Gunderloch Riesling Kabinett Jean Baptiste 2021

Rheinhessen, Germany

Wine Advocate 92 points! James Suckling 93 points!

Gunderloch is a thriving estate of approximately twenty-five hectares of vines in some of the top vineyards of the "Roter Hang" ("red slope") area in the Rheinhessen appellation. One hundred and thirty years after its founding, the story at Gunderloch, one of the Rheinhessen's most revered estates, is evolving. The changes happening here are cause for real excitement, and all of them are springing from the restless mind of Johannes Hasselbach, the master and commander of the estate since 2016. He is taking Gunderloch in a new direction, and the resulting wines are achieving levels of grace, balance, and natural energy they have never seen before. The estate has been practicing organic for five years. Johannes started the certification process in 2020. He has also become one of the "young guns" leading the charge for studying and promoting chemical-free viticulture at the VDP.

Always a pleasure and always great value for Riesling-lovers, the grapes for Jean-Baptiste are grown on the lower terraces of Gunderloch's three top vineyard sites: Nierstein Hipping, Nierstein Pettenthal and Nackenheim Rothenberg (all grand cru sites). Technically a feinherb style, or "balanced off-dry” at about 22-24g/l RS every year. This is a wine we've used again and again to introduce consumers to the joys of German Riesling.

“Predominantly from the Pettenthal, the 2021 Riesling Kabinett Jean Baptiste is based on about 20 different vats and offers a coolish, clear and precise bouquet of beautifully ripe and finely concentrated fruit with raisin and pink grapefruit aromas when aerated. On the palate, this is a round, lush and savory, persistently saline and crystalline Kabinett in the classic style. Fabulous. 10% stated alcohol. Screw-cap closure. Tasted at the domaine in August 2022. Drink 2025 - 2040"

- Stephan Reinhardt—30 Dec 2022—The Wine Advocate, 92 points!

Enjoy Gunderloch Riesling Kabinett "Jean-Baptiste" over the next 6-8 years with pan-fried trout, grilled shrimp, fried chicken, and spicy Thai dishes.