Harvest News 2002
by Fernando de Luna
Nackenheim, Germany, Oct. 2002: Greetings from Gunderloch Wine Estate
in Nackenheim in Rheinhessen, Germany where I am spending a week observing
the 2002 harvest at the side of Fritz Hasselbach, winemaker.
After Agnes Hasselbach (Gunderloch owner and chief vineyard manager)
ordered a pre-selection three weeks ago in the Riesling vineyards that
removed 50% of the grape clusters (those less ripe as well as clusters
showing early botrytis), the remaining grapes in Gunderloch's best vineyards
(Nackenheim Rothenberg and Nierstein Pettenthal) registered by Sunday,
October 13 ripeness levels at 92 to 95 Oechsle (92 Oe is Auslese minimum
in the Rheinhessen) and acidities of 10 to 11 grams per liter (1% to
1.1%; a bit high but should make for racy, vibrant wine), which had
Fritz Hasselbach remarking tthat he 'had never seen Riesling as ripe
this early in October'. He also commented on 'how healthy the grape
skins were with no bad rot'. He added that at this very early stage
in the harvest the quality reminds him of 1997 as the grapes are so
ripe with very little botrytis.
So on Monday morning the team of 20 experienced Polish pickers, who
harvest here every year, left after 9AM to pick in the lower terrace
of Niersteiner Hipping owned by the Balbach estate, which the Hasselbachs
purchased in 1996. Must weight was 88 Oechsle, high Spatlese. This will
probably be bottled as Balbach Hipping Kabinett. The next vineyard picked
later in the morning was a higher, steeper terrace of Gunderloch-owned
Hipping which because of its better drainage and increased angle to
the sun (increasing warmth and ripeness in the vineyard) registered
92 Oechsle. Fritz commented that this picking would probably be used
in the Jean Baptiste Kabinett.
Picking continued in Hipping on Tuesday, Ocotober 15, but 3 more days
will be needed to bring in all of Hipping. The last load for the day
of Hipping Riesling was safely in the cellar by 4:45PM. By 5:30PM a
gentle rain had started falling.
On Wednesday, October 16 because of steady light rain, Fritz made the
decision by 12 noon to wait for drier weather so as not to have the
grape must diluted. Today was spent in the cellar watching the analysis,
recording of results, pressing, different fining operations, and flotation
of grape solids in the juice before fermentation even began. (There's
also the mechanical breakdowns that have to be repaired, from broken
turn signals on trucks delivering grapes, to motors burning out in the
pumps that move juice from the Willmes press to fermentation tanks or
that eject the solid mass of stalks, skins and grape seeds from the
press.) There is also time during the day to go back into the vineyards
with Fritz's independent consultant Herr Paff, who checks the ripeness
in portions of Rothenberg's middle and upper terraces; these registerd
95Oe to over 130 Oe on some botrytised grapes (120 Oe is BA minimum).
He suggests waiting two to three days after the rain stops then harvesting
some portions for Auslese and GKA as well as a section always used in
the Dry Riesling and Jean Baptiste Kabinett.
Thursday, October 17 dawned overcast and windy but dry so Fritz directed
the pickers to the Engelsberg vineyard at the top and behind the Rothenberg.
While Engelsberg shares Rotheberg's crumbled red slate soil it is a
much cooler site being at the top of the Roter Hang (Red Slope) and
at over 300 feet above the Rhine River exposed to the west winds. You
can feel how much cooler it is here compared to being in the middle
of sheltering Rothenberg. The early pickings showed 85 to 88 Oechsle.
A small portion of this wine will go into the Dry Riesling providing
crisp acidity and pure Riesling flavor, which is why the pickers were
instructed to leave any bunches on the vine that showed botrytis (these
will be picked later at Auslese or BA level ripeness to be used in the
Messidor BA).
The rain continues to hold off and everyone is anxiously hopeful for
continued good weather tomorrow....
Friday dawns with sunlight and much cooler temperatures but no rain.
By 9:30AM the pickers are off to complete the Engelsberg vineyard. Hopes
are high that by Sunday a dry Hipping can also have its remaining Riesling
picked...and then it's on to Pettenthal and, the crown jewel, Rothenberg!
Rudi Wiest Selections
by Cellars International, Inc.
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