Weingut Münzberg was the first stop on that last day in the Pfalz; we also visited Weingut Rings and Weingut Krebs in the afternoon.
At Weingut Münzberg, we toured the winery and were treated to tasting with 18 wines. We met Friedrich Kessler (who is slated to take over in a few years) in the cellar and father Gunter Kessler (who is currently in charge) during the tasting.
Weingut Münzberg
Godramstein is a typical wine village in the Pfalz. A bit further from the village center in north-west direction sits the “Münzberg”. The hill was named “Münzberg” (hill of the coins) when at this site coins from Roman times were discovered.
Jakob Kessler, great-grandfather of Gunter Kessler, the current owner, realized the value of the Münzberg vineyard sites and bought several parcels in the late 19th century.
In 1974 Lothar Kessler moved the wine estate out of the village to the foot of the Münzberg in the mids of his vines. The distinctive appearance of the estate reminds of some wineries in the US with its sleek architecture.
The estate’s present appearance is the result of reconstruction and expansion carried out by the architect Rolf Thorn between 1989 and 2000.
Until 2013, for 23 years, the winery was lead by Gunter Kessler and his brother Rainer Kessler. Rainer Kessler left the winery because of a different vision as to where Weingut Münzberg should go. As a result, Weingut Münzberg suffered quite a bit in terms of its reputation but is fully back on track with the father/ son team Gunter and Friedrich Kessler at the helm of Weingut Münzberg.
The philosophy of the Kesslers: “In the cellar we complete what nature started. It is the art of the winemaker to conserve the good characteristics of the berries.” The Kesselers produce distinctive wines that are rich in character and reflect their origins in the chalky parcels of the Münzberg.
Weingut Münzberg is a member of the winemaker group 5 Winzer - 5 Freunde/ 5 winemakers - 5 friends. The other members are: Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz, Weingut Friedrich Becker, Weingut Siegrist and Weingut Dr. Wehrheim. These are all highly regarded winemakers and belong to the elite in the Pfalz region.
Weingut Münzberg
Owner: Gunter und Friedrich Keßler
Winemaker: Nico Keßler
Outside Manager: Gunter und Nico Keßler
VDP member since 2000
Bottle production: 120 000
Grape varieties: 31% Pinot Blanc, 19% Riesling, 16% Spätburgunder as well as Grauburgunder, Silvaner, Chardonnay, Dornfelder, Müller-Thurgau, Gewürztraminer
Soil: Kalkmergel, steinige, teils tonige, sehr kalkreiche Lehm-Lößböden
The Wines we Tasted
2016 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Riesling Kalkgestein VDP.Ortswein
2015 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Riesling Kalkgestein VDP.Ortswein
2016 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Weisser Burgunder VDP.Gutswein
2013 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Godramsteiner Ochsenloch Weisser Burgunder VDP.Erste Lage
2016 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Godramsteiner Ochsenloch Weisser Burgunder VDP.Erste Lage
2015 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Godramsteiner Ochsenloch Weisser Burgunder VDP.Erste Lage
2014 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Godramsteiner Ochsenloch Weisser Burgunder VDP.Erste Lage
2016 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Weisser Burgunder Löss-Lehm VDP.Ortswein
2015 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Weisser Burgunder Löss-Lehm VDP.Ortswein
2015 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Chardonnay Kalkmergel VDP.Ortswein
2015 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Godramsteiner Stahlbühl Chardonnay VDP.Erste Lage
2014 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Spätburgunder VDP.Gutswein
2012 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Spätburgunder Kalkgestein VDP.Ortswein
2012 Weingut Münzberg/ Gunter Kessler Spätburgunder Godramsteiner Münzberg Schlangenpfiff GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Bye-bye
Many thanks for this impressive tasting.
schiller-wine: All Postings (Published and Forthcoming): Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen
Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour (and Lunch) with Robert Schätzle, Owner/ Winemaker, Weingut Schloss Neuweier in Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
La Cucina della Passione and Weingut Schloss Neuweier Wines: Wine Pairing Lunch at Röttele’s Restaurant (1 Star Michelin) at Schloss Neuweier, with Owner and Winemaker Robert Schätzle, Weingut Schloss Neuweier - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
The Music of the A Cappella Ensemble "Männer und Tenöre" and the Wines of Weingut Aufricht, Lake Constance, Baden, with Manfred Aufricht - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
The Evolving Structure of the Wine Industry in Germany– The Case of the Lake Constance Region
Schloss Salem at Lake Constance in Germany: A Museum, a School and a Wine Estate
Visit of Schloss Salem, Kirche Birnau and Weingut Markgraf von Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
The Wines of the Markgräflerland (Baden): Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Löffler - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Stigler, Baden, with Andreas, Regina and Max Stigler - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler, 1 Star Michelin, Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and Wine Taverns in Freiburg, Baden, Germany
The World Class Wines of Alsace
In the world class white wine region Alsace
Tasting at Domaine Marcel Deiss in Bergheim, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch in Alsace: Wistube du Sommelier in Bergheim and L’Epicurien in Colmar - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Domaine Dirler-Cadé with Jean Pierre Dirler and Ludevine Dirler-Cadé - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Domaines Schlumberger in Guebwiller, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Hugel in Riquewhir, Alsace, with Jean Frédéric Hugel - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at the 1 Michelin Star Restaurant L’Achémille in Kaysersberg, with Owner/ Chef Jérome Jaegle - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Wine Lunch at Weingut Jülg with Johannes Jülg– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Tasting at Maison Jülg in Seebach, Alsace, with Peter Jülg - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Schiller's Favorite (Wine-) Restaurants in Deidesheim in the Pfalz, Germany
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz, with Hansjörg and Valentin Rebholz and Sabine Wagner - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Münzberg – Lothar Kesseler & Söhne in Landau-Godramstein, Pfalz, with Friedrich and Gunter Kesseler
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Rings in Freinsheim, Pfalz, with Andi Rings
Tasting at Weingut Krebs in Freinsheim, Pfalz, with Jürgen Krebs
Tasting at Sekthaus Raumland in Flörsheim-Dalsheim, Rheinhessen, with Heide-Rose and Volker Raumland
Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Philipp Wittmann and Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann at Weingut Wittmann in Westhofen – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Cellar Tourvisit and Tasting at Weingut Gröbe in Westhofen, Rheinhessen, with Fritz Gröbe
Cellar Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Weingut Louis Guntrum in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, with Konstantin and Stephanie Guntrum