The winery is located in the municipality of Nackenheim (Nierstein area) in the German wine-growing region of Rheinhessen. It was founded in 1890 by the Mainz banker Carl Gunderloch (1846-1935) through the purchase of the legendary Nackenheimer Rothenberg site and the historic "Haus am Roten Berg" estate. He is considered a pioneer of quality winegrowing on the Rhine and was a co-founder of today's VDP. Since 2015, the company has been run in the sixth family generation by son Johannes Hasselbach, the great-great-great-grandson of the founder. He is supported in his work by cellar master and operations manager Heiner Maleton. A renovation and building-ecologically sound extension of the estate were completed in 2017.
The vineyards cover 29 hectares of vines in the single vineyard sites of Hipping and Pettenthal (Nierstein), as well as Rothenberg and solely owned Fenchelberg (Nackenheim) in Roter Hang (Rhine Front). About half of the ecologically certified are historic steep slopes with up to 70% slope gradient. They are planted with the white wine varieties Riesling (with 85% the leading variety), Silvaner, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc, as well as Pinot Noir. Through sustainable cultivation, a low average yield of around 50 hl/ha is aimed for.
The aim is to produce elegant, distinctive wines with a mineral expression. In accordance with the VDP classification model, the collection is divided into the levels Grosses Gewächs or Grosse Lage and Erste Lage, local wines and estate wines. In the cellar, work is carried out according to non-invasive rules (as much as necessary, as little as possible). The wines are vinified dry, but in suitable years, top wines with residual sweetness are also produced, including Trockenbeerenauslesen. Around 200,000 bottles of wine are produced annually. The German writer Carl Zuckmayer (1896-1977) had the character Jean Baptiste Gunderloch appear in his comedy "Der fröhliche Weinberg" (The Merry Vineyard), which was first performed in 1926. Gunderloch praises a Riesling Spätlese Nackenheimer Rothenberg from the 1920 vintage to the skies. Even today, the winery markets a finely fruity Riesling Kabinett "Jean Baptiste", which enjoys the highest international popularity. The winery is a founding member of the VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter).
