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15 Gault Millau Points in Offenbach – Restaurant schauMahl, Germany

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Pictures: The schauMahl Team: Björn Andreas, Pit Punda, Esra Egner

I have already posted twice about the trendy schauMahl restaurant in Offenbach, in the greater Frankfurt am Main area, which is one of the best restaurants in the region. Both postings were on winemaker dinners, one with Christian Stahl, Weingut Stahl in Franken, and one with Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in the Nahe Valley. As to the winemaker dinner with Christian Stahl, Christoph Kublenz was the head of the kitchen team; he has since left and has become the chef at Biancalina. As to the winemaker dinner with Georg Rumpf, Björn Andreas was the head of the kitchen team; but it this was a BBQ dinner. Each course was prepared in the back court on the grill. Chef Björn Andreas und his team did an excellent job, although, obviously, a BBQ dinner did not offer the chef the opportunity to shine as a regular dinner does.

See:
Fabulous Dinner at schauMahl Restaurant with Winemaker Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Chef Björn Andreas and Sommelier Pit Punda, Germany
The Bistronomics Cuisine of Chef Christoph Kubenz and the Wines of Winemaker Christian Stahl at Restaurant schauMahl in Frankfurt, Germany

This time, it was just a dinner, without a winemaker introducing his wines, and it was not a BBQ dinner. It thus offered Chef Björn Andreas und his team the opportunity to shine and he grapped the opportunity.

schauMahl

Situated in a renovated Art Nouveau building, the interior of the restaurant schauMahl combines a cozy living room atmosphere with the world of One Thousand and One Nights, coupled with modern illumination. Intensive red light is coming out of a white corner. There are brick walls and furniture in a colonial style. In the window niche is a Buddha.

Picture: schauMahl in Offenbach

Host Pit Punda is well known in the Frankfurt gastro scene from his days at Emma Metzler, Cyrano and Zarges. He is ably assisted by his Deputy Esra Egner. Owner Stefan Lang is often in the restaurant. The excellent wine list contains about 100 items, mainly German and Spanish wines.

Chef Björn Andreas is at the helm of the team in kitchen. He was promoted from Sous-chef to Chef about a year ago when former Chef Christoph Kubenz left. Chef Björn Andreas has worked for top chefs, including Alfred Friedrich.

Gault and Millau: Es mag sich auf den ersten Bissen nicht viel verändert haben, und doch gibt es deutliche Unterschiede in der gesamten Stilistik. Kubenz war sensibel und leise, Andreas ist forsch, seine Gerichte sind muskulös. 15 Gault Millau points.



Pictures: Aperitif - Esra Egner, Pit Punda, Stefan Lang

Open Table: Eher steigen die Offenbacher Kickers in die erste Liga auf, als dass es in der Stadt ein gutes Lokal gibt. Dieser Spruch gilt nicht mehr, das Schaumahl lässt staunen: Küche, Keller, Service und Atmosphäre – hier stimmt alles. Das etwas windschiefe Jugendstilbau aus dem 18. Jahrhundert wurde nicht schick geschminkt, sondern behielt seinen Charakter und strahlt Landhauscharme aus. Dazu passt die natürliche und lebensfrohe Art von Gastgeber Pit Punda und seiner Vize Esra Egner.

See also:

The Best Restaurants in the Greater Frankfurt am Main Region, Germany
The Bistronomics Cuisine of Chef Christoph Kubenz and the Wines of Winemaker Christian Stahl at Restaurant schauMahl in Frankfurt, Germany
Fabulous Dinner at schauMahl Restaurant with Winemaker Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Chef Björn Andreas and Sommelier Pit Punda, Germany

The Dinner

We all had five courses for Euro 66. The menu prices range from Euro 48 (for 3 courses) to Euro 102 (for 9 courses).



Picture: Gruss aus der Küche

Picture: Königskrabbe, Jakobsmuschel Tozazu, Minigurke


Picture: Rote Garnele, Bisque Süsskartoffel

Picture: Rote Dorade, Minipaprika Basilikum, Walnüsse

Picture: Lotte Kalbszunge, Pastinake Malz



Picture: Lammrücken, Aubergine Paprika





Picture: Brombeere, Rosmarin Nougat




Picture: Bye-bye - The First Guests to Arrive and the Last to Leave

schiller-wine: Related Postings

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Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

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The Best Restaurants in the Greater Frankfurt am Main Region, Germany

The Bistronomics Cuisine of Chef Christoph Kubenz and the Wines of Winemaker Christian Stahl at Restaurant schauMahl in Frankfurt, Germany

Fabulous Dinner at schauMahl Restaurant with Winemaker Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Chef Björn Andreas and Sommelier Pit Punda, Germany

Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour, Tasting and Lunch with Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Nahe Valley, Germany


New Vintage Tasting at Schlossgut Diel, with Armin and Caroline Diel, Germany, 2014

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Picture: Caroline and Armin Diel Presenting their New Wines

Caroline and Armin Diel presented their new wines, followed by a fine luncheon, at Schlossgut Diel to 50 or so wine journalists, sommeliers and trade people. A reception in the garden of the estate preceded the tasting. Following the tasting and before the luncheon, Armin Diel showed us the Schlossgut Diel estate. Monika Diel (wife of Armin) and Silvain Taurisson Diel (husband of Caroline) led the kitchen grew and prepared a first class lunch, fitting the first class Diel wines. As usual, the presentation also included the wines of a guest winery; this year, it was Domaine Robert Chevillon from Nuits-Saint-Georges in the Bourgogne.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at Schlossgut Diel

Also present were Caroline and Armin’s team, including Christoph Friedrich, who has been oenologist at Schlossgut Diel for the past 16 years, and Nathan Pettett, from Long Shadows Vintners in Washington State, were the Riesling Poet’s Leap is produced in a joint venture between Long Shadows Vintners and Schlossgut Diel.

See also:
Caroline and Armin Diel, Schlossgut Diel (Nahe Valley), Presented their New Wines (Vintage 2012), Germany
Visiting Armin and Caroline Diel and their Schlossgut Diel in Burg Layen in Germany
President Obama Serves a “German” Riesling at State Dinner for Chinese President Hu Jintao
Visiting Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla, Washington State - Where Armin Diel’s Poet’s Leap Riesling is Made, USA
Terry Theise: German 2013 Vintage Wines - Highlights and Superlatives, Germany

Schlossgut Diel

Schlossgut Diel is one of Germany’s leading wine producers. In the US, it is imported by Terry Theise (Michael Skurnik Collection).

Schlossgut Diel is in the town of Rümmelsheim in the Nahe Valley. The old buildings of Schlossgut Diel comprise a tower and the walled remnants of castle Burg Layen. It was built prior to 1200 and changed hands numerous times. Over the course of time, three castle buildings were erected in the location, with different aristocratic owners, and with extensive holdings of vineyards and agricultural land. The Schlossgut in its present form was purchased by a forefather of Caroline and Armin Diel, in 1802, after the family had already leased the land for several decades. From 1792 to 1796 Napoleons troops conquered German territory on the left bank of the Rhine declaring it French.

The vineyard area is 22 hectares and annual production 13,000 cases. Grape Varieties: 65% Riesling, 20% Grauburgunder, 10% Spätburgunder, 5% Weissburgunder. Bottle-fermented (and hand-riddled) sparkling wines are also produced.

Schlossgut Diel is a member of the VDP. In terms of sales, Schlossgut Diel sells 25% to private clients, 25% to fine restaurants, 25% to the German wine trade and 25% is exported.

Caroline Diel

Caroline conducted the wine tasting. She told me at an earlier occasion that she spent the last 2 high school years in a boarding school in California, south of San Francisco. Initially, Caroline wanted to study hotel management but ended up going to the famous Geisenheim college and study winemaking. She also interned quite a bit and at well-known wineries, for almost a decade: In 1998 for 3 months at Chateau Pichon-Lalande in Bordeaux; then at the German Weingueter Jost (Mittelrhein) and von Winningen (Pfalz); then at the Champagne House Ruinart; in 2004 in South Africa at Vergelegen and at Romanee Conti in the Bourgogne; in 2004, after she got her Diploma at Long Shadow Vintners in Walla Walla in Washington State, where Diel’s Poet’s Leap Riesling is being made; for a whole year at Schloss Halbturn in the Burgenland in Austria and finally at Rippon Vineyard in New Zealand. With this huge experience, she returned home to make wine at Schlossgut Diel. For a number of years now, Caroline has been in charge of the wines of Schlossgut Diel.

Caroline is married (to Sylvain Taurisson Diel, a Frenchman) and is the proud mother of 3 little children.


Pictures: Caroline Diel

Armin Diel

Armin welcomed the guests, but let Caroline talk when it came to the wines. Armin Diel took over the estate from his father in 1987. A few years ago, he handed over to his daughter Caroline. Her brother Victor is working on the marketing side, based in Hamburg in the northern part of Germany.

Armin Diel carries several hats. First, he is the senior boss of Schlossgut Diel. Second, he is VDP President of the Nahe region. Third, until very recently he was the co-editor, jointly with Joel B. Payne of the Gault Millau WeinGuide, Germany’s leading wine guide. Fourth, more generally, Armin Diel has built up a reputation as gastronomic and wine journalist since the early 1980’s, and is a member of numerous national and international tasting panels. He has moderated gastronomic TV series, written accompanying books and accompanied culinary wine tours.


Pictures: Armin Diel

Reception

Sekt, Cuvee Mo

Gerstl: Pinot Noir und Pinot Blanc. In 10–20 Jahre alten Barriques vergoren, 6 Monate im Fass auf der Hefe gereift, 61 Monate Hefelager, unfiltriert abgestochen und auf die Flasche gezogen, brut nature, null Dosage. Dieser Duft betört die Nase, erinnert mich mit seinen nussigen Aromen stark an Krug (ich hatte im Januar in Davos das Vergnügen einer ausgiebigen Krug-Probe, bei der alles dabei war bis zum Clos du Mesnil). Ich gebe zu, nicht der grosse ChampagnerKenner zu sein, aber dieser Sekt von Diel begeistert mich restlos, er übertrifft an Feinheit die meisten Champagner, die ich kenne. Was für ein köstliches Aromenbündel, die Extraktsüsse ist ein Traum, kommt noch schöner zur Geltung als bei einem Sekt mit Dosage. 19+/20

Terry Theise: This is quite an achievement, and I don’t remember a more ambitious sparkling German wine. Named for Armin’s lovely wife Monika, it’s 70-30 PN-P-Blanc, disgorged 1/11, and if you can imagine Krug minus the chalk and Meunier, you can imagine this singular and striking wine, all the way to its impeccable integration of wood, and the masculine birch-smoke finish. It trumps many zero-dosage Champagnes, in fact (having exactly 0.8g RS), and I can’t recall another thing like it.





Pictures: Reception

Portfolio Presentation: 4 Rieslings and 3 Pinots

2013 Eierfels Riesling 

50% Goldloch, 50% Burgberg, made from the best grapes of these vineyards that did not go into the Grosses Gewaechs wines, kind of a second wine, fermented and aged in a (large) “Stueckfass”, mineral notes and excellent fruit.

2013 Pittermännchen Riesling GG

A lot of cassis notes that hang on for a long time. This year, the Pittermännchen is the most powerful of the GGs.

Terry Theise: Schlossgut Diel owns 2,5 acres (1 ha) of this prestigious site, making it the smallest member in the exclusive circle of top vineyards of the estate. The name dates back to the 16th century when a Pittermännchen was a small silver coin and implies that the wines made here were significant in value. The soil of the southward aligned site consists of slate with a lots of quartzite and gravel.

Caroline: 2013 was a vintage with relatively high acidity. Thus, there was an argument to counter the acidity with higher remaining sweetness. We at Schlossgut Diel did not go this route. We prefer less remaini sweetness in the 2013 Rieslings to keep the mineral, earthy notes. All our wines are in the 2 to 4 grams remaining sweetness range.

2013 Goldloch Riesling GG

Still closed. Needs air and time to open up. Lots of mineral, earthy, smoky notes.

Terry Theise: Goldloch - With nearly ten acres (4 ha) Schlossgut Diel is by far the largest owner of this legendary steep site. One explanation of the name is that miners searched for gold here in the 17th century. Another is that the wines made from this site are worth their weight in gold. The key to success is in the soil. A thin layer of clay over bedrock provides power, elegance and depth to the wines.

2013 Burgberg Riesling GG

Terry Theise: Burgberg - Since 1997 Schlossgut Diel has owned 4.3 acres (1.8 ha) exactly half of the surface of this unique steep vineyard site with its excellent microclimate. The name Burgberg refers to the castle Burg Layen. It emphasis on the particularity of the area. The clay soil with its slate and gravel deposits sets the stage for the production of elegant Riesling wines with both finesse and aging potential.

2013 Pinot Blanc Reserve

Bourgogne wines have established themselves as an important component of the Diel wine portfolio. Over the years, the barrique share has increased and the “Stueckfass” share decreased. Recently, there is a trend towards used barrique. Caroline: I try not to overpower the raciness and the minerality of the Pinot with too much wood. 3000 to 4000 bottles. Rarity.

2013 Cuvee Victor

This is a blend of Pinot Gris (30%) and Pinot Blanc (70%). The breakthrough of this wine was in 1990, when it was served in First Class of Lufthansa. Aged in old “Stueckfass”. Again, Caroline was talking about moving away from barrique. 3000 to 4000 bottles. Rarity.

2012 Pinot Noir Caroline

Caroline explained that this is a “back to the roots”, “minimal intervention” wine. Even the pressing was done by feet. No new wood. “Pure fruit approach” as Caroline said. The grapes were very small in 2012. Spontaneous fermentation in large Bourgogne barrels. Unfiltered.






Pictures: Presentation

Poet’s Leap Riesling from Washington State

The Diels not only make wine in the Nahe Valley, but also in Washington State: The Poet’s Leap Riesling is one of the best American Rieslings currently on the market produced in a joint venture at Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla in Washington State. Long Shadows in Walla Walla has become, in a short time, one of the premier wineries in Washington State.

Picture: The Poet's Leap Wines

Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller with Gilles Nicault at Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla

It is an unusual set up: Former Simson-Lane CEO Allen Shoup works with renowned winemakers from around the world for this venture. Each winemaker produces a single wine using Washington State fruit and resident winemaker Gilles Nicault assists them to shepherd all of the wines along at Long Shadows in Walla Walla.


Pictures: Nathan Pettett from Long Shadows Vintners at Schlossgut Diel

See also:
Visiting Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla, Washington State - Where Armin Diel’s Poet’s Leap Riesling is Made, USA
President Obama Serves a “German” Riesling at State Dinner for Chinese President Hu Jintao

4 Premiers Crus of Domaine Robert Chevillon

Pictures: The Domaine Robert Chevillon Wines

Wine Cellar Tour




Pictures: Cellar Tour

Luncheon

2013 Schlossgut Diel, Riesling Kabinett, with an Asian Salad

2011 Goldloch Riesling GG, with Tafelspitz

1996 Chateau Batailley, Pauillac, with Cheese

2007 Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Pittermännchen Riesling Auslese, with the Dessert






Pictures: Luncheon

Thanks Monika, Caroline, Armin and Silvain

Picture: Annette Schiller and Armin Diel

Schiller Wine - Related Postings

Visiting Armin and Caroline Diel and their Schlossgut Diel in Burg Layen in Germany

Caroline and Armin Diel, Schlossgut Diel (Nahe Valley), Presented their New Wines (Vintage 2012), Germany

Visiting Armin and Caroline Diel and their Schlossgut Diel in Burg Layen in Germany

President Obama Serves a “German” Riesling at State Dinner for Chinese President Hu Jintao

Visiting Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla, Washington State - Where Armin Diel’s Poet’s Leap Riesling is Made, USA

Terry Theise: German 2013 Vintage Wines - Highlights and Superlatives, Germany

3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013 

Wine Personalities in the World (Wikipedia List, July 2014)

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Pictures: Ernst Loosen, Annette Schiller, Ombiasy PR and WineTours, and Christian G.E.Schiller at  Weingut Dr. Loosen, Mosel Valley, Germany

This is an interesting list.

See also:

The 2013 Decanter Wine Power List
Top 100 Global Wine Tweeters - 2013
Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry – The 2013 IntoWine List,USA
The 100 Most Influential Wine Peeps on Social Media (Mid-2014)

Wikipedia List of Wine Personalities in the World (July 2014)
schiller-wine: Related Postings

The 100 Most Influential Wine Peeps on Social Media (Mid-2014)

The 2013 Decanter Wine Power List

Decanter 2011 Wine Power List: I am – With my Fellow Amateur Wine Bloggers Around the World – # 16 on the List

Global Wine Consumption and Production

Top 100 Global Wine Tweeters - 2013

Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry – The 2013 IntoWine List, USA

Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry – The 2012 IntoWine List

China's Wine Boom: Is Jeannie Cho Lee the New Robert Parker?

The Forbes List of Rich People and Wine

Trends in the global wine market: old world, new world, emerging wine countries

A Global View: Who Makes and who Drinks Wine?  

Wine Consumption by Country: Total and Per Capita

2014 Wine Blog Awards Finalists

Social Media Wine Influencers and #Winelover-s (2013)

Complete List of Wine Blogs in the World (April 2013)


    Decanter: Best Dry German Rieslings Vintage 2012, Germany, 2014

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    Pictures: At Kloster Eberbach with Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach's Head Winemaker Ralf Bengel. The Kloster Eberbach, Hessische Staatsweingüter, Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg, Großes Gewächs, Rheingau received 95pts - the highest score - in the tasting

    Decanter tasted 88 dry German Rieslings and issued its results in its September issue. The scores: 1 Outstanding, 10 Highly recommended, 64 Recommended, 10 Fair, 3 Poor and 0 Faulty.

    I have re-released the reviews of the outstanding and the 10 highly recommend wine(s) below. I have added photos and links to relevant postings on schiller-wine.

    Joel Payne, Editor-in-chief of the Deutschland Gault Millau WeinGuide, provided introductory remarks: DRY GERMAN RIESLING is, for some, an oxymoron. And yet most German Rieslings were dry 100 years ago, when they were the most expensive wines in the world. It was only in 1971 that a change in legislation allowed an avalanche of cheap, sweet plonk to flood the market. Quality, style and individuality soon took a back seat. Although a short period of euphoria ensued, the market quickly woke up with a hangover that left lasting damage to Germany’s reputation.

    Only in the past 15 years has the VDP, the association of Germany’s leading producers, attempted to resurrect the old traditions with the concept of großes gewächs, which is German for grand cru, for dry wines. The idea is that such wines from the finest sites should be dry, like their ancestors, and embody the pinnacle of German production. Three goals for großes gewächs were outlined and continue to be followed: 1) only the best sites produce vineyard-designated wines, 2) yields are limited and 3) levels for ripeness are set high enough to ensure the production of fine wine.

    None of this was legally binding until 1993 when the Rheingau presented its map of classified sites to the state government. Thereafter wines from those vineyards were allowed be labelled as erstes gewächs (first growth). In 2001 several other regions ratified their own classifications and in 2002 the term großes gewächs (grand cru) was chosen to differentiate them from those of the Rheingau, which has legal precedence for the sole use of erstes gewächs. In 2003 the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer settled on erste lage (first site), to designate wines of similar stature. The introduction of a new, four-tier system last year should make things simpler to understand. Große lage (great site), is the German equivalent of grand cru. Given that spätlese and auslese can also be produced in these vineyards, the term großes gewächs denotes a dry wine. Erste lage (first site), corresponds to premier cru. Below that are village wines, and at the base the varietal designates that would be labelled just Riesling, Grauburgunder or Pinot Noir. Although different flavour profiles abound, most regions are finding a true voice. While excellent dry Rieslings can be made on the Mosel, most great examples come from the Nahe, Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Pfalz, with the latter making the lion’s share in terms of volume. While the Rieslings from the Nahe generally show more precision and purity, those from Pfalz impress with their richness, weight and depth.

    In 2012, almost all quality-driven estates bottled excellent dry Rieslings that should age well over the next five years. The Rheinhessen and Pfalz (accouting for almost half of Germany’s Riesling plantings) produced not only more volume, but also the majority of the great wines. While none of the finest großes gewächs are cheap, neither are they expensive by global standards. For readers who still think of Germany as cheap and sweet, this may come as a shock, but for the initiated it is clear that it is now time to take advantage of the value for money that these wines still offer. Many are already at twice the price they commanded only five years ago, and it would not be surprising if the cult wines double again in the next decade.

    1 Outstanding Wine (95 to 100 pts)

    Kloster Eberbach, Hessische Staatsweingüter, Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg, Großes Gewächs, Rheingau 95 pts

    Decanter: This result is certain to cause controversy in Germany, where Dieter Greiner’s minimal pruning is viewed sceptically. His neighbours, whose vineyards are often as well manicured as a starlet’s fingernails, scratch their heads when they see the unchecked growth in Kloster Eberbach’s finest sites. His critics protest that he is merely trying to save money, perhaps even endangering their adjacent parcels, but he retorts that this is one of the few methods available to counter global warming, higher alcohols due to overripe grapes and, yes, irresponsibly low yields that are often not financially viable. He also cites the better health of the grapes due to the loose clusters this pruning engenders as another distinct advantage.

    Pictures: Touring the Steinbergkeller with Managing Director Dieter Greiner

    See also:
    A Tour through the Rheingau (Germany) - Visit of 3 Prestigious, Historic Rheingau Wineries: Weingut Robert Weil, Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach and Schloss Johannisberg (IRS 2014), Germany
    In the Steinberg, Eberbach Abbey, Rheingau, Germany 
    The Role of Government - Government Owned Wineries in Germany

    10 Highly Recommended Wines (90 to 94 pts)

    Kruger-Rumpf, Münsterer Pittersberg, Großes Gewächs, Nahe 17.75 (92)

    Decanter: Clean nose of white flowers, fresh almonds and botrytis. A lovely, big wine with a juicy palate of peach, pear and good acidity. For being a bit of an mammoth, it has a silky middle and long finish.

    Pictures: Annette and Christian G.E. Schiller in the Vineyard with Georg Rumpf

    See also:
    Fabulous Dinner at schauMahl Restaurant with Winemaker Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Chef Björn Andreas and Sommelier Pit Punda, Germany
    Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour, Tasting and Lunch with Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Nahe Valley, Germany
    Winemaker Dinner with Georg and Stefan Rumpf and with Cornelia Rumpf at Weingut Kruger- Rumpf in the Nahe Valley, Germany
    Wine Maker Dinner with Stefan Rumpf at Weinstube Kruger-Rumpf in Muenster-Sarmsheim, Germany
    Visiting Georg Rumpf and his VDP Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in the Nahe Region, Germany
    Schiller’s Favorites at the 2013 Riesling and Co Tasting in New York City, USA

    Battenfeld Spanier, Nieder-Flörsheimer Frauenberg, Rheinhessen 17.5 (91)

    Decanter: Chestnut honey and vanilla aromas. Very ripe fruit flavours with a touch of botrytis, good mouthfeel and firm attack. This has a nice balance of fruit and acidy with some yeasty notes.
    Excellent.


    Pictures: H.O. Spanier and Caroline Spanier Gillot at the 2. International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany, 2014

    See also:
    Doepfner’s im Maingau Meets Frankfurt/Wein, with Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Chat Sauvage, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
    The Wine Maker Couple H.O. Spanier and Carolin Spanier-Gillot, with Roland Gillot, Lead Wine Tasting of Kuehling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines at Weingut Kuehling-Gillot, Germany

    Castell, Casteller Schlossberg, Großes Gewächs, Franken 17.25 (90+)

    Decanter: Yellow peach and nectarine aroma with a lovely stone fruit core on the palate and backed by uplifting acidity. There is a touch of sweetness too with a noticeable acidity on the finish.

    Georg Mosbacher, Deidesheimer Leinhöhle, Pfalz 17.25 (90+)

    Decanter: A fresh, fragrant nose of delicate spice and peach. Lots of fruit concentration on the palate with sharp, green apple acidity. Lovely weight and structure with a long finish.

    Juliusspital, Iphöfer Kronsberg, Franken 17.25 (90+)

    Decanter: A meaty, almost foie gras nose with touches of honey and white flowers. The palate has great balance and structure; this gives lots of pleasure and has a long finish.

    Künstler, Hochheimer Kirchenstück, Großes Gewächs, Rheingau 17.25 (90+)

    Decanter: Pineapple and cream aroma. Lots of fruit, good concentration with an almost oily character. Probably some malolactic fermentation here. A long, zesty, spicy finish.

    Picture: Gunter Kuenstler, Weingut Kuenstler and Annette Schiller, Ombiasy Wine Tours

    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at Weingut Kuenstler in Hochheim (2013)

    See also:
    Weingut Franz Kuenstler, Hochheim, Rheingau, Joins Terry Theise Portfolio, USA/Germany
    The Wines of Franz Kuenstler from Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany
    Germany's Top 18 Winemakers - Feinschmecker WeinGuide 2013
    Kuenstler, Meyer-Naekel, Wirsching – Winemaker Dinner at Kronenschlösschen in Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany
    Franz Kuenstler, Founder of the Renown Franz Kuenstler Estate in Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany, dies at Age 84
    Franz Kuenstler, the founder of the Weingut Franz Kuenstler, was awarded an Honorary Lifetime Membership of the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim, Germany
    Wine Video: German Top Wine Maker Gunter Kuenstler interviewed by Hendrik Thoma
    World Class Wines in Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany - Weingut Kuenstler
    Five Hochheim (Rheingau) Winemakers Presented their Vintage 2011 Wines in Hochheim, Germany

    Von Racknitz, Vom Kieselstein, Nahe 17.25 (90+)

    Decanter: Stony minerality on the nose, with classic lines and fruit concentration. Exciting on the palate too – it is as ripe as a Pfalz wine with white flowers and peach. Long finish.

    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Matthias Adams, Weingut von Racknitz, at 2014 Apfelwein Weltweit, see: 2014 Apfelwein Weltweit - Apple Wine World Wide - in Frankfurt, Germany: Schiller’s Favorites
    See also:
    The (Grape) Wines and the Apple Wine of Weingut von Racknitz, Germany
    Freimuth, Rüdesheimer Bischofsberg, Großes Gewächs, Rheingau 17 (90)

    Decanter: Citrus and spice nose that is clean and pleasant. The palate is lively and big with a bit of sweet cream and a good acid backbone. A very interesting style.

    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Karin Freimuth at Weingut Alexander Freimuth, Rheingau, Germany
    See also:
    With Karin Freimuth at Weingut Alexander Freimuth in Geisenheim, Germany – a Profile

    Dr Wehrheim, Birkweiler Kastanienbusch Köppel, Großes Gewächs, Pfalz 17 (90)

    Decanter: Very floral with good mineral qualities and nice spice. White stone fruit palate with good weight and structure; firm but not too acidic – a true classic.

    Emrich-Schönleber, Monzinger Halenberg, Großes Gewächs, Nahe 17 (90)

    Decanter: Cooking apple and dried herbs on the nose with brioche notes. The palate is concentrated with apple and pear characters and the finish is balanced and powerful.

    schiller-wine: Related Postings

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    New Developments in German Wine - Annette Schiller at the German Wine Society in Philadelphia, USA 

    Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany

    An Unfortunate, Uninformed Report about Dry German Rieslings in the Decanter - The World's Best Wine Magazine

    A Tour through the Rheingau (Germany) - Visit of 3 Prestigious, Historic Rheingau Wineries: Weingut Robert Weil, Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach and Schloss Johannisberg (IRS 2014), Germany

    In the Steinberg, Eberbach Abbey, Rheingau, Germany

    The Role of Government - Government Owned Wineries in Germany

    Fabulous Dinner at schauMahl Restaurant with Winemaker Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Chef Björn Andreas and Sommelier Pit Punda, Germany

    Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour, Tasting and Lunch with Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Nahe Valley, Germany

    Winemaker Dinner with Georg and Stefan Rumpf and with Cornelia Rumpf at Weingut Kruger- Rumpf in the Nahe Valley, Germany

    Wine Maker Dinner with Stefan Rumpf at Weinstube Kruger-Rumpf in Muenster-Sarmsheim, Germany

    Visiting Georg Rumpf and his VDP Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in the Nahe Region, Germany

    Schiller’s Favorites at the 2013 Riesling and Co Tasting in New York City, USA

    Doepfner’s im Maingau Meets Frankfurt/Wein, with Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Chat Sauvage, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    The Wine Maker Couple H.O. Spanier and Carolin Spanier-Gillot, with Roland Gillot, Lead Wine Tasting of Kuehling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines at Weingut Kuehling-Gillot, Germany

    Weingut Franz Kuenstler, Hochheim, Rheingau, Joins Terry Theise Portfolio, USA/Germany

    The Wines of Franz Kuenstler from Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany

    Kuenstler, Meyer-Naekel, Wirsching – Winemaker Dinner at Kronenschlösschen in Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany

    Franz Kuenstler, Founder of the Renown Franz Kuenstler Estate in Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany, dies at Age 84

    Franz Kuenstler, the founder of the Weingut Franz Kuenstler, was awarded an Honorary Lifetime Membership of the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim, Germany

    Wine Video: German Top Wine Maker Gunter Kuenstler interviewed by Hendrik Thoma

    World Class Wines in Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany - Weingut Kuenstler
     
    Five Hochheim (Rheingau) Winemakers Presented their Vintage 2011 Wines in Hochheim, Germany

    The (Grape) Wines and the Apple Wine of Weingut von Racknitz, Germany 

    With Karin Freimuth at Weingut Alexander Freimuth in Geisenheim, Germany – a Profile




    Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide Österreich/Südtirol 2014/15

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    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Vincent Bründelmayer, Weingut Bründelmayer, in Washington DC

    The Falstaff WeinGuide Oesterreich/Suedtirol 2014/15 was released earlier this year by Peter Moser. Falstaff uses a 1 to 5 stars scale for rating winemakers and a 1 to 100 points scale for rating wines.
    Peter Moser tasted 3200 wines the Falstaff WeinGuide Oesterreich/Suedtirol 2014/15 and included 2080 wines from 451 producers in the book.

    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Peter Moser in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, see: Sauvignon Blanc in Austria – A Comparative Tasting with Falstaff's Peter Moser at Weinsinn in Frankfurt, Germany

    For previous years, see:
    Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide Österreich/Südtirol 2014/15
    Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2013
    Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2012
    Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2011
    Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2010 

    Wine Producer Austria

    Austria has about 50.000 hectares of vineyard area, equivalent to about half of Germany’s vineyard area and one fifth of France’s vineyard area. In terms of world output, Austria’s vineyard area accounts for 0.7 % of the total. Almost all of it in the east of the country. “In the west we ski, in the east we make wine”, says Willi Klinger, head of Austrian Marketing Board. About 70 % of the production is white wine and 30% red wine. About 75 percent of Austria’s production is consumed in Austria and 25 percent is exported.

    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Emmerich Knoll, Weingut Knoll, in Seattle, at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous, see: The 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle: Impressions from the Grand Tasting at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Washington State, USA

    Picture: Emmerich Knoll, Weingut Knoll, and Christian G.E. Schiller, at the 2014 International Riesling Symposium in Germany (Rheingau), see: Austrian Wines and Winemakers at the 2nd International Riesling Symposium in Germany (Rheingau)

    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Lucas Pichler at Dirk and Gabi Wuertz's Koehnigsmuehle in Rheinhessen, see: Vintage 2011 Tasting with Lucas Pichler, Weingut F.X. Pichler, with Dirk Wuertz at his Koenigsmuehle in Rheinhessen, Austria/Germany 

    Picture: Lucas Pichler, Weingut F.X. Pichler, and Annette Schiller, Ombiasy PR and WineTours

    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Willi Bründelmayer, Weingut Bründelmayer, at the at the 2014 International Riesling Symposium in Germany (Rheingau), see: Austrian Wines and Winemakers at the 2nd International Riesling Symposium in Germany (Rheingau)

    Austrian wine culture is ancient; people have been producing wine in Austria for 4000 years. But everything changed in 1985, when Austria was rocked by the “antifreeze wine scandal”. Some vintners were caught illicitly sweetening their products with glycol. As a result, the market for Austrian wine, especially the semi-sweet styles then in favor, evaporated overnight. Yet the scandal initiated a revolution that has propelled Austrian wines on to the world stage. It led to a broad rethinking, with an emphasis on higher-quality production and innovation that soon became noticed. Young winemakers, drawn by the new emphasis on quality over quantity, brought cutting-edge techniques and farsightedness to vineyards and cellars, revolutionizing both.

    Austria’s Top Winemakers

    When visiting Austria, you will find a large number of top wine makers, and that not only in the top wine regions, but throughout Austria. Here is the current crème de la crème, according to the Falstaff WeinGuide Oesterreich/Suedtirol 2014/15. Compared to last year, the list has seen one addition (Weingut Sattlerhof, Gamlitz) and no deletion.

    Weingut Bründlmayer, Langenlois
    Weingut Gesellmann, Deutschkreutz
    Weingut Gernot und Heike Heinrich, Gols
    Weingut Franz Hirtzberger, Spitz/Donau
    Weingut Knoll, Dürnstein
    Weingut Kollwentz, Großhöflein
    Weinlaubenhof Kracher, Illmitz
    Weingut F. X. Pichler, Dürnstein
    Weingut Pöckl, Mönchhof
    Weingut Prager, Weißenkirchen
    Weingut Sattlerhof, Gamlitz
    Weingut Tement, Berghausen

    Pictures: Emmerich Knoll, Weingut Knoll, and Franz Hirtzberger, Weingut Franz Hirtzberger, at the 2014 International Riesling Symposium in Germany (Rheingau), see: Austrian Wines and Winemakers at the 2nd International Riesling Symposium in Germany (Rheingau)

    Best White Wines

    Here is a list of the highest rated white wines in the Falstaff WeinGuide Oesterreich/Suedtirol 2014/15.

    Jahrgang 2013

    (97-99)

    Riesling Smaragd Unendlich 2013
    Weingut F. X. Pichler, Dürnstein

    97

    Riesling Smaragd Singerriedel 2013
    Weingut Franz Hirtzberger, Spitz/Donau

    (96-98)

    Riesling Kamptal DAC Reserve Zöbinger Heiligenstein Alte Reben 1 ÖTW 2013
    Weingut Jurtschitsch, Langenlois

    Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Weissenkirchner Achleithen 2013
    Weingut Rudi Pichler, Wösendorf

    (95-97)

    Riesling Smaragd Steinertal 2013
    Weingut Alzinger, Dürnstein

    Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Vinothekfüllung 2013
    Weingut Knoll, Dürnstein

    (94-96)

    Riesling Smaragd Limitierte Edition 2013
    Weingut Johann Donabaum, Spitz/Donau

    Riesling Kamptal DAC Reserve Zöbinger Heiligenstein 1 ÖTW 2013
    Weingut Hirsch, Kammern

    94

    Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Achleiten 2013
    Weingut Jäger, Weißenkirchen

    Riesling Smaragd Ried Klaus 2013
    Weingut Jamek, Weißenkirchen

    Grüner Veltliner Traisental DAC Reserve Ikon Stein 2013
    Weingut Ludwig Neumayer, Inzersdorf ob der Traisen

    Riesling Smaragd Wachstum Bodenstein 2013
    Weingut Prager, Weißenkirchen

    Grüner Veltliner Preussen 2013
    Weingut Wieninger, Wien

    Jahrgang 2012

    (95-97)

    Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Reserve 2012
    Weingut Knoll, Dürnstein

    95

    Riesling Kamptal DAC Reserve Langenlois Seeberg 1 ÖTW 2012
    Weingut Fred Loimer, Langenlois

    Sauvignon Blanc Zieregg G STK 2012
    Weingut Tement, Berghausen

    (94-96)

    Chardonnay Gloria 2012
    Weingut Kollwentz, Großhöflein

    Grüner Veltliner Tausend Rosen 2012
    Weingut Bernhard Ott, Feuersbrunn

    Weißburgunder maischevergoren Erdeluftgrasundreben 2012
    Weingut Claus Preisinger, Gols

    94

    Roter Veltliner Steinberg Privat 2012
    Weingut Josef Fritz, Zaussenberg

    Sauvignon Blanc Nussberg G STK 2012
    Weingut Gross, Ratsch

    Sauvignon Blanc Welles Große STK Lage 2012
    Weingut Lackner-Tinnacher, Gamlitz

    Grüner Veltliner Kremstal DAC Reserve Das Beste vom Veltliner 2012
    Weingut Malat, Palt

    Chardonnay Alte Reben 2012
    Weingut Erwin Sabathi, Leutschach

    Sauvignon Blanc Kranachberg G STK 2012
    Weingut Sattlerhof, Gamlitz

    Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh 2012
    Weingut Wohlmuth, Kitzeck im Sausal

    Jahrgang 2011 und älter

    96

    Morillon Zieregg IZ Reserve 2005
    Weingut Tement, Berghausen

    Chardonnay Tribute 2011
    Weingut Wieninger, Wien

    95

    Sauvignon Blanc Privat 2011
    Weingut Sattlerhof, Gamlitz

    Tiglat 2011 CH
    Weingut Velich, Apetlon

    Grüner Veltliner Anno Dazumal 2011
    Weingut Weixelbaum, Straß im Straßertale

    94

    Weißburgunder Nussberg G STK 2011
    Weingut Gross, Ratsch

    Grauburgunder Reserve 2011
    Weingut Lackner-Tinnacher, Gamlitz

    Chardonnay Grubthal 2011
    Weingut MUSTER.gamlitz, Gamlitz

    Sauvignon Blanc Alte Reben 2011
    Weingut Neumeister, Straden

    Sauvignon Blanc Hochgrassnitzberg Reserve G STK 2011
    Weingut Erich & Walter Polz, Spielfeld

    Gelber Traminer Noble Reserve 2011
    Weingut Salomon Undhof, Stein/Donau

    Zierfandler Große Reserve 2011
    Weingut Stadlmann, Traiskirchen

    Best Red Wines

    Here is a list of the best rated red wines in the Falstaff WeinGuide Oesterreich/Suedtirol 2014/15.
    Jahrgang 2012.

    (94-96)

    Blaufränkisch Neckenmarkt Alte Reben 2012
    Weingut Moric, Großhöflein

    Rêve de Jeunesse 33 2012 CS/ME/ZW/SY
    Weingut Pöckl, Mönchhof

    (93-95)

    Bärnreiser 2012 ZW/ME/CS/BF
    Weingut Hans und Philipp Grassl, Göttlesbrunn

    Blaufränkisch Perwolff 2012
    Weingut Krutzler, Deutsch Schützen

    Sankt Laurent Rosenberg 2012
    Weingut Pittnauer, Gols

    St. Laurent 2012
    Weingut Claus Preisinger, Gols

    Blaufränkisch Stix 2012
    Weingut Trapl, Stixneusiedl

    Blaufränkisch Mariental 2012
    Weingut Ernst Triebaumer, Rust

    Eisenberg DAC Reserve Alte Reben 2012
    Weingut Wachter-Wiesler, Deutsch Schützen

    Jahrgang 2011

    96

    Bärnreiser Reserve 2011 ME/BF/ZW
    Weingut Hans und Philipp Grassl, Göttlesbrunn

    Salzberg 2011 ME/BF
    Weingut Gernot und Heike Heinrich, Gols

    Blaufränkisch Tannenberg 2011 (Bio)
    Weingut Anita und Hans Nittnaus, Gols

    Blaufränkisch Plachen 2011
    Weingut Günter und Regina Triebaumer, Rust

    (95-97)

    Blaufränkisch hochberc 2011
    Weingut Gesellmann, Deutschkreutz

    Blaufränkisch Point 2011
    Weingut Kollwentz, Großhöflein

    95

    Werner Achs Reserve 2011 BF/ME
    Weingut Werner Achs, Gols

    Blaufränkisch Dürrau 2011
    Weingut Paul Lehrner, Horitschon

    M1 2011 ME/ZW

    Weingut Gerhard Markowitsch, Göttlesbrunn

    Privat 2011
    Weingut Franz und Christine Netzl, Göttlesbrunn

    Leithaberg DAC rot 2011 BF
    Weingut Wagentristl, Großhöflein

    Pinot Noir Tribute 2011
    Weingut Wieninger, Wien

    Jahrgang 2010 und älter

    95

    Megalith 2009 CF/CS/ME/BF
    Thomas Schwarz – Weingut Kloster am Spitz, Purbach

    94

    Herzblut (Magnum) 2009 BF/ME/CS/ZW
    Heribert Bayer Kellerei In Signo Leonis, Neckenmarkt

    Caberhei 2010 ME/CS/CF
    Weingut Panta Rhei, Eisenstadt

    Blaufränkisch Rabenkropf Privat 2009
    Weingut Wohlmuth, Kitzeck im Sausal

    93

    Pinot Noir Cavallo 2009
    Weingut Giefing, Rust

    EGO 2009
    Weingut Helmut Preisinger, Gols

    Best Sweet Wines

    Here is a list of the highest rated Süßweine (Sweet Wines) in the Falstaff WeinGuide Oesterreich/Suedtirol 2014/15.

    Jahrgang 2013

    96

    Sauvignon Blanc Trockenbeerenauslese 2013
    Weingut Sattlerhof, Gamlitz

    (95-97)

    Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese 2013
    Weingut Pichler-Krutzler, Dürnstein

    (94-96)

    Rotgipfler Trockenbeerenauslese 2013
    Weingut Biegler, Gumpoldskirchen

    (93-95)

    Riesling Beerenauslese Heiligenstein 2013
    Weingut Bründlmayer, Langenlois

    Zierfandler Trockenbeerenauslese 2013
    Weingut Piriwe, Traiskirchen

    Beerenauslese Bisamberg 2013
    Weingut Wieninger, Wien

    Jahrgang 2012

    98

    Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese 2012
    Weingut Franz Proidl, Senftenberg

    96

    Welschriesling Trockenbeerenauslese Schrammel 2012
    Josef Lentsch – Dankbarkeit, Podersdorf/See

    95

    Ruster Ausbruch 2012 CH/WR/RR
    Weingut Günter und Regina Triebaumer, Rust

    (94-96)

    Muskat Ottonel Strohwein Schwarz Gold 2012
    Schwarz Wein, Andau

    94

    Sämling 88 Beerenauslese 2012
    Hans Tschida – Angerhof, Illmitz

    Jahrgang 2011

    97

    Trockenbeerenauslese Grande Cuvée No. 6 Nouvelle Vague 2011 WR/CH
    Weinlaubenhof Kracher, llmitz

    95

    Ruster Ausbruch 2011 GM
    Weingut Feiler-Artinger, Rust

    Trockenbeerenauslese 2011 CS/ZW
    Weingut Pöckl, Mönchhof

    94

    Riesling Beerenauslese Setzberg 2011
    Weingut Donabaum »In der Spitz«, Spitz/Donau

    Riesling Eiswein Schneiderberg 2011
    Weingut Weinrieder, Kleinhadersdorf - Poysdorf

    Jahrgang 2010 und älter

    93

    Ruster Ausbruch 2010 ZW
    Weingut Feiler-Artinger, Rust

    Forticus 2006 ME
    Schlossweingut Graf Hardegg, Seefeld-Kadolz

    Muskat Ottonel Schilfwein 2010
    Weingut Willi Opitz, Illmitz

    schiller-wine: Related Postings

    Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2013

    Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2012

    Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2011

    Austria’s Best Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff WeinGuide 2010 

    3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux

    New Developments in German Wine - Annette Schiller at the German Wine Society in Philadelphia, USA 

    The 2nd International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany

    The World of Riesling in Seattle - Fourth Riesling Rendezvous in Washington State, USA

    Vintage 2011 Tasting with Lucas Pichler, Weingut F.X. Pichler, with Dirk Wuertz at his Koenigsmuehle in Rheinhessen, Austria/Germany 

    Austria at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA

    The Wines of Stefanie and Alwin Jurtschitsch, Weingut Jurtschitsch, Kamptal, Austria

    "Wurzelwerk" Goes America: 3 Vineyards, 3 Winemakers and 9 Wines 

    The 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle: Impressions from the Grand Tasting at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Washington State, USA

    Austrian Wines and Winemakers at the 2nd International Riesling Symposium in Germany (Rheingau)

    Sauvignon Blanc in Austria – A Comparative Tasting with Falstaff's Peter Moser at Weinsinn in Frankfurt, Germany

    Visit: Gerhard Wohlmuth sen. and his Weingut Wohlmuth in Austria

    Dinner with Wine Maker Gerhard Wohlmuth sen., his Wines and the Food of Steierland’s Chef Ruth Stelzer, Austria

    Meeting Gerhard Wohlmuth jun. from Weingut Wohlmuth, Austria, and Tasting his Wines in Washington DC

    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria

    Welcome to America: Franz and Christine Netzl Estate, Carnuntum, Austria

    Producing Wines in Austria and Hungary - Franz and Franz Reinhard Weninger

    With the WienWein Winemakers in Vienna in the Heurigen Drinking Gemischter Satz Wine

    Visiting Leo Hillinger, Michael Hoeffken and Edgar Brutler at the Leo Hillinger Winery in Jois, Austria

    Wine Producer Austria - Not Only Gruener Veltliner

    At the Forefront of Biodynamic Winemaking: Visiting Werner and Angela Michlits and their Weingut Meinklang in Austria

    Visiting Christine, Christina and Franz Netzl in their Weingut Netzl in Carnuntum, Austria

    Hattenheim (Germany) Goes Stellenbosch (South Africa): Howzit Shiraz

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    Pictures: Paul Barth, Mark P. Barth and Alexander Jung with 2011 Howzit Shiraz at The Ivory Club in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Howzit is slang in South Africa (and Hawaii) for: hello - what's up? It is a contraction of "how is it”.

    Howzit is also the name of a new wine – a Shiraz – made by 4 men from South Africa and Germany in Stellenbosch in South Africa. The first vintage, 2011, is now ready for sale and was introduced to the German market (and the world market) at a steak dinner at The Ivory Club in Frankfurt, one of Frankfurt’s current “in” restaurants.

    Paul Barth, Mark P. Barth, Alexander Jung and Jacques Fourie

    Present were 3 of the 4 men: Owner Paul Barth and winemakers Mark Barth and Alexander Jung. The latter two are up-and-coming winemakers from the Rheingau, who have both some work experience in South Africa and are “the next generation” of two well-established family-owned and -run wineries in Hattenheim. Obviously, their involvement in the actual production of Howzit Shiraz in South Africa has to be limited. The main – and fourth - protagonist is based in Stellenbosch: seasoned vintner Jacques Fourie, “a laid-back South African who has worked for well-known wineries such as Delaire or Wildekrans”, according to Paul Barth. His philosophy is simple: "Never forget that winemaking is working with the senses i.e. look, small, taste, fee, and listen."

    Pictures: Paul Barth, Mark P. Barth and Alexander Jung with 2011 Howzit Shiraz at The Ivory Club in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Fabulous Steak Dinner at the Trendy The Ivory Club in Frankfurt am Main

    For the German premier of the Howzit Shiraz, we were treated to an outstanding wine dinner, at a very special restaurant. As starters, we had such delicacies as “Spicy Pakora Prawns” and “Tuna Tartar with Raita-Egg”, to name 2 of the 5 fabulous starters, accompanied by wines of Mark Barth and Alexander Jung made in Hattenheim, including the Weingut Jakob Jung, 2010 Erbacher Siegelsberg Riesling Erstes Gewächs and the Wein- and Sektgut Barth 2011 Riesling Singularis (aged in barrique).

    For the main course, we had a choice of meat. What else at the Howzit premier? In choosing between Filet Mignon, Chateaubriand, Prime Rib Eye Steak and New York Strip Sirloin, I ordered the New York Strip Sirloin. And of course, the wine accompanying the meat was the Kap Vino Estate 2011 Howzit Shiraz.

    Picture: New York Strip Sirloin and Kap Vino Estate 2011 Howzit Shiraz

    Paul Barth: You prefer dry-aged prime rib to tofu sausages? You read Playboy instead of Vogue? And your steak comes from an open fire and not out of a microwave? If you answer these questions with a straight forward „Yes!“ then Howzit is going to be your wine of choice.

    I liked very much the initial intense fruity flavors of the 2011 Howzit Shiraz that gave way to spicy peppery notes after you had it in the mouth for a few seconds. The 2011 Howzit Shiraz is a very drinkable, enjoyable wine. Sometimes, Shiraz can be on the fat, thick side, but this one is not. It was a perfect match for my steak.

    We finished the dinner with dessert. I picked the Ivory Mousse au Chocolat and stayed with the 2011 Howzit Shiraz. It went very well with the chocolate mousse. Alternatively, Alex poured his Weingut Jakob Jung 2013 Erbach Michelmark Riesling Spätlese, but I preferred the Shiraz.

    Picture: Ivory Mousse au Chocolat and Kap Vino Estate 2011 Howzit Shiraz

    The Ivory Club

    The culturetrip.com: Indian-fusion restaurant The Ivory Club markets itself as ‘contemporary colonial cuisine’, and serves a wide range of variations on traditional dishes from the ‘sword of fire’, a marinated beef skewer, to the ‘booombastic Bombay blast’, which is a chicken curry with ginger. They also offer a number of steak dishes, such as the ‘Ivory Club Signature Cow’, a prime filet which the restaurant has dubbed the ‘best in the world’. The dark wood décor gives the feeling of a gentleman’s club to the interior, while the ornamental, carved elephant’s heads refer back to the restaurant’s colonial theme. This is an unusual find in downtown Frankfurt which is frequented by a diverse and international clientele.

    Pictures: The Ivory Club

    Kap Vino Estate and Paul Barth

    Paul Barth is a cousin of Norbert Barth, the father-in-law of Mark P. Barth. While his cousin established one of Germany’s leading wineries – Wein- und Sektgut Barth – Paul Barth established a leading construction company in the area.

    Over recent years he has been dreaming of his own winery in South Africa – his second home. And his dream came true. He is now owner of a wine estate in Stellenbosch, Kap Vino Estate. Surrounded by rugged mountains Paul grows 100% Shiraz vines on his 3 hectars vineyard. Overall, the Shiraz vineyard area in South Africa has increased substantially over the past years and now accounts for more than 10% of the total.

    Pictures: Paul Barth, Mark P. Barth and Alexander Jung

    Besides Jacques Fourie, Paul also teamed up with two German winemakers to create an outstanding intercontinental wine. Mark Barth und Alexander Jung belong to Germany’s young vintner elite. They love South Africa and its exceptional wines. Both have made South African wine before during internships. At home, in Germany’s Rheingau region both of them produce outstanding Riesling, Pinot Noir and sparkling wines. They are involved in Howzit’s winemaking process. Furthermore they are presenting Howzit to the German market.

    2011 Howzit Shiraz in Germany

    The wines are currently available in Germany through Mark Barth and Alexander Jung.

    Euro 15.90 per bottle.

    Mark@Howzit-Wine.de
    Alex@Howzit-Wine.de

    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Alexander Jung at the Weingut Jakob Jung

    Picture: With Mark P. Barth, Sekt- and Weingut Norbert Barth

    schiller-wine - Related Postings (South Africa)

    In the Plane: Wine on South African Airways from Johannesburg to Livingstone in Zambia (Victoria Falls)

    New World Wine Producer South Africa

    Boekenhoutskloof– Producer of Sensational Premium Wines as well as Good Value Table Wines in Franschhoek

    Lunch with Raphael Dornier in Stellenbosch

    Burgundy Wines in South Africa: Hamilton Russell Vineyards

    Devon Rocks - A Boutique Producer of Pinotage in South Africa

    Wining, Dining and Relaxing with the Chocolate/Coffee Pinotage at Diemersfontein Wine and Country Estate in Wellington, South Africa

    In the Glass: A Rust en Vrede 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon With South African Oysters in Stellenbosch

    Marianne Wine Estate: South African Wine with a French Soul

    Meeting Ntsiki Biyela at Stellekaya in Stellenbosch – South Africa’s Only Female and Black Winemaker with International Recognition

    Wine, Art and Food: Donald Hess’ Glen Carlou Estate in South Africa

    South Africa Top 20 Wineries 2014

    schiller-wine - Related Postings (Wein- und Sektgut Barth; Weingut Jakob Jung)

    Barth Primus is Germany’s First Sekt Made with an Erstes Gewaechs Wine

    Hanging out with Rheingau Winemakers: Dirk Wuertz, Desiree Eser, Alexander Jakob Jung, Hansi Bausch and Christian Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany

    At Weingut Jakob Jung in Erbach, Rheingau, with Winemaker Alexander Johannes Jung, Germany

    Impromptu Winetasting with Alexander Jung, Weingut Jakob Jung, Erbach, Rheingau, Germany

    Extraordinary Views of the Rheingau Vineyards - A Spectecular Helicopter Flight over the Rheingau with Rheingau Winemakers, Germany

    Martin Zwick's BerlinKabinettCup 2014, Germany

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    Pictures: Martin Zwick's BerlinKabinettCup 2014 Winners

    The BerlinKabinettCup 2014 took place in Berlin, Germany, a few weeks ago, orchestrated by Martin Zwick. 30 German Riesling Kabinett 2013 wines were included and ranked in the tasting. Most of the wines came from the Mosel Saar Ruwer area.

    Picture: Martin Zwick and Christian G.E. Schiller in Wiesbaden

    The wines were blind-tasted by a group of sommeliers, wine writers and wine retailers, including Julia Klüber/Winevibes, Matthias Knebel/Winzer, Till Ehrlich/FINE, Felix Bodmann/Schnutentunker+Webweinschule, Frank Ebbinghaus/WEINHIER by Stuart Pigott, Jan Buhrmann/Schmidt Z & KO, Paul Truszkowski/Wine in Black, Jochen Blass/Wine in Black, Frank Krüger/Wein&Glas, Charlie Gierling/weinlagen.info, Nikolai Lassmann/Riesling Liebhaber, David Strecker/Riesling Liebhaber.

    Sommelier Christoph Geyler/RUTZ put together the tasting.

    Riesling

    There are about 47000 hectares planted with Riesling worldwide. Germany – with 22500 hectares – accounts for about half of the total. The second and third largest Riesling producer are the US (mainly Washington State and Finger Lakes Region) with 4800 hectares and Australia with 4100 hectares. But this is only about 1/10 of the total. Alsace follows with 3500 hectares. Alsace, Ukraine and Austria follow with 3500 hectares, 2700 hectares and 1900 hectares, respectively.

    Overall, Riesling is really a niche wine, accounting for less than 1 percent of total wine production in the world - but a very special niche wine. In terms of quality wines, Riesling is usually included in the top three white wine varieties, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Riesling is highly terroir-expressive, meaning that the character of Riesling wines is clearly influenced by the wine’s place of origin.

    Martin Zwick and his Berlin Cups

    Martin Zwick was initially known for organizing the BerlinRieslingCup every year. The BerlinRieslingCup is about Germany’s ultra-premium dry grand cru (Grosses Gewaechs) Rieslings from Grosse Lage vineyards. It typically takes place in the second half of September, following the release of the Grosses Gewaechs wines of the previous year. He then added the BerlinGutsrieslingCup, which reviews and rates entry-level Rieslings of VDP Estates. Last year, Martin Zwick also organized for the first time (in June) a BerlinKabinettCup: A ranking of off-dry, light Rieslings that carry the Kabinett predicate. Finally, last year, he organized a BerlinSpätburgunderCup, a ranking of German Pinot Noirs.

    Thus, there are now 4 BerlinCups: BerlinRieslingCup, BerlinGutsRieslingCup, BerlinKabinettCup and BerlinSpätburgunderCup. See more below.

    What is a Kabinett?

    What is a Kabinett? That depends. In the framework of the standard classification of German wine (the Law of 1971), Kabinett has a different meaning than in the framework of the new classification adopted by the VDP.

    In the standard classification, a Kabinett is defined by the sugar content of the grapes at harvest. It is a wine made from grapes harvested with a sugar content of 67 to 87 degrees Oechsle that was not chaptalized. Such a wine can be fully fermented and become dry. These are the Kabinett Trocken wines.

    Alternatively, the winemaker could stop the fermentation so that natural sugar remains in the finished wine (and perhaps add a bit of sterilized juice – Suessreserve) to produce a wine that is fruity-sweet. That could be indicated on the label as Kabinett Feinherb, or Kabinett Halbtrocken.

    Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberger, without reference to the individual vineyards.

    Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Christoph Tyrell, Weingut Karthäuserhof, in Mainz, German.The Karthäuserhof in the Mosel Valley is one of the most prestigious wine estates in Germany. It can look back to a long history. For the past decades, it has been run and owned by Christoph Tyrell in the 6. Generation. A couple of months ago, a press release indicated that Christoph Tyrell, who has no children and who is on his mid-60s, has arranged the succession of the Karthaeuserhof with his cousin Albert Behler. Albert Behler lives in New York City, where he is President and CEO of the Paramount Group, one of the largest privately-owned real estate companies in New York City.

    For more, see:
    The Karthäuserhof in the Mosel Valley: An Eventful History – From Grenoble in France to New York City in the US  

    In sum: In the framework of the standard classification of German wine, a Kabinett could be a dry or a fruity-sweet wine, with the terms Trocken, Feinherb and Halbtrocken indicating the sweetness level in the wine. In both cases, it is a rather light wine, made with grapes that were picked early in the harvest.

    The VDP producers have introduced a new classification, very much based on the Burgundian approach. In their new classification, Kabinett no longer stands for a certain ripeness of the grapes at harvest, but stands for a certain sweetness level of the wine in the bottle. If a winemaker harvests grapes at the Kabinett level (in terms of sugar content at harvest), but wants to make a dry wine out of it, the winemaker has to market the wine as Qualitaetswein (QbA).

    Only wines that have a certain sweetness in the finished wine can be sold as Kabinett. Kabinett Trocken does not exist for VDP producers (although some VDP members still produce Kabinett trocken during a transition period). All the wines sold as Kabinett are in a certain Kabinett sweetness range.

    Pictures: In the Vineyards with Caroline Diel, Schlossgut Diel, and Anouk

    See also:
    New Vintage Tasting at Schlossgut Diel, with Armin and Caroline Diel, Germany, 2014
    Caroline and Armin Diel, Schlossgut Diel (Nahe Valley), Presented their New Wines (Vintage 2012), Germany
    Visiting Armin and Caroline Diel and their Schlossgut Diel in Burg Layen in Germany
    President Obama Serves a “German” Riesling at State Dinner for Chinese President Hu Jintao
    Visiting Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla, Washington State - Where Armin Diel’s Poet’s Leap Riesling is Made, USA
    Terry Theise: German 2013 Vintage Wines - Highlights and Superlatives, Germany 

    For the VDP winemakers, Kabinett is an indication of a certain sweetness profile. And Auslese is sweeter than Spaetlese and Spaetlese sweeter than Kabinett. The terms “Halbtrocken” and “Feinherb” have become redundant in the VDP classification system.

    The wines in the BerlinKabinettCup 2014 were all wines where the fermentation was interrupted to generate a wine “that dances” as Stephen Rheinhardt has put it in the Sueddeutschen Zeitung: A low alcohol wine with some remaining sweetness – Feinherb and Halbtrocken Kabinetts, no Trocken Kabinetts.

    Martin Zwick: I made this "BerlinKabinettCup" not because of another Cup, not because of ranking, not because of scores. The true star is the KABINETT. Here in Germany Kabinett was heavily overlooked in the last years, as most people drank trocken, trocken, trocken. My "BerlinKabinettCup" created awareness in Germany for Kabinett and now the people buy more Kabinett. That´s all about.

    BerlinKabinettCup 2014 Ranking

    Martin Zwick: In general, the Kabinetts 2013 are marked by a heavy acidity and most with lemon&citrus&herb flavors. Fair to say that several Kabinett tasted more like Spätlese. BUT the Top 3 are true Kabinett-style Rieslings.

    Picture: BerlinKabinettCup 2014

    Martin Zwick: The 2013 Karthäuserhofberg Kabinett was the clear winner for every taster and impressed everyone by its complexity, fineness, class, spiciness, lightness, drinking pleasure, food-versatility and moderate alcohol (around 8%). A must-buy.

    1 Karthäuserhof Karthäuserhofberg 91 Punkte
    2 Diel Goldloch 90 Punkte
    3 Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr 90 Punkte
    4 AJ Adam Hofberg
    5 M. Grünhaus Abtsberg
    6 Carl Schmitt-Wagner Herrenberg
    7 Dr. Loosen W. Sonnenuhr
    8 Von Hövel Hütte
    9 Julian Haart Schubertslay
    10 A. Clüsserath Apotheke
    11 Willi Schäfer Domprobst
    12 Julian Haart Ohligsberg
    13 J. H. Mumm Johannisberger Hölle
    14 Dr. Hermann Ürziger Würzgarten
    15 Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer
    16 Dr. Hermann Erdener Treppchen
    17 Willi Schäfer Himmelreich
    18 JJ Prüm (o.W.)
    19 Ziliken Rausch
    20 St. Urbanshof Goldtröpfchen
    21 Reinhold Haart Goldtröpfchen
    22 St. Urbanshof Bockstein
    23 Egon Müller Scharzhofberg
    24 Dr. Fischer Bockstein
    25 von Othegraven Bockstein
    26 KJ Christoffel Erdener Treppchen
    27 M. Molitor Himmelreich
    2012 Böcking Trabacher Burgberg (o.W.) 85 Punkte
    28 Fritz Haag Brauneberger
    29 I. Batterieberg CAI
    30. Schloss Johannisberg Rotlack
    Von Hövel Scharzhofberg Kork

    Charlie Gierling’s Comments

    Here are Charlie Giering's impressions (in German); he participated in the tasting.

    Charlie Gierling: Als erstes aber Lob für und Dank an den Gastgeber Martin. Das macht er zwar immer perfekt, diesmal aber war es desto wichtiger. Die Weine selbst waren nämlich alles andere als zuvorkommend.

    Ich schreib mal lakonisch paar Beobachtungen hin:

    - Schwefel ohne Ende. Und ich meine SO2. Klar, bisschen Sponti-Böckser gabs auch, aber fast alle Weine haben deutlich nach "freiem Schwefel" gerochen und zum Teil auch geschmeckt (hintern raus gekratzt). Wir hatten danach aus den angebrochenen, deutlich wärmeren Flaschen nachprobiert. Der Schwefel war weniger und die Weine dadurch zugänglicher. Deshalb fällt es mir diesmal noch schwerer als in anderen Jahren einzelne Weine zu beurteile oder gar Kaufempfehlungen abzugeben.

    - die Säuren waren zT kaum zu ertragen, einige Grün, einige kratzig, manche beides. Verstärkt wurde der Effekt noch vom freien Schwefel, d. h. Ich wusste manchmal nicht, was hier beißt und kratzt, Säure oder Schwefel.

    - Ich weiß nicht, woran es technisch lag, aber einige Weine kamen im Antrunk gut, wurden dann aber weiter hinten lasch, schwammig, wie zusammengesackt.

    - Süße und Alkohol durchwegs moderat

    - ja, es gab kabinettige Weine, im Sinn von schlank, frisch. Aber kaum im Sinn von zischundweg. Die Kabinettigkeit war wir jedes Jahr eigenartig verteilt. Die beiden Ruweraner ja, deutlich. Die Mittelmosel durchmischt, die Saar auch durchmischt.

    - aromatisch hat neben dem Schwefel die Zitrone dominiert. Dazu hin und wieder Kräuter (Zilliken Rausch, Egon Müller, Grünhaus, Molitor Sonnenuhr, Batterieberg) aber auch sehr reife, bis überreife Frucht (Othegraven Bockstein, J Haart Ohligsberg, Urbanshof Goldtröpfchen, Schloss Lieser, Willi Schäfer Domprobst, Dr. Herrmann Treppchen)

    - meine Besten absolut gesehen: Molitor Sonnenuhr, Diel Goldloch, Adam Hofberg

    - die guten Kabinettigen: Grünhaus Abtsberg, Karthäuserhof.

    schiller-wine: Related Postings (Berlin Cups)

    Germany’s Best Ultra-premium Dry Riesling Wines - BerlinRieslingCup 2013, Germany
    Germany’s Ultra Premium Dry Riesling Wines – The Berlin Riesling Cup 2012
    Germany’s Top Wines – The Berlin Riesling Cup 2011 Ranking

    Martin Zwick’s BerlinGutsweinrieslingCup 2014 - Rating Entry-level Rieslings from Germany's Best Producers
    BerlinGutsrieslingCup 2013– Rating Entry-level Rieslings from Germany
    Berlin Gutsriesling Cup 2012, Germany

    Martin Zwick's BerlinKabinettCup 2014, Germany
    BerlinKabinettCup 2013 - Kabinett 2012, Germany

    BerlinSpaetburgunderCup 2011/2013, Germany 

    Schiller-wine - Related Postings

    The Karthäuserhof in the Mosel Valley: An Eventful History – From Grenoble in France to New York City in the US

    New Vintage Tasting at Schlossgut Diel, with Armin and Caroline Diel, Germany, 2014

    Caroline and Armin Diel, Schlossgut Diel (Nahe Valley), Presented their New Wines (Vintage 2012), Germany

    Visiting Armin and Caroline Diel and their Schlossgut Diel in Burg Layen in Germany

    President Obama Serves a “German” Riesling at State Dinner for Chinese President Hu Jintao

    Visiting Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla, Washington State - Where Armin Diel’s Poet’s Leap Riesling is Made, USA

    Terry Theise: German 2013 Vintage Wines - Highlights and Superlatives, Germany 

    When Americans Drink German Wine - What They Choose

    Visiting Armin and Caroline Diel and their Schlossgut Diel in Burg Layen in Germany

    German Spaetlese Wines Can Come in Different Versions. I Have Counted Five.

    Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany

    America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants: The Northeast and the South - Wine Enthusiast 2014

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    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Chef Spike Gjerde, Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore

    The Wine Enthusiast published an interesting list of restaurants: America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants, of which I am re-releasing the northeast region and south region sections.

    Northeast Region


    NameCityState
    AmaliNew York CityNY
    A Voce ColumbusNew York CityNY
    BetonyNew York CityNY
    Blue Hill at Stone BarnsPocantico HillsNY
    Charlie BirdNew York CityNY
    Crabtree’s Kittle House Restaurant and InnChappaquaNY
    Craigie On MainCambridgeMA
    DANIELNew York CityNY
    doi moiWashington, D.C.
    DovetailNew York CityNY
    Eleven Madison ParkNew York CityNY
    EstadioWashington, D.C.
    FiolaWashington, D.C.
    Gotham Bar and GrillNew York CityNY
    Gramercy TavernNew York CityNY
    Hen of the WoodBurlingtonVT
    Le BernardinNew York CityNY
    MaialinoNew York CityNY
    minibar by José AndrésWashington, D.C.
    Momofuku Má PêcheNew York CityNY
    NarcissaNew York CityNY
    OceanaNew York CityNY
    Pearl & AshNew York CityNY
    Per SeNew York CityNY
    Restaurant LatourHamburgNJ
    RippleWashington, D.C.
    Rouge TomateNew York CityNY
    Talula’s GardenPhiladelphiaPA
    The Blue RoomCambridgeMA
    The NoMadNew York CityNY
    The Red HenWashington, D.C.
    TocquevilleNew York CityNY
    TroquetBostonMA
    Villard Michel RichardNew York CityNY
    Woodberry KitchenBaltimoreMD

    South Region


    NameCityState
    5 & 10AthensGA
    Angus BarnRaleighNC
    AzulMiamiFL
    Barley SwineAustinTX
    Bern’s Steak HouseTampaFL
    Commander’s PalaceNew OrleansLA
    CongressAustinTX
    db Bistro ModerneMiamiFL
    FT33DallasTX
    Husk RestaurantCharlestonSC
    Miller UnionAtlantaGA
    Proof on MainLouisvilleKY
    Restaurant AugustNew OrleansLA
    Restaurant R’evolutionNew OrleansLA
    Steak 954Fort LauderdaleFL
    The Barn at Blackberry FarmWallandTN
    The Catbird SeatNashvilleTN
    The Pass & ProvisionsHoustonTX
    UnderbellyHoustonTX

    For last years' selections, see:
    America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants: The Northeast - Wine Enthusiast 2013
    America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants: The Northeast - Wine Enthusiast 2012

    schiller-wine: Related Postings

    Tête-à-tête Dinner with Henri Lurton, Owner of Château Brane-Cantenac, a Deuxieme Grand Cru Classe en 1855 in Margaux, at CityZen in Washington DC, USA

    Schiller's World of Seafood

    Dining on the Cutting-edge - Daniel Singhofen’s Eola in Washington DC, USA 

    Foie Gras Around the World

    Rock ‘n’ Roll and Wine: Rolling Stones Live and Wine at Proof in Washington DC, USA

    Sea, Sand, Soul and Sakafo, and Whales and Wine – At Princesse Bora Lodge on Ile Sainte Marie in the Indian Ocean

    Dinner at Plum in Oakland, California - Sister Restaurant of Coi, #58 on the 2012 San Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants List

    Weinhaus Bluhm in Mainz: A Cosy and Basic Wine Tavern Serving World Class Wines from Germany

    In the glass: Hugel et Fils wines at the cuisine des emotions de Jean Luc Brendel at Riquewihr in Alsace

    A Plateau des Fruits de Mer and a Pessac-Leognan Wine in Bordeaux City, France

    Oysters - and Wine - at Zuni Café in San Francisco, USA

    The Wines of Domaine Lucien Albrecht and the Food of La Chaumiere in Washington DC, USA/France

    Bodegas Marqués de Murrieta Winemaker Dinner at Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC, USA/Spain

    Celebrating Paso Robles Wines and Classic American Cuisine - Winemaker Dinner at Jose Andres’ America Eats Tavern in Washington DC with 4 Paso Robles Winemakers, USA

    With Jean Trimbach from Domaine Trimbach, Alsace, at Bart M. Vandaele’s Belga Café in Washington DC

    Domaine Weinbach Wines and Alsatian Food with Winemaker Catherine Faller, Alsace, and Chef Jacques E. Haeringer, Virginia

    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA 

    America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants: The Northeast - Wine Enthusiast 2012

    Chef Spike Gjerde's Farm-to-Table Food of Woodberry Kitchen and Sarah O’Herron's and Ed Boyce's Premium Organic Wines of Black Ankle Vineyards, Maryland, USA 

    Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France

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    Pictures: Morning Coffee in Paris (Brasserie Terminus Nord)

    According to a Forbes survey, Paris is the best city in the world in terms of eating well, ahead of Rome and Tokyo. I lived in Paris between 2005 and 2008, for 3 years, on the right bank in the 8th arrondissement. Naturally, my list of favorites reflects that to a certain extent, although the Paris Metro takes you very efficiently anywhere in Paris within the Paris beltway.

    The list is a mixture of own experiences, recommendations by others and finds in the internet that I still have to check out.

    Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars 

    In the following list of Schiller's favorites, I distinguish between restaurants, brasseries, bistros, cafes and winebars.

    Restaurants are open only for lunch and/or dinner. You go there to eat, often in a rather formal setting. For dinner, the restaurants in Paris typically open at 8pm. The best restaurants are those with 1 to 3 Michelin stars.

    Bistros are scaled down versions of restaurants, also open only for lunch and/or dinner. They tend to be less formal. Some bistros are Michelin-starred.

    Brasseries open very early in the day and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can also have just a beer or a café. My “down the road” brasserie Paris Europe would open at 6:30am and I often would have a croissant and an espresso there before going to work.

    Wine bars primarily serve wine by the glass, but most of them also have elements of a bistro or a brasserie. Accordingly, I have listed, for example, Willi’s Wine Bar – a popular hang-out for Americans and other expatriates in Paris – as a bistro.

    Cafés serve as places where people sit to have a café, by themselves or with others, eat something or have glass of wine. Most cafés serve lunch and light dinners in the evening. They generally do not have pastries except during mornings, where a croissant or pain au chocolat can be purchased with breakfast coffee.

    Restaurants

    Le Grand Vefour

    M Palais Royal, 1st
    Historic place with outstanding food. The oldest continually operating restaurant in Paris. Tucked like a jewel box in the Palais Royal’s quietest corner.


    Le Meurice

    228 rue de Rivoli, 1st

    Taillevent

    M Charles de Gaulle - Étoile, 8th
    Famed for what is probably the most sumptuous wine cellar in Paris.

    Alain Ducasse at Plaza Athenee

    M Alma-Marceau, 8th

    Closerie des Lilas

    M Port-Royal, 14th
    Legend. The romance of days when men like Henry James and Ernest Hemingway gathered here is still very much alive at this popular café-restaurant. Nice outdoor dining.

    Bistros

    Le Chateaubriand

    M Parmentier, 11th
    129 Avenue Parmentier, 75011
    Bistronomics cuisine that made it to the Top 50 restaurants in the world list of Pellegrino in the Oberkampf area. “Le Chateaubriand operates at the rock 'n' roll end of French cuisine, not only in terms of what it leaves out — pomp and ceremony, expensive frippery, soft furnishings — but also thanks to self-taught chef Inaki Aizpitarte's laconic persona, and a certain Gallic shoulder-shrugging nonchalance. Dinner is unique.”

    See:
    The World's 50 Best Restaurants (2014) - San Pellegrino


    Willi’s Wine Bar

    Metro Pyramides, 1st
    Owned and run by the Brit Mark Williamson, well known in the American community.


    See:
    Wine bar: Paris --- Le Petit Monceau, Willi's wine bar and Lavinia

    Chez Omar

    M Arts et Metier, 3rd
    My favorite couscous place in Paris. No reservations. Prepare to prop the bar (and be rather more intimate with your neighbors when you sit at your table).

    Ma Bourgogne

    Metro Bastille, 4th
    Setting under the arcades of the picture perfect place des Vosges.

    Racines

    8 Passage des Panoramas,  6th
    The Passage des Panoramas (off boulevard Montmartre) is a beautiful belle époque shopping arcade. Tucked away inside is Les Racines, owned and run by Sommelier Pierre Jancou, who is evangelical about vins naturels.


    Racines 2

    Metra Louvre-Rivoli, 1st
    39 rue de l’Arbre Sec
    Version 2, featuring the same product-driven cooking as the original, in a Philippe Starck-designed space.

    John Talbott (2012) “The ‘menu’ is a very reasonable 29 E for 3 courses, but a la carte we’re dealing with double that, and that’s before liquids.  But I rather liked the ‘menu’…a perfectly cooked duck breast with a ton of vegetables…a chocolate mousse…All were much above average…”

    Juveniles

    M Palais Royal, 1st
    Owned by the legendary Tim Johnston - and recently handed over to his daughter Margaux - the wines are very interesting as is the Anglophone clientele.

    See:
    A Cult Paris Wine Bar - Juveniles
    Juvéniles in Paris: Legend Tim Johnston Pulls Back and Daughter Margaux Moves In, France


    La Cremerie

    M Odeon, 6th
    Tiny place focusing on “natural wines”. Has gained cult status among natural wine drinkers. Has a new owner and we will have to wait and see how things develop there.

    See:
    The Natural Wines of La Cremerie in Paris


    Il Vino

    13 boulevard de La Tour-Maubourg, 7th
    Enrico Bernardo, youngest-ever winner of the World's Best Sommelier award, runs this restaurant where, for once, food plays second fiddle to wine. You are presented with nothing more than a wine list. Each of 15 wines by the glass is matched with a surprise dish, or the chef can build a meal around the bottle of your choice. Strong Italian influence.

    Bistro des Dames

    M Place-de-Clichy, 18 rue des Dames
    Excellent bistro, tucked away in a side street near Place de Clichy. Not in any guide.


    Autur d’un Verre (Natural Wine)

    21 rue de Trévise, 9th
    Resembles an ancient bistro, but in reality, this used to be an internet shop that American restaurateur Kevin Black converted into a bar à vins. He is a self-trained chef and passionate fan of natural wines.

    Caroline Mignot (2010) “…un bistrot de copains où passer de délicieuses soirées…une ardoise de vins naturels, des soirées dégustation…cette cuisine de bistrot, bonne franquette et franchement bonne.”

    Brasseries

    Le Vaudeville

    M Bourse, 2nd
    My favorite place for a pot (a drink) after work.



    Le Beuf sur le Toit

    M St-Philippe du Roule, 8th
    A legendary temple of jazz music, Le Bœuf sur le Toit has successfully combined elegance and modernity while preserving its Art Deco soul. Come taste the latest trends in our original, typically Right Bank food, just a stone's throw from the Champs Élysées.

    Paris Europe

    51 Rue de Rome, 8th
    My “down the road” brasserie, just next to my apartment building: Cette belle brasserie traditionnelle propose plats du jour, desserts frais faits maison et accoudé à son imposant comptoir on y déguste volontiers ses sandwiches et salades qu'accompagnent avec bonheur d'honnêtes vins de pays. Le Café PARIS EUROPE vous reçoit du Lundi au Samedi de 6h30 à 22h30 et vous offre son service continu dès 11h.

    Chez Chartier

    M Grands Boulevards, 9th
    7 rue du Faubourg Montmartre
    One of the remaining 19th century workers’ canteen in Paris that has kept not only its mirrored interior, but also its low budget menu. Was classified as Monument historique in 1989. An interesting place for people who live on a tight budget and are happy with very basic quality. No reservations - expect to wait in line.


    Julien

    M Strasbourg-St-Denis, 10th
    Located right in the heart of Paris, a stone’s throw from the Grands Boulevards and theatres, Brasserie Julien is a listed historical monument. With its Art Nouveau style, its grand mouldings, its immense mirrors and its “Flower Ladies” painted on pâte de verre, Julien offers you an exceptional setting and cuisine which is every bit as refined.

    Le Train Bleu

    Gare de Lyon, 12th
    One of the most beatiful brasseries in Paris, but has become a favorite of Japanese tourists. My recommendation: Take a drink in the lounge.

    La Coupole

    M Vavin, 14th
    An institution. Huge. Josephine Baker took a bath in the fountain, which sits in the middle of the brasserie. My absolute favorite. No reservations – you wait at the bar.


    Le Wepler

    M Place de Clichy, 14th
    One of my favorite neighborhood brasserie, when I used to live in Paris, “c’est correct” as my French friends used to say – not more and not less.


    A La Maree

    Place des Pêcheurs, Rungis
    Jon Rowley recommendation: “A La Maree at Rungis, the wholesale market outside of Paris. Rungis opens at 3:00 am. Oysters and soupe de poisson at 2:00 am at A La Maree, open all night, seemed a must-do and we did.”

    Cafés

    Au Petit Fer a Cheval

    M Hotel-de-Ville, 4th
    A Marais institution. Annette's favorite. Small place with a horse-shoe bar and seats outside.

    Café de Flore

    M St-Germain-des-Prets, 6th
    The haunt of the Surrealists in the 1920s and 1930s. Picassos met muse and model Dora Maar here. Simon de Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre kind of lived here. I sat several times next to Karl Lagerfeld (in the late evening).


    Le Deux Magots

    M St-Germain-des-Prets, 6th
    Another Paris literary haunt legend, but I prefer Café de Flore.


    La Rotonde

    M Vavin, 14th
    Lenin and Trotsky sipped their café crème here in 1915 and made it famous. Jon Rowley likes it.

    Le Chinon

    M Abbesses, 18th
    My Montmartre favorite.

    Wine Bars

    Baratin

    Metro Pyrenees
    3 Rue Jouye-Rouve, 20th
    The Paris Kitchen: Raquel Carina and Philippe (Pinouche) Pinoteau’s retro Le Baratin is a special little place in Belleville – cherished by the food & wine industry who come for “mama’s” fantastic home cooking & to talk natural wine with Pinouche.Its longstanding success is interesting. It isn’t in central Paris, it isn’t on the hot list, and visitors often wonder what the fuss is all about after having eaten there.
    Recommended by Willi Igel.

    Lavinia 

    3-5 bd de la Madeleine, 1st
    restaurant et bar a vin - Lavinia is one of the biggest wine shops in Paris, with a broad and deep selection of French wines, but also some New World wines. Upstairs there is a restaurant and a bar where you can drop in for a glass or a bottle of wine at the wine bar, until 8 pm. At the wine bar, you can choose any of the more than 5000 bottles they sell at the shop and just pay the shop price.

    See:
    Wine bar: Paris --- Le Petit Monceau, Willi's wine bar and Lavinia

    Griffonier

    Metro Miromesnil
    8 rue des Saussaies, 8th
    Paris by Mouth: A place to eat classic French bistro food (oeufs mayo, steak frites, celery remoulade), drink from an excellent wine list, and be surrounded (still, for now) by actual French people.
    Willi Igel: Und natürlich (kann ich) den Griffonier beim Elysee um die Ecke (empfehlen). Der hat vom offenen Beaujolais aus gutem Hause bis zum Romanee Conti von Romanee Conti alles.

    Bar de L’Entracte

    47 rue de Montpensier, 1st
    A stone through away from the Grand Vevour, in the corner.


    Aux Bons Crus

    M Bourse, 7 Rue des Petits Champs, 1st
    Opened in 1905, a solid down-to-earth wine bar.


    Le Versant Vins

    39 rue de Bretagne, 75003
    Paris Bouge: Installé au cœur du plus vieux marché de Paris, le marché des Enfants Rouges, Versant Vins est une « cave à manger ». On y trouve une cave à vin alternative entièrement consacrée aux vins atypiques, naturels et biologiques, sans additifs chimiques. Le gros plus : ces vins naturels ne contiennent pas de souffre et ne donnent donc pas mal à la tête ! Pour accompagner la cave du Versant Vins, Jeanne, la caviste et dégustatrice, vous propose le Versant Faim pour accompagner au mieux les vins.
    Recommendation Manfred Klimek.

    Le Baron Rouge

    1 rue Théophile Roussel, 12th
    TimeOut: In this tiny den devoted to the glory of wine, the walls are carpeted with bottles and barrels are stacked from floor to ceiling. If you arrive a little late for after-work drinks, there’s no hope of getting even half an elbow on the bar – you’ll be out on the pavement along with pretty much everybody else. Those locals in the know bring their empty bottles here to fill them direct – and more cheaply – from the barrels. There’s also a good selection of bottles available to take away.
    Joyce From Paris: ... mein absolut favorit, weil "à la bonne franquette": Le Baron Rouge. Da muss du hingehen wann der Marché d´Aligre sonntag morgens statt findet, es stehen riesen Fäßer draussen und es werden Austern verkauft mit Wein. Ein sehr sehr Parisianisches Erlebnis und wenn du Austern nicht magst es gibt Planches de Fromage et de Charcuterie für 10€.


    Les Rouquins

    146, rue du Château, 14th
    Joyce From Paris: Dann empfehle ich dir auch Les Rouquins, sehr sympatisch und gute Weinauswahl von kleinen Winzer.
    Le Figaro: Cette cave à manger propose une large gamme de fromages, charcuteries et autres mises en bouche, que l'on accompagne d'excellents crus.

    L’Avant Comptoir

    Metro Odéon (4,10)
    3 Carrefour de l’Odéon, 75006
    Paris by Mouth: Crêpes up front and pork (Ibaïona) in the rear. It’s standing room only at Yves Camdeborde’s tapas and wine bar, a hit since it opened in fall of 2009. Go during the off hours or be prepared to be get to know the person next to you very, very well.
    Recommendation Manfred Klimek.

    Legrand Filles et Fils

    1 Rue de la Banque, 2nd
    A wine store, which closes in the evening. But during the day (until 7pm), at the horseshoe bar, at one of the tables, or in the covered galerie, numerous wines are available by the glass. Was just sold to an Asian investor.



    Le Petit Monceau

    93 rue de Monceau, 8th
    When I lived in Paris my “down the road bar” was Le Petit Monceau, just next to my apartment building in the 8th district. There are hundreds of these wine bars in Paris. This is the place where people from the neighborhood meet after work “pour un pot”. You would stand at the bar, talk about Carla Bruni and other gossips and have a decent French table wine. Typically, only French wines are on the wine list, but not the expensive ones, only the reasonably prices ones. Many of the wines at the Le Petit Monceau are from the South of France. The food is simple, nothing special, but good. I would stand at the bar from 7 pm to 9 pm and then move on to one of the tables and have some food. Le Petit Monceau in the rue de Monceau was run and owned by a guy by the name Richard, my friend , when I was there, but has changed ownership and management since then.

    See:
    Wine bar: Paris --- Le Petit Monceau, Willi's wine bar and Lavinia

    5e Cru – Cave à Vin & Table d‘hôtes

    7 rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 5th
    Britt Karlson: It looks like a wine store and it is a wine store. But also a very inspiring place for a lunch or a dinner, amongst wine bottles and wine cases. The selection of wines is amazingly good, if you – like us – like small, ambitious producers with a penchant for terroir and organic viticulture. For lunch there is a small menu, you can choose between two or three courses (entrée and main course is 13,90 euro). Nothing fancy or complicated, but very good and well prepared. For dinner there are mostly charcuteries and cheeses but also foie gras and various patés and terrines. And desserts. Very nice atmosphere and service. Booking recommended for dinner.
    Manfred Klimek recommendation.

    Septime Cave

    Metro Charonne or Ledru Rollin
    3 rue Basfroi, 11th
    The newest bottle shop on the block from the boys behind Septime. Shop to go, or stay and pop your cork with a €7 droit de bouchon. Snack options, for those lucky enough to snag a stool or a piece of counter, include pancetta di Colonnata, house-smoked duck breast, anchovies with ricotta, foie gras with smoked eel, with prices ranging from €4-14. This isn’t a restaurant, a place for large groups, or a substitute for Septime, but it promises to be a perfect spot for a high-quality/low-key apéro. Dead cheap glasses from €3-5.
    David White recommendation.

    Le Siffleur de Ballons

    34, rue de Citeaux, 12th
    GuideParisMode: A la fois caviste, vente à emporter (fromages, charcuteries, de délicieux sandwichs du jour), un bar à vin avec autour du comptoir quelques tables pour une petite restauration et dans l'autre salle une épicerie fine (miel, huiles, terrines...) avec une belle sélection de vins natures et bios.
    David White recommendation.

    Le Verre Volé (Natural Wines)

    67 rue de Lancry, 10th, open every day
    An institution for organic wines.
    Wine Terroirs (2007) “Le Verre Volé is where you can check the heartbeat of the natural-wines world.”
    David Lebovitz (2010) “This tiny wine bar has great food, up by the Canal St Martin, a very hip neighborhood. Generous plates of charcuterie and etc, in this tight little wine bar.”

    Le Rubis

    Metro Tuileries or Pyramides
    10 rue Marché Saint Honoré, 1st
    Paris by Mouth: With its zinc bar, hearty home cooking, and colorful local clientele, this beloved wine bar (and its Turkish toilet) seems impervious to change. Meals are served only at lunch; the rest of the day you can stop for a glass of Morgon or Brouilly and a snack.
    Manfred Klimeck recommendation.

    O Chateau

    68 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1st
    About travel: O Chateau, a new wine bar in Paris, is the latest venture of a company by the same name that has long run very popular and light-hearted wine tastings throughout the city, as well as champagne cruises on the Seine. It especially caters to English speakers, says owner Olivier Magny, who estimates that a good half of his clientele are Americans.
    O Chateau: When we decided to create a wine bar in Paris, our idea was simple. We thought to ourselves: let’s create the place where we’d love to hang out. A wine bar with a great selection of wines by the glass, terrific food, beautiful decor, great music and friendly (and bilingual) staff. That was our idea. Since then, O Chateau has been adopted by Parisians and worldwide visitors alike as a landmark in Paris for wine drinkers.Before 7PM, you can show up without a reservation, no problem. Now, if you intend to spend the evening with us, it’s always best to make a reservation. You may do this over the phone (our number: +33 (0)1 44 73 97 80) or online.
    Manfred Klimeck recommendation.

    Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris in 2012

    All the restaurants listed below serve French cuisine, except otherwise specified. Restaurants in each category are listed by postcodes (i.e. by arrondissements). Stars in brackets denote recently lost stars.

    3 Stars

    • Le Meurice (19.5/20), 228 rue de Rivoli - 75001 Paris ● Meurice Hotel
    • L'Ambroisie (19/20), 9 place des Vosges - 75004 Paris (Traditional)
    • L'Arpège (19.5/20), 84 rue de Varenne - 75007 Paris (Inventive)
    • Ledoyen (19/20), Carré des Champs-Elysées - 75008 Paris (Classic)
    • Epicure (19/20), 112 rue du Fg-Saint-Honoré - 75008 Paris ● Hotel Le Bristol (Classic)
    • Pierre Gagnaire (19.5/20), 6 rue Balzac - 75008 Paris
    • Alain Ducasse (19.5/20), 25 avenue Montaigne - 75008 Paris ● Hotel Plaza Athénée (Traditional)
    • Astrance (19/20), 4 rue Beethoven - 75016 Paris
    • Le Pré Catelan (19.5/20), Le Pré Catelan (Bois de Boulogne) - 75016 Paris (Inventive)
    • Guy Savoy (19.5/20), 18 rue Troyon - 75017 Paris (Inventive)

    2 Stars

    • Le Grand Véfour ( ) (19/20), 17 rue de Beaujolais - 75001 Paris (Traditional)
    • L'Espadon (19/20), 15 place Vendôme - 75001 Paris ● Ritz Hotel (Traditional)
    • Passage 53 , 53 passage des Panoramas - 75002 Paris
    • Relais Louis XIII , 8 rue des Grands Augustins - 75006 Paris
    • Carré des Feuillants (19/20), 14 rue de Castiglione - 75001 Paris (Inventive)
    • Jean-François Piège (19/20), 79 rue Saint-Dominique - 75007 Paris
    • L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon - Saint-Germain , 5 rue de Montalembert - 75007 Paris ● Hotel Pont Royal
    • L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon - Etoile , 133 avenue des Champs-Élysées - 75008 Paris
    • Senderens (Lucas Carton) , 9 place de la Madeleine - 75008 Paris
    • Lasserre , 17 avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt - 75008 Paris (Traditional)
    • Taillevent ( ) (19/20), 15 rue Lamennais - 75008 Paris
    • Le Cinq ( ) (19/20), 31 avenue George V - 75008 Paris ● Four Seasons Hotel (Classic)
    • Apicius (19/20), 20 rue d'Artois - 75008 Paris
    • Jamin , 32 rue de Longchamp - 75116 Paris
    • Michel Rostang (19/20), 20 rue Rennequin - 75017 Paris (Traditional)
    • Bigarrade , 106 rue Nollet - 75017 Paris

    1 Star

    • Gérard Besson , 5 rue du Coq Héron - 75001 Paris
    • Goumard , 9 rue Duphot - 75001 Paris (Seafood)
    • Le Céladon , 13 rue de la Paix - 75002 Paris
    • Benoît , 20 rue St-Martin - 75004 Paris
    • La Tour d'Argent , 15 quai de la Tournelle - 75005 Paris (Traditional)
    • Paris , 45 boulevard Raspail - 75006 Paris
    • Jacques Cagna , 14 rue des Grands-Augustins - 75006 Paris
    • Hélène Darroze ( ), 4 rue d'Assas - 75006 Paris
    • Caffé Minotti , 33 rue de Verneuil - 75007 Paris (Italian)
    • Gaya Rive Gauche par Pierre Gagnaire , 44 rue du Bac - 75007 Paris
    • Le Divellec , 107 rue de l'Université - 75007 Paris (Seafood)
    • Le Chamarré , 13 boulevard La-Tour-Maubourg - 75007 Paris
    • Les Ormes , 22 rue du Surcouf - 75007 Paris
    • Violon d'Ingres , 135 rue St-Dominique - 75007 Paris
    • Vin sur Vin , 20 rue de Monttessuy - 75007 Paris
    • Les Ambassadeurs ( ) (17/20), 10 place de la Concorde - 75008 Paris ● Hotel du Crillon (Traditional)
    • Le Laurent ( , 41 avenue Gabriel - 75008 Paris
    • Relais d'Auteuil ( ) (16/20), 31 rue Murat - 75016 Paris
    • La Luna , 69 rue du Rocher- 75008 Paris (Seafood)
    • Stella Maris , 4 rue Arsène Houssaye - 75008 Paris
    • Le W , 5 rue de Berri - 75008 Paris ● Warwick Hotel
    • Table du Lancaster , 7 rue de Berri - 75008 Paris ● Lancaster Hotel
    • Le Clovis , 14 rue Beaujon - 75008 Paris ● Sofitel Arc de Triomphe
    • Carpaccio , 37 avenue Hoche - 75008 Paris (Italian) ● Royal Monceau Hotel
    • Jardin , 37 avenue Hoche - 75008 Paris (Mediterranean) ● Royal Monceau Hotel
    • L'Angle du Faubourg , 195 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré - 75008 Paris
    • La Marée , 1 rue Daru - 75008 Paris
    • Chiberta , 3 rue Arsène-Houssaye - 75008 Paris
    • Les Élysées , 25 rue Vernet - 75008 Paris
    • Marius et Janette , 4 avenue George V - 75008 Paris
    • Copenhague , 142 avenue des Champs-Elysées - 75008 Paris (Scandinavian)
    • Chez Jean , 8 rue Saint-Lazare - 75009 Paris
    • Au Trou Gascon , 40 rue Taine - 75012 Paris
    • Le Duc , 243 boulevard Raspail - 75014 Paris (Seafood)
    • Montparnasse '25 , 19 rue du Commandant Mouchotte - 75014 Paris ● Hotel Le Méridien
    • Maison Courtine , 157 avenue du Maine - 75014 Paris
    • Chen-Soleil d'Est , 15 rue du Théâtre - 75015 Paris (Chinese, Asian)
    • Jules Verne , Tour Eiffel - 75016 Paris
    • La Table du Baltimore , 1 rue Leo Delibes - 75016 Paris ● Sofitel Baltimore
    • Passiflore , 33 rue de Longchamp - 75116 Paris
    • Tang , 125 rue de la Tour - 75116 Paris (Chinese & Thai)
    • Le Relais du Parc , 59 avenue Raymond Poincaré - 75116 Paris ● Sofitel Le Parc
    • Hiramatsu , 52 rue de Longchamp - 75116 Paris (Japanese-style French)
    • Le Pergolèse , 40 rue Pergolèse - 75116 Paris
    • Les Béatilles , 11 bis rue Villebois-Mareuil - 75017 Paris
    • La Braisière , 54 rue Cardinet - 75017 Paris
    • Sormani , 4 rue Général Lanrezac - 75017 Paris (Italian)

    Hotels

    le mareuil
    51, rue de Malte, 11th

    Schiller’s Favorites

    This posting is part of the Schiller’s favorites series.

    Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France

    Schiller's Favorite Winebars in London, UK

    Schiller's Favorite Oyster Bars and Seafood Places in Seattle, USA

    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Schiller s Favorite Winebars in Beijing, 2014, China

    Schiller’s Favorite Tapas Bars in Logroño in La Rioja, Spain

    Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France 

    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France

    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Berlin, Germany

    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France

    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA

    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA

    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Washington DC, USA

    Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, 2013, France

    Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA

    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, 2013, Germany

    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA

    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA

    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in London, UK

    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria

    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA

    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City) (2012), France

    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary

    Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar

    Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria (2011)

    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California

    schiller-wine: Related Postings

    Juvéniles in Paris: Legend Tim Johnston Pulls Back and Daughter Margaux Moves In, France

    The Natural Wines of La Cremerie in Paris

    Wine bar: Paris --- Le Petit Monceau, Willi's wine bar and Lavinia

    A Cult Paris Wine Bar - Juveniles

    Juvéniles in Paris: Legend Tim Johnston Pulls Back and Daughter Margaux Moves In, France

    Western Food and Chinese Wine in a Hutong: Dinner at Chi Restaurant in Beijing, China

    The World's 50 Best Restaurants (2014) - San Pellegrino

    Schiller's World of Seafood

    Foie Gras Around the World

    Sea, Sand, Soul and Sakafo, and Whales and Wine – At Princesse Bora Lodge on Ile Sainte Marie in the Indian Ocean

    In the Glass: Hugel et Fils wines at the cuisine des emotions de Jean Luc Brendel at Riquewihr in Alsace

    A Plateau des Fruits de Mer and a Pessac-Leognan Wine in Bordeaux City, France




    Deputy Managing Director Jochen Becker-Köhn and Export Director Nicolas Pfaff of Weingut Robert Weil in Singapore

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    Pictures: Deputy Managing Director Jochen Becker-Köhn and Export Director Nicolas Pfaff of Weingut Robert Weil in Singapore

    When at the end of 2013, Robert Parker stepped down as editor-in-chief of The Wine Advocate, took three investors from Singapore on board and appointed Singapore-based Lisa Perrotti-Brown, as editor-in-chief, this was another sign that emerging wine country Singapore was on its way to become a major player in the world of wine.

    Clearly, Weingut Robert Weil from Kiedrich in the Rheingau in Germany, one of Germany’s top wine producer, has to be on present in Singapore. The recent tour around the world of Weingut Robert Weil Deputy Managing Director, Jochen Becker-Köhn and Export Director Nicolas Pfaff, taking the two of them to more than a dozen countries around the world, included a stop in Singapore.

    I happened to be in Singapore at the same time, for reason unrelated to wine: My granddaughter Viatrix was borne on September 16, 2014 in Singapore. This provided me with the opportunity to join them for 2 events and dinner.

    Pictures: Raffles Hotel and Marina Bay Sands Hotel with Museum of Arts and Science (and Viatrix Tremann with her Parents and Grandparents)

    Weingut Robert Weil is represented in Singapore by Taste of Tradition (Importer and Distributor of Fine Wines Around the World). Joe Chia was our host.

    Wine in Singapore

    Singapore - known as The Little Red Dot - covers just 700 square km and has a population of a bit more than 5 million people. It is a very expensive city (and become the most expensive city in 2014 according to the Economist) and also a popular tourist destination; on average every day, there are 36,000 additional people on the island.

    Pictures: Clark Quay Area and the Fullerton Hotel at Night

    The restaurant, bar and club scene is amazing, ranging from inexpensive hawker centers to premium restaurants serving both eastern and western cuisine.

    Axel Ritenis: I have been constantly amazed at the explosion of gastronomy and culinary delights that has occured here ...in this latest developmental wave,.. and I amazed by the sheer diversity and quality of food available! If this is not the food capital of the world ,.. I don't know what is? The latest wave has seen the arrival of the French and Italians,... with many many newly opened wine bars and restaurants manned by enthusiastic young chefs and sommeliers,.. and other wine and food professionals ,.. intent on carving out a business niche for themselves,.. and succeeeding in a dynamic Singaporean economy as opposed to the stagnant European market that many have escaped. And wine culture is exploding as well, needless to say there are many new Wine Bars and Stores specializing in Fine Wine in spite of the exorbitant import taxes and duties.

    Pictures: Annette and Christian Schiller at Kudeta Bar, the rooftop bar of  the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, voted as one of the top ten global hotspots by The New York Times

    Traditionally, Singapore’s wine market has been dominated by French wine. The selection of Bordeaux and Bourgogne wines, including older vintages, in the large number of wine bars and restaurants in Singapore is amazing. Today, the interest is shifting to other red wine regions. “But more importantly white wines are increasingly popular and after the Sauvignon Blanc boom, finally fine Rieslings or Grüner Veltliners are offered by the glass in some of the top restaurants” says Michael Thurner, who founded Austria’s Fine Brands in Singapore.

    According to the International Enterprise Singapore, a government agency, six countries account for more than 80% of import volume into Singapore. Australia and France are at the top with 31% and 26% of volume share, respectively, followed by Chile (9%), Italy (7%), US (6%) and New Zealand (6%). Spain, South Africa, Argentina and Germany each have approximately 3%.

    Who’s buying? With US 55.000, Singapore has a higher per capita income than Germany and the US, for example.

    On the supply side, the number of importers has mushroomed in recent years. Berry Brothers and Rudd moved into Asia in 1998, establishing offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Japan, is now also present in Singapore. Berry Brothers and Rudd predicts that its Asia businesses will account for half its global sales in five years’ time, up from 15% currently.

    “People have always looked at Singapore as a small market rather overshadowed by China, Hong Kong and Japan. But people are realising that it's not just an interesting market by itself, it’s a hub for Southeast Asia too,” said Simon Berry, chairman of Berry Bros.

    Weingut Robert Weil

    Founded in 1875, Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich is the Rheingau’s #1 estate and one of Germany’s best. Four generations and over a century ago Dr. Robert Weil, who was a Professor of German at the Sorbonne, was forced to leave Paris because of the Franco-Prussian War (1870/1871). He subsequently joined his brother August in Kiedrich in the Rheingau and established the Robert Weil winery.

    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Wilhelm Weil at Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany

    Dr. Robert Weil purchased his first vineyards in Kiedrich and moved there in 1875, when he bought the estate manor from the heirs of Sir John Sutton, an English baronet. A man of vision, he built up the estate by purchasing 2 local wine estates and the vineyards of Count von Fürstenberg. Contacts throughout the world and the production of great wines brought rapid growth to the Weingut Robert Weil.


    Picture: The Rheingau

    Today, Weingut Robert Weil is managed by Wilhelm Weil, who owns the winery jointly with Suntory from Japan. With 90 hectares under vine, it is one of the largest estates in the Rheingau. The historical manor house, the ultra-modern cellars and the vinothek stand side by side in a beautiful park – the same synthesis of old and new that is reflected in the estate’s philosophy of winemaking.

    In 1988, the estate was sold by Robert Weil to the Japanese beverage group Suntory, and his son Wilhelm appointed as estate director.

    Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller, Martina Weil, Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, Wilhelm Weil at the 2013 Rheingau Riesling Gala

    The vineyards are planted 100% with Riesling. The estate’s dedication to Riesling since 1875 has led numerous observers of the international wine world to regard Weingut Robert Weil as a worldwide symbol of German Riesling culture. A Riesling wine of the 1893 vintage, grown on the Gräfenberg site, made the estate famous. The imperial Habsburg court in Vienna purchased 800 bottles of this wine at a price of 16 gold Marks per bottle in 1900. The 1920 vintage of the Kiedricher Gräfenberg Trockenbeerenauslese is described as a Zeppelin wine, as it was served on board the LZ 127 „Graf Zeppelin” dirigible on its circumnavigation of the world in 1929. Robert Weil’s top botrytis wines are sold today at extremely high prices - they are among the most expensive in the world. The current world record (in 2006) is held by a 1999 Weil Trockenbeerenauslese, at DM 5.000 (EUR 2500).
    Weingut Robert Weil’s top vineyards all belong to the group of the highlying sites of the Rheingau: Kiedricher Klosterberg, Kiedricher Turmberg and Kiedricher Gräfenberg. Inclination (up to 60 %), exposure (southwest) and the ability of the barren stony soils to absorb heat are the factors that make for three perfect Riesling sites. These conditions, as well as ideal circulation, enable the grapes to remain on the vine for a long time, ripening well into November.

    Tasting at Roosevelt’s Diner and Bar

    Invitation

    Roosevelt’s Diner and Bar: If you love sweet wines but have ever been told by snobs that they aren't 'serious wines' or don't pair well with food, hang out less with those people, we say! Well - that, or come for our exclusive Riesling tasting this Tuesday 7th October from 7 to 8pm.

    Robert Weil, famous German winemaker of Classic Rieslings will be in the house to share with you the passion, philosophy and story behind his wines.

    It's going to be an intimate wine tasting session, where our wine director will also do a little workshop explaining basic food pairing, and why the love for sweet wines is determined by your genetics!

    The Tasting

    Pictures: Tasting at Roosevelt’s Diner and Bar

    The Vintner on Duxton

    We were then received by Fonz Row, the cellar master of The Vintner on Duxton, which is located in one of the coolest areas in town.

    The Vintner on Duxton: Fonz Row has been a professional wine merchant since 1997. His journey started in Canada and USA where he attained his accreditation from Culinary Institute of America - Certified Wine Professional. He remains an active Wine Critic in local and international wine events with a deep passion for boutique, cult vineyards and winemakers.

    Pictures: Tasting at The Vintner on Duxton

    Dinner

    The day ended with a dinner at a local Chinese restaurtant.

    Pictures: Dinner at a Local Chinese Restaurtant

    schiller-wine: Related Postings

    Christian G.E. Schiller's Review of the Book: Ralf Frenzel (ed.) - Riesling, Robert Weil. Tre Torri, Wiesbaden, Germany, 2013, in: Journal of Wine Economics, Volume 9, 2014, No. 1, Cambridge University Press

    Weingut Robert Weil, Kiedrich, Rheingau, Germany: Super Sommerfest/Summer Party 2014

    Weingut Robert Weil Goes Facebook, Germany

    German Riesling and International Grape Varieties – Top Wine Makers Wilhelm Weil and Markus Schneider at Kai Buhrfeindt’s Grand Cru in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany

    Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany

    The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA

    The 2nd International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany

    Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany

    3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux   

    Weinfeder: Die Deutsche Weinprinzessin Sabine Wagner auf Ostküsten Tour in den USA

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    Photo: Die USA-Tour der Deutschen Weinprinzessin Sabine Wagner, hier flankiert von Annette und Christian Schiller, war ein Highlight während ihrer Amtszeit. (© C. Schiller)

    This article is a re-release of an article which was initially published in Weinfeder Edition #44 (Ausgabe Nr. 3/2014). Weinfeder Journal is the quarterly on-line journal of the Weinfeder - the association of German wine writers.

    Dieser Artikel ist eine Wiederveröffentlichung eines Artikels, der urspruenglich in dem Weinfeder Journal, Oktober 2014, Edition #44, Seite 19 veröffentlicht wurde. Weinfeder Journal ist eine vierterljaehrlich on-line Publikation der Vereinigung deutschsprachiger Weinpublizisten.

    You can find a more detailed account of Wine Princess Sabine Wagner's East Coast Tour here: German Wine Princess Sabine Wagner on US East Coast Tour, US/Germany

    Photo: Weinfeder Edition #44 (Ausgabe Nr. 3/2014)

    Wein Majestäten haben in Deutschland eine lange Tradition. Grundsätzlich haben alle Weindörfer, Weinregionen und das Land als Ganzes Weinköniginnen und Weinprinzessinnen. Natürlich sind die Crème de la Crème die nationalen Weinmajestäten, die Deutsche Weinkönigin und die beiden Deutschen Weinprinzessinnen.

    Einer der beiden deutschen Weinprinzessinnen (2013/14), Sabine Wagner aus dem Rheingau, kam für eine Ostküsten Tour (Nord Virginia, Philadelphia und Washington DC) in die USA, mit einer Reihe von Veranstaltungen in der letzten Juni Woche. Die Reise wurde organisiert von Annette Schiller (Ombiasy PR and WineTours), und vom Deutschen Weininstitut (Mainz, Deutschland) und der German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) unterstützt.

    Wir begannen mit einem fantastischen Wein-Abendessen mit einem 7 Gänge Menu in einem der besten Restaurants in der Gegend von Washington DC, dem 2941. Wir waren eine Gruppe von etwa 30 deutschen Weinliebhabern und es gab nur trockene deutsche Weine (Clemens Busch, Dr. Loosen, Dönnhoff, Schnaitmann, Becker, Kruger-Rumpf).

    Dann ging es für Weinproben mit der German Wine Society einmal nach Philadelphia und am nächsten Tag nach Washington DC. An beiden Veranstaltungen nahmen etwa 30 deutschen Weinexperten teil.

    Der nächste Tag begann mit einer Probe in einem der besten Weinläden für deutsche Weine in den USA, MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC. Phil Bernstein und Sabine Wagner schenkten für Kunden Weine aus dem breiten Angebot an deutschen Weinen von MacArthur Beverages aus.

    Der Tag endete mit einer grossen Riesling-Party – wahrscheinlich der Höhepunkt der USA Reise von Wein Prinzessin Sabine Wagner - in der Schiller Residenz in McLean, VA. Jeder Gast musste eine Flasche Riesling, süß oder trocken, Neue Welt oder Alten Welt mitbringen. Wir waren 70 Riesling-Liebhaber und konnten also 70 Rieslinge aus der ganzen Welt probieren. Mehrheitlich wurden deutsche Rieslinge mitgebracht, aber auch Elsässer und Österreicher, sowie eine Menge Rieslinge aus den USA, hauptsächlich von Washington State und den Finger Lakes.

    Die USA-Reise von Sabine Wagner endete mit einem Wein Abendessen in einem meiner Lieblingslokale im Washington DC Grossraum, Evo Bistro in McLean, mit Weinen von Weingut Clemens Busch, Weingut Robert Weil und Weingut Dr. Loosen, die Chef Ticara Smith mit deutschen, mexikanischen und Thai Gängen paarte. Wir waren eine Gruppe von 20 deutschen Weinliebhaber.

    „Die Reise in die Staaten war auf jeden Fall eines meiner Highlights in der Amtszeit. Seit einem Schüleraustausch vor fünf Jahren bin ich Fan der USA und habe mich sehr auf diesen zweiten Aufenthalt in Nordamerika gefreut“, resümiert Weinprinzessin (2013/14), Sabine Wagner ihre Eindrücke. „Die Events vor Ort waren ausnahmslos fantastisch. Die Veranstaltungen waren sehr verschieden und ich hatte eine sehr abwechslungsreiche Woche. Ob nun bei der offenen Verkostung in MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC, die gemeinsame Präsentation deutscher Weine mit Phil Bernstein oder die Rieslingparty bei Schillers. Das Publikum war bei allen Events interessiert und sehr aufmerksam. Auch die verschiedenen Dinner waren wunderbar. Die Kombinationen von verschiedenen Speisen und den deutschen Weinen waren perfekt gewählt und brachten das Beste im Wein hervor. Alles in allem war es aus meiner Sicht eine hervorragende Woche für den Deutschen Wein in den USA und er hat sich fantastisch präsentiert“.

    „Diese Woche war fabelhaft für den deutschen Wein an der US-Ostküste. Ich denke, wir alle haben viel gelernt von Sabines Präsentationen. Sie hat uns gezeigt, was die deutschen Winzer zu bieten haben, vom Einstiegsbereich bis zum Ultra-Premium-Niveau, von trockenen über frucht-süße bis hin zu edelsüßen Weinen. Vielen Dank Sabine”, reflektiert die Organisatorin Annette Schiller.

    Frühere Weinfeder Journal Beiträge

    Die Deutsche Weinprinzessin Sabine Wagner auf Ostküsten Tour in den USA, Weinfeder Journal Oktober 2014, Edition #44, Seite 19, siehe hier auf schiller-wine

    Die “Digital Wine Communications Conference 2013” in Rioja, Spanien, Weinfeder Journal Februar 2014, Edition #42, Seite 25, siehe hier auf schiller-wine

    Amerikanische Whiskey-Hersteller in Deutschland, Weinfeder Journal Dezember 2013, Edition #41, Seiten 33ff.. siehe hier auf schiller-wine

    Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Weinfeder Journal September 2013, Edition #40, Seite 30, siehe hier auf schiller-wine



    Bass River Winemaker Dinner at Merchants Wine Cellar in Singapore

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    Pictures: Bass River Winemaker Dinner at Merchants Wine Cellar in Singapore with Ainslie Kenny, Frank Butera, Christian G.E. Schiller and Annette Schiller from Ombiasy WineTours

    Helmed by the Australian team Ainslie Kenny and David Elliott, Merchants Wine Cellar is a wine bar and wine store on Duxton Road that exclusively carries wines from Australia and New Zealand in its portfolio, focusing on talented, small, top-class wine producers. While I was in Singapore in October 2014, Merchants organized a winemaker dinner with Frank Butera, owner of and winemaker at Bass River Winery in Australia, which I was happy to attend. Exchange rate at the time of my visit: S$1 = US$0.8.

    Wine in Singapore

    Singapore - known as The Little Red Dot - covers just 700 square km and has a population of a bit more than 5 million people. It is a very expensive city (and become the most expensive city in 2014 according to the Economist) and also a popular tourist destination; on average every day, there are 36,000 additional people on the island.

    The restaurant, bar and club scene is amazing, ranging from inexpensive hawker centers to premium restaurants serving both eastern and western cuisine.

    Axel Ritenis: I have been constantly amazed at the explosion of gastronomy and culinary delights that has occured here ...in this latest developmental wave,.. and I amazed by the sheer diversity and quality of food available! If this is not the food capital of the world,.. I don't know what is? The latest wave has seen the arrival of the French and Italians,... with many newly opened wine bars and restaurants manned by enthusiastic young chefs and sommeliers,.. and other wine and food professionals,.. intent on carving out a business niche for themselves,.. and succeeding in a dynamic Singaporean economy as opposed to the stagnant European market that many have escaped. And wine culture is exploding as well, needless to say there are many new Wine Bars and Stores specializing in Fine Wine in spite of the exorbitant import taxes and duties.

    Traditionally, Singapore’s wine market has been dominated by French wine. The selection of Bordeaux and Bourgogne wines, including older vintages, in the large number of wine bars and restaurants in Singapore is amazing. Today, the interest is shifting to other red wine regions. “But more importantly white wines are increasingly popular and after the Sauvignon Blanc boom, finally fine Rieslings or Grüner Veltliners are offered by the glass in some of the top restaurants” says Michael Thurner, who founded Austria’s Fine Brands in Singapore.

    Pictures: Singapore

    According to the International Enterprise Singapore, a government agency, six countries account for more than 80% of import volume into Singapore. Australia and France are at the top with 31% and 26% of volume share, respectively, followed by Chile (9%), Italy (7%), US (6%) and New Zealand (6%). Spain, South Africa, Argentina and Germany each have approximately 3%.

    Who’s buying? With US 55.000, Singapore has a higher per capita income than Germany and the US, for example.

    On the supply side, the number of importers has mushroomed in recent years. Berry Brothers and Rudd moved into Asia in 1998, establishing offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Japan, is now also present in Singapore. Berry Brothers and Rudd predicts that its Asia businesses will account for half its global sales in five years’ time, up from 15% currently.

    “People have always looked at Singapore as a small market rather overshadowed by China, Hong Kong and Japan. But people are realising that it's not just an interesting market by itself, it’s a hub for Southeast Asia too,” said Simon Berry, chairman of Berry Bros.

    Merchants

    Merchants: Merchants is a boutique wine cooperative of almost 40 independent winemakers from 26 regions in Australia and New Zealand. We have set up ‘Cellar Door’ stores for the winemakers to visit Singapore and pour their wines for tasting, and share their knowledge, experiences and stories with the wine lovers of Singapore in a relaxed and friendly setting. We offer brunch/lunch/dinner at Duxton and we welcome BYO Food at Pasarbella. We also host convivial wine dinners and events at Duxton Road.

    Pictures: Getting Ready

    Frank Butera and Bass River Winery

    Frank Butera is a second-generation Australian. His father came 40 years ago from Calabria in Italy to Australia and established the estate. The first vines were planted in the late 1980s. Today, 12 acres of the total of 110 acres are under vine.

    Pictures: Frank Butera

    Frank Butera: Bass River wines are made exclusively from grapes grown on our property, hence the labeling “Estate grown and produced”. Bass River Winery is a tiny winery that resembles a small domaine in South Gippsland – in size, approach, passion and very often in the glass. Bordered by the Bass River and southern end of the Strzelecki Ranges the vineyard is ideally located experiencing maritime conditions. The emphasis is being placed on producing small quantities of premium wines grown only from the estate vineyard, expressing terroir. Our philosophy is: the grapes make the wine and not the winemaker. In the wine cellar, there is very little intervention. We just accompany the process of fermentation and aging.

    Invitation

    Merchants: Bass River Winery, a tiny and award-winning boutique winery in Gippsland, Victoria, will be our special host at Merchants Wine Cellar’s next wine dinner. Frank Butera, owner/vigneron of Bass River Winery, is hand-carrying estate grown fine foods all the way from Gippsland, Victoria to pair with his highly rated wines. Olives, olive oil and limencello are just some of the products that will star alongside his superb wines. All of which are are entirely estate grown and produced at the Butera family property.

    Pictures: Bass River Winemaker Dinner at Merchants Wine Cellar in Singapore

    This five course dinner will feature an array of beautiful dishes: plump and juicy crab cakes, salmon Nicoise with Estate grown olives, a stunning roast rack of pork, a fabulous homemade Tiramisu with the Butera family’s Limoncello, and the finale – Gippsland cheese platters to share. All dishes will be paired with Bass River Wines.

    James Halliday, Australia’s eminent wine critic rated the newly released Bass River Chardonnay at 92 points and Pinot Noir at 95 points. The Pinot Noir was also recently recommended as Wine of the Week by Halliday.

    Price: S$98

    Pictures: Bass River Winemaker Dinner at Merchants Wine Cellar in Singapore

    Menu

    Crabcake + Sauce Remoulade


    Bass River Vintage Brut 2011

    This sparkling wine was developed using the methode traditionelle. Secondary fermentation occurred in bottle and the wine remained on lees for 6 months. The wine was disgorged in December 2012.

    A classically elegant aperitif sparkling style delivers a clean, fresh and crisp plate. This Pinot Gris sparkling shows notes of apple and nashi pear before a touch of grapefruit citrus acid delivers a mouth tingling finish with a slight sweetness.


    Salmon Nicoise + Bass River Estate Olives


    Bass River Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2013

    James Halliday Wine Companion 2015 - 92/100

    Patrick Eckel Wine Reviewer 93/100

    The two Burgundian varieties produced by Bass River in 2013 received similar treatment with minimal intervention winemaking through the use of wild ferments, extended time on solids, minimal fining and filtration. The resultant wines are textural and have plenty of character.

    The Chardonnay is a blend of I10V1 & I10V5 clones from the River and House Block’s. In terms of color the wine is a light yellow with some flecks of green in the glass, the nose shows the extended time on lees with lifted stone fruits, subtle vanillin oak and a touch of almond meal.

    The palate has great texture and depth, starting with peach skins and nectarine, the time on solids gives a full mouth feel, the acidity in this wine is precise and along with gentle oak induced spices frames the finish. Drinking well now and will reward short to medium term cellaring.


    Roasted Pork Rack


    Bass River Pinot Noir 2013

    James Halliday - Wine Companion 95/100

    Estate-grown clones 114, 777, G5v15 and MV6, hand-picked, destemmed whole berries, extended cold soak and wild yeast-fermented; pressed into French barriques (30% new), until Feb ’14; 150 dozen made. Very deep colour; it has amazing depth of black cherry fruit on the bouquet and palate, but no question about its varietal expression; the palate is well-balanced and particularly long, and the wine will continuously reveal more and more over the next 5 years before entering into an indefinite plateau.


    Bass River Estate Limoncello Tiramisu

    Bass River Iced Riesling 2011

    This dessert-style wine is light to medium straw in color with lemon and orange zest scents, a touch of dried grass and a slight marzipan edge. The palate is bright and citrusy with moderate acid. It is well balanced with the sweetness and has good length.


    Cheese of the Grippsland Region, Bass River Estate Olive Oil + Fresh Baked Bread


    Bass River Merlot 2010

    Deeply flavored and intensely varietal Merlot with firm tannins and rich tones of black cherry and plum.

    Bass River Limoncello

    Bass River Limoncello liqueur has been crafted from estate grown lemons and is a sweet, rich lemon-flavoured liqueur. The highest quality lemons were traditionally used to produce a sweet and lateral lemon flavour.

    Bass River Grappa

    Bass River fermented chardonnay grapes distilled in the true Italian Grappa style to preserve full flavour and aroma. Our Grappa describes the true spirit of the grape and region.


    Thanks

    Thanks Ainsley and Frank for a great evening!


    schiller-wine: Related Postings

    Deputy Managing Director Jochen Becker-Köhn and Export Director Nicolas Pfaff of Weingut Robert Weil in Singapore

    Christian G.E. Schiller's Review of the Book: Ralf Frenzel (ed.) - Riesling, Robert Weil. Tre Torri, Wiesbaden, Germany, 2013, in: Journal of Wine Economics, Volume 9, 2014, No. 1, Cambridge University Press

    The World of Riesling in Seattle - Fourth Riesling Rendezvous in Washington State, USA

    Meeting Doug Lehmann of Peter Lehmann Wines at Pearson’s in Washington DC, USA/Australia

    German Winemakers in the World: Wolf Blass in Australia

    Dinner at The Providores and Tapa Room in London with Framingham Wines, UK/New Zealand

    New Zealand Wine El Dorado in London: The Providores and Tapa Room

    Wines and Winemakers from Australia and New Zealand at the 2nd International Riesling Symposium, Rheingau, Germany

    New Zealand Pinot Flight– Maude of Central Otago, New Zealand, with Winemaker and Owner Dan Dineen

    New World Wine Country: New Zealand - Facing the Fate of Australia?

    German Wine Makers in the World: Karl Heinz Johner in New Zealand

    New Classification of New Zealand Pinot Noirs

    3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux

    Best Oyster Bars in the US

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    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Oyster Guru Jon Rowley in Seattle tasting oysters and oyster wines: West Coast Oysters and Wine with Jon Rowley in Seattle, USA

    In my home country Germany, oysters are very high on the list of any food aficionado, but you do not see them often on menus in restaurants nor is there a significant number of oyster bars in Germany. By contrast, in France, oysters are almost a daily staple, at least during the season. Similarly, at both coasts of the US, oysters are part of daily life. In Washington DC, supermarkets tend to have a nice seafood selection, including oysters and there are many oyster bars and restaurants that serve oysters at their bar.

    America's Best Oyster Bars

    Travel and Leisure issued a nice list of America's top oyster bars. It is a good list, as far as I can see.
    Here is the list, including the Travel and Leisure comments. I added my photos.

    For a similar listing see:
    America's Best Oyster Bars (2013)

    Hog Island Oyster Company: San Francisco, California

    Located inside the Ferry Building, this airy, recently expanded oyster bar provides sweeping waterfront views of the Bay Bridge along with the company's fresh shellfish pulled from nearby Tomales Bay. Chef Christopher Laramie's menu features sustainably raised seafood like steamed Manila clams or semolina-dusted crispy smelts. Much of the produce is grown near the oyster farm.

    Picture: Hog Island Oyster Company: San Francisco, California

    The Ordinary: Charleston, South Carolina

    Chef Mike Lata focuses on East Coast oysters with a sprinkling of choices from the West Coast at this former bank building turned sleek seafood hall. "We have several oysters that we can get locally and two within an arm's reach," he explains, "and I like to serve them side by side to highlight their differences." Wild Caper's Blades oysters from South Carolina are available at the white tiled raw bar; pickled shrimp or poached razor clams, served cold with an apple cilantro and jalapeño sauce, are another menu favorite.

    Gilhooley's Raw Bar: San Leon, Texas

    This cash-only dive's specialty is Oysters Gilhooley, and it makes a persuasive case that the best oyster cookery comes from the Gulf region. Shucked oysters on the half shell are dotted with butter and hot sauce, dusted with Parmesan cheese, and then wood-roasted until browned. While the dish is a year-round hit, the raw shellfish pulled from Texas waters are best enjoyed in season during the colder months.

    Matunuck Oyster Bar: South Kingstown, Rhode Island

    As an extension of Matunuck Oyster Farm, this seafood restaurant overlooks the estuary where the shellfish grow. After studying aquaculture at nearby University of Rhode Island, owner Perry Raso started farming oysters, eventually opening a place for diners to enjoy them. "We pride ourselves on doing clam shack fare, as well as more refined options," explains Raso. While Matunuck's own steely oysters served raw on the half shell are the focus, the bar also serves a few other varieties from the smallest state, side by side to highlight their subtle variations in flavor.

    Taylor Shellfish Samish Farm Store: Bow, Washington

    Family-owned Taylor Shellfish Farms already operates three oyster bar locations in Seattle, but the best ambience is found at its farm store 90 minutes north of the city. A day trip to this bay-side shack, tucked into the tall pine trees and rocky terrain, is ideal during the warmer months of the year. It provides little more than picnic tables and grills. Eaters are encouraged to shuck their own Shigokus and Kumamotos, but the store's employees will do it for a small fee.

    Picture: Taylor Shellfish on Melrose Market,  1521 Melrose Ave. Seattle (Capitol Hill)

    Island Creek Oyster Bar: Boston, Massachusetts

    Are oysters aphrodisiacs? This is the place to find out, as Island Creek happens to be one of America's most romantic restaurants. The muted color palette and massive wall of cages filled with oyster shells were inspired by the sunset over nearby Duxbury Bay—the location of owner Skip Bennett's oyster farm. He and chef Jeremy Sewall highlight its bounty, along with shellfish from several nearby sources, and work closely with fishermen and farmers to secure local ingredients. The menu credits fellow oyster farmers like Don Wilkinson of Plymouth, Scott and Tina Laurie of Barnstable, and other purveyors by name.

    Grand Central Oyster Bar: New York City

    This institution within Grand Central Terminal serves about 2 million oysters annually to suited businessmen and tourists beneath its vaulted tiled ceilings. Open since 1913, the swanky bar has featured bivalves from all over the Western Hemisphere; a sign above the long wooden bar lists the day's particular varieties. Its famed oyster pan roast, with gently cooked Blue Points floating in a cream sauce with chile and paprika, is one of the longest-running menu items in New York City.

    Pictures: Grand Central Oyster Bar: New York City

    Merroir: Topping, Virginia

    It's worth the hour-long drive from Richmond just to soak up this restaurant's view of the Rappahannock River flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. Merroir is linked to Travis and Ryan Croxton's Rappahannock Oyster Company, a pioneer in reviving the region's oyster industry after years of environmental degradation. The menu is built around the company's three different oyster varieties—all grown in different parts of the Chesapeake. They vary in salinity and sweetness depending on where they're grown in relation to the mouth of the bay and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.

    Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Owner Travis Croxton and Farm Manager Patrick Oliver

    Pictures: At the merroir with Owner Travis Croxton

    Eventide Oyster Co.: Portland, Maine

    Turquoise walls make a fitting backdrop for this overflowing oyster bar, where stakes in the ice categorize the bivalves as "from Maine" or "away." The Old Port area restaurant does New England classics like lobster rolls and chowder along with creative offerings like Kim Chee Ice or cucumber ginger. Eventide's Chinese-style steamed bun, filled with crispy fried oysters, tomato, and tart pickled daikon, red onion, and jalapeño, is a standout.

    The Original Oyster House: Mobile, Alabama

    For more than 30 years, this family-friendly restaurant on raised pillars over Mobile Bay has served seafood with a southern accent. Gulf oysters arrive at your table on the half shell, either raw or chargrilled. And there's plenty of the fried goodness you'd expect: fried pickles, fried crawfish tails, and fried grouper with grits. Turn up at dinnertime to savor a coastal sunset complete with egrets and salty sea breezes.

    The Walrus and the Carpenter: Seattle, Washington

    An ornate spiny chandelier hovers above chef Renee Erickson's zinc oyster bar in the hip Ballard neighborhood. About a dozen oyster varieties representing the West Coast, from California to Alaska, are piled into wire baskets, topped with ice, and labeled with chalkboard signs. Diners also dig in to comforting seafood dishes like grilled sardines and scallop tartare with cucumber and dill mousseline.

    For the original article in Travel and Leisure, see here.

    4 Types of Oysters

    I distinguish 4 types of oysters:

    The Pacific

    Originally from Japan, the Pacific or Japanese oyster is the most widely cultured oyster in the world. It accounts for 75% of world production. In France, it has crowded out the Belon and now accounts for 99% of oyster production there. Gone are the days of the Belon in Paris. The Pacific oysters are marketed under a variety of names, often denoting their growing area. The Kumamoto is one of the most famous Pacific oysters. I tend to think of a Pacific oyster as a creamy oyster, with a mineral note.

    The Kumamoto is one of the most famous Pacific oysters. I tend to think of a Pacific oyster as a creamy oyster, with a mineral note.

    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Raphael Doerfler (Earl Ostrea Chanca, Cabane 22, 54 allee du Grand piquey, 33950 Lege Cap-Ferret), an Oyster Farmer at Arcachon Bay, Bordeaux, France

    See also:
    Visiting an Oyster Farm at Arcachon Bay, Bordeaux: Raphael Doerfler at Earl Ostrea Chanca, France

    The Olympia

    The Olympia is a very small oyster seldom exceeding 2 inches. For comparison, in Massachusetts, oysters must be a minimum of 3 inches to be sold. Olympia is a native American oyster, which once flourished on the West Coast, before the Pacific took over. Olympias are hard to find today as they grow very slowly and are difficult to transport. They hold very little liquid and dry out quickly. The Olympia has a very full flavor with a distinct aftertaste.

    The Atlantic

    Another American native, there are many varieties of Atlantic oysters, such as the Malpeque from Prince Edward Island in Canada and the Blue Point from Long Island in New York State. Bluepoints were originally named for Blue Point, Long Island but now the term is generally applied to any Atlantic oyster two four inches long. These two are now the most common restaurant oysters in the US. Also called Eastern oyster, the Atlantic has a thick, elongated shell that ranges from 2 to 5 inches across. It's found along the Atlantic seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico in the US.

    The Belon

    The Belon, or European Flat, is Europe’s native oyster. The Belons are round and shallow. That’s why they are called Flats. They are also not very liquid and dry out fast. They have a long history. They used to grow in Brittany, Normandy, England, Spain, Holland, Greece and the Black See. But a disease is wiping them out worldwide. The Flats from the Belon river in Brittany were at some point the connoisseur’s top choice and the name was soon adopted by all oyster growers, a bit like the Blue Points from Long Island. The Belon oyster grows in limited quantity in Maine on the rocks of the Damariscotta river bed.

    For more on the different kinds of oysters, see:
    Oysters and Wine

    schiller-wine - Related Postings

    Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France 

    Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA

    Fine Wine and Fine Oysters in Madagascar: Oysters from Fort Dauphin and Wine from Clos Nomena

    In the Glass: 2007 Rheinhessen with Oysters at the Ten Bells in the Lower East Side in Manhattan

    New Hampshire, US: Cheese ... Lobster and Oysters ... and Wine!

    Plateau des Fruits de Mer and a Pessac-Leognan Wine in Bordeaux City, France

    Oysters and Wine

    The Best Wines for US West Coast and Other Oysters

    West Coast Oysters and Wine with Jon Rowley in Seattle, USA

    Maryland Crabs and Wine, USA

    Wine and Crab Cakes: Amy Brandwein from Casa Nonna and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 6th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA

    In the Glass: A Rust en Vrede 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon With South African Oysters in Stellenbosch

    A Plateau des Fruits de Mer and a Pessac-Leognan Wine in Bordeaux City, France

    Schiller's World of Seafood

    In the Glass: A Rust en Vrede 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon with South African Oysters in Stellenbosch

    Oysters - and Wine - at Zuni Café in San Francisco, USA

    The 2012 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition - 10 Oyster Wines

    Tasting Virginia Chesapeake Bay Oysters with Oyster Producer Travis Craxton at the Rappahannock River, USA

    Rappahannock Oyster Bar at Union Station– Virginia Oysters in Washington DC, USA

    America's Best Oyster Bars (2013)

    Visiting an Oyster Farm at Arcachon Bay, Bordeaux: Raphael Doerfler at Earl Ostrea Chanca, France 

    Schiller's Favorite Oyster Bars and Seafood Places in Seattle, USA

    High Tea at the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore

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    Picture: Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, and Christian G.E. Schiller Taking High Tea at the Fullerton in Singapore

    Afternoon Tea is a British food tradition - an afternoon treat of tea, sandwiches, scones and cake, served around 4.00pm. Afternoon Tea originated amongst the wealthy classes in England in the mid-1800s. Historically, Afternoon Tea was considered to be a ladies' social occasion, and it is more often enjoyed by women than men to this day.

    High Tea traditionally was a heavy meal of meat dishes, such as steak and kidney pie, and fish dishes. It was a working class meal served at the end of the workday.

    Pictures: High Tea at the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore

    While Afternoon Tea is typically served on low, comfortable chairs, the worker’s High Tea was served at the table on high back dining chairs.

    Importantly, outside of the United Kingdom, including in Singapore, people generally refer to tea in the afternon as High Tea.

    Picture: Viatrix Tremann and her Proud Parents having her first High Tea

    There are a number of basic types of Afternoon Tea - High Tea:

    The simplest form of Afternoon Tea is Cream Tea -- a meal of tea, scones and cream.

    Add fresh strawberries to Cream Tea and you have Strawberry Tea.

    Alternately, if you add more sweets to Cream Tea, you get Light Tea.

    Add savory foods, like finger sandwiches to Light Tea and you get Full Tea. We had Full Tea at the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore.

    Some hotels and tea rooms also offer other variations on Afternoon Tea, such as Champagne Tea: Afternoon Tea served with a glass of champagne.

    The Fullerton Hotel 

    The Fullerton Hotel Singapore: Transformed from The Fullerton Building – a magnificent neoclassical landmark built in 1928, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore is an iconic 400-room heritage hotel. It was once home to the nation’s General Post Office, The Exchange and the prestigious Singapore Club – all of which played a pivotal role in the history of Singapore.

    Picture: The Fullerton Hotel in Singapore

    From the 1970s to 1995, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore used the building as its headquarters. The General Post Office, under Singapore Post, vacated the building in 1996.

    In 1997, a Hong Kong investor acquired the Fullerton Building from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). It spent close to another S$300 million converting the Fullerton Building into a hotel and building the two-storey commercial complex One Fullerton opposite Fullerton Road.

    Leaving the Fullerton Hotel


    After High Tea at the Fullerton Hotel, we walked along Marina Bay, with Marina Bay Sands Hotel on the other side of the bay. We stopped at Gluttons Bay Hawker Center.

    Pictures: After High Tea Walk along Marina Bay, with Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Gluttons Bay Hawker Center

    schiller-wine: Related Postings

    Deputy Managing Director Jochen Becker-Köhn and Export Director Nicolas Pfaff of Weingut Robert Weil in Singapore

    Bass River Winemaker Dinner at Merchants Wine Cellar in Singapore

    3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux
     

    The 267 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc of the 2012 Vintage Announced, France

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    Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Didier Cuvalier, Owner of Chateau Le Crock (and of Chateau Leoville Poyferre) in Medoc. The 2012 Chateau Le Crock qualified for the Cru Bourgeois Label. In the (Annulled) 2003 Classification, it was a Cru Bourgeois Superieur

    More Médoc chateaux have been awarded the Cru Bourgeois label for the 2012 vintage than for any year since the classification was relaunched in 2010.

    Cru Bourgeois

    On September 19, 2014, the Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Medoc announced that 267 chateaux had made it into the official selection for the 2012 vintage. That is up from 256 estates in 2013 and is the most since the classification was relaunched in 2010. New entrants in the 2012 list include Chateau Haut Beyzac, which has 26 hectares in Vertheuil in Haut-Medoc, and Chateau Amour, an AOC Medoc estate with 53 hectares.

    Picture: The Cru Bourgeois Label

    Around 29 million bottles of wine are expected to carry the Cru Bourgeois label, accounting for approximately 30% of the Medoc's production, representing 4,100 hectares of vines. Most estates selected are AOC Medoc and Haut-Medoc properties, but there are also several properties from Pauillac, Margaux and St Estephe, as well as Listrac-Medoc and Moulis.

    See here for a complete listing of the 267 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc for the 2012 vintage.

    The Cru Bourgeois Classification of 1932

    From 1932 to the end of the 1900s, the Cru Bourgeois du Medoc system was a classification system set in stone. The first Cru Bourgeois list was drawn up by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Chamber of Agriculture in 1932, selecting 444 estates from the Medoc for the classification. These were wines that were not included in the 1855 Classification of Crus Classes, but still of high quality.

    Cru Bourgeois du Médoc Today: A Label Awarded Annually

    Today, the Cru Bourgeois du Medoc is a wine label that is awarded annually, on the basis of an assessment of both production methods and the wine. Production methods are periodically inspected and the wines are submitted to an independent panel for annual tasting. Any property in the Médoc may apply.

    The first vintage that came under the current system, is the 2008 vintage, announced in 2010.

    Note that some very highly regarded wines outside the 1855 classification such as Château Gloria and Château Sociando-Mallet do not submit their wines for the Cru Bourgeois du Medoc classification. Thus, there is a sizable number of top producers in the Medoc today that are neither in the 1855 classification nor in the Cru Bourgeois du Medoc classification.

    Picture: Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, with a 2012 Chateau Le Crock, Cru Bourgeois, and a 2012 Chateau Leoville Poyferre, a Classified Growth, both owned by the Cuvelier Family

    For the 2014 Wine Tours by ombiasy, including to Bordeaux, see:
    3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux

    The Cru Bourgeois Classification of 2003 (Annulled)

    In between the current annual classification system and the 1932 classification system set in stone, there was a new classification introduced in 2003 that was subject to a lot of controversy and later annulled. Of the 490 châteaux that applied to be included in the classification of 2003, only 247 were included, a significant contraction of the original listing made in 1932 (444 estates).

    The 2003 Cru Bourgeois classification classified the 247 properties in three tiers: Exceptionnel (9 properties), Supérieurs (87 properties) and straight Bourgeois (151 properties).

    In February 2007, the 2003 was annulled. At this point, the 1932 classification was briefly reinstated, with its single tier and 444 estates.

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    What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France

    Bordeaux - En Primeur, Negociants, Courtiers, the Quai de Chartons and the Place de Bordeaux– A Short Introduction

    Château Pape Clément in Pessac-Léognan and the World Wide Wine Empire of Bernard Magrez, France

    Château Léoville-Poyferré, Chateau Le Crock, Didier Cuvelier in Bordeaux and the Cuvelier Los Andes Wines in Argentina

    Lunch with Didier Cuvelier at Château Léoville-Poyferré in Saint-Julien, Bordeaux

    The 260 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc of the 2010 Vintage, France

    The 256 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc of the 2011 Vintage Announced, France

    Best Crus Bourgeois du Médoc (2011) - Decanter's 58 Favorites, Bordeaux

    Dinner at Makansutra Gluttons Bay Hawker Center in Singapore

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    Pictures:  Dinner at Makansutra Gluttons Bay Hawker Center in Singapore

    Singapore’s hawker food is the stuff of legend, and celebrities like Anthony Bourdain have raved about the dazzling array of cheap delicious dishes available. There is a large number of hawker centers in Singapore. Wherever you go, you will have to share a table, queue for food and sweat it out. There are dishes from China, Indonesia, Malaysia and India.

    Pictures: Delicious Hawker Food

    CNN: The street food scene in Singapore is now less “street food” and more “food court.” Regulated out of existence years ago, street food vendors moved into government-sanctioned "hawker centers" where they still sell the same dishes. While this may undermine the cuisine’s credibility as street food, it offers those with delicate stomachs the opportunity to partake -- strict safety and hygiene regulations make Singapore's hawker food some of the safest “street food” around. Hawker centers offer a blend of inexpensive Malaysian, Indian and Chinese cuisines, which combine to offer a uniquely Singaporean eating experience. A strong food culture also means that Singaporeans feel passionately about their hawker centers and the dishes found there, keeping standards of tastiness and authenticity high.

    Makansutra Gluttons Bay Hawker Center

    Offering a spectacular view of the Marina Bay skyline, Makansutra Gluttons Bay Hawker Center is one of the best hawker centers in town. About 12 hawker stalls flank an assortment of plastic-covered stone tables and long wooden tables topped with large umbrellas (the only concession to the weather); the area has enough seating for over 500 guests, who come every night to take in the view and the authentic hawker fare.

    Pictures: Dinner at Makansutra Gluttons Bay Hawker Center in Singapore

    "Marina Bay is a very iconic part of Singapore - Gluttons Bay is about delivering a street food experience in the slickest part of Marina Bay," says Makansutra founder and Singapore Street Food Guru K.F. Seetoh. "I said we should bring back the old style, open-air street food stall that we used to have in the 60s and 70s. And we keep prices as cheap as possible."

    Pictures: 12 Hawker Stalls at Makansutra Gluttons Bay Hawker Center in Singapore

    You can choose from a wide range of famous local treats such as fried carrot cake, oyster omelet, chilli crab and roti jala (lacy pancakes served with delicious curry).

    Pictures: Cooking at Makansutra Gluttons Bay Hawker Center in Singapore

    After dinner, you can watch free street performances frequently organized by arts center Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, located just next door. Or you can walk over to the Marina Bay Sands or the Fullerton Hotel to take an after dinner drink.

    Pictures: Marina Bay Sands and the Fullerton Hotel

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    Schiller's Favorite Wines of Madagascar

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    Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiler with Malagasy Wines

    It is not well known in the rest of the world that Madagascar produces wine. Typically, it tends to be of good table wine quality, not more. The main grape varieties are traditionally Petit Bouchet, Villardin, Chambourcin and Varousset for vins rouge (reds) and the Couderc Blanc for vins blanc (whites). Little known in the world of fine wine, these so-called French-American hybrid grape varieties have the advantage of being robust, but do not match the Vitis vinifera varieties – like Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir – for elegance and refinement. Vitis vinifera varieties dominate worldwide wine consumption, but there is increasing interest in French-American hybrids in the 'green' movement.

    Currently seven producers in Madagascar make wine with French-American hybrid grapes. Each winemaker produces one or more brands, each of which typically comes as vin rouge, vin gris (white wine made from red grapes), vin rosé and vin blanc. In addition, you find vin blanc moelleux, a white wine with noticeable remaining sweetness. All these wines are non-vintage (NV) wines.

    Here are my favorites.

    Antsirabe Viticulteur-Encaveur Chan Fao Tong, a first-wave Chinese winemaker, currently produces Madagascar's best (and most expensive) wine from hybrid grapes: NV Grand Cru d'Antsirabe. It comes as Rouge Alicante (medium bodied), Rouge Seyve Villard (earthy), Rose Viala (good summer wine), Gris de Gris (goes well with Malagasy food) and Blanc Couderc (medium bodied, dry).

    Another interesting wine producer is Lazan'i Betsilio, a large co-operative created in Fianarantsoa in 1971. Supported by Swiss development aid, they used to make the best wine of the country. Quality has suffered since that funding project was terminated, but they are now trying hard to get back on track, with some success. Lazan'i Betsilio offers one wine, NV Haute Matsiatra, which comes as Rouge (medium bodied), Rouge Primeur (lighter), Gris (my favorite Malagasy food wine), Blanc (dry, fruity) and Blanc Moelleux (medium sweet white).

    In a new development, there is now one winery that is radically different from the others. Owned and run by Pâquerette and Jean Allimant, Clos Nomena exclusively uses noble Vitis vinifera grapes. From 2001, they set up a five-year experimental vineyard in Ambalavao and the four grape varieties that showed the most promising results were selected to be grown commercially. With the first wines released in 2011, Clos Nomena's portfolio now includes a Blanc Sec (dry, fruity, crisp), a Rose (great aperitif wine), and a Rouge (medium bodied, elegant, lingering finish). They are available in Tana's top restaurants and some special shops but at considerably higher prices than traditional Malagasy wines.

    Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Jean Allimant with Marie Nomena Allimant and their Clos Nomena Wines in Antananarivo

    This posting is a revised version of a box which I contributed to the 11th edition of the Bradt Travel Guide “Madagascar”. The 11th edition of the Bradt Travel Guide “Madagascar” (first published in 1988) was published in July 2014. For the first time, the Bradt Travel Guide “Madagascar” contains a box entitled “Choosing Malagasy Wine”, which I was asked to draft by Daniel Austin and Hilary Brandt, the authors of the 11th edition. The box is based on an earlier posting on schiller-wine: The Wines of Madagascar.

    Schiller’ Favorites

    This posting is part of the Schiller’s favorites series.

    Europe

    Germany

    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Berlin, Germany
    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, 2013, Germany
    Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

    France

    Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France 
    Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France
    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France
    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France
    Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, 2012 France
    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City) (2012), France

    UK, Spain, Austria, Hungary

    Schiller's Favorite Winebars in London, UK
    Schiller’s Favorite Tapas Bars in Logroño in La Rioja, Spain
    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in London, 2012, UK
    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria
    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary
    Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria (2011)

    USA

    Schiller's Favorite Oyster Bars and Seafood Places in Seattle, USA  
    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA
    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA
    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Washington DC, USA
    Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA
    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, 2012, USA
    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA
    Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA
    Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California

    Asia

    Schiller s Favorite Winebars in Beijing, 2014, China

    Africa

    Schiller's Favorite Wines of Madagascar
    Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar

    schiller-wine: Related Postings (Madagascar)

    Choosing Malagasy Wine, in: Bradt Travel Guide Madagascar (Author: Christian G.E. Schiller)

    Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar

    A Comprehensive Guide - in Alphabetical Order - to the Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar

    A Comprehensive Guide – Ordered by the Number of Stars - to the Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar

    The Wines of Madagascar

    Wining and Dining in Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar – Christian G.E. Schiller’s Private List of Restaurants in Antananarivo

    The Wines of Madagascar - Good and Interesting Table Wines

    Christian G.E.Schiller’s Private List of Restaurants in Antananarivo That Serve Malagasy Wine

    Clos Nomena: Taking the Wine of Madagascar to New Heights

    Fine Wine and Fine Oysters in Madagascar: Oysters from Fort Dauphin and Wine from Clos Nomena

    Restaurant and Hotel AKOA– An Oasis of Tranquility in the Buzzing Third World City Antananarivo in Madagascar

    Tsiky– Charming Restaurant in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Serving Good Food and Malagasy Wines

    Sea, Sand, Soul and Sakafo, and Whales and Wine – At Princesse Bora Lodge on Ile Sainte Marie in the Indian Ocean

    Foie Gras and Lazan’i Betsileo at Restaurant Villa Vanille in Antananarivo, Madagascar

    Foie Gras in Madagascar

    Wine in Indonesia

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    Pictures: Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, and Christian G.E. Schiller having an Australian Wine at Bintan Lagoon Resort on Bintan Island in Indonesia. Suhaemi Opened the Bottle.

    In 2014, I spent the month of October in Singapore. A number of beach resorts in Malaysia and Indonesia are just about an hour away from Singapore by ferry. Singapore residents go there for long weekends. We went for a few days to Bintan Lagoon Resort on Bintan Island in Indonesia. One of the advantages of Bintan Lagoon Resort is that it has its own ferry shuttle service and its own border crossing point, which is very convenient.

    Exchange rate at the time of my visit: S$1 = US$0.8. Prices at the  Bintan Lagoon Resort were in S$.

    Pictures: From Singapore to Indonesia

    Indonesia

    Indonesia straddles the Equator between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. With 18,110 islands, 6,000 of them inhabited, Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world.

    Picture: Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia

    Indonesia is a member of the G-20, the 20 largest economies in the world. The Indonesian economy is the world's 16th largest by nominal GDP. While the rich shop and party in Jakarta and Bali, half of the population still earns less than USD2/day.

    About 240 million people live in this fourth most populous country in the world — after China, India and the USA — and by far the largest country in Southeast Asia. Indonesia also has the largest Muslim population (Sunni) in the world, accounting for 90% of Indonesia’s population.

    The first Europeans to arrive were the Portuguese in the 1500s. By the end of the century, however, the Dutch had pretty much taken over, leading to 350 years of colonization.

    Pictures: Bintan Lagoon Resort on Bintan Island in Indonesia

    Wine Consumer and Importer Indonesia

    Indonesia is a Muslim country. Muslims are not permitted to consume any alcoholic drink. Indonesia’s wine sector is therefore small relative to its large population.

    Pictures: Wine at Bintan Lagoon Resort on Bintan Island in Indonesia.

    The wine industry is tightly regulated by Government, although Government has relaxed its grip on the sector in recent years. The Government imposes steep duties and taxes on imported wines. Not too long ago, wine could only be imported by one state-owned enterprise, which was in charge of wine imports. Today, there are about 20 private official distributors that import directly wine, within a mandated quota.

    Pictures: Chinese Soup for Breakfast

    Wine imports are growing at a fast rate. The growth is fueled by increasing wine consumption among affluent Indonesians, mainly in Jakarta, including the burgeoning middle class that is increasingly young, educated and urban, and at the Hindu majority tourist island of Bali.

    Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, China, South Korea, and Taiwan accounted for the majority of tourist arrivals by nationality, followed by the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and France. In the tourist sector, wine and spirit consumption is only permitted in licensed four and five star hotels, upscale restaurants, and bars.

    Pictures: Afternoon Tea

    Most imported wines in Indonesia come from South Africa (30 percent), Chile (20 percent), Australia (20 percent), France (10 percent), and other European countries like Italy, German, and Spain (10percent), and the United States (10 percent).

    The consumption of red and white wines is of equal amount in general. Red wines tend to be favored more among consumers in Jakarta and other Indonesian cities, while white wines are the preferred choice of consumers in Bali, which tend be mostly tourists.

    Pictures: Coconut Juice Cocktail

    Wine Producer Indonesia

    Launched in 1994, Hatten Wines on Bali is the only Indonesian winemaker of some relevance. Winemaking in the tropical climate is very challenging, due to equatorial heat, monsoons, fast growing fungi and voracious root-munching termites. Hatten Wines buys its Alphonse-Lavallée grapes from several growers and has its own vineyards with Belgia white grapes.

    The tropical climate of Bali makes for the unique character of winemaking in Bali: grapes are harvested year-long from evergreen vines and wine can be produced in several vintages per year (every 120 days, in fact) instead of the traditional yearly vintage production of other wine areas.

    Back to Singapore

    Pictures: Last Drink and Back to Singapore

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    15 Gault Millau Points in Offenbach – Restaurant schauMahl, Germany

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    Pictures: The schauMahl Team: Björn Andreas, Pit Punda, Esra Egner

    I have already posted twice about the trendy schauMahl restaurant in Offenbach, in the greater Frankfurt am Main area, which is one of the best restaurants in the region. Both postings were on winemaker dinners, one with Christian Stahl, Weingut Stahl in Franken, and one with Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in the Nahe Valley. As to the winemaker dinner with Christian Stahl, Christoph Kublenz was the head of the kitchen team; he has since left and has become the chef at Biancalina. As to the winemaker dinner with Georg Rumpf, Björn Andreas was the head of the kitchen team; but it this was a BBQ dinner. Each course was prepared in the back court on the grill. Chef Björn Andreas und his team did an excellent job, although, obviously, a BBQ dinner did not offer the chef the opportunity to shine as a regular dinner does.

    See:
    Fabulous Dinner at schauMahl Restaurant with Winemaker Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Chef Björn Andreas and Sommelier Pit Punda, Germany
    The Bistronomics Cuisine of Chef Christoph Kubenz and the Wines of Winemaker Christian Stahl at Restaurant schauMahl in Frankfurt, Germany

    This time, it was just a dinner, without a winemaker introducing his wines, and it was not a BBQ dinner. It thus offered Chef Björn Andreas und his team the opportunity to shine and he grapped the opportunity.

    schauMahl

    Situated in a renovated Art Nouveau building, the interior of the restaurant schauMahl combines a cozy living room atmosphere with the world of One Thousand and One Nights, coupled with modern illumination. Intensive red light is coming out of a white corner. There are brick walls and furniture in a colonial style. In the window niche is a Buddha.

    Picture: schauMahl in Offenbach

    Host Pit Punda is well known in the Frankfurt gastro scene from his days at Emma Metzler, Cyrano and Zarges. He is ably assisted by his Deputy Esra Egner. Owner Stefan Lang is often in the restaurant. The excellent wine list contains about 100 items, mainly German and Spanish wines.

    Chef Björn Andreas is at the helm of the team in kitchen. He was promoted from Sous-chef to Chef about a year ago when former Chef Christoph Kubenz left. Chef Björn Andreas has worked for top chefs, including Alfred Friedrich.

    Gault and Millau: Es mag sich auf den ersten Bissen nicht viel verändert haben, und doch gibt es deutliche Unterschiede in der gesamten Stilistik. Kubenz war sensibel und leise, Andreas ist forsch, seine Gerichte sind muskulös. 15 Gault Millau points.



    Pictures: Aperitif - Esra Egner, Pit Punda, Stefan Lang

    Open Table: Eher steigen die Offenbacher Kickers in die erste Liga auf, als dass es in der Stadt ein gutes Lokal gibt. Dieser Spruch gilt nicht mehr, das Schaumahl lässt staunen: Küche, Keller, Service und Atmosphäre – hier stimmt alles. Das etwas windschiefe Jugendstilbau aus dem 18. Jahrhundert wurde nicht schick geschminkt, sondern behielt seinen Charakter und strahlt Landhauscharme aus. Dazu passt die natürliche und lebensfrohe Art von Gastgeber Pit Punda und seiner Vize Esra Egner.

    See also:

    The Best Restaurants in the Greater Frankfurt am Main Region, Germany
    The Bistronomics Cuisine of Chef Christoph Kubenz and the Wines of Winemaker Christian Stahl at Restaurant schauMahl in Frankfurt, Germany
    Fabulous Dinner at schauMahl Restaurant with Winemaker Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Chef Björn Andreas and Sommelier Pit Punda, Germany

    The Dinner

    We all had five courses for Euro 66. The menu prices range from Euro 48 (for 3 courses) to Euro 102 (for 9 courses).



    Picture: Gruss aus der Küche

    Picture: Königskrabbe, Jakobsmuschel Tozazu, Minigurke


    Picture: Rote Garnele, Bisque Süsskartoffel

    Picture: Rote Dorade, Minipaprika Basilikum, Walnüsse

    Picture: Lotte Kalbszunge, Pastinake Malz



    Picture: Lammrücken, Aubergine Paprika





    Picture: Brombeere, Rosmarin Nougat




    Picture: Bye-bye - The First Guests to Arrive and the Last to Leave

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    The Best Restaurants in the Greater Frankfurt am Main Region, Germany

    The Bistronomics Cuisine of Chef Christoph Kubenz and the Wines of Winemaker Christian Stahl at Restaurant schauMahl in Frankfurt, Germany

    Fabulous Dinner at schauMahl Restaurant with Winemaker Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Chef Björn Andreas and Sommelier Pit Punda, Germany

    Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour, Tasting and Lunch with Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Nahe Valley, Germany

    The new (VDP) Wine Classification in Germany: Tasting Weingut Robert Weil Wines from Gutswein to Grosse Lage Wine

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    Pictures: With Wilhelm Weil, Weingut Robert Weil, and his Wines in Kiedrich, Germany

    I recently had the chance to taste 6 wines of Weingut Robert Weil, the VDP producer of world class Rieslings in the village of Kiedrich in the Rheingau. Weingut Robert Weil is a leader in terms of implementing the new classification of the VDP, the association of about 200 elite winemakers in Germany (Verband Deutscher Praedikatswein Produzenten). The 6 bottles covered all 4 quality levels of the new VDP classification.

    Wine Classification Systems in Germany

    Although many people think that there is only one wine classification system in Germany – the classification system of the Law of 1971 – this is not correct. True, the classification system of the Law of 1971 with its pyramid of ripeness of the grapes at harvest (Qualitaetswein, Kabinett, Spaetlese, Auslese …) at the center is the standard classification system in Germany and the vast majority of winemakers in Germany use this approach. A large number of winemakers, however, have moved away from the standard, in particular the producers of premium and ultra-premium wines. Importantly, the powerful group of German elite winemakers – the VDP – has conceived its own classification system and is developing it further. The latest modifications are those that came into effect with the vintage of 2012.

    Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Wilhelm Weil at Weingut Robert Weil

    The VDP Wine Classification Matrix

    Wilhelm Weil: “The new VDP Wine Classification System is basically a matrix classification.” On one axis you find the different quality levels of the wines, along the Burgundian terroir approach, with estate wines, village wines, first growth (premier cru) wines and great growth (grand cru) wines.

    Following their colleagues in the Bourgogne, the terroir principle has taken center stage in the VDP classification. Effective with the 2012 harvest, the VDP classification has the following 4 quality layers (In brackets, the equivalent quality classes in the classification system of the Bourgogne):

    • VDP.Grosse Lage (Grand Cru in Burgundy)
    • VDP.Erste Lage (Premier Cru in Burgundy)
    • VDP.Ortswein (Village level in Burgundy)
    • VDP.Gutswein (Bourgogne régional in Burgundy)

    Note that for some legal reasons, the VDP has started to use the terms Grosse Lage, Erste Lage, Ortswein and Gutswein with the pre-fix VDP.

    On the other axis, you find the sweetness levels: Trocken, Kabinett, Spaetlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese as well as Eiswein. Please note that in the new VDP classification system the Prädikats have lost their critical importance that they have in the traditional classification system of 1971 and that they have changed their meaning. In the VDP classification system, they have become an indicator for the sweetness range of the finished wine, while in the traditional classification they are an indicator of the sugar content of the grapes at harvest. Generally, in the new VDP classification system, the Prädikats are to be used exclusively for wines with residual sweetness, “thereby enabling the Prädikats to resume their traditional meaning”, as stated by the VDP.

    VDP.Grosse Lage - The Peak of the Pyramid

    VDP.Grosse Lage is the peak of the terroir-based pyramid, equivalent to Grand Cru in the Bourgogne. These are the very best vineyards of Germany. Note: For a Grosse Lage vineyard, like in the Bourgogne, you don’t use the village name on the label, just the name of the vineyard.

    Maximum yield is at 50hl/ha. The grapes have to be harvested by hand while the sugar content of the grapes at harvest has to be at least at Spätlese level. The grapes can be fermented in a dry, fruity-sweet and noble-sweet style.

    A dry wine from a VDP.Grosse Lage is designated VDP.Grosses Gewaechs and labeled Qualitätswein Trocken. A Grosses Gewaechs wine is from 2012 on the ultra premium dry wine made from a Grosse Lage vineyard.

    A fruity or noble sweet wine from a VDP.Grosse Lage is labeled with one of the traditional Prädikats: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein or Trockenbeerenauslese.

    Examples: 2013 Weingut Weil, Kiedrich Graefenberg, Riesling Trocken GG and 2013 Weingut Weil, Kiedrich Graefenberg, Riesling Auslese


    VDP.Erste Lage - First Class

    VDP.Erste Lage designates first-class vineyards with distinctive characteristics, equivalent to Premier Cru in the Bourgogne. Erste Lage vineyards provide optimal growing conditions, as evidenced over a long period of time.

    They are planted with traditional varieties. Maximum yield is at 60hl/ha. The grapes have to be harvested by hand while the sugar content of the grapes at harvest has to be at least at Spätlese level.
    A dry wine from a VDP.Erste Lage is labeled Qualitätswein trocken. Note that there is no “VDP.Erstes Gewaechs” designation.

    Examples: 2013 Weingut Weil, Kiedrich Turmberg, Riesling Trocken and 2013 Weingut Weil, Kiedrich Turmberg, Riesling Trocken


    A fruity or noble sweet wine from a VDP.Erste Lage is labeled with one of the traditional Prädikats: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein or Trockenbeerenauslese.

    Third: VDP.Ortswein - Sourced from Superior Soils

    A VDP.Ortswein originates from a village's best vineyards that are planted with grape varieties typical of their region, equivalent to a village wine in the Bourgogne. Maximum yield is at 75hl/ha.
    A dry VDP.Ortswein is labeled Qualitätswein Trocken.

    Example: 2013 Weingut Weil, Kiedricher, Riesling Trocken


    A VDP.Ortswein with residual sweetness is labeled with one of the traditional Prädikats.

    Fourth: VDP.Gutswein – Entry Level

    VDP.Gutsweine are the entry-level wines in the VDP's hierarchy.

    Example: 2013 Weingut Weil, Rheingau Riesling Trocken


    Key Elements of the VDP Classification System to Remember

    First: Use of the Prädikats Kabinett, Spaetlese and Auslese only for fruity-sweet wines - As a major innovation, the VDP members have dropped the traditional Prädikats for dry wine. Only wines that have a noticeable level of sweetness carry the traditional Prädikats like Kabinett, Spaetlese or Auslese. Thus, if you see Spaetlese on the label of a VDP member wine, you can be sure that it is a fruity-sweet Spaetlese. “Spaetlese Trocken” or “Kabinett Trocken” does not exist anymore among the VDP members. If you still find it - and you may indeed find it on the shelves - it is due to the number of exceptions which are in force for the transition period.

    Second: The Prädikats Kabinett, Spaetlese and Auslese no longer indicator of ripeness at harvest, but indicator for sweetness of the finished wines - In the 1971 Classification, the Prädikats Kabinett, Spaetlese and Auslese are an indicator of ripeness at harvest. Thus, for instance, you can have a fruity-sweet Spaetlese and a dry Spaetlese. In the VDP classification, the Prädikats Kabinett, Spaetlese and Auslese are an indicator of sweetness of the finished wine (and not of the ripeness at harvest).

    Pictures: Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, at Weingut Robert Weil

    Third: All dry wines up to the highest quality level labeled Qualitaetswein Trocken - All dry wines up to the highest quality level – the Grosses Gewaechs wines from a Grosse Lage vineyard – are labeled Qualitaetswein (QbA) Trocken. A wine made from grapes harvested at Spaetlese level and fully fermented to complete dryness, for example, is marketed as QbA wine. And the level of quality would be indicated by the terroir concept (Gutswein, Ortswein, Erste Lage, Grosse Lage).

    This of course does not make it easier for wine consumers to read and understand German wine labels, because the Qualitaetswein denomination has a completely different meaning in the standard classification system. There, it indicates that this wine is an entry-level wine of basic quality. In the VDP classification, Qualitaetswein does not mean anything, as in the VDP system even the ultra-premium dry wines are labeled as a QbA.

    Fourth: Grosses Gewaechs ultra-premium dry wine - The dry counterpart of the fruity-sweet Spaetlese and Auslese wines of the VDP are the dry Grosses Gewaechs wines. These are ‘Grand Cru” wines made from grapes from a Grosse Lage vineyard, harvested at Spaetlese or Auslese level in terms of sugar content and fully fermented so that they become dry. The Grosse Gewaechs label is thought to resemble the Grand Cru designation in neighboring France. Here and there, these wines are dry.

    Obviously, the Grosses Gewaechs label has become obsolete. Grosse Lage Trocken says it all. You do not need the predicate Grosses Gewaechs. But the Grosses Gewaechs label is well established in the market and recognized by wine consumers.

    Fifth: No single vineyard wines below Grosse Lage and Erste Lage - In the VDP classification, only Grosse Lage and Erste Lage vineyards appear on the label. If a wine comes from a vineyard that is not in the exclusive circle of Grosse and Erste Lage, the label will not carry any vineyard name. Instead, it will be either a village wine (with just the village and the name of the winery on the label) or an Estate wine (with just the name of the winery on the label).

    The VDP

    The VDP is the world’s oldest association of wine estates in the world. In fact, it is the only one of its kind worldwide. No other country has a national organization of the top wine makers of the entire country.

    In 1910, four regional wine-growers’ associations joined forces to form the Verband Deutscher Naturweinversteigerer (i.e. estates that sold their “natural” [unchaptalized] wines at auction). These organizations – from the Rheingau and Rheinhessen, founded in 1897 and 1900, respectively, and their counterparts in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer and Pfalz regions, both founded in 1908 – were the forerunners of today’s VDP. At this time, fine German wines enjoyed a heyday. They were among the most expensive wines, on the tables of imperial houses as well as leading hotels and restaurants.

    Throughout the past century, the quality-driven goals and strict standards of the VDP have played no small part in shaping the viticultural and winemaking practices in Germany. With their stringent statutes and their establishment of a German vineyard classification, the 200 members of the VDP have served as role models and justifiably can be viewed as the vanguard of the nation’s producers of top-quality wines.

    For more on the new VDP Classification, see:

    Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany
    Approaches to Classifying German Wine: The Standard Approach (the Law of 1971), the VDP Approach and the Zero Classification Approach
    Stepping up: From 3 … to 4 Quality Levels - The New Classification of the VDP, Germany
    German Wine Basics: Grosse Lage and Grosslage (and Grosses Gewaechs)
    VDP.Grosses Gewaechs, Erstes Gewaechs, Spaetlese/Auslese Trocken, … Labeling Dry Ultra-Premium Wines in Germany
    The VDP - the Powerful Group of German Elite Winemakers - Refines its Classification System, Germany

    Criticial Voices

    The new VDP classification has a lot of support in the German wine scene. On a recent Germany wine tour by ombiasy, almost all of the non-VDP members we visited, had adopted the VDP classification. But there are also critical voices. In fact, 3 winemakers have left the VDP because of the new classification, including Weingut Tesch and Weingut Köhler-Ruprecht.

    One of critical voices is Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen. Here is a quote from a recent interview that Ernst Loosen gave to the wine searcher. com.:

    Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, in Washington DC

    wine-searcher: What do you think of the new German vineyard quality classifications – Grosse Lage, Grosses Gewaechs, etc.?

    Ernst Loosen: It's a nightmare. I am not against classification, but we don't make it simple for the consumer. And then every few years we change the whole system. From a marketing perspective, this is the most horrible thing you can do. They hate me, the whole VDP, because I am always criticizing this bloody bullshit. But I am out there in the world every day having to explain this whole stupid system to consumers. Everyone says: "Stop talking, we can't take it anymore!" I get the impression that the VDP really hates customers.

    Notwithstanding his critical talk, Ernst Loosen has fully adopted the VDP classification for his Weingut Dr. Loosen wines. 

    schiller-wine: Related Postings

    Christian G.E. Schiller's Review of the Book: Ralf Frenzel (ed.) - Riesling, Robert Weil. Tre Torri, Wiesbaden, Germany, 2013, in: Journal of Wine Economics, Volume 9, 2014, No. 1, Cambridge University Press

    Weingut Robert Weil, Kiedrich, Rheingau, Germany: Super Sommerfest/Summer Party 2014

    Weingut Robert Weil Goes Facebook, Germany

    German Riesling and International Grape Varieties – Top Wine Makers Wilhelm Weil and Markus Schneider at Kai Buhrfeindt’s Grand Cru in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany

    Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany

    The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA

    The 2nd International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany

    Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany

    3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux  
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