvignon 2% Merlot 2% Silvaner 2% Auxerrois.
Weingut Laquai also produces Sekt in the méthode champenoise. Since 1890 Weingut Laquai has the right to produce brandies.
Sekt
Following the welcome Sekt we went down to the Sekt cellar and took a look at how Weingut Laquai produces its Sekt in the méthode champenoise.
Gundolf Laquia showed us the remuage (riddling) and dégorgement. We then had a Sekt brut nature, i.e. without dosage.
The methode champenoise is the most laborious and expensive means of producing sparkling wine. It consists of 2 fermentations of the wine. The first fermentation is the primary fermentation in barrel or tank, just like any other wine to produce the base wine. Following bottling, the introduction of additional yeast and sugar triggers a second fermentation in the bottle that the wine will eventually be sold in. It is this second fermentation that generates the carbon dioxide bubbles responsible for the pop and sparkle.
After the second fermenation, the wine is aged on the lees, the sediment of dead yeast cells that are still in the bottle, for an extended period. The longer the interval of ageing on the lees lasts, the finer the bead of the mousseux.
At this stage, the Champagne is marred by an hazy appearance. Until Anton Mueller, the German cellar master of Veuve Clicquot, invented the system of remuage (riddling), this a how sparkling wine was when opening the bottle. It necessary to either decant the sparkling wine before serving it or to leave it in the glass for some time so the sediment could settle before drinking the Champagne.
Mueller’s remuage (riddling) technique of maneuvering the sediment to the neck of the bottle and then ejecting it revolutionized sparkling wine drinking and remains a key elemement in the Méthode Champenoise production of sparkling wine until today.
The system centers around wooden racks into which the bottles are placed neck first at an angle of 45 degrees. Each day the bottles are turned and tilted so that the bottle points further downwards with each day, the process gradually bringing all the sediment into the neck right behind the cork. The sediment is then frozen to form a "plug" which is then being removed (dégorgement).
Today, maneuvering the sediment to the neck of the bottle can be accomplished far more speedily with gyropallets: 500 or more bottles lie in a cage-like rack, and will be turned at regular intervals in the course of far fewer days, so that the yeasts collect themselves in the neck of the bottles.
Vineyard Tour
We drove to the vineyards of Weingut Laquai and walked a bit up and down the vineyards, with a beautiful view of the Rhine River Valley.
Tasting in the Vineyard
We went back to the car which took us further down the Rhine River Valley. We stopped at a place with a gorgeous view of the Rhine River Valley for a tasting of the Weingut Laquai wines.
The Wines we Tasted
We tasted 7 wines.
2018 Weingut Laquai Spätburgunder Blanc de Noir trocken
2018 Weingut Laquai Riesling vom Quarzit Lorcher Steillage feinherb
2018 Weingut Laquai Riesling vom Schiefer Lorcher Schlossberg trocken
2017 Weingut Laquai Riesling Erstes Gewächs Lorcher Schlossberg trocken
2017 Weingut Laquai Riesling Lorcher Pfaffenwies Spätlese
2016 Weingut Laquai Spätburgunder Lorcher Bodental-Steinberg trocken
2015 Weingut Laquai Spätburgunder Erstes Gewächs Lorcher Bodental-Steinberg trocken
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