The winery is located in the municipality of Bodenheim (Nierstein area) in the German wine-growing region of Rheinhessen. The traditional winery has been run by the family for more than 200 years. Until Roland Gillot married into the family in 1970, it was always run by women. The Bauhaus-style manor house also includes a vinotheque and a lounge. Since 2006, the estate has been run by Carolin Spanier-Gillot and her husband H.O. Spanier from the second family winery Battenfeld-Spanier. There are therefore two separate brands, Kühling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier.
Vineyards & grape varieties
The vineyards cover 25 hectares of vines in the single vineyard sites Burgweg (Bodenheim), Herrenberg, Kreuz and Sackträger (Oppenheim), Hipping, Ölberg and Pettenthal (Nierstein), Rothenberg with vines only in this site ungrafted (Nackenheim) as well as areas in Laubenheim. In the last ten years, the areas have been expanded or newly acquired, recultivated, replanted and carefully brought into yield.
The two main varieties are Riesling (with 70% of the total area) and Pinot Noir. Others are Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Scheurebe. The vineyards have been cultivated according to the rules of biodynamic viticulture since 2005. Among other things, this includes not using synthetic fertilisers and instead applying preparations and teas to strengthen the vines.
Winemaking & product range
Great importance is attached to preserving the fruit flavours through gentle treatment from fermentation to bottling. After spontaneous fermentation with natural yeasts, the wine is matured in large wooden barrels, stainless steel tanks or barriques with minimal use of sulphur, depending on the type of wine. Some wines are only marketed 2, 3 or even 10 years after the harvest. The product range is organised according to the VDP classification model.
The wines from the Rothenberg, Pettenthal, Hipping, Ölberg and Kreuz vineyards are the VDP-"Grosse Gewächse“. The wines from the VDP-"Erste Lagen" are marketed as local wines and under the "Qvinterra" as estate wines. The Latin name is derived from the above-mentioned five locations in which the winery owns vineyards. The winery is a member of the VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter) and die Güter.
