Gundlach Bundschu Winery
California's oldest family-owned winery est. in 1858 in Sonoma, California.
About the winery
California’s oldest continuously family-owned winery is a trailblazer in maritime cool-climate Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and other terroir-driven varietals. The family’s 256-acre sustainably-farmed hillside ranch, known as Rhinefarm (alt: named Rhinefarm as a nod to the family's German roots/heritage), from which the wines are sourced is a majestic and historic setting for dynamic visitor experiences. Established in 1858, Gundlach Bundschu’s estate vineyards are located 35 miles north of San Francisco on the southwesterly slopes of the Mayacamas Mountain Range. It’s located at the southernmost point in Sonoma Valley, flanked by the Carneros district to the south, Napa Valley to the east and nestled within the larger Sonoma Coast American Viticultural Area. Rhinefarm has a unique combination of steep hillsides and cool valley floor sites, allowing us to grow a broad variety of wines at a very high-quality level.
Learn more about Gundlach Bundschu Winery and their facilities at:
Location
Sonoma
History & Geography
Rhinefarm’s terrain below 150-feet elevation is ideally suited for earlier-ripening, high-acid varieties. Cool air settles over the valley floor, where ancient bay waters deposited mineral-rich sediment and pockets of light stream gravel in the Huichica clay-loam soils. We focus on Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay on this gently-sloping terrain, where growing conditions consistently deliver minerality and focused acidity. Above 150 feet, the terrain is dominated by Arrowhead Mountain, and the rocky, shallow soils consist of rhyolitic volcanic ash and alluvial wash. Steep hillside blocks are planted predominantly to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with small plantings of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Syrah and Zinfandel. Pervasive maritime breezes and long daylight exposure allow for slow, even ripening, resulting in deep color, intense flavor concentration and elegant balance in the wines.
Submit a Review