95 Points Vinous: “The 2025 Riesling Niersteiner Pettenthal Grosses Gewächs opens with flintiness and smoke. Underneath that lies a tender touch of ripe, yellow, red-cheeked peach that beckons with juiciness. Rounded, ripe generosity just flows on the palate, energised by a salty, zesty undertow that seems to reach deep into the red rock. This is wonderfully aromatic, beautifully long and lasting, absolutely pure. The more air this gets, the more peach appears. (Bone-dry)” — Anne Krebiehl MW, Vinous
The Gunderloch Pettenthal Riesling GG 2025 is a profound, beautifully sculpted dry Riesling from one of the most celebrated vineyards of Germany’s Rheinhessen. Pettenthal is classified as a VDP.GROSSE LAGE®, Germany’s equivalent of a grand cru vineyard, and lies on the dramatically steep Roter Hang (Red Slope) above the Rhine at Nierstein. Its distinctive red, iron-rich slate and clay soils give the wines remarkable mineral intensity, spice and longevity.
The 2025 vintage combines impressive concentration with an unusually elegant, cool-toned personality. The bouquet unfolds gradually with citrus zest, lemon balm and crystalline orchard fruit, followed by savory nuances of green olive, rosemary, wet stone and delicate herbal spice. Rather than relying on overt fruitiness, this is a Riesling defined by precision, tension and a compelling stony character.
On the palate, the wine is bone-dry, focused and beautifully structured, with vibrant acidity carrying layers of citrus and mineral flavor through a long, persistent finish. There is considerable depth beneath its restrained exterior, suggesting a wine that will become increasingly complex with bottle age. Gunderloch gently presses the grapes, transfers the juice without pre-clarification into traditional large wooden casks and allows spontaneous fermentation to complete fully dry—a style designed to emphasize vineyard character rather than winemaking intervention.
The 2025 growing season proved particularly favorable on the Roter Hang, avoiding both frost and hail while receiving sufficient summer rainfall to prevent excessive drought stress. The resulting Pettenthal shows the generosity of the vintage without sacrificing freshness or precision.
About Gunderloch
Founded in 1890, Gunderloch is one of Rheinhessen’s historic benchmark estates and remains closely associated with the great Riesling vineyards of the Roter Hang. Today the estate is led by Johannes Hasselbach, with Riesling accounting for approximately 85% of its production. Pettenthal, Rothenberg, Hipping and Ölberg are among its prestigious VDP.GROSSE LAGE sites.
Grape: 100% Riesling
Region: Rheinhessen, Germany
Vineyard: Niersteiner Pettenthal
Classification: VDP.GROSSE LAGE® / Grosses Gewächs (GG)
Style: Dry White Wine
Character: Citrus · Herbs · Red Slate · Mineral · Precise · Long
Food Pairing: Excellent with oysters and shellfish, grilled or roasted fish, lobster, sushi and sashimi, roast chicken, pork, veal and sophisticated vegetable dishes. Its mineral intensity and acidity also make it particularly compelling with richer seafood preparations.
Serving: Serve at approximately 48–52°F (9–11°C). A young bottle will benefit from some air before serving, while its structure makes it an excellent candidate for extended cellaring.
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