Long before the wine-growing districts received their current classification, „Rhine Wines“ were world-famous. Along with the Rhinegau, which is known for its aristocratic family estates, the sites along the Rhine Terrace around Nackenheim, Nierstein and Oppenheim were the heart of Rhine Wine growing. At the Rhine Terrace the local vineyards were always owned either by the church or by the upcoming bourgeoisie. Here, the ancestors of the Kuehling-Gillot winery contributed significantly to the high esteem German wine has been enjoying all over the world.

While today we are working on a renaissance of German wine, the conditions have hardly ever been as good as nowadays!

The Association of German Praedikat Wine Estates (VDP) has developed a classification for Grand Cru Wines which is headed by the famous ERSTE LAGEN (German Grand Cru Wines). They are on the same rank as Grand Crus from Burgundy. We are proud to manage a total of six of these Erste Lagen. They are among the best vineyards Germany has to offer. The dry wines from the ERSTE LAGEN are called „Grosse Gewaechse”

Our ERSTE LAGEN are set-off by colours in the map and can be clicked on.

Bodenheim Burgweg

It is our „Grand Cru maison“, whose name already indicates a slope. Because contrary to the first impression, the term path to the castle („Burgweg“) is in German a phonetic transformation of the term mountain path („Bergweg”). A first documented reference from the year 1364 emphasizes that this site has always been optimally suitable for winegrowing.

Specific about the Burgweg is its high chalk content in conjunction with a rather light and sandy soil. Since red Burgundy vines need warm feet („pieds chaudes“), the Burgweg is perfectly appropriate for our Pinot Noir (Spaetburgunder). The slightly clayey sand has the capacity to quickly heat itself up and to bring the grapes to a consistent maturity. A high degree of dissolved chalk gives the wines a mineral touch and their ethereal elegance.

TO THE WINE: Grosses Gewaechs Spaetburgunder Bodenheim Burgweg (in German) here

Nackenheim Rothenberg

Rothenberg lies at the northern end of the famous Red Slope („Roter Hang“). By the steep slope and the south - eastern orientation, the grapes benefit from the full morning sun, which is in addition reflected by the Rhine River. The dampness covering the grapes at night can thereby dry quickly and the berries remain healthy until late November.

Our site in the Rothenberg sits on the top of the slope like an eyrie. It is the steepest part of Rothenberg and carries the name little chapel (“Kapellchen”). Like a Burgundy Clos it is enclosed with a stone-wall whose function is to support the soil

At Rothenberg the name sets the agenda: our Riesling vines grow on an underground of red slate, which is soft and porous and enables the roots to virtually eat themselves into the shale. Having been planted before the protection laws against the phylloxera catastrophe in the first half of the 20th century, they are most likely among of the oldest Riesling vines in Germany. Therefore we have given the wine the designation „root genuine“ (“wurzelecht”).

TO THE WINE: Grosses Gewaechs Riesling Nackenheim Rothenberg „wurzelecht“ (in German) here

Nierstein Pettenthal

Adjacent to Rothenberg is the site Pettenthal. Actually both sites merge as parts of the “Roter Hang”, so that orientation, inclination and soil composition are almost identical. Pettenthal is just slightly higher, at about 170 meters, and the ground a degree scantier, so that the vine has to root very deeply in the soft rock to receive nourishment and minerals.

With an inclination of over 70% our allotment at Pettenthal is the steepest vineyard in Rheinhessen. Additionally, the band of rock, which goes through the entire Red Slope, is here most distinctly on the surface. Mechanical cultivation is completely impossible. One can only work here manually. In all likelihood, the name Pettenthal stems from a time where the vineyards were owned by the church (Paters Tal = Valley of the Monks). Here also the red slate tone and red sandstone, the famous „Rotliegende“, dominate.

TO THE WINE: Grosses Gewaechs Riesling Nierstein Pettenthal (in German) here

Nierstein Oelberg

The Oelberg is our most southern location on the “Roter Hang”. As a widely spreading main site it runs along the Red Slope's central area in east-west direction. It is our only Red Slope site fully oriented south. The underlying rock is highly fissured, and work on the vineyard cumbersome. The site has an inclination of over 60% and is known as a classical steep location.

As many great sites which have been known for their wine for centuries, the name Oelberg (the biblical Mount of Olives) also features a former monastery and a religious reference. The fact that wine from Oelberg has the densest viscosity and contains a high measure of ethereal oils has certainly supported the naming.

TO THE WINE: Grosses Gewaechs Riesling Nierstein Oelberg (in German) here

Oppenheim Sacktraeger

Our site Sacktraeger lies further south, with a spectacular view of the town Oppenheim and the Rhine bend. Here, in a sort of an amphitheatre the day's heat is retained, with the effect that the budding takes place several weeks earlier than elsewhere and the maturation of the grapes develops very evenly. This condition as well as the cover of chalk marl with clay underlying, promote the development of a fine fruit aroma. They are Rieslings with a ripe fruit and creamy consistency.

The site has received the name from a tower of the sack carriers that stood at the foot of the vineyard as part of Oppenheim's town wall, at a time when the river Rhine still was meandering through Oppenheim and sack carriers unloaded the ships.

TO THE WINE: Grosses Gewaechs Riesling Oppenheim Sacktraeger (in German) here

Oppenheim Kreuz

Our Papal Grand Cru. Here is the reason why: Our Pinot Noir (Spaetburgunder) from the site Oppenheimer Kreuz, with the vintage of 1999, was chosen by the Vatican as Communion Wine for Pope Benedikt which we of course proudly cherish. Since then the red wines from the Oppenheimer Kreuz are our Papal Wines. The Chateauneuf du Pape from the Rhine, so to speak. It certainly is appropriate that a high sand stone cross stands at the foot of the vineyard that gave the site its name.

Our allotment lies in the heart of the Oppenheimer Kreuz where the ground is characterized by mighty banks of loess, consistently interspersed with fragments of chunky chalk and shell chalk. The French Pinot Noir clones offer here a powerful and herb spiced red wine.

TO THE WINE: Grosses Gewaechs Spaetburgunder Oppenheim Kreuz (in German) here