Liberty Wines named exclusive distributor for Gunderloch

By James Bayley

Published: 18 September, 2024

Liberty Wines has been appointed as the exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland for Gunderloch, one of the Rheinhessen’s most respected producers.

Known for their wines that showcase the elegance and complexity of the region’s iron-rich ‘Rotliegend’ red soils and the steep slopes of Roter Hang, Gunderloch has a long-standing reputation for crafting exceptional Rieslings.

Gunderloch, a founding member of the VDP, has a 130-year history shaped by its ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Johannes Hasselbach (pictured), the sixth-generation winemaker who took over in 2016, is dedicated to sustainable viticulture, including the use of biodynamic farming and native cover crops. The winery achieved organic certification in 2022.

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The estate owns 24ha of vineyard in the Roter Hang area, including key plots in VDP Grosse Lagen Pettenthal, Hipping and Rothenberg. The distinctive mineral character of these sites is brought to life by Johannes’ low-intervention approach in the winery. For his ‘Pettenthal’ Grosses Gewächs Riesling, Hasselbach uses techniques such as skin contact, fermentation in old oak barrels and ageing on fine lees without bâtonnage.

Tom Platt, Liberty Wines CEO, said: “Gunderloch is one of the great historic names of German winemaking, whose pioneering spirit continues to this day. Johannes’ outstanding wines are wonderfully precise expressions of their origin and complement our existing range, which includes the innovative and unique wines of Jochen Dreissigacker in Rheinhessen, as well as fellow VDP estates Maximin Grünhaus and Schloss Vollrads.”

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