Knewitz - Chardonnay 2021 (750ml)
Price: $46.99
| Producer | Knewitz |
| Country | Germany |
| Region | Rheinhessen |
| Varietal | Chardonnay |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Sku | 204808 |
| Size | 750ml |
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Knewitz Description
Located in Appenheim, a small town in the northern section of Rheinhessen, the largest of the German growing regions. Rheinhessen is something of an oddity; while it is home to some of the most expensive and sought-after wines in all of Germany (Keller) and historically some of the most important sites (the Roter Hang in Nierstein – Rotliegend slate), quite a lot of bulk wine is still produced here. A large percentage of the Rheinhessen wine is grown on rolling hills with rich soil and destined from the bulk market, cheapening the reputation of this very interesting region.
This northern section of Rheinhessen, tucked away in a series of small valleys, has a unique soil structure and is home to most limestone-rich vineyards in Germany. The Village of Appenheim sits at the foot of the Westerberg, a former coral reef that separates the Selz (Selztal – where Braunewell is located) and the Welzbach valleys. 40 million years ago, the Mainz Basin, which extends into this section of wine country was part of the Paratethys Sea, formed during the late Jurassic period. This enormous body of water was the predecessor of the Black and Caspian seas. The Mainz Basin was home to a series of reefs and the geology of these former coral reefs is the foundation of the exceptional wines from the Knewitz family.
The Knewitz family has been making wine in Appenheim since the 19th century, but it was Erwin and Magdalena Knewitz who built the estate and their son Gerold who started estate bottling wines for the first time in 1976. Over time, this small estate grew from just 5 hectares to 15 by the middle of the 2000s. Gerold’s son Tobias trained as a winemaker at Geisenheim and took over the Domaine in 2007. Tobias’ wife Corina and brother Björn joined him shortly after. Today, they farm 25 hectares spread over three main villages: Appenheim, Gau-Algesheim, and Nider-Hilbersheim.
