Vintage 2012 - Preparations

My first week working at Weingut Gunderloch in the Rheinhessen was pretty quiet as the winery finished a few loose ends before the vintage really starts, and also makes necessary preparations. I had an induction of sorts and also had the chance to settle into my digs for my time here. Some bottlings here and a day doing some leaf thinning say out the week for me. Here are some photos from the first week.

Fritz Hasselbach showing me the condition of the Rothenberg vineyard

Rielsing bunches in the Rothenberg vineyard

Healthy riesling berries

2010 Rothenberg Trockenbeerenauslese needed to be decanted to be re-stabilised and re-bottled

Fruit sample ready for analysis in the laboratory

Freshly squished grapes, the juice about to be analysed

In the higher parts of the Rothenberg vineyard I was thinning leaves on the northern side to expose the grapes to the morning sun so that they wouldn't suffer from heat exhaustion, and also open up the canopy to reduce humidity and potential rotting of the fruit

Considering that rot means red, you can see why this vineyard is called Rothenberg (berg meaning hill/mountain)