Location and designations
The name Günterslay refers to vineyard sites in Piesport and Minheim. A distinction is made between the Piesporter Günterslay and the Minheimer Günterslay. The Piesporter Günterslay is one of the nine named single-vineyard sites in the municipality and comprises around 27.4 hectares. It lies above the Piesport Goldtröpfchen in a very steep south to south-west-facing position. The Minheimer Günterslay belongs to the collective site Michelsberg; slopes of up to 70 per cent are documented for the steep location.
Climate and soils
The higher-lying Piesporter Günterslay has a cooler microclimate than lower-lying sites. The surrounding forest provides protection from wind and is linked to the site’s water availability. The Minheimer Günterslay is located on a Moselle island facing south, with comparatively cool summers and mild winters.
The Piesporter Günterslay is characterised by Devonian slate with quartzite veins; blue-grey slate and slate-quartzite rock are also described. In the Minheimer Günterslay, slate predominates. The component “Lay” is explained as an old term for slate.
Grape varieties and wine styles
From the Piesporter Günterslay, Riesling is documented as Kabinett as well as feinherb and dry Spätburgunder. For the Minheimer Günterslay, dry and feinherb Rieslings as well as dry wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon are documented.
Cultivation and vinification
For Cabernet Sauvignon from the Minheimer Günterslay, cordon training, manual work on the leaves, a selective reduction to large bunches and selective hand-harvesting at full ripeness are documented. The vinification includes spontaneous fermentation, extended contact with the must, gentle pressing, biological acid degradation and 36 months of ageing in French oak. For the Piesporter Günterslay, integrated viticulture, organic manuring, low vine pruning, summer bunch thinning and selective hand-harvesting are documented as operating practices.
