Review: Louis Guntrum, Niersteiner, Riesling

When you see a bottle of wine sitting on the shelf at the wine shop you usually don’t know a whole lot about that wine. It may be a wine you’ve had before and you’re familiar with it. But there are so many different wines on the market, chances are good you stare at the shelves and see a lot of wines you don’t know much about.

You find yourself wondering, “is that one going to be good?” You’ll see several different wines that are the same variety and around the same price point but you’re just not sure which one to pick.

When I don’t know the specific producers or brands well, my process is to look at the region where the wine was produced and look for regions where I know the grape variety typically performs well. If it’s an imported wine I’ll look to see if it’s imported by an company I’ve had success with in the past. Then I’ll look at the alcohol level to find one that’s appropriate for the variety and style.

This bottle of Riesling from Louis Guntrum checks all the boxes. It’s a German Riesling from the Rheinhessen region, an area from which I’ve had numerous delicious Rieslings. It’s imported by Broadbent Selections, who import a number of quality wine brands. The ABV is 12.5%, which is good for a dry Riesling.

But even with all that, there still much I don’t know about this wine or the producer, although a little research reveals the fascinating fact that during World War II U.S.General Patton crossed the Rhine right at this winery and occupied the mansion on the estate.

However, what ultimately matters most to me is what’s in the bottle. In this case, it appears to be pretty darn good.

Honeysuckle, peach, lemon and light mineral aromas give this wine a very nice nose. But this wine really comes to life on the palate where vibrant acidity adds brightness to the flavors, revealing intense lemon, white peach and yellow delicious apple flavors with salty minerals appearing on the finish. The mouthfeel is nice, with a slight tingly feel. The finish is plenty long.

Wine: Louis Guntrum, Niersteiner, Riesling
Varieties: 100% Riesling
Vintage: 2017
Alcohol: 12.5%
Rating: 90
Average price: $17.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.