Tasting Notes
The Ölberg is located right next to the northern part of the Idig. The vineyards are located on a fairly high level of elevation by the edge of the Haardt with an inclination to the east-southeast. Thanks to this, the vines catch the first sunbeams early in the morning. Especially on hot days, the early shade of the mountains then allows the vines to relax. Air currents from the neighbouring Klausental valley of the Pfälzerwald forest make for additional cooling at night. The soil of the Königsbacher Ölberg is characterized by tertiary lime marl, the so-called Terra fusca. In the topsoil, it is mixed with red sandstone boulders. In the 2018 vintage, we grafted on half of the old vines in our parcel using French clones. The density and flavour of the French clones paired with the finesse and elegance of the old vines lends great suspense to the wine. - Importer Note
The beautiful winery and home of the Christmann family can be found in the town of Gimmeldingen. This quaint little village is in the centre of the Mittelhaart of the Pfalz, about an hour from Frankfurt & half an hour from Strasbourg, in the Palantine, that lies on the Rhine River and connects Alsace in the north to Rheinhessen in the south.
The story of this brilliant and historic estate dates back to the 16th Century and the French Republic that once ruled the village of Gimmeldingen as well as the greater Palantine region.
In 1798 the area was transformed after the local nobility fled, and after the church were relieved of their sovereign rights. Georg Köhler, an ancient ancestor of the Christmann family, seized the opportunity to acquire some land and laid the original foundations of what would become the Christmann estate that we know and adore today.
Skip forward a few hundred years & a few generations to the present day, and the estate today is managed under the watchful eye of the superstar father-&-daughter duo that is Steffen & Sophie Christmann.
Today, the 18Ha of organic and biodynamically-run family vineyards remain located in the traditional Mittelhaardt of the Palantine, primarily located in the villages of Gimmeldingen, Königsbach and Neustadt. The Palantine soils are dominated by red sandstone, however in Gimmeldingen and Konigsbach, a slab of tertiary limestone is prevalent, thus making the area especially suited to cultivating high quality Riesling and Pinot Noir grapes.
| Product Type | Wine White Riesling |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | Germany |
| Region | Pfalz |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |