All change at this estate as in 2010 prodigal son Johannes Hasselbach, having run away from home to train as an accountant, returned to take over the estate. Although he grew up in the vines he worked at the jobs he was given, rather than learning the business. On his return though, first he went travelling and working on all sorts of estates around the world and returned with loads of questions. Some of them parents Agnes Hasselbach and Harley-Davidson-riding husband Fritz couldn`t answer and some they didn`t want to answer.

This estate was started by one of Agnes` ancestors Carl Gunderloch in 1890. As owners of 95% of the famous Rothenberg vineyard, they can justifiably lay claim to being the stars of the Rheinhessen. That and the fact that one of their TBAs has got 100 points from Wine Spectator three times (plus one 99, two 98s, two 97s,... yawn). As such, the `untrained` Johannes considers himself as a student of the University of `don`t screw up our winery!`

Johannes has made changes, now 70% of production is dry wine and those wines are drier, flavours are purer as he is trying to lessen the influence of that ancient cellar by creating vineyard cultures to make the fermentation and farming is on organic methods. The wines are tenser, more vivid and extremely terroir driven as a result. Johannes is a man to watch. (CW 21/04/16)