Gunderloch

RHEINHESSEN
Anyone who does not know Fritz Hasselbach is not truly interested in German wine. Along with Ernie Loosen, he has done more to advance the cause of riesling abroad than the rest of the producers in Rheinhessen lumped together. JOEL B PAYNE, Vinous

Johannes Hasselbach has well and truly hit his stride after taking the winemaking reins from his late father Fritz a few years back. Warm, charming, modest and brilliant Fritz Hasselbach, who passed away from illness in October 2016, was the man who lifted the estate into the Rheinhessen's top flight. Johannes and the team are taking it even further, turning out stunning wines from top-rated vineyards of the Roter Hang, a steep hill of red slate overlooking the Rhine. The dry Rieslings are intensely concentrated and expressive of the red volcanic soil. The fruity wines are even more so, with their touch of sweetness that acts as a conduit for flavour and aroma. Nackenheimer Rothenberg is one of the great vineyards of Germany. Gunderloch was the first winery in Germany to put its entire range under screwcap and holds the ‘claim to fame’ of scoring a hat-trick of 100-point reviews in Wine Spectator. Named in honour of the late, great man himself, Fritz's Riesling adds a dimension to the line-up and may be the best-value wine in our entire portfolio. PATRICK WALSH