Weedenborn

From a family farm to the top tier of German Sauvignon Blanc

The Weedenborn winery is located in the heart of Monzernheim, a small mountain community on one of the highest elevations in Rheinhessen. The name carries history: Weede stands for village square, Born for fountain – the meeting point of the village was once here. The family's winemaking tradition dates back to 1650; today, Gesine Roll runs the estate in the third generation. When she took over the winery from her parents in 2008, she brought international experience with her – trained at the VDP winery Bassermann-Jordan in Deidesheim and at Vergelegen in South Africa. Since then, she has consistently repositioned Weedenborn and made the estate one of the most discussed white wine addresses in Germany. Gault & Millau named her Wine Personality of the Year 2023, Falstaff named her Winemaker of the Year 2024.

High altitude, limestone, and a clear commitment to nature

The approximately 20 hectares of family-owned vineyards are spread across Monzernheim and Westhofen, between 232 and 280 meters above sea level – above the well-known Westhofen grand cru sites Kirchspiel and Morstein. The altitude is no coincidence: cool nights, constant wind, and an extended growing season ensure that sugar and physiological ripeness go hand in hand. The result is grapes with stable acidity and pronounced aromatic depth. The dominant soils are mineral-rich limestone; in the Terra Rossa plot in Westhofen, red iron oxide soil is also present, which gives the wines of this site a unique density and length.

In the vineyard, Gesine Roll consistently avoids herbicides and insecticides. Cover cropping, organic compost, low yields, and strict selection during hand-harvesting are integral parts of the work. She sees the conversion to organic viticulture not as a trend, but as an attitude. In the cellar, she relies on restraint and precision: different sites and clones are vinified separately, in containers between 2,000 and 6,000 liters, in order to be able to compose the desired style exactly later. The Sauvignon Blanc Terra Rossa matures for up to twelve months in large wooden barrels and remains on the lees for a year before being stored in the bottle for another year.

Sauvignon Blanc as the centerpiece – with Pinot and Sekt as strong additions

What distinguishes Weedenborn from other Rheinhessen estates: Sauvignon Blanc occupies by far the largest part of the vineyard area – at a time when the variety was still considered an exotic in Germany. Even before official approval, father Roll planted vines in experimental cultivation; the oldest vines are now in the Terra Rossa plot. Gesine Roll divides her Sauvignon Blanc range into three levels: from the accessible estate wine to the Réserve to the Grande Réserve and the site-focused Terra Rossa. The style is consistent: lean, clear, with a lively acid structure, aromas of citrus, gooseberry, and a mineral finish, sometimes characterized by grapefruit and passion fruit – never fat, never overloaded. Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc play a significant second role as Pinot varieties, vinified with the same precision as the Sauvignons. In addition, there is a Chardonnay Sekt Brut Nature produced according to traditional bottle fermentation with long yeast aging. Anyone looking for wines that clearly articulate their origin without being loud will find a consistent signature at Weedenborn.