The Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan winery remains one of Germany's most prestigious estates. Following the death of Andreas Jordan, his son Ludwig Andreas inherited the business and continued operations under the family name. In 1883, his great-granddaughter Auguste married Emil Bassermann, giving the winery its current name. The estate comprises 49 hectares of vineyards across 20 sites in Forst, Deidesheim and Ruppertsberg. In historic cellar they have wines dating back to 1811. That year, a comet officially designated C/1811 F1 passed Earth. It was visible to the naked eye for a remarkable 260 days, and the winery claims that the 1811 vintage remains perfectly enjoyable today. They take particular pride in this vintage, as it was ordered by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe to help him unwind during his stays at a nearby spa.
The vintage is 1893. The price is 5,000
Their most expensive wines are the Deidesheimer Langenmorgen Riesling Auslese and the Deidesheimer Kieselberg Trockenbeerenauslese. The 1893 Langenmorgen is currently available for sale at around 5,000 euros. A much younger Langenmorgen, from 1971, is relatively accessible, with a bottle costing around 170 euros. The price of the 1937 Kieselberg is once again sky-high: around 3,500 euros. Dry Rieslings from recent vintages, such as the 2017 Kalkofen GG, cost around 30 euros at the winery. This wine features lovely floral and yellow-fruit aromas, accompanied by a distinctly mineral and long-lasting taste.
Following the death of Andreas Jordan, the Reichsrat von Buhl winery was managed by Franz Peter Buhl. It quickly earned a reputation as a temple producing some of Germany's finest, and most expensive wines. Franz Peter Buhl’s heirs ran the estate until 1952, when the von Guttenberg family became the owners. Japanese businessman Toyohiro Tokuoka held the reins from 1989 until 2013, at which point the Niederburg Group took over management.
Fruty on sides, mineral in the midle
Today, they cultivate 52 hectares of vineyards situated in prime locations in Deidesheim and Forst. Their dry Rieslings from recent vintages range in price from 15 to 80 euros. I particularly enjoyed the 2017 Kieselberg, priced at 35 euros, yet worth every single cent. It offers a fascinating combination of grapefruit and lime aromas on the one hand, and peach and melon on the other. At its core, naturally, lies a distinct minerality.
The third winery to emerge from the Jordan estate's legacy is known today as Von Winning. It was taken over by another of Jordan’s sons-in-law, Dr. Andreas Deinhard, while Leopold Von Winning became the owner in the early 20th century. Two of the winery's wine lines are named after them. The Dr. Deinhard line consists of fresh, fruity wines aged in stainless steel tanks, whereas the Von Winning line is often described as a Burgundy-style Riesling: it ferments and subsequently matures on fine lees in large, new wooden barrels. They cultivate 64 hectares of vineyards in prime locations such as Kirchenstück, Jesuitengarten, and Pechstein in Forst; Kalkofen, Langenmorgen, and Kieselberg in Deidesheim; and Spiess in Ruppertsberg.
Intensely mineral and delicious
The vines are planted at a high density, 9,500 vines per hectare, and yields are kept low by leaving only two or three small clusters on each vine. Viticulture and winemaking practices are exceptionally eco-friendly and minimally invasive: they have even ceased using copper. Their most highly acclaimed wine is the Riesling Kirchenstück GG. The 2017 vintage is intensely mineral and delicious, despite having no residual sugar. It retails for around 60 euros. The Von Winning Königsbacher Ölberg Riesling 2017 costs roughly a third of that price. Minerality dominates the nose, accompanied by notes of yellow fruit, tobacco, and flowers. The palate is also fruity, with subtle nutty undertones.
Splitting up an estate is rarely a good thing, but wine lovers have certainly benefited from the division of the old Jordan winery. Instead of the dozen or so very good to excellent Rieslings that would likely exist if the estate remained united, today there are at least three times as many, and in three quite distinct styles. There are also three reasons to visit the Weinstrasse (Wine Street) in Deidesheim: all three wineries are located there, within a hundred meters of one another.