The estate is located in the village of Birkweiler in the Pfalz wine-growing region in Germany. It was founded by Karl Wehrheim, who had previously run a road transport company, after the First World War. He introduced bottling and marketing of own wines at an early stage. The estate has been run since 1988 by the third generation of the family, Karl-Heinz Wehrheim, who completed his agricultural studies and added a practical year in the USA before taking over at the helm. He had introduced sparkling wine production, involving Riesling as well as Pinot varieties, as early as 1984. The vineyard area totals 12 hectares, with holdings in the Kastanienbusch and Mandelberg sites. One third of the plantings is Riesling (4,2 ha), as well as Pinot Blanc (2,4 ha), Pinot Noir (1,3 ha), Silvaner (1,3 ha), Chardonnay (0,8 h), St. Laurent (0,8 ha), Pinot Gris (0,6 ha), Müller-Thurgau, Muskateller, Gewürztraminer, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Since 1999 the wines have been matured either in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks or in barriques. Fermentation involves the use of cultured yeasts, and ideally the wines are left on the lees until they are bottled. The premium wines include, for example, the Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling wines, as well as the Grand Cru (Großes Gewächs) Pinot Blanc. A wide range of high-quality spirits (fruit spirits, brandies and grappa-style spirits) is also produced. The estate is a member of the VDP (Verband deutscher Prädikats- und Qualitäts-Weingüter) association, founder member of the Vereinigung Sektgüter Rheinpfalz (VSR) regional sparkling wine producers association and a member of the Vereinigung „Fünf Freunde der Südpfalz“ association.
The vintage 2007
Pfalz
Grauburgunder, White wine, late harvest (Spaetlese), dry, Keuper, 13.60 €
KarlHeinz Wehrheim has managed to bring forth an excellent range of wines from the disastrous 2000 vintage. One wine is better than the other, simple as that. I particularly liked the Burgundian varieties, and felt that their often sparkling fruity character was more attractive than the somewhat monolithic 1999 wines. The best wine in the range is the grand cru Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), a masterpiece such as has been produced in this vintage by only very few winemakers, even those in regions less punished by nature.
Pfalz
Chardonnay, White wine, late harvest (Spaetlese), dry, 10.02 €
The 1999 vintage impresses with its clean style, and the Burgundian varieties are as powerful as one has come to expect from this producer. The difficult vintage is evident only occasionally in the slightly restrained finish of some wines. Nevertheless a range that can be recommended without any reservations.
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