Kunstler Hochheimer Herrnberg Riesling trocken ERSTE LAGE 2020

“The artist” himself, Gunter Künstler, is CEO of the company since 1992. He presented in a very humble manner six rieslings from different years and places and two spätburgunders (pinot noir). Gunter told me that there are documents showing that spätburgunder has existed in the Rheingau since the 12th century. However, Weingut Künstler’s history in Hochheim dates back to 1965, when Fritz Künstler established himself in the area after being expelled from the Czech Republic after the end of World War II.

Since its inception, the winery has strived for the wines to be a reflection of the soil where the grapes are grown. The vineyards are almost exclusively located in Hochheim, but there are also some smaller vineyards in Rüdesheim and Assmanshausen located in the western parts of the Rheingau.

What makes Rheingau such a good area is the soil rich in limestone with elements of slate and volcanic rocks. They also have a south-facing position, because here the river Rhine flows in the east-west direction. Weingut Künstler is a member of the German Producer Association VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikats- und Qualitätsweingüter) who adopted a classification of the wines of their members to reflect the quality of the vineyards and thus the wines.