Location and landscape
Guntersblum is a wine-growing community in Rheinhessen on the left bank of the Rhine. The vineyards stretch along the Rhine terrace and rise from the town to the higher sites. These include, among others, Himmelthal, Steinberg and Sonnenhang. The climate is described as relatively warm and dry, with the vineyard sites showing different microclimates.
Soils and vineyards
Loess and loess-influenced soils are characteristic. Several sites feature deep, calcareous and fertile loess pararenzina with good water retention. In lower areas, sandy and gravelly alluvial soils occur; at the Kreuzkapelle there is loess and clay minerals, while beneath the loess the Steig terraces has limestone. The south-facing slopes of Sonnenberg and Sonnenhang carry this name because of their exposure.
Grape varieties and wine styles
On the Rhine terrace, Silvaner, Riesling, Müller-Thurgau and Pinot varieties are widespread. Among the region’s main varieties are also grey and white Burgundy, Portugieser, Dornfelder and Spätburgunder; in addition, Schwarzriesling, Gewürztraminer and Regent are grown. Wines from deeper sites are described as light, fresh and harmonious, with pronounced fruit. For the Kreuzkapelle, firm acidity, mineral notes and ripe fruit are documented, while the wines from the Steig terraces are considered ripe and spicy. Authental and Bornpfad are associated with full-bodied red wines.
Viticulture and history
The Guntersblum wine education trail documents around 30 grape varieties and conveys the annual work in the vineyard and the cellar. Local practices include limiting yields to concentrate the grape’s contents. Written records show wine as early as 1215, as income of the Guntersblum church; viticulture is described from the Roman period through the Middle Ages to the present day. The site Steinberg is documented in 1444 under the name “off dem Steyneberge”.
