The visit of Weingut Kühling-Gillot in Bodenheim, Rheinhessen, was a pure tasting event, but an extensive one: We had the chance to taste the wines Weingut Kühling Gillot as well as of Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier. Both estates are owned by the winemaker couple Caroline Gillot-Spanier and H.O. Spanier.
The tasting was led by Sommelier Frank Schuber; Roland Gillot, Caroline’s father, joined us for a short period. Caroline Gillot-Spanier and H.O. Spanier were in Berlin for a major VDP event.
Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier
The Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier is in Hohen-Sülzen (Wonnegau area) close to the city of Worms in Southern Rheinhessen. The Spanier family has been making wine for generations. The vineyard area totals 18 hectares, with holdings in: Kirchenstück, Rosengarten und Sonnenberg (Hohen-Sülzen), as well as Frauenberg (Flörsheim). More than 50% of the area is planted with Riesling, as well as with Pinot Noir (20%), Pinot Blanc (8%), Silvaner, Chardonnay and other varieties.
Annual production is around 70.000 bottles of wine. The estate is a member of the VDP association. H. O. Spanier has been a member of the ECOVIN organic growers association since 1996. Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier is now fully biodynamic.
Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller and H.O.Spanier in MainzWeingut Kuehling-Gillot
Weingut Kuehling-Gillot is in Bodenheim (Nierstein area) in Rheinhessen in Germany. In its present form, it came about by marriage in 1970 of Caroline Spanier-Gillot’s parents. It has over 200 years of history behind it through the Kühling and Gillot families.
Over the years, the estate has acquired some of the best sites in Germany on the Rhine Terrace and added an architectural gem: its unique park and Art Deco pavilion, and stylish reception hall, tasting room, and vinothek. These have proved popular for a wide variety of events, including our tasting.
The vineyard area of Weingut Kuehling-Gillot totals 11 hectares, with holdings in: Burgweg (Bodenheim), Kreuz and Sackträger (Oppenheim), Ölberg and Pettental (Nierstein) and Rothenberg (Nackenheim). Grape varieties planted are Riesling (4,3 ha), Pinot Noir (0,9 ha), Pinot Gris (0,8 ha), Portugieser (0,8 ha), Chardonnay (0,5 ha) and Scheurebe (0,4 ha).
Annual production is around 70.000 bottles of wine. The estate is a member of the VDP association. Caroline Spanier-Gillot is a member of Message in a Bottle and Vinissima. Weingut Kuehling-Gillot is now fully biodynamic.
Weingut Kuehling-Gillot owns five Grosse Lagen (Grand Cru) sites. These are: Spätburgunder Bodenheim Burgweg, grown on sandy marl limestone; Riesling Nackenheim Rothenberg, grown on red slate; Riesling Nierstein Pettenthal, grown on red slate; Riesling Nierstein Ölberg, grown on red slate; and Spätburgunder Oppenheim Kreuz, grown on shell limestone/loess.
Biodynamic Wine Making
Carolin and H.O. are very much into “green winemaking”. They share a comitment to leaving a legacy of healthy soil and great wines. To that end, when it comes to the vineyard, they employ biodynamic methods and constantly strive to maintain healthy soils with the capacity to sustain vines. As for making the wine in the cellar, they share the philosophy of what H. O. calls “controlled laissez faire”.
Pooling
Although both estates continue to produce wine under their respective names – Weingut Kuehling-Gillot and Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier - certain functions have been pooled. The tasting room and sales office for both estates is in Bodenheim at Weingut Kuehling-Gillot. As wine makers, both have stamped their wines with a unique signature, but H.O. is taking the lead in in terms of winemaking at both estates. Essentially, when it comes to the wines of Weingut Kuehling-Gillot and Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier, they carry the signature of H.O. Spanier.
The Wines we Tasted
BattenfeldSpanier 2013 Grüner Sylvaner Trocken VDP.Gutswein Euro 9.50
BattenfeldSpanier 2013 Hohen-Sülzen Grüner Sylvaner Trocken VDP.Ortswein Euro 15.50
BattenfeldSpanier 2013 Weissburgunder Trocken VDP.Gutswein Euro 9.50
BattenfeldSpanier 2013 Hohen-Sülzen Weissburgunder Trocken VDP.Ortswein Euro 15.50
BattenfeldSpanier 2013 Riesling Trocken VDP.Gutswein Euro 9.50
Kühling-Gillot 2013 Riesling Trocken VDP.Gutswein Euro 9.50
BattenfeldSpanier 2013 Riesling Hohen-Sülzen VDP.Ortswein Euro 16.50
Kühling-Gillot 2013 Nackenheim Riesling Trocken VDP.Ortswein Euro 16.50
BattenfeldSpanier 2013 Mölsheim Riesling Trocken VDP.Ortswein Euro 19.50
Kühling-Gillot 2013 Nierstein Riesling Riesling Trocken VDP.Ortswein Euro 16.50
Kühling-Gillot 2013 Ölberg Riesling GG VDP.GrosseLage Euro 33.50
BattenfeldSpanier 2013 Zellerweg am Schwarzen Herrgot GG VDP. GrosseLage Euro 39.50
Lunch at the Bootshaus in Mainz
After the tasting we returned to Mainz for lunch at Frank Buchholz' Bootshaus. This is the second restaurant of Michelin-starred Chef Frank Buchholz.
schiller-wine: Related Postings
4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux
Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014
Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014
Weingut Pawis (Saale Unstrut): Estate Tour and Wine Tasting with Kerstin Pawis– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Weingut Kloster Pforta: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Managing Director Christian Kloss – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Winzerhof Gussek in the Saale Unstrut Region: Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Tasting with Owner and Winemaker André Gussek – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Tour and Tasting at the Historic Weingut Juliusspital in Würzburg, Franken– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Weingut Bickel-Stumpf in Franken: Vineyard Walk and Wine Tasting with Reimund Stumpf, Matthias Stumpf and Melanie Stumpf-Kröger - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau: Tour and Wine Tasting - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Wining in the Steinberg Vineyard– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Visit: Winzerhof Thörle in Saulheim, Rheinhessen – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
schiller-wine: Related Postings (Kühling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier)
Doepfner’s im Maingau Meets Frankfurt/Wein, with Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Chat Sauvage, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
The Wine Maker Couple H.O. Spanier and Carolin Spanier-Gillot, with Roland Gillot, Lead Wine Tasting of Kuehling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines at Weingut Kuehling-Gillot, Germany