Weingut Bergdolt St. Lamprecht, Pfalz, Germany

DER WEINGUT 'AN DER WEINSTRASSE'

Carolin Bergdolt (pictured) has only recently taken over responsibility for the wines, and is still helped by her father Rainer and his brother Günther. The winery is located in Duttweiler, a sleepy village southeast of Neustadt 'an der Weinstraße'. So not on the Deutsche Weinstraße, on the edge of the Pfälzer Wald, but more in the plain of the Rhine. The difference with the villages on the Weinstraße is enormous; where in villages like Maikammer and Sankt-Martin you are often trampled by tourists from inside and outside Germany, in Duttweiler you are more of a rarity as a foreign visitor. The fact that Bergdolt is located here, and not on that busy, popular Weinstraße, is one of the reasons that it is hardly known to the general public. The Bergdolt winery is officially called "Bergdolt-Sankt Lamprecht" , named after the Bergdolt family and the old Klostergut Sankt-Lamprecht , where the winery has been located since 1754. It can therefore rightly call itself ' a traditional winery' , which is of course a member of the VDP. 'VDP' stands for " Der Verband Deutscher Prädikats- und Qualitätsweingüter" and refers to an association of a group of renowned German wine producers. Their aim is to promote the better German wines; both at home and abroad. Only the best German wine producers are eligible for membership.

A GREAT REPUTATION

Bergdolt has a great reputation in the world of winemakers. Besides being associated with the VDP, they have also established their reputation by producing top-class wines. The reputation of the winery lies mainly with the Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc). Authoritative wine writer for German wine, Stuart Pigott wrote about the dry Auslese: 'Bergdolt produces a Weißburgunder here, which can compete with the best in the world' . Besides Weißburgunder, Bergdolt also makes good Riesling wines and excellent red wines, mainly from Spätburgunder.

BURGUNDIAN PFALZ

The landscape of the Palatinate is characterised by picturesque villages and vineyards on gentle slopes. The Deutsche Weinstrasse stretches 85 km southwards to the border with Alsace (from Bockenheim to Schweigen). The culture in the Palatinate can best be described as Burgundian, with the emphasis on regional cuisine with delicious regional dishes, such as Saumagen.

The region can be further divided into two subregions. In the north lies the Mittelhaardt-Deutsche Weinstrasse , between Neustadt and Bad Dürkheim. The southern part, the Südliche Weinstrasse , stretches from Bad Dürkheim to the border with Alsace. The soil variety is unprecedentedly varied in the Palatinate: from porphyry rock, bunter sandstone, lime, loess, marl, granite and even slate

QUALITY ASSURANCE

As with many artisanal quality wines , the vineyard is central to the winemaking process. Much time and attention is given to this. By low yields, ripe harvesting and strict selection during harvesting, the quality is maintained. Since 2004, the style of winemaking has changed somewhat, with more attention to finesse and elegance. Before that time, the wines were characterized by richness and filling, while they are now fresher and lighter in nature.

THE PEARLS OF BERGDOLT

Kirrweiler Mandelberg
Soil: Loess with a top layer of sand/loam
Wine: Grosses Gewächs Weissburgunder

Duttweiler Kalkberg
Soil: Loess with weathered limestone
Planted grape varieties: Spätburgunder and Riesling

Duttweiler Mandelberg
Soil: Loess loam and sandy loam
Planted grape varieties: Riesling, Weissburgunder

Duttweiler Kreuzberg
Soil: Loess loam and sandy loam
Planted grape varieties: Weissburgunder, Riesling