Picture: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Josef Biffar, in Deidesheim, with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka

Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim, Pfalz, run by the single mother Fumiko Tokuoka from Japan, has a number of roots. First and foremost the owners, the Tokuoka family, entrepreneurs from Japan. Second, Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl, also in Deidesheim, which the Tokuoka family used to run for 25 years, on a lease basis. Third, the former, well-known Weingut Josef Biffar, which ceased operations a few years ago. Fourth, the “Im Katharinenbild” property near to the railway station in Deidesheim, which has become the headquarters of the new Weingut Josef Biffar.

Driving force behind all this is Fumiko Tokuoka, who studied oenology and winemaking at the famous Geisenheim school in the Rheingau. She was our host.

We started the evening with a winery tour, followed by a tasting led by Fumiko. We then proceeded to Fumi, a Japanese Restaurant that belongs to Weingut Josef Biffar, where we had a wine dinner; Fumiko joined us for the dinner. I will report in a separate posting about the dinner.

Pictures: Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim

The Tokuoka Family from Japan

The story begins in 1989, when Toyohiro Tokuoka, Fumiko’s father, signed a 24 years lease with the then owner of Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl, the famous conductor Enoch zu Guttenberg. Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl was run by the Tokuoka family from Japan from 1989 to 2013. In 1996, Fumiko Tokuoka came to Germany to support her father at Weingut Reichrat von Buhl. Initially, she interned at Reichsrat von Buhl, but soon started to study winemaking at the famous Geisenheim university. As it turned out, she spent more than 10 years at the Geisenheim University, initially as a student and und later as a researcher. In addition, she also married into Weingut Ottes in Lorch, Rheingau, and has 2 children with Helmut Ottes. Obviously, she got involved at Weingut Ottes as well. But some years ago, the marriage failed.

In 2005, eight years before the end of the lease, the von Gutenberg family sold Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl to the businessman Achim Niederberger, who in 2002 had already taken over Weingut Bassermann-Jordan and who in 2007 also bought Weingut Dr. Deinhard (von Winning), both also in Deidesheim. During the first half of the 19th century, these three estates were one, which then was split up by the “Jordan’sche Teilung” (Jordan Splitting) in 1849 because there were three heirs.

Pictures: Sekt Reception at Weingut Josef Biffar

With the lease of Weingut Freiherr von Buhl coming to an end and the new owner not prepared to extend the lease, the Tokuoka family initially pursued the project of the Sektmanufaktur Graf with the management team of Weingut Freiherr von Buhl as partners. This, however, did not work out as planned.

The search for a viable alternative, with the German partners, led the Tokuoka family puchase the famous Weingut Josef Biffar, which had ceased operations after the 2010 vintage. The “Im Kathrinenbild” property close to the railway station became the base for the re-emerging Weingut Josef Biffar.

Pictures: Cellar Tour at Weingut Josef Biffar, in Deidesheim, with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka

The “Im Kathrinenbild” Property

The “Im Kathrinenbild“ was constructed by a Jewish family in 1892 as a winery and wine trading house. Following bankruptcy in the 1920s, the Deutsche Bank took over the property. In the early 1930, a wine co-op was founded in Deidesheim and the co-op acquired the property. The Kathrinenbild property was used by the co-op until the 1980s and remained more or less unused until the Tokuoka family bought the property in 2010.

The Biffar Family

Weingut Josef Biffar was founded in 1879 by the Biffar family from the Lyon area in France. The Biffar family had moved to Deidesheim in 1723. The Biffar family was not only a prominent wine producer, but also was and is a very successful producer of candy fruits. The Tokuoka family bought Weingut Josef Biffar in 2013.

Weingut Josef Biffar Today

Today, Weingut Josef Biffar, owned and run by Fumiko Tokuoka, is again cultivating 7.5 hectares, partially in very good sites like Ungeheuer, Pechstein, and Reiterpfad. Michael Leibrecht, who used to work at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl with her, is her head winemaker.

The 2015 Gault Millau WineGuide notes: “Weingut Biffar is back again, but with a new owner.” The cellar is noticeably over-dimensioned for the current area under vines. Japan continues to be a buyer and Fumiko Tokuoka is making efforts to find new customers.

To have another string to their bow, Fumiko Tokuoka integrated a Japanese restaurant with the name FUMI into the “Im Katharinenbild” building. There, Fumiko combines typically Japanese cuisine with her still and sparkling wines. It is an outstanding restaurant and worth a detour. We had a lovely wine dinner there with Fumiko.

Pictures: Tasting at Weingut Josef Biffar, in Deidesheim, with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka

The Wines we Tasted

2011 Weingut Josef Biffar Spätburgunder Sekt brut
2009 Weingut Josef Biffar Pinot Sekt brut
2014 Weingut Josef Biffar Chardonnay trocken
2013 Weingut Josef Biffar PAX VERITAS Forster Pechstein Riesling trocken
2013 Weingut Josef Biffar Sauvignon Blanc trocken
2011 Weingut Josef Biffar PAX VERITAS Spätburgunder trocken

Wine Dinner

Following tour and tasting we moved to fumi for a wonderful winemaker dinner with Fumiko Tokuoka. I am reporting about the wine dinner in a separate posting.

Pictures: Dinner at fumi

Postings on the Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015) (Posted and Forthcoming)

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Fall Tours by ombiasy WineTours 2015 - A Very Special Treat: Experience Harvest Time !

Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour, Tasting (and Lunch) with Robert Schätzle, Owner and Winemaker, Weingut Schloss Neuweier in Baden– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2015)

Wine Pairing Lunch at Röttele’s Restaurant (1 Star Michelin) at Schloss Neuweier, with Owner and Winemaker Robert Schätzle, Weingut Schloss Neuweier - German South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2015)

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Salwey in Oberrotweil, Kaiserstuhl, Baden, with Benno Salwey – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and Wine Taverns in Freiburg, Baden, Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Franz Keller in Oberbergen, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Paring Lunch at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler (1 Star Michelin) in Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Bernhard Huber in Baden, with Yquem Viehauser and Julian Huber – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Heger in Ihringen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour and Tasting at Maison Léon Beyer in Eguisheim, Alsace, France, with Marc Beyer – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

At Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg, Alsace, with Catherine Faller: Tasting and Tour – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Wine Lunch at Weingut Jülg with Johannes Jülg– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Schiller's Favorite (Wine-) Restaurants in Deidesheim in the Pfalz, Germany

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Müller Catoir – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour and Tasting at Weingut A. Christmann in Gimmeldingen, Pfalz, with Steffen Christmann – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Winning in Deidesheim, Pfalz– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim, with Owner and Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant FUMI at Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim, with Owner and Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Markus Schneider in Ellerstadt, Pfalz, with Markus Schneider

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Koehler Ruprecht in Kallstadt, Pfalz, with Franzi Schmitt – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Dreissigacker in Bechtheim, Rheinhessen, with Ute Dreissigacker

Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Weingut Eva Vollmer in Mainz-Ebersheim, Rheinhessen, with Eva Vollmer

Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

Picture: Austin Capitol at Night

Lonely Planet: You'll see it on bumper stickers throughout the city: 'Keep Austin Weird.' And while old-timers grumble that Austin has lost its funky charm, the city has mostly managed to hang on to its laid-back vibe. Though this former college town with a hippie soul has seen an influx of tech types and movie stars, there's still a strong contingent of residents who just want to focus on their music or write their novel or annoy their neighbors with crazy yard art.

Picture: Chris Comfort and Justin Bryan, both Traubenhaus, a Leading German Wine Importer/ Distributor/ Online Retailer in Texas,with Dinner Guests at a German Wine and Food Dinner at the Omni Barton Creek Report and Spa in Austin on Monday, March 21, 2016. See: German Wine and Food in Texas: A German Wine and Food Dinner in Austin with Justin Bryan, Traubenhaus, USA/ Germany

Pictures: 6th Street Area in Austin

Here is my list of favorite wine bars.

Apothecary Cafe & Wine Bar

4800 Burnet Road, Tel. (512) 371-1600

Snooth, Tiffany Young: This wine bar stands out for its inside decor of dark wood that matches its name’s mystical qualities and tagline, “the cure for what ails you.” The atmosphere is intimate even amidst the loud chatter that fills the air.

In addition to a dinner menu, Apothecary is now serving brunch, one of the most important meals of the day in Austin. The menu says that most of the shared plate offerings can be made gluten-free.

All day on Sunday and Monday, wine glasses are $1 off and bottles are $10 off of the listed price. On Saturdays, sparkling wine bottles are half off. Excluding a few house favorites, the wine list rotates monthly, so drop in often to see what’s new.


Simplicity Wine & Eats

4801 Burnet Road, Tel. (512) 419-0200

Snooth, Tiffany Young: Supposing Apothecary is too busy, you can walk across the street to Simplicity Wine and Eats. Simplicity is a fitting name as the decor is very bare, but you can easily fit 30 to 40 of your closest friends among the large tables and sitting area in a cinch. Another benefit is its inexpensive wine and sangria.

The atmosphere won’t make you feel as though you’re having a night out on the town, but if you just love wine and want to go to an unpretentious wine bar, this is the place. It feels a lot like the bingo hall or bowling alley, where you’re always welcome, you’ll get what you need and you don’t need to dress up. Depending on the night you’re looking for, it could be just the thing.

Vino Vino

4119 Guadalupe Street, Tel. (512) 465-9282

Austin Monthly, Meredith Bethune, Ramona Flume and Sam Sumpter, April 3, 2014: Whether you’re an oenophile or don’t know your merlots from your cabernets, the Vino Vino staff (see sidebar) is always enthusiastic about finding the best bottle, among its hundreds, for your budget and taste. With a cozy atmosphere and menu that allows for pairing french fries and Champagne (a recommended combination), as well as its Sunday paella nights, it’s sure to become your favorite neighborhood wine pub—even if it’s not in your neighborhood.


Winebelly

519 W Oltorf Street, Tel. (512) 487-1569

Thrillist, Taylor Prewitt: Good wine becomes great wine when surrounded by a smattering of platters to gorge on. Winebelly will get you there with its curated international vino list, but then it’s up to you to choose between tapas or small plate offerings, just $5 during happy hour.

House Wine

408 Josephine Street, Tel. (512) 322-5210

Snooth, Tiffany Young: The name says it all. This wine bar, located near the downtown area in a small, intimate house, has a patio where you can hang out with a view of downtown Austin. In addition to nightly specials and half-priced glasses of wine on any bottle opened the previous night, available on Sundays, it also has wine tasting classes.

This is the place to go if you’re looking to wile the night away gabbing with close friends or looking for an intimate venue at which to catch up. You’ll feel right at home [pun intended] on one of the couches or on the patio furniture outside.

Small nibbles like cheese plates and desserts are available, including a local artisan cheese plate for a sampling of the nearby farms’ products.

Aviary Lounge

2110 S. Lamar Blvd, Tel. (512) 916-4445

Austin Monthly, Meredith Bethune, Ramona Flume and Sam Sumpter, April 3, 2014: Shopping local is even more fun thanks to Aviary, Austin’s only home decor store and wine bar, offering patrons the unique ability to shop while they sip. The boutique’s inventory of modern and whimsical home decor items pairs perfectly with a curated selection of wine, beer and gourmet tapas. And daily specials, like $10 wine flights on Mondays and $10 off all bottles on Fridays, make the experience guilt-free.

Mulberry

360 Nueces St #20, Tel. (512) 320-0297

Thrillist, Taylor Prewitt: With 100+ options to choose from, you’d have to be particularly picky or especially snobby to not find something to like at Downtown’s Mulberry, wine or otherwise. Happy hour Tuesday through Friday, 5-7pm means 20% off bottles, and $2 off wine glasses, but the real treat is the discounted cheese and meat plates with names so unpronounceable as to ensure their quality. Finocchiona anyone?

The Grove Wine Bar

6317 Bee Cave Road, Tel. (512) 327-8822

Snooth, Tiffany Young: If you’re looking to avoid downtown but are still in that general area, head west to Westlake’s The Grove Wine Bar. It has 10 different flight selections to choose from, ranging from “Pure Pinot pleasure” to “Cabs you may want to go home with.”

In addition to its wine selection, which varies from California selections to Italian and Argentinian labels, The Grove Wine Bar serves soups, salads, starters, pizzas, pastas and paninis. While the menu sounds casual, it also has fine dining options, such as blue crab cake, seared miso sea bass and sesame-seared Ahi tuna.

Crú Wine Bar

238 W. Second St., Tel. (512) 472-9463

11410 Century Oaks Terrace, Tel. (512) 339-9463

Austin Monthly, Meredith Bethune, Ramona Flume and Sam Sumpter, April 3, 2014: With locations in two of the best shopping areas in town, Crú Wine Bar is the perfect place to relax after some retail therapy. The cozy bars feature 30 wines by the glass, in addition to hundreds of bottles to accommodate any price range. Stop in for a customized wine flight or indulge with the Napa-style cuisine, which ranges from roasted wild mushroom stone-fired pizzas to seared Georges Bank scallops. It’s a sophisticated scene without the snobbery.


The Red Room Lounge

306 E 3rd Street, Tel. (512) 501-1536

Thrillist, Taylor Prewitt: Red Room Lounge keeps things chill with its relaxed interior and its tufted leather couches, convenient for when you start to lean from sipping all that juice. Do what you will with the $15-$25 wine flights, but don’t forget to toast yourself, with wine glass in hand, for checking out one of Austin’s classiest joints.


Schiller’ Favorites

Here is a complete list of Schiller's Favorites:

Europe

Germany

Schiller’s Favorites: 2 Legendary Wine Taverns in Würzburg – Juliusspital and Bürgerspital
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and Wine Taverns in Freiburg, Baden, Germany
Schiller's Favorites: Frankfurt Apple Wine Taverns that Make their own Apple Wine
Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen (Saxony), Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Winemakers in the Saale-Unstrut Region, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Trier, Germany
Schiller's Favorite (Wine-) Restaurants in Deidesheim in the Pfalz, 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 Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, 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, 2014
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 Wine Bars in Austin, Texas, USA
Riesling Crawl in New York City – Or, Where to Buy German Wine in Manhattan: Schiller's Favorite Wine Stores, 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 Wine Bars in Singapore
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

Wine Producer Texas, USA
German Wine and Food in Texas: A German Wine and Food Dinner in Austin with Justin Bryan, Traubenhaus, USA/ Germany

Picture: The Art of Whites, Grand Tasting - Panelists Andy Myers, Master Sommelier, DC: Wine Director; José Andrés ThinkFoodGroup; Helen Johannesen, CA: Director of Operations & Wine Director of Animal/ Son of a Gun; Anthony Giglio, NY: Author, Speaker, Wine Director, The Centurion Lounges by American Express; Jon Bonné, NY: Author and Senior Contributing Editor, Punch and Moderator Jay Youmans, Master of Wine, DC: Capital Wine School, Beverage Consultant

Close to 300 people attended the Fourth Annual Virginia Wine Summit that took place on April 5, 2016, at the Salamander Resort and Spa in Middleburg.

Pictures: Salamander Resort and Spa in Middleburg

Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore participated in the event. Governor Terry McAuliffe joined us for the Champagne Reception: “We are pleased to host this annual event to showcase our world-class Virginia wines, and invite national and international opinion leaders to see and taste the recent developments in the Virginia wine industry.

Picture: Christian Schiller, Governor Terry McAuliffe and Annette Schiller

The summit brought industry leaders and wine enthusiasts together to discuss the state’s burgeoning wine industry, and celebrate Virginia’s wine and food culture. It consisted of wine and food pairings, panel discussions, and one-on-one talks with Virginia winemakers. Those that attended the summit included restaurateurs, sommeliers, wine-shop owners, winemakers, wine enthusiasts, media representatives and other industry professionals.

Pictures: Jon Bonné with Christian Schiller and Annette Schiller

The summit featured as keynote speaker Jon Bonné, one of the leading American voices on wine: "I've covered wine around the world and really to try to put Virginia into context of the 49 other states in terms of how much progress has been made in the wine industry, and really how wonderful it is that the focus has stayed on small, curious wineries that want to push things forward."

Pictures: Annette Schiller with Jay Youmans and Jen Breaux Blosser

The Virginia Wine Summit is organized by the Virginia Wine Board. The summit was held in Richmond for the first three years.

Pictures: Painting Sessions at the Virginia Wine Summit Receptiom

The Conference

8:30AM – 9:30AM Registration

 Pictures: Fourth Annual Virginia Wine Summit in Middleburg

9:30AM – 10:45AM The Art of Whites, Grand Tasting

This seminar was a blind comparison of some of Virginia’s top white wines against their counterparts from other notable wine regions.

Moderator:
Jay Youmans, Master of Wine, DC: Capital Wine School, Beverage Consultant
Panelists:
Andy Myers, Master Sommelier, DC: Wine Director, José Andrés ThinkFoodGroup
Jon Bonné, NY: Author and Senior Contributing Editor, Punch
Anthony Giglio, NY: Author, Speaker, Wine Director, The Centurion Lounges by American
Express
Helen Johannesen, CA: Director of Operations & Wine Director of Animal/ Son of a Gun

Pictures: The Art of Whites, Grand Tasting

11:00AM – 12:15PM Somm Might Say: East Coast vs. West Coast

Have you ever wondered how sommeliers approach wine and food pairings? At this seminar you could hear how East Coast and West Coast sommeliers approach pairings – ranging from the relatively simplistic to more sophisticated.

Moderator:
Anthony Giglio, NY: Author, Speaker, Wine Director, The Centurion Lounges by American Express
West Coast Panelists:
David Lynch, CA: Contributing editor, Bon Appetit and Wine Director of St. Vincent
Chris Tanghe, Master Sommelier, WA: Wine Portfolio Manager & Educator of Vinum Wine Importing and Distributing
East Coast Panelists:
Steven Grubbs, GA: Wine Director of Empire State South and Five & Ten
Jack Mason, Master Sommelier, NY: Wine Director, Marta
Menu designed by Kathy Morgan, Master Sommelier, VA/DC: Beverage Consultant & 2014 Somm Might Say Champion: Team DC

Pictures: Somm Might Say: East Coast vs. West Coast

11:00AM – 12:15PM Find Your Match: Virginia Reds

In the speed dating style, in this seminar you could experience an intimate tasting of Virginia red wines with the winemaker themselves. The winemakers had 6 ½ minutes per table to present their wine.

Participating wineries:

Ankida Ridge Vineyards
Bluestone Vineyard
Boxwood Estate Winery
Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery
Chatham Vineyards on Church Creek
Chrysalis Vineyards
Narmada Winery
North Gate Vineyard
Sunset Hills Vineyards
The Williamsburg Winery

Pictures: Find Your Match: Virginia Reds

11:00AM – 12:15PM Talk Dirt To Me: Central VA vs Northern VA Terrior

A compelling winemaker discussion of the climates and soils of Central VA and Northern VA, and how they impart unique characteristics in their wines.

Moderator:
Frank Morgan, VA: Author for DrinkWhatYouLike.com and Contributing Editor VA Wine Lover Magazine, VA
Panelists:
Luca Paschina, VA: Winemaker & General Manager, Barboursville Vineyards, VA
Mattieu Finot, VA: Winemaker, King Family Vineyards, VA
Benoit Pineau, VA: Winemaker, Pollak Vineyards, VA
Doug Fabbioli, VA: Winemaker, Fabbioli Cellars, VA
Jim Law, VA: Winemaker, Linden Vineyards, VA
Gonzalo Ortiz, VA: Vineyard Manager, Breaux Vineyards, VA

Pictures: Talk Dirt To Me: Central VA vs Northern VA Terrior

12:30PM – 2:00PM Lunch

Prepared by Chef Chris Edwards of The Salamander Resort

Keynote Speech from Jon Bonné

Pictures: Lunch with Social Media Award Winner Frank Morgan, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore and Jon Bonné

2:30PM – 3:50PM Moments in Time: Vintage Variation

In this workshop we explored Virginia’s past vintages and how weather patterns have shaped the wine through vertical tastings.

Moderator:
Erin Scala, VA: Beverage Director & Owner for Petit Pois & Fleuire, and Co-host for I’ll Drink to That Podcast
Panelists:
Stephen Barnard, VA: Winemaker, Keswick Vineyards, VA
Doug Flemer, VA: Owner & Winemaker, Ingleside Vineyards, VA
Michael Shaps, VA: Owner & Winemaker, Michael Shaps Wines, VA

Pictures: Moments in Time: Vintage Variation

2:30PM – 3:50PM Uncommon in the Commonwealth

Up-and-coming varieties like Petit Verdot, Nebbiolo, Tannat, Albariño and Petit Manseng are quickly gaining recognition as unique and captivating wines. In this seminar you could enjoy an informative tasting and discussion around these interesting wines.

Moderator:
Jennifer Knowles, DC: Sommelier and Wine & Beverage Director for The Jefferson Hotel and Plume Restaurant
Panelists:
Erik Segelbaum, DC: Sommelier, Le Diplomate
Fred Dexheimer, Master Sommelier, NC: Creator of RxWine Lab
Andy Wedge, TN: Sommelier, Husk Nashville
Kathy Morgan, Master Sommelier, DC: Master Sommelier & Beverage Consultant

Pictures: Uncommon in the Commonwealth

2:30PM – 3:50PM Why Chardonnay Matters

Chardonnay is Virginia’s most widely planted grape. The panelists and attending winemakers discussed the different styles being produced in Virginia and what happens to this elegant grape when it meets Virginia’s varied terroir.

Moderator:
Richard Leahy, VA: Wine Consultant & Author
Panelists:
Andy Chabot, TN: Sommelier and Director of Food & Beverage, Blackberry Farm
Neal Wavra, VA: Sommelier and Co-Found of FABLE Hospitality
Julie Dalton, MD: Sommelier, Wit and Wisdom Tavern
Julie Defriend, KY: Sommelier, 8Up Elevated Kitchen & Drinkery

Pictures: Why Chardonnay Matters

4:00PM – 5:00PM Reception at Harriman's Restaurant

We finished off the day at Harriman’s Restaurant, enjoying sparkling wine and local craft beer while listening to remarks from Virginia Governor, Terry McAuliffe.

Pictures: Virginia Wine Summit Reception


Wine Producer Virginia

Virginia is the 5th largest wine industry in the US, with nearly 300 wineries and over 3,500 acres of vineyards. In the original charter of the thirteen colonies was a royal commission to pursue three luxury items that England was unable to provide for itself: wine, silk, and olive oil. Every colony made attempts to satisfy the requirements of its charter. Despite many years of failure, the early Americans persisted in their efforts. A big step forward was made in 1740 when a natural cross pollination occurred between a native American grape and a European vitis vinifera. Other successful crossings followed.

Pictures: Christian Schiller and Jennifer Breaux Blosser. See: Visiting Jennifer Breaux Blosser and Breaux Vineyards in Virginia, USA

In 1762, John Carter, who had 1,800 vines growing at Cleve Plantation, sent 12 bottles to the Royal Society of Encouragement of the Arts, Manufacture and Commerce in London for their evaluation. Minutes of their meeting on the 20th of October 1762 declared Carter’s wines to be “excellent” and a decision was taken to reward Carter’s efforts with a gold medal for his wines. These were the first internationally recognized fine wines produced in America.

Picture: Virginia

Over the past 30 years or so, Virginia wines have experienced a tremendous development - to elegant and balanced, mostly European vinifera-based wines. Recently, Donald Trump as well as AOL founder Steve Case bought a Virginia winery.

Picture: Annette Schiller, Vicki Fedor, Mark Fedor and Christian Schiller. See: Anniversary Dinner at North Gate Vineyards with Owners/ Winemakers Mark and Vicki Fedor and Chef Sebastian Oveysi from Amoo’s Restaurant in McLean, Virginia/ USA

Today, the vitis vinifera grapes Chardonnay and Viognier are the leading white varieties. Increasingly they are made without any or with neutral oak, to retain natural acidity and freshness. It appears Viognier is on its way to becoming Virginia’s official “signature grape”.

For French-American hybrid varieties, Seyval Blanc is still popular, but resembles now the fresh and crisp wines from France’s South West. Vidal has become the backbone of the artificially frozen (cryoextraction), ice wine which I am not a great fan of. Cryoextraction is an approach, developed by the French, which kind of simulates the frost in the vineyard in the wine cellar.

Picture: Christian Schiller and Doug Fabbioli, Fabbioli Cellars. See: Visiting Wine Maker Doug Fabbioli and his Fabbioli Cellars in Virginia, USA

As far as red wines are concerned, there has been a shift from straight varietal wines to blends, with the blends now being dominated by Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Mirroring the Virginia white wines, there is an increasing focus on neutral oak and clean, vibrant fruit. Tannat, Uruguay’ signature grape from the South West of France, is showing up in more Virginia wines, usually as a blend. The only red French American hybrid which has performed consistently well in Virginia is Chambourcin, which resembles the Gamay grape of Beaujolais.

Finally, Claude Thibault, a native from France, has taken Virginia sparkling wines to a new level. His NV Thibault-Janisson Brut, made from 100 percent Chardonnay, is as close as you can get to Champagne outside of France.

See:
American Wines with French Roots: The Wines President Obama Served at the State Dinner for President Hollande, USA/France
As Close as You Can Get to (French) Champagne at the US East Coast – Claude Thibaut and His Virginia Thibaut Janisson Sparklers at screwtop Wine Bar
Claude Thibault of Thibault Janisson – an Ultra-premium Sparkling Wine Producer in Virginia, USA - at American Wine Society (Northern Virginia Chapter) 

Picture: Claude Thibault and Christian Schiller at American Wine Society (Northern Virginia Chapter)

schiller-wine: Related Posting

Northern Virginia Magazine October 2012: Wine Recs from Local Winos

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Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller at Arrowine in Arlington, Virginia, with the Wines of Achim von Oetinger, Weingut von Oetinger

Achim von Oetinger is an old buddy of Annette and me. Based in Erbach in the Rheingau, which is 45 minutes away from Frankfurt by car, we see him regularly at events when we are in Germany. I have asked him several times: When will your wines be available in the USA. His answer was always the same: I am too small. I do not have enough wine for getting involved in exports to the USA.

Picture: Achim von Oetinger with Annette and Christian Schiller at the 2015 Wine Week in Wiesbaden, Germany. See: Schiller’s Impressions from the 2015 Wine Week in Wiesbaden, Germany

Against this background, I was thrilled to find an e-mail from Doug Rosen, owner of Arrowine, a leading wine store in the Washington DC area, with the 2013 Von Oetinger "Alte Reben" Riesling Trocken (Rheingau, Germany) as the coming weekend’s White Door Buster Sale Wine (the special sale prices are available only on the coming weekend or until supplies sell out and for in-store sales only).

Picture: Achim and Julia von Oetinger, Weingut von Oetinger at the 2015 Riesling Gala at Kloster Eberbach. See: Riesling Gala 2015 at Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau, Germany

I was very pleased to read this, for several reasons.

First, Achim von Oetinger is one of the new stars of the Rheingau. It is not without reason that he was Stuart Pigott’s Discovery of the Year 2015. See: Best German Wines and Winemakers – Stuart Pigott’s Favorites (December 2014)

Second, on the forthcoming Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2016), Weingut von Oetinger is the first stop of the tour. See below and here: Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY and Coming-up: 2016 Spring Tours by ombiasy WineTours to Germany and the Bourgogne, Germany/ France

Third, Achim’s wines are super! See below what Doug Rosen has to say. I fully concur with Doug.

Picture: Annette Schiller and Achim von Oetinger at Weingut Wilhelm Weil, see: The Rheingau and its Terroirs: Tasting with Rheingau’s Elite Winemakers, Germany

Germany-North by ombiasy WineTours (2016)

On the forthcoming Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2016), Weingut von Oetinger is the first stop of the tour: Thursday, May 5, 2016, 10:00 am Cellar tour, and tasting at winery Detlev Ritter und Edler von Oetinger (VDP) in Erbach, Rheingau.

The family of the „Knights and Nobles“ von Oetinger can look back to the year 1828 for winemaking tradition in Erbach. In 1958 the estate was divided between the brothers Eberhard and Robert. Recently the two estates have become one again and the winery is managed by Achim von Oetinger, Robert’s grandson, and his wife Julia. Achim’s uncle Eberhard was a very prominent personality in the German wine world; famous for his skills as auctioneer at the world-renowned wine auctions in the Eberbach Abbey and nicknamed the Karajan of wine auctions. 30 acres of vineyards now belong to the estate, of which 90% are planted with Riesling, the rest with the Burgundy grapes: Pinot-Noir, Pinot-Blanc, Pinot-Gris. Achim pursues quality with a vengeance and the perfect combination of traditional Rheingau values and modern business management produces wines that increase in quality from one year to the next. Last year, Germany’s most famous wine critic, Stuart Pigott nominated Achim von Oetinger “discovery of the year”.

For more information see: Coming-up: 2016 Spring Tours by ombiasy WineTours to Germany and the Bourgogne, Germany/ France

Pictures: At Weingut Robert Weil in the Rheingau During the Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014), see: Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Arrowine’s White Door Buster Sale: 2013 Von Oetinger "Alte Reben" Riesling Trocken (Rheingau, Germany)

At the store, I realized that Doug Rosen, who had just left for a 14 days trip to Bordeaux, not only had the 2013 Von Oetinger "Alte Reben" Riesling Trocken (Rheingau, Germany) on sale, but I dedected half a dozen or so diiferent wines from Weingut von Oetinger on the shelves, including trocken, fruity-sweet and noble-sweet wines. Here is what Arrowine had to say about the special of the weekend, the 2013 Von Oetinger "Alte Reben" Riesling Trocken.

Pictures: Arrowine in Arlington, Virginia

Arrowine: Though misconceptions about riesling abound, it remains a noble and extremely high quality white wine grape that makes some of the world greatest, highest rated, most collected, most cherished, most complex, most expensive and most ageworthy white wines. Styles range from bone-dry to nectar-sweet. Please come to Arrowine this weekend to experience a taste of an exceptionally good, very dry Riesling from terrific old vines, the 2013 Von Oetinger "Alte Reben" Riesling Trocken from Rheingau, Germany.

This excellent 2013 dry riesling comes from the terrific Von Oetinger estate in the Rheingau's fabulous Erbach region. It is 100% riesling from a small estate-owned hillside vineyard of very low yielding old vines. It shows the remarkably vivid and focused flavors, concentration, complexity and length that define high-quality rieslings. It will age beautifully for at least 5-7 more years.

The exemplary Von Oetinger estate is a prestigious 3rd generation estate founded by a family that's been growing wine grapes around Erbach since 1828. In recent years the estate's quality has skyrocketed under Achim Von Oetinger (the 3rd generation of the family wine business). This jump in quality was noted by the important Gault Millau wine publication which recently wrote: "This has been a recent climber, and the shape of the curve continues further upward as the wines show ever higher quality and individuality." This estate was also named the "Discovery of the Year" by FAZ Magazine.

This beautiful white wine is very dry ("trocken") and comes from a distinguished vineyard in the great Hohenrain vineyard area, with vines over 50 years old ("Alte Reben" means "Old Vines"). This vineyard is near the village of Erbach, a renowned wine village in Germany's famed Rheingau region. According to Achim von Oetinger, this old vine dry Riesling is "his answer to Spätlese."

Pictures: Buying 2013 Von Oetinger "Alte Reben" Riesling Trocken from Rheingau, Germany

The Von Oetinger estate is a top producer of the region that has been accepted as a member of the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates, a group of about 200 estates that includes most (but not all) of Germany's greatest wine producers as members. This association of top growers strictly monitors quality and voluntarily imposes stricter standards on members than under the (already very strict) German wine laws. Their membership in this important group is indicated by the letters "VDP" on the capsule.

"VDP": Thankfully, in Germany, they've abbreviated the phrase "Verband Deutscher Qualitäts- und Prädikatsweingüter" to "VDP" and created an easy to recognize symbol, a stylized eagle with a grape cluster, to indicate that a wine estate meets high standards when it comes to the "trinity" of 1. producer, 2. site and 3. quality.

Today there about 200 VDP vintners representing a commitment to traditional and, above all, high-quality German wine. If you want a great bottle of German wine, the letters "VDP" and the eagle symbol are a virtual guarantee of high quality.

Here's how the delicious 2013 Von Oetinger "Alte Reben" Riesling Trocken tastes: This is fragrant riesling that brings to mind peaches and citrus fruit as well as white flowers and subtle exotic fruit and spice. The palate has lively acidity and continues with white peaches and bright citrus and adds a note of greengage plum, spice and mineral. The finish is very long, vibrant and invigorating. This is fabulously food-friendly wine that will go with beautifully with meals from seasoned seafood, to fried chicken, to herbed pork chops.

Try a taste at Arrowine today, then load up at a terrific Door Buster Sale price. Reg. $36.99 Door Buster Sale: 1-5 bottles: $21.99 per bottle 6+ bottles: $19.99 per bottle.

Picture: Achim von Oetinger and Christian Schiller a Few Years Ago in Berlin. See: 70 Galleries – 200 Praedikat Wine Estates – 1000 Wines: Art and Wine in Berlin

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Picture: Lunch at Weingut Vollmer: Eva Vollmer, Christian Schiller and Annette Schiller

Eva Vollmer was our host and joined us for the lunch.

Picture: Arriving at Weingut Eva Vollmer

Weingut Eva Vollmer

Eva Vollmer was the 2010 Gault Millau Germany Wine Guide Discovery of the Year. She owns and operates - jointly with her husband Robert Wagner - a new Wine Estate in Rheinhessen in the suburbs of Mainz. After studies at the oenological school in Geisenheim and an internship in California at William Hill and Atlas Peak, she founded the winery in 2007. She took over the vineyards of her father, who did not produce wine, and sold all his grapes. Since then, she has not only produced outstanding wines, but also completed a Masters in Agriculture and a Ph.D. at the University of Giessen.

Pictures: Welcome at Weingut Eva Vollmer

The very first vintage in 2007 was Eva Vollmer’s big bang on the national wine stage. Only just under 5.000 bottles were filled from the first vintage. Today, the annual output exceeds 30.000 bottles. The vineyard area totals 10 hectares. In the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland, she was promoted to 2/5 grapes in the 2014 edition.

Wine Estate Eva Vollmer is in the process of moving to organic wine growing.

Pictures: Cellar Tour with Eva Vollmer

For some wine projects she teams up with two winemaker colleagues, Christina Huff and Mirjam Schneider, both also from Rheinhessen. The three are nicknamed the 3 Wine Amazons and they currently produce some outstanding wines from the famous Pettenthal vineyard in the Niersteiner Red Slope where the three hold some parcels.

Eva is very artsy; among other events she organizes blind food/wine pairing events and vaudeville shows.

Tasting and Wine Lunch

Following the cellar tour, we went to the new tasting room for a tasting and wine pairing lunch with Eva Vollmer.

Pictures: Tasting and Wine Pairing Lunch with Eva Vollmer

The Wines

During the tasting and the wine pairing lunch, Eva introduced us to her current portfolio.

2014 Weingut Eva Vollmer Weissburgunder. Trocken

2014 Weingut Eva Vollmer Scheurebe! Trocken


2014 Weingut Eva Vollmer Weissburgunder! Trocken


2014 Weingut Eva Vollmer Riesling! Trocken


2013 Weingut Eva Vollmer Herrnberg! Riesling Trocken
2012 Weingut Eva Vollmer Pettenthal! Riesling Trocken


2012 Weingut Eva Vollmer Silvaner! Trocken
2012 Weingut Eva Vollmer Weissburgunder! 24 Monate im Halbstück gereift Trocken
2012 Weingut Eva Vollmer Dornfedler! Im Barrique gereift Trocken


2014 Weingut Eva Vollmer Spätburgunder. weissgekeltert Feinherb


Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2016

"Tatsächlich ist Eva Vollmer auch beim Wein stärker denn je. Weißburgunder und Silvaner sind eine echte Bank, der Mittelbau hat es in sich – und die Lagenrieslinge haben Profil. Hier schmeckt uns selbst der Rosé vom Dornfelder mit dem originellen Namen »Dorn to be wild«. Starke 2014er!"

Pictures: The New Labels of Weingut Eva Vollmer

In Mainz-Ebersheim verschafft Eva Vollmer der Landeshauptstadt neues Profil. Mit reintönigen Weinen aus Lagen, deren Potenzial noch gar nicht ganz ausgeschöpft ist. Seit 2010 wird hier nach EU-Richtlinien ökologisch gewirtschaftet. Das neue Verkaufs- und Verkostungsgebäude ist fertiggestellt: Evas Kostbar. »Die neue Ära mit Ausblick hat begonnen«, so die Mainzer Wein- Amazone. »Gemeint ist der gigantische Blick auf den 8.000 Quadratmeter großen Genussgarten und die sanften rheinhessischen Hügel. In dieser besonderen Kulisse findet an jedem ersten Freitag in den Sommermonaten unser Weinpicknick statt. Weingenuss auf der Wiese, ganz relaxt und unkompliziert. So etwas gibt es nur in Südafrika oder Ebersheim. Und wenn man schon mal sein Umfeld neu erfindet, dann lohnt sich ein Rundumschlag: Ein neues Logo und neue Etiketten sorgen für Aufsehen.

Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller with Christine Huff, Eva Vollmer and Mirjam Schneider in New York City. See: The Mainz Wine Amazones - Christine Huff, Mirjam Schneider and Eva Vollmer - in New York City, USA

Picture: Christian Schiller with (from left to right) Eva Vollmer, Christine Huff and Mirjam Schneider at Weingut Eva Vollmer. See: International Women's Day 2012: Meeting the Wine Amazones Tina Huff, Mirjam Schneider and Eva Vollmer of Mainz, Germany

Bye-bye

Thanks Eva for a wonderful tasting and wine pairing lunch.

Pictures: Bye-bye

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Postings on the Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015) (Posted and Forthcoming)

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Tour, Tasting (and Lunch) with Robert Schätzle, Owner and Winemaker, Weingut Schloss Neuweier in Baden– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2015)

Wine Pairing Lunch at Röttele’s Restaurant (1 Star Michelin) at Schloss Neuweier, with Owner and Winemaker Robert Schätzle, Weingut Schloss Neuweier - German South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2015)

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Salwey in Oberrotweil, Kaiserstuhl, Baden, with Benno Salwey – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

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Tour and Tasting at Maison Léon Beyer in Eguisheim, Alsace, France, with Marc Beyer – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

At Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg, Alsace, with Catherine Faller: Tasting and Tour – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Wine Lunch at Weingut Jülg with Johannes Jülg– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

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Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Müller Catoir – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour and Tasting at Weingut A. Christmann in Gimmeldingen, Pfalz, with Steffen Christmann – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Winning in Deidesheim, Pfalz– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Josef Biffar, in Deidesheim, with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant FUMI at Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim, with Owner and Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Markus Schneider in Ellerstadt, Pfalz, with Markus Schneider

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Koehler Ruprecht in Kallstadt, Pfalz, with Franzi Schmitt – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Dreissigacker in Bechtheim, Rheinhessen, with Ute Dreissigacker

Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Weingut Eva Vollmer in Mainz-Ebersheim, Rheinhessen, with Eva Vollmer

Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY 

Picture: Simply Burgundy – “A Practical Guide to Understanding the Wines of Burgundy” by Mark E. Ricardo

Burgundy is the most terroir-oriented region in France if not in the whole world. The focus is on the area of origin, as opposed to Bordeaux, where classifications are producer-driven and awarded to individual chateaux. A specific vineyard (climat or lieu-dit) will bear a given classification, regardless of the wine's producer. The main levels in the Burgundy classifications, in descending order of quality, are:

Grand Cru wines are produced from a small number of Grand Cru vineyards in the Côte d'Or and make up 2% of the production at 35 hectoliters per hectare. There are 33 Grand Cru vineyards in Burgundy.

Premier Cru wines are produced from specific vineyards that are considered to be of high, but slightly lower quality; they make up 12% of production at 45 hectoliters/hectare.

Village appellation wines are produced from vineyard sites within the boundaries of one of 42 villages. Village wines make up 36% of production at 50 hectoliters/hectare.

Regional appellation wines are wines which are allowed to be produced over the entire region, or over an area significantly larger than that of an individual village. These appellations can be divided into 4 groups:

The new Coteaux Bourguignons appellation covers wines made throughout the greater Bourgogne region, from the Chablis region in the north to and including the Beaujolais region in the south.

Bourgogne, the standard appellation for wines made anywhere throughout the region excluding Chablis and Beaujolais; these wines may be produced at 55 hectoliters/hectare.

Subregional appellations cover a part of Burgundy larger than a village. Examples are Hautes-Côtes de Beaune and Mâcon-Villages.

Wines of specific styles or other grape varieties include white Bourgogne Aligoté (which is made with the Aligoté grape), red Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains (which can contain up to two thirds Gamay) and sparkling Crémant de Bourgogne.

Picture: Christian Schiller in the Bourgogne. See: Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Simply Burgundy – “A Practical Guide to Understanding the Wines of Burgundy” by Mark E. Ricardo, a practicing attorney, a registered investment advisor and the founder and President of Trellis Fine Wine Investments, focusses on exactly that: the classification of Burgundy. With 45 pages plus 3 appendices, it is about the same number of pages as the Burgundy chapter in Karen MacNeil’s popular Wine Bible. I would call Simply Burgundy a booklet.

While the Wine Bible provides a good introduction to Burgundy, Simply Burgundy – “A Practical Guide to Understanding the Wines of Burgundy” is not an introduction to Burgundy, but an introduction to the classification of Burgundy. Furthermore, it does not go deep into the ins and outs of the Burgundy classification, but stays with the essentials, leaving aside details and aspects of lesser importance of the classification.

The structure of the booklet: Following 1 page on “Regions and Grape Varietals”, the author explains on 7 pages the concept of the Burgundy classification. This is followed by reviews of the classification region by region: Chablis (3 pages), Côte d’Or (23 pages), Côte Chalonaise (2 pages), Mâconais (3 pages) and Beaujolais (3 pages). Yes, the booklet includes Chablis and even Beaujolais, which in many books about Burgundy are excluded.

An essential part of the Burgundy classification is the system of climats, which I would have liked to be more developed by the author. Climat is a term for a specific vineyard site of a few hectares. The system of climats in Burgundy was granted World Heritage Status by UNESCO last year. Although the author never uses the word climat, he refers to the climats with grand cru and premier cru status, but leaves all the other climats aside (village climat). You can find the latter regularly on Burgundy labels, more in Burgundy’s export than domestic market. Interestingly, the new German wine classification system, which is modeled after the Burgundy classification system, does not allow winemakers to indicate climats on the label that neither have grand cru or premier cru status.

There are practically no numbers in the booklet. You do not find anything about the size of the various regions, sub-regions and vineyards, or yield restrictions at the various levels of the classification, to name a few areas, where numbers would have been helpful to understand Burgundy.

At the lowest level of the classification, the regional level, the booklet is silent on most categories. That may have been motivated by the thought that the targeted readers of the booklet will mainly be interested in the upper levels of the classification.

Looking beyond the classification, the Burgundy lovers agree that while the classification is important to ascertain the quality of a wine before opening a bottle, equally important, if not more important is, who produced the wine, i.e. the winemaker.

The famous Clos Vougeot, for example, is owned by about 80 different vignerons and they all put exactly the same text on the label of their wine bottles, while the quality of Clos Vougeot (and price) varies widely among the range of producers.

The author touched on this issue by adding a list of top producers for each region. The effort is commendable, but I would have appreciated some background information on the producers, such as: annual production; négociant (that buys the grapes) and/or domain (that grows its own grapes); price range.

Continuing looking beyond the classification, there is, of course, nothing in Simply Burgundy – “A Practical Guide to Understanding the Wines of Burgundy” on the history of Burgundy nor is there anything on the structure of the industry.

The origins of Burgundy's classification can be found in the work of the Cistercians who were able to delineate plots of land that produced wine of distinct character. The Roman Catholic Church had an important influence on the Burgundy classification. As the power of the church decreased, vineyards were sold to the Bourgeoisie. The Napoleonic inheritance laws resulted in the continued subdivision of many vineyards so that some winemakers hold only a row or two of vines.

In terms of the structure of the industry, the role of négociants, who do not own vineyards, is not referred to at all. Négociants play a vital role in the Bourgogne. Négociants sell wines at all quality levels, including grand cru.

To sum up: This is a very small book (a booklet) with the objective of providing “A Practical Guide to Understanding the Wines of Burgundy”. The author is concentrating on one aspect: the classification of the wines of Burgundy and leaves many other aspects that are equally important to the “Understanding of the Wines of Burgundy” aside. And on the aspect he covers – the classification – he does not go into the ins and outs of it, but focusses on the essentials.

I like the booklet very much as a reference. For the next edition, I would love to see more maps in the booklet. In the current issue, there is only an overall map of the Burgundy region with its five sub regions.

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

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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

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Pictures: Phil Bernstein and Ernst Loosen

Ernst Loosen, one of Germany’s most iconic winemakers, was in town (Washington DC, USA) for a series of events, including a seminar with sommeliers, bloggers and journalists at Cork Market on 14th Street (where Ernie poured his dry wines only, including 4 Grosses Gewächs wines. See: A New Dr. Loosen Project Setting the Standard for Dry German Rieslings. I will report separately about the seminar) and a winemaker dinner at Chef Bryan Voltaggio’s Range Restaurant.

Before the dinner, Ernie stopped at MacArthur Beverages, the leading wine store for German wine in the Greater Washington DC area, for a 2 hours tasting, where he presented with MacArthur’s German Wine Guru Phil Bernstein his full range of wines, including trocken, fruity-sweet and noble-sweet wines.

Pictures: Meet and Greet with Dr. Loosen at MacArthur Beverages 

Invitation

Phil Bernstein: Please join us "in-store" Monday afternoon for a rare DC appearance from one of the wine world's most charismatic figures. Ernie is on a short US tour and has generously agreed to come by for a few hours for a tasting and bottle signing. (The afternoon in-store tasting and "meet and greet" is at MacArthur Beverage and FREE. The evening tasting and dinner is at RANGE by Bryan Voltaggio, RSVP separately here).

Phil Bernstein chose the header for the invitation - The Doctor is Back in the House - A Rare In-Store Visit from Dr. Loosen - in reference to a Dr. Loosen tasting at Mac Arthur Beverages a couple of years ago: The Doctor Made a House Call - A Tasting with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC, USA

Pictures: The Tasting

Ernst Loosen and the Dr. Loosen Estate

Phil Bernstein: Ernst Loosen was born into a great tradition of German winemaking. The Dr. Loosen estate on the Mosel River has been in his family for over 200 years, so you'd think it only natural for him to take up the family legacy as a profession. The truth is, though, that as a youngster Ernst was more fascinated by the numerous Roman ruins in the area than by the family vineyards. So he went off to college to study archaeology.

In the mid-1980s, however, Ernst was faced with a decision. His father fell ill and was ready to turn the estate over to the next generation, but none of his brothers or sisters was old enough or interested enough to take it on. Happily, as it turns out, Ernst agreed to take on the estate and finally found his true calling among the broken slate of his family's vineyards rather than the hewn stones of an old Roman ruin.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Christian Schiller and Ernst Loosen. We visit Weingut Dr. Loosen regularly on the Germany by ombiasy WineTours. See: Wine Tasting at Weingut Dr. Loosen in Bernkastel-Kues, Mosel – Germany-North by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Having made the decision, Ernst dove into winemaking with his customary fervor. He had already completed studies at Geisenheim, Germany's renowned winemaking school, and now he embarked on a self-directed review of the great wines of the world. He traveled to Austria, to Burgundy and Alsace, even to California and Australia. He went wherever great wine was being made, seeking out the best winemakers to find out what they had in common. What he discovered was that they all share a dedication to producing intense, concentrated wines that boldly proclaim their heritage. And they all ascribed to the philosophy that a great wine begins in your head - that is, you must have a clear vision of what you are striving for, before you pick a single grape.

They also have a worldly outlook that allows them to maintain respect for tradition while allowing judicious use of improved viticultural practices and modern winemaking techniques when they will improve quality. It is a philosophy that balances the old with the new. It is a way of thinking that has allowed him to move beyond the easy and familiar, the tried and not necessarily so true, to make wines that stand out as truly distinctive and world-class.

When Ernst Loosen assumed control of the Dr. Loosen estate in 1988, he recognized a lot of potential that was going unused. His father and grandfather had both been more involved in politics than winemaking, so nothing much had been done to maintain the vineyards or update the cellar. Because his predecessors had been unwilling to invest in new vines for what was essentially a family hobby, Ernst inherited a good number of ungrafted vines that were well over 100 years old - vines perfectly suited to the low-yield, highly concentrated style he wanted to produce.

Picture: Ernst Loosen Signing his Bottles

Picture: Annette Schiller Introducing Robert Petry, Wine Rep

 Picture: Ernst Loosen and Al Friedman from the German Wine Society

Picture: Molly Sweeny from Dr. Loosen Bros. and Phil Bernstein

His father's neglect of the cellar also ended up working in Ernst's favor. With no high-tech equipment to tempt them, Ernst and his cellarmaster had no choice but to make wines in a minimalist manner, with very little handling and long, slow fermentations.

Since Ernst took over, Dr. Loosen wines have received countless awards and glowing reviews in the press. The estate has become a member of the prestigious VDP, Germany's association of top-rated wine estates, and has been named one of the 10 best estates in Germany by nearly every wine publication worldwide. Ernst was named Germany's Winemaker of the Year in the 2001 edition of Gault Millau's Weinguide Deutschland and Decanter magazine's Man of the Year in 2005.

Ever restless for new adventures, in 1996 Ernst took over the historic J.L. Wolf estate, in the Pfalz region of Germany. Here he produces the more full-bodied style of Rhine valley Riesling, as well as the Pinot varieties that are traditional in that area.

Looking to the New World to rejuvenate the image of Riesling, in 1999 Ernst entered into a joint venture with Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington state. Together they produce a Washington Riesling, called Eroica, which has set a new bar for expressive, top-quality Riesling in the United States. The wine is regularly praised as the finest example of American Riesling currently being produced.

Pictures: Ernst Loosen, Annette Schiller and Christian Schiller at Weingut Dr. Loosen. See: Ernst Loosen Presented his Wines at Weingut Dr. Loosen, Bernkastel-Kues, Mosel Valley, Germany

What Ernst Loosen Poured

Dr. Loosen Sparkling Riesling Dr. L

Dr. L Sparkling Riesling is 100% pure Riesling - the crisp, fruity grape that has made German wine famous for centuries. It is made using the Charmat method, where the second fermentation is done in a pressurized tank to keep the bubbles in the wine. This method produces bright, clean sparkling wines in a more affordable way, which makes it possible to offer this charming bubbler at a very nice everyday price. Sale: US$11.99


2013 Dr. Loosen Riesling trocken GG Alte Reben Wehlener Sonnenuhr

Pale lemon yellow in color, the Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling trocken GG Alte Reben comes from 70- to 75-year-old vines and displays a pure, deep and enormously complex and mineral-scented aroma of flintstones, crushed slate and herbs, which makes the Sonnenuhr an outstanding wine of the portfolio. This finding is confirmed on the palate which is complex, piquant, pure, juicy and throughout elegant. The finish is complex and very long and gives this wine a great potential to develop over the next 15 years or more. 93 pts. Stephan Reinhardt, The Wine Advocate. Sale: US$46.99


2014 Dr. Loosen Kabinett Bernkasteler Lay

Bernkasteler Lay (pronounced LIE) is situated between the Dr. Loosen estate house and the village of Bernkastel. The soil is predominantly slate, but is heavier and deeper than in the neighboring villages of Wehlen and Graach. This site also has a slightly gentler slope than the estate's other vineyards. It produces richly textured, assertive wines. Sale: US$26.99


2012 Dr. Loosen Spätlese Ürziger Würzgarten

Blazing red and insanely steep, the Ürziger Würzgarten (ERTS-ih-ger VERTS-gar-ten) vineyard fills the picturesque amphitheater formed by this dramatic bend in the river. It produces wines with exotic, spicy aromas that are bursting with tropical fruit flavors. The estate's oldest vines are found here. Sale: US$29.99


2013 Dr. Loosen Riesling Beerenauslese

Beerenauslese (pronounced BEAR-en OWS-lay-zuh) means "berry selection" in German. It is an intense, ultra-concentrated dessert wine made from hand-selected grapes that have been shriveled about halfway to raisins by botrytis (the "Noble Rot"). BA has the same minimum must weight as Eiswein, so they have about the same sweetness. But BA has the distinct honeyed character that comes from botrytis, giving the wines a more complex aroma and a lusher texture. Sale: US$24.99 (187ml tubes)


Following: Dinner at Range

Following the tasting session at MacArthur Beverages, we drove to Chevy Chase for an amazing wine pairing dinner with the wines of Ernst Loosen, including an Oregon Pinot Noir, a joint venture with Jay Summers, and the food of Brian Voltaggio.

Picture: At the Winemaker Dinner at Range

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Picture: Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant fumi at Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka: Japan Meets Pfalz

We had a lovely wine pairing dinner at fumi, the Japanese restaurant of Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim, Pfalz. Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka joint us for the dinner.

The wine pairing dinner was the second part of our visit of Weingut Josef Biffar. We started the evening with a winery tour, followed by a tasting led by Fumiko. I have already reported about the first part of the evening, the tour and tasting: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Josef Biffar, in Deidesheim, with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

This posting covers the wine dinner with Fumiko.

Fumiko Tokuoka was our host for the entire evening. She showed us the wine estate, led a tasting and joined us for dinner.

Pictures: Weingut Josef Biffar and fumi

Weingut Josef Biffar

Today, Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim, Pfalz, run by the single mother Fumiko Tokuoka from Japan, has a number of roots. First and foremost the owners, the Tokuoka family, entrepreneurs from Japan. Second, Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl, also in Deidesheim, which the Tokuoka family used to run for 25 years, on a lease basis. Third, the former, well-known Weingut Josef Biffar, which ceased operations a few years ago. Fourth, the “Im Katharinenbild” property near to the railway station in Deidesheim, which has become the headquarters of the new Weingut Josef Biffar.

For more on Weingut Josef Biffar, see: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Josef Biffar, in Deidesheim, with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Dinner

This was a lovely dinner. Of course, you have to like Japanese food in order to appreciate it. We all did very much.

Here are a few reviews from the Michelin Guide and others:

MICHELIN Guide: Josef Biffar's wine-growing estate now has a small Japanese restaurant serving authentic cuisine. Dishes range from sushi and sashimi to specialities such as grilled eel with teriyaki sauce. All washed down with a well-chosen wine made on the property.

Pictures: Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant fumi at Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka: Japan Meets Pfalz

Trip Advisor: A true taste sensation. Restaurant Fumi delivers a delightful mix of Japanese food and quality wine. My favorite was the blue cheese cheesecake for dessert which has to be tasted to be believed. Come here for some authentic, high quality Japanese food.

Pictures: Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant fumi at Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka: Japan Meets Pfalz

Trip Advisor: We enjoyed the 4-course Japanese menu with local wine from the vineyard the restaurant is located in. The restaurant itself is situated in a converted barn of the vineyard, which is not typical to the Japanese restaurant one finds in other towns or cities. Having said that, Japanese pieces of art and decorations are well placed and it creates a very impressive overall experience. The tables are spacious and one is not crammed in, quite the opposite. Definitely one of my local Top 10 restaurants.

Pictures: Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant fumi at Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka: Japan Meets Pfalz

Trip Advisor: We love Japanese cuisine and found this place a great eatery. The easy menu with so many interesting dishes for entree and then followed up with the mains was just a real treat. The service was top.

Pictures: Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant fumi at Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka: Japan Meets Pfalz

Travelling Hopefully: For lunch, we stopped at Weingut Josef Biffar to eat at their restaurant Fumi. (…) They had an impressive menu with everything from sushi and tempura to yakitori that mirrored many of the foods and flavors that I enjoyed on our own trip to Japan two years ago. In the end, I chose to try the Aubergine Dengaku appetizer on recommendation from my friend. The dish contained three thick slices of eggplant that had been perfectly fried with a light tempura coating on the cut sides and topped with a slightly sweet miso paste and peppers. The pairing with their slightly sweet Deidesheimer Grainhübel Riesling Spätese was perfect. For my entrée, I decided to try the Unagi no Kaba-Yaki, grilled eel with a teriyaki sauce served with grilled vegetables, rice, Japanese pickles, and miso soup. Our Japanese waitress carefully explained how I should eat the eel first, followed by the rice and a sip of miso soup. Paired with the dry Spätburgunder, I felt as if the meal had been carefully choreographed for maximum enjoyment. On the other side of the table, my friend got the impressive 5-course menu with wine, which I also got to try. It ended with a dessert plate that included green tea ice cream and an Auslese Gelee that was particularly noteworthy.

Pictures: Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant fumi at Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka: Japan Meets Pfalz

Bye-bye

Thank you very much Fumiko for a great wine dinner.

Pictures: Bye-bye

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Picture: Ambassador Jean-Louis Wolzfeld and German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) President Carl Willner

The German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) returned to the Embassy of Luxembourg for a tasting with Ambassador Jean-Louis Wolzfeld. See here: The Wines of Luxembourg– A Small Country Which Produces Great Wines

Pictures: The Embassy of Luxembourg

Invitation

Dear German Wine Society Members and Friends of German Wine, we will once again be at the beautiful Embassy of Luxembourg in Washington, D.C. for our next tasting on Friday, April 8, 2016 at 7 pm. Many of you will remember our very successful events at the Embassy of Luxembourg in 2011 and 2013, and this provides us with another exciting opportunity to try the varied wines of the “other Mosel,” the Moselle River in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Our host for this evening, as at our 2013 event, will be Ambassador Jean-Louis Wolzfeld, who is nearing the end of his tour of duty in the United States this summer, so this event also provides us with the opportunity to thank him a final time for his gracious hospitality to our Society.

Pictures: Ambassador Jean-Louis Wolzfeld with Jake McGuire and Anthony Ramdass

Wine Producer Luxembourg

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg - a constitutional monarchy - is tucked between Belgium, France and Germany. The country is very small, 84 km long and 52 km wide, with a population of 500 000.

Luxembourg is not really on the world wine map, although Luxembourg has a 2000-year history of wine-making. The vineyard area totals about 1200 hectares, roughly 10% of Germany’s vineyard area. Most of the wine is consumed in the country, with Belgium the by far largest export country (80%). Very little Luxembourg wine is seen outside Luxembourg and Belgium.

Wine is made in the southeastern part of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg along 26 miles of the Mosel river that is Luxembourg's border with Germany. A lot of the wine is grown for the sparkling wine industry, with many millions of bottles of Crémant de Luxembourg sold each year. But the better, south-facing slopes of chalk, clay or slate over limestone, are reserved for still wines.

Pictures: Ambassador Jean-Louis Wolzfeld with Annette and Christian Schiller Talking about the 2016 ombiasy WineTours. See: Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

In contrast to the downstream German wine region Mosel, Luxembourg has very little tradition of producing semi-sweet or sweet wines, despite a significant similarity in terms of grape varieties, soil and climate. Rather, the wines of Luxembourg tend to be fully fermented and dry. The main grape varieties in Luxembourg are: Müller-Thurgau, usually under the name Rivaner (29%), Auxerrois (14%), Pinot Gris (14%), Riesling (12%), Pinot Blanc (11%) and Elbling (9%).

Wine production in Luxembourg is dominated by a number of cooperatives. The cooperatives in Greiveldange, Grevenmacher, Remerschen, Stadtbredimus and Wellenstein source their wines from over 800 hectares of vineyards (almost two thirds of Luxembourg's vineyard surface) and sell their wines under the common name of "Vinsmoselle".

The Luxembourg wine classification differs both from the one in France and the one in Germany. Wines that meet the standards of the national seal - Moselle Luxembourgeoise - can also carry three additional quality designations: Vin classé, Premier Cru or Grand Premier Cru. These designations are awarded the individual wine after tasting by an official committee. In contrast, in neighboring France, the terms Premier Cru and Grand Cru are used to classify vineyards (Bourgogne) or wine estates (Bordeaux); in Germany, the sugar content at the time of harvest is the main quality criterion.

The Crémant de Luxembourg designation for sparkling wine is awarded within the framework of the Marque Nationale, meaning that only domestic grapes are allowed in the production. However, some sparkling wine produced in Luxembourg is just labeled Crémant and does not display the Marque Nationale. Such sparkling wines are produced from imported grapes, must or base wine.

Sweet-style wines are produced on a very limited basis: (1) Vendanges tardives is a wine typically made of botrytised grapes; (2) Vin de glace is an ice wine, made from grapes harvested in the frozen state and (3) Vin de paille is a straw wine, made from dried grapes. Generally, the wines of Luxembourg tend to be bone dry. In any case, you do not find the low alcohol wines with a touch of sweetness in Luxembourg, made by stopping the fermentation that are well known in Germany down the Mosel valley.

The Event

We started the event with a Reception, where a Luxembourg sparkling wine was served. Ambassador Jean-Louis Wolzfeld welcomed us and introduced us to the wines of Luxembourg, which tend to be bone dry, except for the noble-sweet wines. This was followed by remarks of Carl Willner, President of the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter). We then moved to another room, where members of the German Wine Society were pouring at three tables. After an hour or so, we moved back to the first room for a round of specialty wines from Luxembourg. Throughout the evening, the Embassy served finger food to accompany the wines.

Pictures: Finger Food

The very attractive mansion housing the Embassy dates from the beginning of the 20th century and became the residence of members of Luxembourg’s royal family as well as a diplomatic legation during World War II. Formerly the Ambassador’s residence, it has served as the chancery since the 1970s and was extensively renovated in 2002-2003.

Reception

We started the event with a Reception, where a Luxembourg sparkling wine was served.

Pictures: Reception with a Sparkler from Luxembourg

Opening Remarks

Ambassador Jean-Louis Wolzfeld welcomed us and introduced us to the wines of Luxembourg, which tend to be bone dry, except for the noble-sweet wines. This was followed by remarks of Carl Willner, President of the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter).

Pictures: Ambassador Jean-Louis Wolzfeld and German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) President Carl Willner

Tastings at Tables 1 - 3

We then moved to another room, where members of the German Wine Society were pouring at three tables, one with sparkling and rosé wines, one with wines from Caves Bernard-Massard and one with wines from Cloches des Roches, Schram et Fils and from the Domaine d’Etat.

Pictures: Tasting - Tables 1- 3

Table 1

The wines at Table 1 included:

Bernard Massard Cuvee de l’Ecusson Brut Blanc
Bernard Massard Cuvee de l’Ecusson Brut Rose

Pictures: Tasting

Table 2

The wines poured at Table 2 were all from Caves Bernhard Massard

2013 Bernard Massard Grand Premier Cru Riesling
2012 Bernard Massard Vin de Qualite Rivaner
2014 Bernard Massard Grand Premier Cru Auxerrois
2014 Bernard Massard Grand Premier Cru Pinot Gris

Pictures: Tasting

The Bernard-Massard Group was founded by Jean Bernard-Massard, a young oenologist who had started his career as a cellar master in the Champagne. He created the German branch in 1918 and the Luxembourgian branch in 1921.

The main activity of the Bernard-Massard branch in Luxembourg was, and still is, the production of fine méthode champenoise sparkling wines, with today over four million bottles annually. However, the firm also has a long history of producing great still white Luxembourg wines. The company now owns the individual estates of Château de Schengen and Clos des Rochers (see above). In 1995, it also acquired Monmousseau in Montrichard, Loire Valley (France). Over the past 2 decades, the Bernard-Massard Group in Trier has taken over the Wein- und Sektkellerei Langenberg in the Pfalz, Château Fontesteau in the Haut Medoc and the Sektkellerei Hoehl in the Rheingau.

Table 3

At Tble 3, wines from Cloches des Roches, Schram et Fils and from the Domaine d’Etat were poured.

The Embassy supplied some wines from its own cellar for the event, produced from the State Domain — ones that are not available for public sale but used only for events hosted by the Luxembourg government and its embassies.

The Domaine d’Etat is a government-owned winery, created in 1918. The wine it produces is not for sale and only served at official government functions. The Domaine d’Etat also fulfills other government functions, notably research and education.

Pictures: Tasting

Domaine Clos des Rochers: The 18 hectares of vines on the Domaine Clos des Rochers are spread around the best slopes in the communes of Grevenmacher and Wormeldange and in the locality of Ahn. They are planted with Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Riesling.

Domaine Clos des Rochers traces its origins back to the 19th century and has always been considered one of the most prestigious Luxembourg wine estates. Owned since the 19th century by the Clasen family, the Domaine Clos des Rochers belongs today to the Bernard Massard Group, which operates out of Grevenmacher in Luxembourg and also out of Trier in Germany.

2014 Clos des Rochers Grand Premier Cru Pinot Blanc

Tastings at Tables 4 - 5

We then moved back to the first room for a tasting of some older vintages (Table 4) and Luxembourg specialty wines (Table 5).

Picture: Tasting Tables 4 - 5

Table 4

At Table 4 one could taste some older vintages:

2008 Clos des Rochers Grand Premier Cru Pinot Gris
2009 Clos des Rochers Grand Premier Cru Auxerrois
2011 Schram & Fils Bech-Kleinmacher Naumberg Riesling Vin Moelleux

Picture: Tasting

Table 5

Luxembourg’s specialty wines are produced in very small quantities and these wines are not normally available for sale in the United States, but we could enjoy them on the territory of the Grand Duchy through the German Wine Society without having to make a trip to Luxembourg!


2010 Guy Krier-Welbes Ellange-Gare Auxerrois Vendange Tardive
2009 Guy Krier-Welbes Ellange-Gare Pinot Gris Vendange Tardive
2007 Caves St. Remy Remich Grand Premier Cru Riesling Vendange Tardive
2007 Caves St. Remy Remich Grand Premier Cru Riesling Vin de Glace

Picture: Tasting

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Picture: At Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil

One very special visit during Bordeaux by ombiasy WineTours (2015), was the one at Cooperage Berger et Fils. Until very recently and for a long time, the company was a family-company, run and owned by Rene Berger and his wife Valérie Berger. On the last tour, Valérie was our charming guide. Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil was recently acquired by the TFF Group.

TFF Group

TFF Group, formerly Tonnellerie Francois Freres SA, is a France-based company that manufactures and distributes oak barrels. The Company has four core businesses: stave milling, cooperage, cask manufacturing and oak wine-aging products. The Company has operating units in France, the United States, Spain, Hungary, South Africa, China, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland.

Cooperage Berger and Fils

Rene Berger: My passion was born from that of my father and grandfather. I am the proud descendant of a family of coopers, based in the Médoc, a truly exceptional land, since the beginning of the last century. From a very young age, these two men breathed into me the love of manual work and craftsmanship. They raised me in the pure artisanal tradition of master coopers, passing down their ancestral savoir-faire. It was therefore a natural conclusion that I should become a cooper in my turn.

Picture: Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil

When my father passed away in 1991, my first aim was to preserve and perpetuate his work, transmitting the craftsman’s skills to my own children. My mother’s full support was very important to me then, as it is now. It was also important to me to fight against an increasing standardization of production within the profession.

Running a family-based artisanal company does not, however, exclude innovation. I am very conscious of the new quality control requirements in an increasingly technical market. I use the latest technology allowing me to offer you the guarantee of high quality barrels, simply because: YOUR WINE DESERVES THE BEST.

Making a Barrel

Valérie Berger took us through the whole process of producing a wine barrel. A wine barrel is made up of staves which have been shaped into a bulging cylinder, and flat heads or ends. The staves are held in place by metal hoops. Six to eight hoops encircle the barrel spaced along the length. It takes approximately eight man hours to produce a single wine barrel.

Selection of the Oak

Valérie Berger: We choose the wood for our barrels with the help of well-known professionals, selecting slow-growing French Haute Futaie oak trees which become fine grain timber.

French oak is considered to be the most desirable wood for making wine barrels. Most French Oak comes from one or more of the forests planted in the days of Napoleon for ship building. Five of those forests are primarily used for wine barrel making: Allier, Limousin, Nevers, Trancais and Vosges forests. American Oak is considered to have too much influence on the content of the barrels. But usage is on the rise as the larger influence is sometimes desired and as American barrels are substantially less expensive than the French barrels. Hungarian Oak is also being used for barrel making.

Pictures: Natural Seasoning for 36 Months

The Stavemaker’s Work

Valérie Berger: To achieve the best blends, we acquire stave wood coming from different forests in the centre of France. For the same reason, we work in collaboration with different stave makers in the various areas ensuring a diversification in our supplies. Since 2003 we have developed a partnership with one of them who now prepares staves exclusively for the Tonnellerie Berger.

The selection of the stave wood is extremely important because it essentially determines the quality of the finished product. Wood is selected based on many criteria, including tree shape and growing conditions. These factors determine the textural variety of wood fibers, the fineness of grain and tannin content. Tight grain and fine tannin content are found only in the best wood.

Coding the Wood

Valérie Berger: Each pallet is coded by computer on arrival at our cooperage in Vertheuil, thus allowing the traceability of the barrel. The staves are then carefully stacked in the timber yard.

Natural Seasoning for 36 Months

Valérie Berger: Following the coding the staves are washed and then dried in the open air for at least 3 years in our 16,000 M2 timber yard. The wood will free itself of its harsh tannins and will gain the maturity and complexity necessary for the making of a great barrel.

Preparation of the Wood

Valérie Berger: Pallets of staves will be selected according to their origin, and assembled to create a personalized blend corresponding to the needs and wishes of each customer.

Assembling

Valérie Berger: Once selected, the staves are prepared and then assembled on a pattern table where the cooper “raises the barrel”, forming a daisy shape. The wood fibres are softened by pre-heating. Then comes the hooping that, thanks to the effects of fire and water, transforms the daisy into a barrel.

Pictures: Assembling

Toasting

Valérie Berger: The crucial stage of our art. Only the complete mastery of wood and fire makes the difference between a simple container and an exceptional barrel ready to age the wine. The “bousinage”, adapted to respect the particularities requested by each client, exults and nuances the aromas expressed by the wood. The hand-crafted nature of our cooperage enables us to create a tailor-made barrel for each and every one of our customers.

Pictures: Toasting

Hand-fitting, Marking and Scalding

Valérie Berger: The barrel heads are then individually fitted and each barrel is stamped to ensure traceability. A code records the origin and blend of the wood. An impermeability test is carried out by scalding. 10 litres of water heated to 70° C is pumped at high pressure into the barrel which is moved around so that the water is in contact with the whole surface of the inside of the barrel. This process allows us to check for possible leaks but also to collect test water to be analysed for each finished barrel in the aim of receiving the “Excell Inspection” certificate.

Pictures: Finishing

Finishing

Valérie Berger: At this stage we take great care of the aesthetic appearance of our barrel. They are thus sandpapered or hand-scraped for customers who prefer the “guistrage” finish. And the final galvanized steel hoops replace the assembly hoops. And last of all, according to the type of barrel, pine bars held in place by chestnut pegs are set on the heads for the Château Ferré, and four chestnut hoops, bound with a type of wicker are installed for the Bordelaise Traditionnelle. This last step is carried out only by very experienced craftsmen. It is a true heritage of ancestral expertise that can only be mastered after years of practice.

Picture: Finished

Postings on the Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France (Posted and Forthcoming)

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics

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

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Tour and Wine Dinner at Domaine de Chevalier with Director Adjoint Rémi Edange and Owner/Director Olivier Bernard – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France

Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

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

Tour and Tasting at Château Angélus– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Tour, Tasting and Wine Lunch at a Petit Château and Organic Producer: Château Beauséjour – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Visit of an Ultra-premium Non-mainstream Bordeaux Producer: Tertre Rôteboeuf, with Owner and Winemaker François Mitjavile, France – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour and Tasting at Château Figeac, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, in Saint-Émilion– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Tour and Wine Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours(2015), France

The Wine Empire of the von Neipperg Family in France, Bulgaria and Germany

Tour and Dinner at Château Canon La Gaffelière, Appellation Saint-Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Tour and Tasting at Château de Fargues, Appellation Sauternes, with Prince Eudes d’Orléans– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Wine Lunch at Restaurant Château de la Tour in Cadillac with Catherine Boyer, Château Du Cros, Loupiac– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Visit and Tasting: Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Wine Lunch at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte’s Restaurant La Grand’ Vigne (2 Stars Michelin, Chef: Nicolas Masse) – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Oysters in Bordeaux: Visiting the Oyster Farmer Raphael Doerfler and his Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France

Wine Dinner with Stefan and Heike Paeffgen, Château Le Reysse and Château Clos du Moulin, Vignobles Paeffgen, Appellation Médoc – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

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

Tour and Tasting at Château Léoville Poyferré, Appellation Saint-Julien, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Didier Cuvelier – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour, Tasting and Wine Lunch at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

The 5 Premiers Grands Crus Chateaux en 1855 of Bordeaux, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Mouton-Rothschild, Pauillac, 1ière Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux-Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Bordeaux, France

How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil

Lunch at Restaurant Le Peyrat in Saint-Estèphe with the Grape Pickers of Château Sociando Mallet

Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Basile Tesseron

Tour and Tasting at Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Tourt and tasting at Château Palmer, Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Diana Paulin

Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY 

Picture: Tasting with Markus Schneider at Weingut Markus Schneider in Ellerstadt, Pfalz

When President Obama and the First Lady where in Berlin in 2013 and sat down with Chancellor Merkel and her husband, Professor Dr. Sauer, for a State Dinner, what wines did they drink? A Mosel? A Rheingau? No, they were served wines of Weingut Dreissigacker in Rheinhessen and of Weingut Markus Schneider in the Pfalz. 2 star Michelin Chef Tim Raue prepared the food. Tim Raue: “The 2 winemakers and I represent very well the modern Germany: Globally thinking and at home in the region.”

Jochen Dreissigacker and Markus Schneider were very proud that their wines were selected: “Our wines are being poured all over the world – in Dubai, Norway, South Africa and of course in the United States. Our wines have not yet been served in the White House. But with the dinner at Schloss Charlottenburg we hopefully got a bit closer to that. We hope that President Obama liked our wines. German wines can compete with the best wines in the world.”

Picture: The First Lady Sipping Markus Schneider Wine (Source: Getty Images)

See:
The Wines Chancelor Merkel Served President Obama and Michelle Obama in Berlin (and the Wines she did not Serve), Germany

We had the pleasure and the privilege to spend almost 3 hours at Weingut Markus Schneider, with Markus Schneider. He gave us a cellar tour, including a visit of the newly constructed extension of the winery and led a wonderful tasting of his outstanding wines.

Pictures: Arriving at Weingut Markus Schneider

Weingut Markus Schneider

Weingut Markus Schneider is in Ellerstadt in the Pfalz. Markus Schneider learned how to make wine at Weingut Dr. Buerklin-Wolf in the Pfalz from 1991 to 1994. His father - Klaus Schneider – had grown grapes for many years as a member of the local wine cooperative, before leaving the wine co-operative and founding his own winery in 1990, with the view of setting up a winery for his son Markus. Four years later, Markus took over and 1994 was the first vintage made by and bottled under the name of Markus Schneider. In the following years, Markus Schneider increasingly shifted to making blends, based on international grape varieties, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Merlot that were a novelty for Germany.

Innovative Wine Labels and Wine Names

At the same time, the wines were marketed with non-traditional, modern labels and wine names; these wines became increasingly appealing for young and hipp wine consumers. Markus Schneider markets all his wines as QbA, without any reference to the predicate level (that have been dominating German wine classification for decades) and mostly without any reference to the vineyard(s) were the grapes come from (moving away from the terroir principle that has become increasingly important for traditional German wine producers).

Pictures: With Markus Schneider at Prowein 2015 in Düsseldorf

The Vineyards

Markus Schneider owns and leases vineyards. In addition to warmer vineyards in the valley around Ellerstadt, Weingut Markus Schneider also owns/leases vineyards in higher and cooler regions on the edge of the Haardt Mountains. The more than 90 hectares of vineyards spread over the following varieties: Weiße Rebsorten: 30 % Riesling, 8 % Weißer Burgunder, 5 % Grauburgunder, 5 % Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Rote Rebsorten: 12 % Spätburgunder, 12 % Blauer Portugieser, 10 % St. Laurent, 5 % Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Mitos.

In the Wine Cellar

When we did the cellar tour, Markus talked about how he makes his wines. He likes concentrated, fruity wines with intense aromas. Markus told us that he achieves this through strict yield limitation, late harvest and vineyard work focused on the physiological maturity of the grapes. Markus Schneider: „In the wine cellar, natural must concentration with traditional methods is important. For rosé and red wines, this is achieved through juice reduction of up to 40%, using the saignée method. In addition, red wines are very slowly fermented using traditional mash fermentation, which last for premium wines up to 3 months. The maturation takes place in traditional wooden casks and barrique barrels.“

„White wines are vinified with long maceration times (up to 48 hours). The maturation takes place until up to the bottling in the spring in stainless steel tanks, oak barrels and barriques. My white wines remain in contact with the fine yeast until shortly before bottling in order to achieve a complex aroma spectrum.”

Pictures: Touring Weingut Markus Schneider - Old Part

95% Sold Domestically

Markus Schneider produces 70.000 cases of wine every year. The demand for his wines is huge and he could easily sell the double or even triple amount of win.

The Emirates Airlines ordered 25.000 bottles of his 2013er Schlossgarten Riesling and the wine is now served in the business class of all Emirates Airlines flights. Alan Yau, the founder of the Hakkasan restaurant concept ordered Markus Schneider wines for his new restaurants in London. In Bangkok, where Alan Yau runs Nahm, arguably the best Asian restaurant in the world, Markus Schneider wines are already on the wine list. „Kaitui the food of Nahm are a perfect match” believes Markus Schneider.

But overall, most of the wines of Markus Schneider are sold in Germany. Exports account only for 5 percent.

Tour of the Winery Extension

While a year ago, we saw the impressive extension of the winery, while it was being constructed, this year, all work had been done and the extension was fully integrated into the rest of the winery. The extension created plenty of space (5000 m2) for a new bottling area and a storage/aging area for up to 500.000 bottles and 1600 barrique barrels. The overall space of the winery did however not increase by that amount as Markus Schneider was renting space in other locations, which he has terminated.

Pictures: Touring Weingut Markus Schneider  - New Part

Tasting

Following the tour of the cellar, including the new extension, we sat down with Markus Schneider for an extensive tasting.

Pictures: Tasting with Markus Schneider

White

2014 Markus Schneider Sauvignon Blanc Kaitui

The Kaitui 2012 was served at the State Dinner for President Obama and the First Lady.

The Markus Schneider Kaitui is a tribute to New Zealand which is well known for its Sauvignon Blanc. Kaitui means Schneider in the language of the Maori. Markus Schneider: “This is a very early bottling. The wine was fermented in stainless steel and also (starting with this vintage) also on large oak barrels.” A very fruity, lush, very much new world style Sauvignon Blanc.

2014 Markus Schneider Sauvignon Blanc Kaitui Fume

The Kaitui Fume is the older brother of the normal Kaitui, partly fermented and aged in 500 liter barrels of the Tonnellerie de Mercurey.

2014 Markus Schneider Riesling Alte Reben

35 year old vines.

2014 Markus Schneider Riesling Fuchsmantel

The vineyard was created in 1970.

2014 Markus Schneider Saumagen Riesling

Red

2013 Markus Schneider Black Print

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Dorsa. Aged for 12 months in barrique.

2012 Markus Schneider M Blaufränkisch

First vintage. Markus Schneider bought the vineyard planted with Blaufränkisch recently.

2012 Markus Schneider Tohuwabohu

Merlot, Cabernet Franc. 2012 is the best Tohuwabohu ever says Markus Schneider

2012 Markus Schneider Portugieser Einzelstück

Markus Schneider: “I only make this wine in very good years.”

2012 Markus Schneider Syrah Holy Moly

100% Syrah. Holy Moly exclaimed Walter Matthau when he first laid eyes on Sophia Loren. Markus Schneider: “This Syrah can stand up to the great Shiraz wines in the world. A Shiraz MADE IN GERMANY.”

Bye-bye

Thanks Markus!

Pictures: Bye-bye

Postings on the Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015) (Posted and Forthcoming)

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Fall Tours by ombiasy WineTours 2015 - A Very Special Treat: Experience Harvest Time !

Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour, Tasting (and Lunch) with Robert Schätzle, Owner and Winemaker, Weingut Schloss Neuweier in Baden– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2015)

Wine Pairing Lunch at Röttele’s Restaurant (1 Star Michelin) at Schloss Neuweier, with Owner and Winemaker Robert Schätzle, Weingut Schloss Neuweier - German South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2015)

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Salwey in Oberrotweil, Kaiserstuhl, Baden, with Benno Salwey – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and Wine Taverns in Freiburg, Baden, Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Franz Keller in Oberbergen, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Paring Lunch at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler (1 Star Michelin) in Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Bernhard Huber in Baden, with Yquem Viehauser and Julian Huber – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Heger in Ihringen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour and Tasting at Maison Léon Beyer in Eguisheim, Alsace, France, with Marc Beyer – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

At Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg, Alsace, with Catherine Faller: Tasting and Tour – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Wine Lunch at Weingut Jülg with Johannes Jülg– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Schiller's Favorite (Wine-) Restaurants in Deidesheim in the Pfalz, Germany

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Müller Catoir – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour and Tasting at Weingut A. Christmann in Gimmeldingen, Pfalz, with Steffen Christmann – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Winning in Deidesheim, Pfalz– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Josef Biffar, in Deidesheim, with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant fumi at Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka: Japan Meets Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Markus Schneider in Ellerstadt, Pfalz, with Markus Schneider

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Koehler Ruprecht in Kallstadt, Pfalz, with Franzi Schmitt – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Dreissigacker in Bechtheim, Rheinhessen, with Ute Dreissigacker

Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Weingut Eva Vollmer in Mainz-Ebersheim, Rheinhessen - Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY   

Picture: A Regular

This unassuming, very traditional French restaurant is always packed for lunch. Last time we bumped into the head winemaker of Sociando-Mallet. This year we were joined by the grape pickers of Sociando-Mallet.

Pictures: Restaurant Le Peyrat in Saint-Estèphe

Gimenez Jean Bernard (Le Gérant): Déjà réputé pour ses Anguilles que les gens du crû et la clientèle de passage venaient déguster, j’ai tenu à les maintenir au menu. Je me suis attaché à cette belle région riche en culture ainsi qu’à ses habitants fidèles à leurs traditions.

Pictures: Soup

N’étant pas Médocain de souche, je le suis de cœur, c’est pour cela que j’ai voulu une cuisine à leur image généreuse, conviviale et authentique.

Pictures: Gimenez Jean Bernard Greeting us

J’espère que vous passerez un moment agréable en notre compagnie. Toute l’équipe du Peyrat se joint à moi pour vous souhaiter un bon appétit et vous remercier de votre visite.

Pictures: The Sociando-Mallet Grape Pickers

TripAdvisor: I had lunch in this unassuming family run cafe that you would pass by quite easily. These are great people, everything is rather simple but particularly good in a kind of rustic way. (…) The fish soup ah yes the fish soup with rouille cest magnifique, so easy and so delightful - be adventurous with menu and ask for recommendations, these are real people - lovely service.

Pictures: Coffee

Bye-bye

Picture: Bye-bye

Postings on the Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France (Posted and Forthcoming)

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics

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

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Tour and Wine Dinner at Domaine de Chevalier with Director Adjoint Rémi Edange and Owner/Director Olivier Bernard – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France

Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

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

Tour and Tasting at Château Angélus– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Tour, Tasting and Wine Lunch at a Petit Château and Organic Producer: Château Beauséjour – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Visit of an Ultra-premium Non-mainstream Bordeaux Producer: Tertre Rôteboeuf, with Owner and Winemaker François Mitjavile, France – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour and Tasting at Château Figeac, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, in Saint-Émilion– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Tour and Wine Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours(2015), France

The Wine Empire of the von Neipperg Family in France, Bulgaria and Germany

Tour and Dinner at Château Canon La Gaffelière, Appellation Saint-Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Tour and Tasting at Château de Fargues, Appellation Sauternes, with Prince Eudes d’Orléans– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Wine Lunch at Restaurant Château de la Tour in Cadillac with Catherine Boyer, Château Du Cros, Loupiac– Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Visit and Tasting: Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Wine Lunch at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte’s Restaurant La Grand’ Vigne (2 Stars Michelin, Chef: Nicolas Masse) – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Oysters in Bordeaux: Visiting the Oyster Farmer Raphael Doerfler and his Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France

Wine Dinner with Stefan and Heike Paeffgen, Château Le Reysse and Château Clos du Moulin, Vignobles Paeffgen, Appellation Médoc – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

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

Tour and Tasting at Château Léoville Poyferré, Appellation Saint-Julien, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Didier Cuvelier – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour, Tasting and Wine Lunch at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

The 5 Premiers Grands Crus Chateaux en 1855 of Bordeaux, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Mouton-Rothschild, Pauillac, 1ière Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux-Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Bordeaux, France

How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Lunch at Restaurant Le Peyrat in Saint-Estèphe with the Grape Pickers of Château Sociando Mallet

Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Basile Tesseron

Tour and Tasting at Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Tourt and tasting at Château Palmer, Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Diana Paulin

Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY 

Picture: Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, and Valerie Masten, National Sales Director for Terry Theise, in New York

Terry Theise is one of the leading experts of German Wine in the US. Among the vast number of his followers, he has gained something like a cult status. He publishes a thick catalogue once a year with extensive comments. In addition to the compendium of exciting wine reviews, the Terry Theise’s annual catalogue is a very good introduction to German wine, both to the basics and to the current trends and issues.

If you want to learn more about Terry, the Washington Post carried an excellent article about him some time ago. See here.

2008 James Beard Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional
2005 Food & Wine Magazine Importer of the Year

His wines are imported by Michael Skurnik, an importer and distributor of fine wines based in Syosset, New York. Terry also imports Austrian wine and Champagnes, including excellent grower Champagnes.

A few comments. First, there are no red wines, although they now account for 1/3 of the German wine output. Terry is clearly focusing on Germany’s white wines. Second, nor have I seen a category for sparkling wines; for sparklers, you have to go to his excellent portfolio of Champagnes, including many grower Champagnes. Third, his list does not include any noble-sweet wines (Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Eiswein). Fourth, Terry is known for having a preference for sweet-style wines, although his portfolio increasingly includes also dry wines (more on this see below). Fifth, as mentioned above, this is not a list based on a comprehensive review of German wine, but is limited to Terry Theise’s portfolio of winemakers, which is large and exceptional.

For previous years, see: 

Therry Theise’s Best German Wines and Winemakers – Vintage 2014
Terry Theise: German 2013 Vintage Wines - Highlights and Superlatives, Germany
Terry Theise: 2012 Vintage Wines - Highlights and Superlatives, Germany
Terry Theise’s Top German Wines of the 2011 Vintage, Germany, USA
2011: Terry Theise’s Top German Wines of the 2010 Vintage
Terry Theise's Top German Wines of the 2009 Vintage

Terry Theise’s Portfolio and ombiasy WineTours

My wife Annette Schiller organizes wine tours to Germany (This year: 3 tours – Germany-North, Germany-South and Germany-East). Many of the winemakers we have visited or will visit this year, are represented in the US by Terry Theise: Diel, Dönnhoff, Spreitzer, Von Winning, Kruger-Rumpf, Künstler, Selbach-Oster, Müller-Catoir, etc. I have added pictures from some of these visits, including references to relevant postings on schiller-wine.

Picture: At Weingut von Winning in Deidesheim, Pfalz. See: Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Winning in Deidesheim, Pfalz– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Therry Theise’s Best Germany Wines and Winemakers – Vintage 2015

Here is Terry Theise in o-tone.

How is 2015? It is the perfect vintage for its moment. The quick-and-dirty headline is, 2015 is very good, and it contains many great wines. 2015 presents as a strong, even robust vintage, muscular and ripped. It’s easy to see into, easy to grok, but while the wines are sturdy they are rarely brutish. As a rule they aren’t lacy or filigree, though they are often seriously complex.

So does 2015 favor dry wines or sweet ones? Neither! There are stunningly good dry wines and stunningly good sweet wines. We had been alerted that the vintage was “crunchy,” and yes, its acids are prominent across the board. Geezers will remember the 1990 vintage, to which 2015 compares, though ’15 benches an extra 75 pounds. Considering the climactic extremes of 2015, the wines are surprisingly heterogeneous. Each time a sort of hypothetical “vintage norm” was identified there’d be an entirely exceptional and atypical collection that left me shaking my idiot head. Catoir, Dönnhoff, Spreitzer, Diel, Selbach – how did they make such wines?”

There are a lot of really fucked-up great wines in this vintage. I’ll try desperately to remain disciplined.

THE WINERY OF THE VINTAGE IS:

It could be any of half a dozen names. Seriously. If we take Dönnhoff ’s name out of “retirement” then it is clearly him, and I think this is really Cornelius’ ascension-vintage, the one where he starts to work a tactile alchemy. Similarly I can make a strong case for Selbach-Oster, but they’re scooped the kudo so often of late that it may be time to retire their number also. Still, one stands in mute awe when faced with what they’ve both achieved.

Pictures: Helmut Dönnhoff receiving the Ombiasy Group in 2013. See: German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Yet no one would be surprised if they see Dönnhoff and Selbach-Oster’s names again. Yet again. Oh them again. Yes the wines are great, but we already know this.

I have a surprise for you. It was a surprise for me too. It’s not as big a winery, and so the achievement doesn’t denote the same degree of virtuosity or craftsmanship, and yet it was at least as miraculous and maybe even more so, especially following two very difficult crops. It’s a sentimental beloved of mine, and I allow for that when I taste. But even then I was overcome. So, sybarites, give it up for the teensy little estate of Merkelbach, who slipped into some sort of apotheosis in 2015.

Picture: Wine Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, with Johannes Selbach - Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014). See: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, with Johannes Selbach – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

OTHER MARKED SUCCESSES:

(In the order in which I tasted them)...

Diel was incisive, articulate, gorgeous, craftsmanlike, and the dry wines were the best I’ve tasted there.

Spreitzer keeps improving, and one wine in particular was among the most profound they’ve ever shown me.

Müller-Catoir was markedly strong in the RS-segment, especially with two toe-curling Rieslaners.
Minges showed me their best-ever vintage for white wines.

von Winning almost goes without saying now, having become one of the most significant estates not just in the Pfalz, but in all of Germany.

Adam was supreme in the dry and Feinherb idioms.

Picture: Christian Schiller with Armin and Caroline Diel at Schlossgut Diel. See: Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

THE WINE OF THE VINTAGE IS:

(With Dönnhoff and Selbach included....)

Dönnhoff Hermannshöhle Riesling Grosses Gewächs
-or-
Selbach-Oster Riesling Schmitt

(Without those two)...

Actually....

Adam Sängerei Riesling Feinherb, an explosive and classic example of the future of German Riesling, endowed with every possible complexity and concentration.

RUNNERS-UP INCLUDE:

Schneider Niederhäuser Kertz Riesling Feinherb

Goldatzel Johannisberger Hölle Riesling Auslese

Spreitzer Winkeler Jesuitengarten Alte Reben Riesling Feinherb (this represents an apex both of the domain and the Rheingau in general, as great as it can be in its particular way.)

Müller-Catoir Gimmeldinger Schlössel Rieslaner Spätlese

von Winning 2015 Sauvignon Blanc “I”

Merkelbach Uerziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese #10

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 1-star

Picture: Tasting with Bernd Spreitzer, Weingut Spreitzer. See: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Spreitzer in Oestrich, Rheingau, with Bernd Spreitzer – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

HIGH SPOTS AMONG ROSÉS:

(insofar as more and more growers are producing rosés, these are the conspicuous successes among them, YEAR-ROUND rosés with stuffing and vinosity.)

Diel Pinot Noir Rosé (best vintage ever for this perennially classy wine.)

Schneider Spätburgunder Feinherb (mind-blowing!)

von Winning Pinot Noir (the most intense and driving wine among this category.)

Adam Pinot Noir (the most interesting and improbable.)

Picture: Tasting at Weingut Hexamer with Harald and Petra Hexamer. See: Wine Tasting at Weingut Hexamer in Monzingen, Nahe– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

THE GREATES TROCKEN WINES

(In a category whose successes continue to grow both in number and in stature, which makes me very happy...)

Diel Goldloch “GG”

Dönnhoff Höllenpfad (not to mention Felsenberg “GG”)

Spreitzer Rosengarten “GG”

Künstler Domdechaney

von Winning Langenmorgen (subjectively; I adore this vineyard) and/or Kirchenstück (objectively, as this is clearly hors classe among their range.)

Picture: Gunter Künstler, Weingut Künstler, with Christian Schiller. See: Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Künstler– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

THE GREATES FEINHERB WINES

(The most versatile, useful and ridiculously delicious dry enough wines, demonstrating the principle that “The perfect dry wine is often not perfectly dry.”)

Schneider Niederhäuser Kertz Riesling Feinherb

Dönnhoff estate Riesling

Müller-Catoir “MC” Riesling

Selbach-Oster Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese Alte Reben Feinherb

Picture: Wine Dinner with Georg Rumpf at Weingut Kruger-Rumpf. See: Wine Dinner with Tour at Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in Münster-Sarmsheim, Nahe, with Georg Rumpf – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

THE VERY GREATEST VALUES

(In various price ranges, the wines that most impressively punch above their weight.)

Schneider Riesling Kabinett LITERS

Dönnhoff estate Riesling (in my opinion, the greatest white-wine value ON EARTH)

Minges Rieslaner Spätlese (a truly insane value for a total masterpiece!)

Merkelbach simply put—Every. Single. Wine.

von Winning “Winnings”

THE GREATEST AMONG AN EXCELLENT VINTAGE FOR SCHEUREBE:

Minges Gleisweiler Trocken

Minges (estate) Feinherb (This man is becoming the wizard of Scheurebe, and seems to go from strength to strength.)

THE GREATEST AMONG THE MANY GREAT AUSLESEN:

(In essence any Auslese I offer had to surmount my reluctance to clutter the portfolio with unsalable wine. But these were the utter best, and if they don’t curl your toes you should check your feet to make sure you actually still have toes.)

Geil Riesling

Diel Dorsheim (and the Pittermännchen is equally good)

Hexamer Schlossböckelheimer In Den Felsen

Dönnhoff both Brücke and Hermannshöhle show this category at its most sublime.)

Müller-Catoir Haardter Herzog Rieslaner (the very best of them all!)

Minges Rieslaner (almost as stunning as the Catoir.)

Eugen Müller Forster Kirchenstück

Merkelbach Uerziger Würzgarten Riesling #8 (The single greatest wine I have ever tasted from Rolf and Alfred.)

Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg (A thrall of meditative Mosel perfection.)

Picture: At Weingut Müller Catoir. See: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Müller Catoir – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Winning in Deidesheim, Pfalz– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, with Johannes Selbach – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014 

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Spreitzer in Oestrich, Rheingau, with Bernd Spreitzer – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Tasting at Weingut Hexamer in Monzingen, Nahe– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Künstler– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wine Dinner with Tour at Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in Münster-Sarmsheim, Nahe, with Georg Rumpf – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Müller Catoir – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Pictures: Ernst Loosen and his Ultra-premium Dry GG and GG Reserve Wines

Ernst Loosen, one of Germany’s most iconic winemakers, was in town (Washington DC, USA) for a series of events, including a seminar with sommeliers, bloggers and journalists at Cork Market on 14th Street and a winemaker dinner at Chef Bryan Voltaggio’s Range Restaurant. Before the dinner, Ernie stopped at MacArthur Beverages, the leading wine store for German wine in the Greater Washington DC area, for a 2 hours tasting. I already reported about the Mac Arthur Beverages event here: Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages: The Doctor was Back in the House - A Rare In-Store Visit from Dr. Loosen, USA

Pictures: Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages and Ernst Loosen

Interestingly, while Ernie presented at MacArthur Beverages’ his full range of wines, including trocken (dry), fruity-sweet and noble-sweet wines, at the seminar with the movers and shakers of the Washington DC wine scene he poured his dry wines only, including 4 ultra-premium (Grosses Gewächs) wines.

Only Dry Rieslings

At this year’s Rieslingfeier in New York, an annual event with German top winemakers celebrating German Riesling, Josi Leitz from Weingut Leitz, well known for his fruity-sweet wines, poured only dry wines at the “Gränd Tasting”, including ultra-premium GG wines. “Well, everyone who has his/her ears to the ground knows what is happening in the US market as far as German wine is concerned” Josi said.

Pictures: Ernst Loosen with Rob Stewart (Wine Educator, Washington DC), Andy Myers (Wine Director of Jose Andres Think-FoodGroup, Washington DC), Julie Dalton (Sommelier at Wit and Wisdom Tavern, Four Seasons Hotel, Baltimor) and Christan Schiller

Along the same lines, Ernst Loosen, well known for his fruit-sweet Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese wines and noble-sweet Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein wines: “There is a growing interest in the trocken style. Therefore, I decided a few years ago to supplement the Dr. Loosen wine portfolio with dry wines, including ultra-premium dry GG wines”. But I will never give up making my delicious Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese wines, Ernst said.

Pictures: Ernst Loosen and Annette Schiller (ombiasy WineTours)

At a recent tasting at the American Wine Society under the title “The New Germany: Dry, Red and Sparkling” Annette Schiller poured dry German wines only, reflecting the growing interest for German dry (and red) wines in the American market. See: The New Germany (from an American Perspective): Dry, Red and Sparkling – Tasting at the American Wine Society with Annette Schiller, USA/ Germany

Picture: The New Germany: Dry, Red and Sparkling – Tasting at the American Wine Society (Northern Virginia Chapter) with Annette Schiller

Ernst Loosen and Dry Mosel Rieslings

100 years ago, Mosel wines, and more generally, German wines, were all dry (except for the rare noble-sweet wines) as winemakers were not able to make low alcohol, fruity-sweet Kabinett, Spätlese or Auslese wines. This changed with the invention of sterile filtration, enabling winemakers to interrupt the fermentation and bottle low alcohol wine with residual sugar, without fear of bacterial spoilage. Until the invention of sterile filtration, German wines were dry. Fermentation continued until all the sugar was consumed, leaving only miscellaneous unfermentable sugars. Only the occasional sweet rarity, made from extremely ripe grapes, kept any residual sugar.

On his father’s side, Ernie said, wines were always produced in a dry style, while on his mother’s side (his mother came from the Prüm family), after the technique to make fruity-sweet wines became available, wines were always made in a sweet style.

Pictures: Ernst Loosen, Annette Schiller and Christian Schiller with ombiasy WineTours at Weingut Dr. Loosen, Bernkastel-Kues. See: Ernst Loosen Presented his Wines at Weingut Dr. Loosen, Bernkastel-Kues, Mosel Valley, Germany

GG Wines

Ernst poured 3 entry-level dry wines and 4 ultra-premium dry wines (Grosses Gewächs wines).

What is a Grosses Gewächs - GG? In a nutshell, the VDP is moving to a classification system that resembles very much the classification system in the Bourgogne. The classification of the VDP puts the terroir principle at the center of its classification approach. With the latest modifications of 2012, the absolutely finest vineyards are called Grosse Lage and dry wines from these super top vineyards are called Grosses Gewächs. Grosses Gewächs wines are the finest dry wines from Germany’s finest vineyards.

Pictures: The Seminar with Ernst Loosen, Sarah Noble, National Sales Director and Molly Brakvill Sweeney, Corporate Sales, Dr. Loosen Bros. Imports

To qualify for the Grosses Gewächs label, a number of criteria need to be respected. (i) The fruit has to come from a Grosse Lage vineyard. (ii) At harvest, the grapes need to be at least at Spätlese level in terms of the sugar content. (iii) Only certain – typical - grape varieties are allowed, including Riesling and Spätburgunder. (iv) Further restrictions apply: there are yield restrictions; only hand picking of grapes is permitted and harvest must be late in the autumn.

GG Reserve Wines

In addition to 3 GG wines, Ernst also poured a GG Reserve wine. While the GGs are released 12 months after harvest, the GG Reserve wines aged longer.

Picture: GG Reserve

Ernst Loosen: “These Reserve Rieslings are a unique approach to Grosses Gewächs wines, which are dry Riesling from the top Grosse Lagen (Grand Cru) vineyards. I am returning to the traditions of my great grandfather who produced exclusively dry Riesling from our best vineyards and aged them for 24 to 36 months in large oak Fuder barrels. I have always believed that dry German Riesling deserved the same respect internationally as sweet Riesling, which has not been the case up to now. With the Grosses Gewächs Riesling Reserve, I feel we are now at the level of excellence I have been striving for over the last 25 years.”

The Wines we Tasted

Pictures: The Tasting

Here are the wines Ernst poured. In addition to my own notes, I am copying the tasting notes of Todd Goddbout from the WineCompass blog, who also attended the tasting and wrote about it, here: Ernst Loosen Comes To Town to Discuss Dry Riesling

Picture: Ernst Loosen and Todd Goddbout (WineCompass)

2014 Villa Wolf Dry Riesling (US $12)

This is an entry-level Riesling from the weathered sandstone soils of the Pfalz region, made in the traditional, medium-bodied dry stale of the Pfalz region. Ernst Loosen purchased Weingut Villa Wolf a number of years ago.


2014 Dr. L Riesling Dry (US $12)

This is a relatively new wine. While the Dr. L Riesling (with some residual sugar) has been around for a while, the Dr. L Riesling Dry is being introduced to the US market now, relfecting the groing interest for the dry style German wines.

Clean, crisp and fruity, this wine is produced from contracted growers throughout the Mosel valley. A perfect introduction to the world of dry Mosel Riesling.

Todd Goddbout – WineCompass: This is the winery's entry level wine made from contracted fruit that Dr. Loosen's vineyard manager oversees. Most of these vineyards reside in blue slate soils. For such an inexpensive wine there is a pronounced floral aroma, a touch of minerals and racy acids.


2014 Dr. Loosen “Red Slate” Riesling Dry (US $18)

This dry Riesling is produced exclusively with fruit from estate-owned vineyards with red slate soils. It is fermented naturally in 3000 liter, neutral oak casks and kept on the full lees for 12 months.

Todd Goddbout – WineCompass: This wine is made from red slate estate vineyards in Erden and Ürzig and fermented on its less for 12 months in the 3,000-liter oak casks. This is a richer, rounder, and more elegant wine, with intense minerals that compliment the citrus profile. The finish is more subdued but plenty refreshing.


2013 Wehlener Sonnenuhr (The Sundial of Wehlen) Riesling GG Alte Reben (US $54)

Wehlener Sonnenuhr is one of greatest vineyards in the middle Mosel, one of Weingut Dr. Loosen’s Grosse Lage vineyards. Made from old vines (Alte Reben) that have been fermented in traditional 1000 liter Fuder casks and the wines are left on the full lees for 12 months.

Todd Goddbout – WineCompass: This single vineyard GG wine comes from the steep and rocky blue slate vineyard (VAY-len-er ZON-en-ooer) where the vines are well over 100 years old. The wine is fermented and aged in traditional 1,000-liter Fuder casks on less for one year. The result is a full bodied, yet feminine wine showing more apple over citrus and still plenty of acids for a refreshing finish. Ernst refers to this wine as a graceful ballet dancer.


2012 Erdener Treppchen (The Little Staircase of Erden) Riesling GG Alte Reben (US $54)

Made from old vines (Alte Reben) that have been fermented in traditional 1000 liter Fuder casks and the wines are left on the full lees for 12 months.

Todd Goddbout – WineCompass: Long ago, in order to tend the vines, workers built stone steeps into the hillside of this red slate vineyard. Ernst referred to this wine as a "mountain climber", not only referencing the stone steps, but also because it is a muscular wine - complex and intense. There is also a considerable mineral content - almost minty in flavor that helps transition the wine from its wet stone aroma to the finish.


2013 Ürziger Würzgarten (The Spice Garden of Ürzig) Riesling GG Alte Reben (US $54)

The Ürziger Würzgarten vineyard is planted on red volcanic sandstone producing richer, more tropical wines. This GG is kept in the Fuder caks for 12 months before bottling.

Todd Goddbout – WineCompass: The steep Ürziger Würzgarten (ERTS-ih-ger VERTS-gar-ten) vineyard was planted in red volcanic soil over 100+ years ago. Like the other GG wines, this one is fermented and aged in Fuder cask for one year before bottling. The herbal aroma is overpowering with the palate exploding with tropical and mineral driven flavors. Another intense offering.


2012 Ürziger Würzgarten (The Spice Garden of Ürzig) Riesling GG Alte Reben Reserve (US $92)

This is the same wine as the Ürziger Würzgarten GG but with an extra 12 months in the 1000 liter Fuder cask before being bottled. This stunning wine is richer and more complex, and the acidity more integrated. This is only the second vintage that Weingut Dr. Loosen has made a GG Reserve.

Todd Goddbout – WineCompass: This reserve wine is the same fruit from the previous wine, but kept in oak for 24 months and then aged a year in the bottle before release. Whereas the GG version was intense, this wine is smooth and elegant - almost delicate. The acids are soft, but still refreshing. Fantastic.


Thanks

Thanks Ernst for a very informative and entertaining event. All the best with your outstanding dry wines.

Picture: Christian Schiller, Ernst Loosen, Annette Schiller

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

Wine Tasting at Weingut Dr. Loosen in Bernkastel-Kues, Mosel – Germany-North by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

A New Dr. Loosen Project Setting the Standard for Dry German Rieslings

Riesling from Germany and Pinot Noir from Oregon: A Winemaker Dinner with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen and J.Christopher Wines, at Black Salt in Washington DC

Riesling, Pinot Noir and Indian Cuisine: A tête-à-tête Dinner with Winemaker Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at Rasika in Washington DC, USA

Ernst Loosen and Dr. L. Riesling - His Hugely Popular Entry-level Wine Sold Throughout the World

The Doctor Made a House Call - A Tasting with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC, USA

Riesling Revolution in China: Weingut Dr. Loosen, Germany, Domaine Hugel et Fils, Alsace and Jim Barry, Australia - China Tour to Promote Riesling

Ernst Loosen Presented his Wines at Weingut Dr. Loosen, Bernkastel-Kues, Mosel Valley, Germany

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

Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages: The Doctor was Back in the House - A Rare In-Store Visit from Dr. Loosen, USA

The New Germany (from an American Perspective): Dry, Red and Sparkling – Tasting at the American Wine Society with Annette Schiller, USA/ Germany

Picture: Annette Schiller with Owner Basile Tesseron, Directeur Technique Lucas Leclerq and Vineyard Manager Anaïs Maillet at Château Lafon-Rochet

This Château features some of the finest vineyards in the world. It is situated in the small appellation Saint-Estèphe and is sandwiched between two prominent neighbors: Cos-d’Estournel on the other side of the street and Lafite-Rothschild, separated only by a small dirt track, and visible across the vineyard that belongs to Lafon-Rochet. Since the 16th century this Château makes excellent wines and had been in the hands of the Lafon family for almost 300 years. In 1895 the phylloxera disaster forced the family to sell Château Lafon-Rochet. A period of a rapid succession of several disinterested owners followed until Guy Tesseron (who also bought Château Pontet-Canet) acquired the Château in the 1960s. He and then his son Michel brought Lafon-Rochet back to its former glory. The new generation is now at the helm and Basile Tesseron is energetically pursuing quality control.

Basile Tesseron was our host. We were also greeted by Michel Tesseron, Directeur Technique Lucas Leclerq and Vineyard Manager Anaïs Maillet.

Pictures: Arriving at Château Lafon-Rochet

Château Lafon-Rochet

Château Lafon-Rochet is a 4th Grand Cru en 1855 in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of the Medoc. It is one of the 5 classified properties in the appellation of Saint Estèphe. Its grounds are separated from those of Château Lafite to the north by the width of the road and from Cos d'Estournel by a dirt path.

Pictures: Owner Basile Tesseron Greeting us

History

The history of Château Lafon-Rochet starts in the 16th century, when a portion known as Rochet (because of its rocky terrain) eventually passed by marriage to Etienne de Lafon, who established Lafon-Rochet. The estate then passed down through the Lafon generations for almost 300 years.

When Guy Tesseron became the owner in 1959, it needed a serious restoration and Guy Tesseron did restore it to its former glory. Guy Tesseron was from a Chanterais family, specializing in the Cognac production.
Guy Tesseron first put the vineyards back in order. He then built new chai, and a new château, in the style of the 18th century. Also, some 25 hectares were added to the vineyard.

In 1975, Guy Tesseron also acquired 5th growth Chateau Pontet-Canet from the Cruse family. Both châteaux subsequently passed to the next generation with Lafon-Rochet coming to Michel Tesseron. Currently the property is in the good hands of Michel’s son, Basil Tesseron.

Pictures: With Owner Basile Tesseron, Directeur Technique Lucas Leclerq and Vineyard Manager Anaïs Maillet in the Cellar of Château Lafon-Rochet

Michel and Basile Tesseron

Before joining the family business in 1987, Michel Tesseron worked in in Cognac, then in Bordeaux for Barton & Guestier, and for the négociants Chantecaille.

It was Michel Tesseron who oversaw the painting of the château yellow in 2000. At the same time, the bottles were redesigned and matching yellow labels and capsules are used now.

Basile Tesseron took over with the 2007 vintage and he now has full control.

Pictures: Michel Tesseron and his Dog

Vineyards and Wine Making

Lafon-Rochet's vineyards covers 45 hectares and are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon 54%, Merlot 40%, Cabernet Franc 4%, Petit Verdot 2%.

Basile Tesseron and Vineyard Manager Anaïs Maillet are steering Château Lafon-Rochet towards biodynamic viticulture, following the example of Basile’s uncle at Pontet-Canet. But Lafon-Rochet has not yet been certified.

Pictures: Cellar Tour

During our visit, I saw for the first time the completely renovated wine cellar. Importantly, Basile and Michel Tesseron decided to go the route of stainless steel tanks and concrete vats. To match the 40 different vineyard parcels, the estate now has 18 stainless steel tanks and 18 concrete vats in different sizes and shapes for fermentation. The wine is aged for 9 months in new oak and for another 9 month in used oak.

The grand vin is Château Lafon-Rochet (11000 cases). The second wine is Pélerins de Lafon-Rochet (also 11000 cases per annum and once known as Numéro 2 de Lafon-Rochet).

Pictures: At the Sorting Table

Tasting

Following the tour, we tasted 3 wines.

Pélerins de Lafon-Rochet 2011

This second label from Chateau Lafon Rochet is just fabulous and while it is made in the same traditional manner as its famous big brother, the wine reveals itself more rapidly so you can enjoy all summer with your steak barbecues! (Royal Wine Merchants, NYC)

Wine-searcher average price: US$ 20

Lafon-Rochet 2006

Tasted blind at Southwold '06 Bordeaux tasting. The best showing of the Lafon Rochet '06 so far! It has an open nose that is well defined, but unashamedly earthy and austere with aromas of pencil shavings, leather and a touch of white pepper. The palate is medium-bodied with sharp acidity, a decent backbone here, structured, blackberry laced with black pepper with a salty tang towards the finish. Moderate length and a lively, tactile, "umami" aftertaste. Tasted January 2010. Score: 90 Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com, July 2010

US$ 60 at K&L Wine Merchants

Pictures: Tasting with Basile Tesseron

Lafon-Rochet 2010

I had some bottle variation with this blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The 2010 from Lafon Rochet seemed slightly restrained and closed down on the three occasions I tasted it in Bordeaux. Dense black/ruby, it displays sweet tannin, excellent purity, fresh fruit and a very primary, almost grapy style with lots of fruit, but at the same time, a somewhat monolithic character. It should turn out fine, but it certainly needs a good 7-8 years of cellaring and should drink well for up to two decades.The property is owned by the Tesseron family and run by the newest generation, son Basile, who is converting the estate to biodynamic farming a la his uncle, Alfred Tesseron at Pontet Canet. (2/ 2013) 90 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

US$ 49 at Flickinger Wine Merchants

Pictures: Annette and Christian Schiller with Directeur Technique Lucas Leclerq and Vineyard Manager Anaïs Maillet in Washington DC

Bye-bye

Thank you very much Basile Tesseron, Lucas Leclercq and Anaïs Maillet for a great tour and tasting.

Pictures: Bye-bye

schiller-wine: Related Postings (Château Lafon-Rochet)

Winemaker Dinner with Château LAFON-ROCHET Wines and Winemaker Anaïs Maillet at Chef Bart Vandaele’s Hipp B Too Restaurant in Washington DC, US/France

A Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet in Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, with Winemaker and Owner Basile Tesseron (2013), France

An Afternoon with Owner Michel Tesseron at Château Lafon-Rochet, 4ème Cru Classé en 1855, in Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux

Tasting the Wines of Chateau Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ème Cru Classé en 1855, with Owner Basil Tesseron at the French Embassy in Washington DC, USA/France

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4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

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Tour and Tasting at Château Mouton-Rothschild, Pauillac, 1ière Grand Cru Classé – Bordeaux-Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Bordeaux, France

How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Lunch at Restaurant Le Peyrat in Saint-Estèphe with the Grape Pickers of Château Sociando Mallet – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Basile Tesseron

Tour and Tasting at Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Tourt and tasting at Château Palmer, Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Diana Paulin

Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY  

Picture: Owner Johannes Hasselbach, Weingut Gunderloch, with Annette and Christian Schiller at 9. K&M Gutsweine Hausmesse, Frankfurt, Germany

Bernd Klingenbrunn’s and Armin Busch's K&M Gutsweine is a leading wine retailer (with 2 shops and an online business) in Frankfurt, Germany, my base, when I am in Europe. Once a year, Bernd and Armin present their outstanding German wine portfolio to their customers, with many of the wine producers present. This year, I was lucky to be in Frankfurt at the time of show. Here are my impressions.

Pictures: 9. K&M Gutsweine Hausmesse (Photos Sven Klundt)

Picture: Bernd Klingenbrunn and Armin Busch

Participating Winemakers

Pfalz

Weingut Klundt

Lyle Fass, New York: Sven is a brilliant winemaker, very smart and incredibly nice and polite.  It was evident from the first taste of his basic wines that he is an incredible young talent. But then we moved to the 2013 Kastanienbusch which was in barrel and very early in its life. Sven did not want to taste me on it as it needed tons of coaxing in the glass and was not clarified so it was cloudy. I sat there with a small glass of the 2013 Kastanienbusch and sniffed and swirled and tasted until it finally got to the place I wanted it to go.  I was thrilled - we finally have our Kastanienbusch and at a price 40% less than I thought I would have to charge. It's about 1/3rd the price of Hansjorg Rebholz's you get a wine from a young up and coming grower from one of the greatest terroirs in Germany.

Picture: Sven Klundt at 9. K&M Gutsweine Hausmesse

Reichsrat von Buhl

One of the great producers in the Pfalz with a long history that recently has taken a new direction with a new owner, new management team and a new winemaker, Matthieu Kaufmann, who was the Chef de Cave of Bollinger before joining Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl. We will visit Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl on this year's Germany-South tour by ombiasy WineTours, see: Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

Weingut Mehling

Weingut Pfirmann

Weingut Jülg

Annette and I discovered Weingut Jülg at an earlier K&M Gutswein Hausmesse. Since then, we have visited Weingut Jülg several times on an ombiasy wine tour, see: Wine Lunch at Weingut Jülg with Johannes Jülg – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Weingut Jülg is based in Schweigen. Unusually, their vineyards are in Germany as well as in France. Karin Jülg runs the wine tavern which is known for outstanding traditional Pfälzer cuisine. In the mid 1980s Werner Jülg converted the family winery from a low-end mass producing winery -so typical for the Pfalz in those days- into a wine estate that produces outstanding wines of the highest quality. He is also known for his excellent Sekt making: the Blanc de Noir produced in the Method Champenoise with traditional Champagne grapes is absolutely delicious. Weingut Jülg produces only dry wines mostly with traditional Burgundy grapes. After finishing his studies in oenology son Johannes is now also working in the winery to continue with the family tradition.

Picture: Annette Schiller and Johannes Jülg, Weingut Jülg, at 9. K&M Gutsweine Hausmesse

Weingut Jülg wines are available in the US and Annette Schiller already organized a winemaker dinner with Weingut Jülg in Washington DC. By chance, Armin Busch and his wife were in the region and able to join us for the dinner. See: Winemaker Dinner with Friedrich Jülg, Weingut Jülg, Pfalz, Germany, at Evo Bistro in McLean, Washington DC, USA

We will visit Weingut Jülg on this year's Germany-South tour by ombiasy WineTours, see: Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

Pictures: Armin Busch and Friedrich Jülg in Washington DC

Baden

Weingut Köbelin

An up-and-coming producer in Baden with 15 hectares. 70% is accounted for by Pinot Noir, Blanc and Gris. See: Wine Maker Arndt Koebelin at K+M Gutsweine in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

We will visit Weingut Köbelin on this year's Germany-South tour by ombiasy WineTours, see: Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

Picture: Annette Schiller and Monika Köbelin at 9. K&M Gutsweine Hausmesse

Weingut Ziereisen

Weingut Sven Nieger

Runner-up in the Falstaff Newcomer of the Year 2015 Competition. See: Best German Winemakers - Falstaff Deutschland Wine Trophies 2015

Picture: Sven Niger at 9. K&M Gutsweine Hausmesse, Frankfurt, Germany

Weingut Alexander Laible

Franken

Weingut Bickel-Stumpf

A leading producer of fine dry Franken wines. I like in particular the super-delicious Silvaner wines of Matthias Stumpf, who recently has taken over with his sister Melanie Kröger-Stumpf, see: Weingut Bickel-Stumpf in Franken: Vineyard Walk and Wine Tasting with Reimund Stumpf, Matthias Stumpf and Melanie Stumpf-Kröger - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Picture: In the Vineyard with Reimund Stumpf, Weingut Bickel-Stumpf

Weingut Stadt Klingenberg

Weingut der Stadt Klingenberg was taken over by the talented Benedikt Baltes a few years ago and has seen since then a phenomal upswing. Clearly somebod to watch. Benedikt's wine are now available in the US, see: German Wine at Cleveland Park Wines in Washington DC, with Chris Bartha from Ultra Fine Wines and Annette and Christian Schiller from ombiasy WineTours

Weingut Max Müller I

Ahr

Weingut Julia Bertram

Julia Bertram is a former German Wine Queen and partner in business and life of Benedikt Baltes (Weingut der Stadt Klingenberg). She just started her own little wine production with the grapes of her families' vineyard. Both Julia and Benedikt come from the Ahr region. See: The 31-Days-of-German-Riesling Concert Cruise Around New York Harbor with the German Wine Queen Julia Bertram and the 3 Wine Amazones Tina Huff, Eva Vollmer and Mirjam Schneider from Mainz, Germany

Pictures: Getting Riesling Tattoos for the Cruise - Wine German Queen Julia Bertram and  Eva Vollmer with Christian Schiller in New York See: The 31-Days-of-German-Riesling Concert Cruise Around New York Harbor with the German Wine Queen Julia Bertram and the 3 Wine Amazones Tina Huff, Eva Vollmer and Mirjam Schneider from Mainz, Germany

Rheingau

Weingut Balthasar Ress

Founded in 1870 by Balthasar Ress in Hattenheim in the Rheingau, Weingut Balthasar Ress developed into one of the leading wine estates of the Rheingau region and became a global player in the wine trade. Stefan Ress – now senior boss - owned and run Weingut Balthasar Ress for many years. In 2010, his son Christian Ress took over and Dirk Würtz became Winemaker and then Technical Director.

With Christian Ress and Dirk Würtz having taken over, Weingut Balthasar Ress has launched a series of new initiatives. Dirk Würtz is the brain behind the initiates in terms of vine growing in the vineyard and wine making in the cellar. I joined Dirk Würtz during the 2015 harvest for an afternoon and had a chance to talk with him about a variety of issues, including his push towards organic/natural/biodynamic winemaking, his “orange” wine, his ultra-premium red wine, to name a view. Overall, it was an exciting afternoon with a fascinating winemaker, who is also a star in the social media wine scene in Germany. See: At Weingut Balthasar Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, during the 2015 Harvest with Winemaker Dirk Würtz, Germany
Picture: Dirk Würz, Technical Director, at Weingut Balthasar Ress

Weingut Achim von Oetinger

When Achim von Oetinger's wines bcame available in the US a few weeks ago, and I wrote on my blog that I was very pleased, for several reasons:

First, Achim von Oetinger is one of the new stars of the Rheingau. It is not without reason that he was Stuart Pigott’s Discovery of the Year 2015. See: Best German Wines and Winemakers – Stuart Pigott’s Favorites (December 2014)

Second, on the forthcoming Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2016), Weingut von Oetinger is the first stop of the tour. See below and here: Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY and Coming-up: 2016 Spring Tours by ombiasy WineTours to Germany and the Bourgogne, Germany/ France

Third, Achim’s wines are super! See below what Doug Rosen has to say. I fully concur with Doug. See: Achim von Oetinger, Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, Germany: Welcome to the USA and See You Soon in Germany

Picture: Annette Schiller and Achim von Oetinger at 9. K&M Gutsweine Hausmesse

Rheinhessen

Weingut Gunderloch

Another world class producer that is changing direction under the new leadership of Johannes Hasselbach, who was drafted to take over the winery after his sister fell in love with Alwin Jurtschitsch while they both studied in Geisenheim and decided to move back with him to Austria. Johannes learnt quickly and gets a lot good press, nationally and internationally. See: "Wurzelwerk" Goes America: 3 Vineyards, 3 Winemakers and 9 Wines

Picture: Johannes Hasselbach, Weingut Gunderloch, at 9. K&M Gutsweine Hausmesse

Weingut Eva Vollmer

Discovery of the Year (Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2010), Dr. Eva Vollmer is another up-and-coming winemaker in the portfolio of K&M Gutsweine. While Eva was in Dortmund at and event with Stuart Pigott, her husband Robert Wagner was pouring in Frankfurt. She is a brilliant winemaker who has achieved quite a bit in a short period of time. The group was very impressed with the wines, with Eva and Robert and with the new hospitality area at the winery, when we visited Weingut Eva Vollmer last year, see: Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Weingut Eva Vollmer in Mainz-Ebersheim, Rheinhessen - Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Lunch at Weingut Vollmer: Eva Vollmer, Christian Schiller and Annette Schiller

Weingut Weedenborn

Bernd Klingenbrunn: Deutschlands beste Sauvignon Blanc Kollektion - Germany's best Sauvignon Blanc Collection

Picture: Gesine Roll, Weingut Weedenborn, and Annette Schiller at 9. K&M Gutsweine Hausmesse

Mosel

Weingut Weber-Margarethenhof (Saar)

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

Wine Lunch at Weingut Jülg with Johannes Jülg – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Winemaker Dinner with Friedrich Jülg, Weingut Jülg, Pfalz, Germany, at Evo Bistro in McLean, Washington DC, USA

Wine Maker Arndt Koebelin at K+M Gutsweine in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Best German Winemakers - Falstaff Deutschland Wine Trophies 2015

Weingut Bickel-Stumpf in Franken: Vineyard Walk and Wine Tasting with Reimund Stumpf, Matthias Stumpf and Melanie Stumpf-Kröger - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

German Wine at Cleveland Park Wines in Washington DC, with Chris Bartha from Ultra Fine Wines and Annette and Christian Schiller from ombiasy WineTours

The 31-Days-of-German-Riesling Concert Cruise Around New York Harbor with the German Wine Queen Julia Bertram and the 3 Wine Amazones Tina Huff, Eva Vollmer and Mirjam Schneider from Mainz, Germany

At Weingut Balthasar Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, during the 2015 Harvest with Winemaker Dirk Würtz, Germany

Best German Wines and Winemakers – Stuart Pigott’s Favorites (December 2014)

Achim von Oetinger, Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, Germany: Welcome to the USA and See You Soon in Germany

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

Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Weingut Eva Vollmer in Mainz-Ebersheim, Rheinhessen - Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Tasting at Weingut Dreissigacker in Bechtheim, Rheinhessen, with Ute Dreissigacker

When President Obama and the First Lady where in Berlin in 2013 and sat down with Chancellor Merkel and her husband, Professor Dr. Sauer, for a State Dinner, what wines did they drink? A Mosel? A Rheingau? No, they were served wines of Weingut Dreissigacker in Rheinhessen and of Weingut Markus Schneider in the Pfalz. 2 star Michelin Chef Tim Raue prepared the food. Tim Raue: “The 2 winemakers and I represent very well the modern Germany: Globally thinking and at home in the region.”

Picture: Angela Merkel and Michelle Obama Sipping German Wine (Source: Reuters)

Jochen Dreissigacker and Markus Schneider were very proud that their wines were selected: “Our wines are being poured all over the world – in Dubai, Norway, South Africa and of course in the United States. Our wines have not yet been served in the White House. But with the dinner at Schloss Charlottenburg we hopefully got a bit closer to that. We hope that President Obama liked our wines. German wines can compete with the best wines in the world.”

See:
The Wines Chancelor Merkel Served President Obama and Michelle Obama in Berlin (and the Wines she did not Serve), Germany  

We had the pleasure and the privilege to have a massive winetasting with Ute Dreissigacker at Weingut Dreissigacker.

Schatzi Wines is the US Importer of Weingut Dreissigacker.

Pictures: Arriving at Weingut Dreissigacker

Weingut Dreissigacker

Schatzi Wines: Ancient chronicles reveal that 1728 was an excellent year for wines. Perhaps even back then, the generation that founded the winery (now known as Dreissigacker) was blessed with a good harvest because at that time, founding father, Jacob Sauer, not only farmed a wide range of agriculture but succeeded at cultivating a vineyard, lying the foundation for generations to come. Be that as it may, it wasn’t until the early 20th century that the focus shifted to winemaking when Adolf Sauer III decided to export his wines to England. After the Second World War, in 1952, the husband of Christa Sauer, Philipp Dreissigacker, took over the business and forty years later, in 1991, all other agricultural pursuits were abandoned to focus solely on winegrowing when Frieder and Ute Dreissigacker took charge. At that time the winery used conventional methods to cultivate a large number of different grape varieties, but when their son (and current proprieter) Jochen Dreissigacker entered the business in 2001, radical changes were made–crucially, converting the estate to employ labour-intensive, organic viticulture. Today, the name Dreissigacker stands for outstanding rieslings of the highest quality, both in Germany and abroad.

Pictures: Tasting at Weingut Dreissigacker with Ute Dreissigacker

Rheinhessen is a supremely unique expression of German viticulture. Normally when we think of the greatest vineyard sites for Riesling, we envision the breathtaking slopes of the Mosel or the hand-worked terraces of the Rheingau but in the best villages of Rheinhessen, the vines grow on gentle slopes with shallow deposits of loess and loam, overlying a bedrock of active limestone—reminiscent of the great terroirs of Burgundy– and is packed with history. In fact, the vineyards surrounding Jochen’s town of Bechtheim are the oldest known sites for growing wine in the Rheinhessen. Historically, these plots of land were reserved exclusively for viticulture. As early as 1780, the Prince of Leiningen issued a decree in Bechtheim that resulted in Germany’s first demarcation of terroirs; this decree threatened to punish anyone who planted grape vines outside of the specifically designated, predestined areas – a ground-breaking step on the path toward modern, high-quality viticulture. Today, this historic soil that is over 230 years old, is used to grow Jochen’s young vines. These sites produce wines of great depth and concentration with scintillating tension amongst fruit, ripe acidity and mineral structure.

Jochen Dreissigacker is a young vigneron, fiercely dedicated to giving voice to some of the most exciting vineyard sites of Rheinhessen, though according to his parents, he was not destined to become a vigneron. Jochen’s older brother was to inherit the family-business while he was encouraged to pursue something that was more “down-to-earth”–what resulted as an education in accounting. Despite his degree, Jochen couldn’t ignore his strong desire to make wine and began apprenticing with various winemakers–most notably of which was the iconic Klaus-Peter Keller. After several years of working alongside Keller, Jochen took the reins at his family estate.

“Luckily, my brother bought a neighboring winery in 2006, so we could both practice the professions we love. Today, both wineries work closely together.”

Jochen continues to focus on enhancing the vitality of his soils using natural methods, limiting yields, harvesting by hand and vinifying with native yeasts; here, he captures the individual mineral character of each of his parcels, revealing wines with power and depth without the weight of high alcohol that many of the region’s more famous wines possess.

Pictures: Ute Dreissigacker

Since converting to sustainable farming practices in 2001, the soil has been successfully restored and the estate is now certified organic. Dreissigacker sows green manure to boost the humus allowing cover crops to loosen the soil with their roots, absorb all superfluous nitrogen and, in conjunction with microorganisms and other soil-dwelling life forms, constantly regulate the nutrient content of the soil. If necessary, weeds are removed mechanically, the area around the vines is hoed and on occasion, if necessary, they add small quantities of organic fertilizer. All of these measures help to create balanced plant growth and strengthen the root systems, encouraging them to penetrate deeper into the mineral-rich layers, absorb additional nutrients and better resist disease. In addition to mindful farming, Jochen tremendously reduces his yields–sometimes as low as 15hl/ha! At the beginning of summer the crew cuts off at least one third of the grapes on each vine. As a result, the bunches that remain on the vine absorb additional nutrients, light and air, ensuring optimal quality.

Accompanying the importance of soil composition, climate and farming techniques, is the act of picking and pressing the grapes. Jochen and his team handle the grapes very carefully; bruising the skins is avoided to prevent oxidation or premature fermentation, both of which can be detrimental to the quality and result in a loss of flavor. Once the grapes arrive at the winery, most are macerated to extract additional aromas and structure. The fruit is then pressed and left to ferment without any further interference to ensure a natural fermentation process.

“A few years ago, when the time came for me to take over the family winery and realise my own ideas and vision, I made a decision. I wanted to take something good and make it truly excellent, to transform good flavour into an exciting experience, and elevate pleasant wines to an inspiring experience. In all that I did, I worked with the unique mineral composition of our vineyards, the local climate and microclimate and harnessed my deep passion for winemaking. Ecology, sustainability and the respectful use of the existing resources has gradually changed the face of our vineyards. Imagination and pragmatism were my daily helpers in my search for the perfect wine.”

The Wines Ute Dreissigacker Poured

2014 Weingut Dreissigacker Weissburgunder trocken

2014 Weingut Dreissigacker Grauburgunder trocken

2014 Weingut Dreissigacker Riesling trocken

2013 Weingut Dreissigacker Bechtheimer Riesling trocken

Schatzi Wines: This is the village wine and is sourced from the top sites around Bechtheim: Geyersberg, Stein, Rosengarten and Hasensprung. Geyersberg, which sits to the east of Bechtheim, has a distinct smoky characteristic that influences this blend. It is fermented in stainless; 15-20% is raised in oak barrels.

2013 Weingut Dreissigacker Wunderwerk Riesling trocken


2012 Weingut Dreissigacker Hasensprung Riesling trocken

Schatzi-Wines: This single vineyard bottling bridges our entry level and top tier wines. Hasensprung sits west of Bechtheim and north of Westhofen. Although the soils here are different from those of Westhofen, it is reminiscent of a baby Kirschspiel with its mineral laciness, linear structure and energetic aromatics. Hasensprung is a clay-based soil with a topsoil consisting of loess and loam.

2012 Weingut Dreissigacker Rosengarten Riesling trocken

2012 Weingut Dreissigacker Geyersberg Riesling trocken

2013 Weingut Dreissigacker Geyersberg Riesling trocken

Robert Parker (Steffen Reinhard): The intense yellow 2013 Geyersberg Riesling trocken was still very young and closed on the nose when I tasted it end of August. There were still flavors of the spontaneous fermentation and yeasty aromas dominating the nose which were serious and showed a deep, concentrated mix of mineral notes and pineapple aromas. Succulent, precise and elegant on the palate this full-bodied and expressive wine has a tautly woven structure and a lovely mineral piquancy with lots of limes, a lingering salinity and persistent citrus flavors. It has very good aging potential. 91 / 100

2011 Weingut Dreissigacker Geyersberg Riesling trocken


2012 Weingut Dreissigacker Kirchspiel Riesling trocken

Robert Parker (Steffen Reinhard) on 2013: Sourced from the Westhofen cru the citrus colored 2013 Kirchspiel Riesling trocken is clear and quite complex on the nose with powdered chalk, citrus and ripe yet discreet Riesling aromas. Very mineral, fresh and elegant on the palate, this is a tightly woven, serious and terroir-driven wine that is full of finesse. Still very young but it shows great potential. 92 / 100

2012 Weingut Dreissigacker Morstein Riesling trocken

Schatzi Wines: Morstein is situated on the south-facing slope that stretches from Gundersheim to Westhofen. Jochen’s vines here are 40 years-old, grown on pure limestone subsoil topped with heavy clay and marl. Underground springs allow for more water retention and consequently, a higher risk for botrytis. The first documented mention of the site dates from 1282 and is considered by most to be the top site in Westhofen. This has more power than the Kirchspiel and more focus than the Geyersberg; it is stony and emits aromas of orange citrus and roasted caraway seeds.

2013 Weingut Dreissigacker Morstein Riesling trocken

Robert Parker (Steffen Reinhard): Citrus colored, the 2013 Morstein Riesling trocken is smoky, mineral and deep on the nose revealing ripe and concentrated Riesling berry aromas dotted with limes and notes of the spontaneous fermentation. Full-bodied, rich and pure, the flavors are complex and elegant on the palate and lead this well balanced wine to develop a salty, piquant and aromatic finish with citrus flavors in the long aftertaste. This is an expressive, terroir-driven Morstein from one of Germany's most popular non-VDP estate.

2014 Weingut Dreissigacker Morstein Riesling trocken


2014 Weingut Dreissigacker Geyersberg Riesling trocken

Schatzi Wines on the 2012: This is the granddaddy of Dreissigacker's dry range in its corpulence, body and texture. It is marked by its fragrant smokiness, like fire-roasted sweet corn. Because the site typically ripens one week earlier than the other sites in Westhofen and Bechtheim, Jochen puts this wine in oak. His parcels lie in the middle of the slope and face due south. At 7 ha, this is Dreissigacker's largest holding and will therefore be our go-to single vineyard site from the estate. Soils are crushed marl and loess and yields are reduced to roughly 15hl/ha—what is insanely selective—to ensure a high level of quality.

2013 Weingut Dreissigacker Kirchspiel Silvaner trocken

2014 Weingut Dreissigacker Kirchspiel Weisburgunder trocken

2011 Weingut Dreissigacker Spätburgunder trocken

2012 Weingut Dreissigacker Wunderwerk Spätburgunder trocken

Bye-bye

Thanks Ute for an outstanding tasting.

Pictures: Bye-bye

Postings on the Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015) (Posted and Forthcoming)

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Fall Tours by ombiasy WineTours 2015 - A Very Special Treat: Experience Harvest Time !

Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour, Tasting (and Lunch) with Robert Schätzle, Owner and Winemaker, Weingut Schloss Neuweier in Baden– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2015)

Wine Pairing Lunch at Röttele’s Restaurant (1 Star Michelin) at Schloss Neuweier, with Owner and Winemaker Robert Schätzle, Weingut Schloss Neuweier - German South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2015)

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Salwey in Oberrotweil, Kaiserstuhl, Baden, with Benno Salwey – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and Wine Taverns in Freiburg, Baden, Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Franz Keller in Oberbergen, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Paring Lunch at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler (1 Star Michelin) in Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Bernhard Huber in Baden, with Yquem Viehauser and Julian Huber – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Heger in Ihringen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour and Tasting at Maison Léon Beyer in Eguisheim, Alsace, France, with Marc Beyer – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

At Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg, Alsace, with Catherine Faller: Tasting and Tour – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Wine Lunch at Weingut Jülg with Johannes Jülg– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Schiller's Favorite (Wine-) Restaurants in Deidesheim in the Pfalz, Germany

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Müller Catoir – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour and Tasting at Weingut A. Christmann in Gimmeldingen, Pfalz, with Steffen Christmann – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Winning in Deidesheim, Pfalz– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Josef Biffar, in Deidesheim, with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant fumi at Weingut Josef Biffar in Deidesheim with Owner/ Winemaker Fumiko Tokuoka: Japan Meets Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Markus Schneider in Ellerstadt, Pfalz, with Markus Schneider - Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Koehler Ruprecht in Kallstadt, Pfalz, with Franzi Schmitt – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Dreissigacker in Bechtheim, Rheinhessen, with Ute Dreissigacker

Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Weingut Eva Vollmer in Mainz-Ebersheim, Rheinhessen - Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY    

Picture: Jancis Robinson at the 2016 Weinbörse in Mainz

The Weinbörse, the annual spring trade fair of the VDP, the association of about 200 elite wine producers in Germany, took place on Sunday and Monday, 24 and 25 April 2016, in the Rheingoldhalle of Mainz. Worldwide, the Weinbörse is the only trade fair that focuses exclusively on fine German wines.

Pictures: 2016 VDP Trade Fair Weinbörse - Vintage 2015 - in Mainz

At this year’s fair, the first comprehensive debut of the 2015 vintage, some 180 VDP producers presented more than 1,000 wines from all German wine-growing regions. Compared with large, international trade fairs the Weinbörse is “klein aber fein,” i.e. “good things come in small packages.” It is relatively easy for visitors to quickly locate the estate and/or region of interest, without a long trek from hall to hall.

Picture: The VDP Geschäftsstelle-Team, headed by Hilke Nagel and Alexia Putze: Congratualations for a Job well done

The 2,000-square-meter exhibition area in the Rheingoldhalle is all on one floor and provides ample space for the tasting stands as well as the areas reserved for individual discussions. Exhibiting estates are organized according to region and alphabetically within their respective region, as is the catalogue listing the wines available.

Pictures: 2016 VDP Trade Fair Weinbörse - Vintage 2015 - in Mainz

The VDP

The VDP is the world’s oldest and only national association of top-quality wine estates. From the vineyard to the cellar, VDP members voluntarily adhere to stringent, in-house quality standards. The four-tier VDP classification pyramid adopted in 2012 – VDP.GUTSWEIN, VDP.ORTSWEIN, VDP.ERSTE LAGE, and VDP.GROSSE LAGE – underscores the significance of origin as the basis of wine quality. The “VDP eagle,” a stylized eagle bearing a cluster of grapes, is mandatory on capsules and stands for terroir-driven viticulture and handcrafted winemaking.

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

Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller with Rudi Wiest, Rudi Wiest Selections

Picture: Michael P. Hirsch, Chief Operating Officer, Rudi Wiest Selections and Christine Chovan, Sales Consultant, thewinebowgroup.com, with Konrad Salwey, Weingut Salwey. See also: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Salwey in Oberrotweil, Kaiserstuhl, Baden, with Benno Salwey – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture. Importers Justin Christoph and Danielle King from New York

Picture: Stephan Rheinhardt of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Picture: Martin Zwick, who organizes the Berlin Cups, with German Blogger Alex Haller (Blind Tasting Club). See also: Martin Zwick's BerlinKabinettCup 2015: Germany's Best 2014 Riesling Kabinett Wines

Vintage 2015

The wines of the 2015 vintage were at the center of the 2016 Weinbörse. Here is a collection of assessments:

Jean Fish and David Rayer (Mosel Fine Wines): Vintage 2015 | Great? Yes ... But

Rarely have we seen so much anticipative raving from winemakers, grower associations and merchants alike. Comparisons were made with some of the greatest vintages ever, including with the magical 1971. The ludicrous rule “If Bordeaux has a good vintage, Europe has a good vintage” fuelled the heat. The result: Some readers were asking us about the new vintage already by February!

So is there some truth to all the hype around 2015? Is it justified? The answer so far is “Yes ... but”. Here the key facts in a nutshell:

The vintage is quite homogeneous. "Smaller" wines prove very good and "lesser" Estates made very enjoyable wines.
There are plenty of cracking successes in the making, and this in all stylistic directions.
The wines have immediate appeal with good presence and plenty of fruity flavors.
The acidity is far from shy and requires to be mastered.
The high sugar ripeness combined with high level dry extracts seems to make some wines come out on the powerful side.

Stuart Pigott on his blog: I’m sure that this is going to disappoint many of you, but what I’m not going to do is write a shopping list of the wines that you have to buy. First of all, each of you has a different taste and such a list would only work with extensive notes, secondly any list that accurately reflects the nature of 2015 in Germany would have to be very long. This is because almost everywhere the fall was nearly perfect for an extended harvest, there being little or no rot problems (which were major in 2013 and 2014) and the acidity being very healthy (more than 2014 or 2012!) That meant even less talented winemakers made some good wines, and the high flyers could get close to the optimum possible. I am now going to disappoint the group of you looking for power wines by saying that the great majority of 2015s from the leading producers are remarkable because of their subtlety of aroma and flavor, their brightness and delicacy. There are far fewer imposing wines or showy wines than in some recent vintages. And 2015 is not only great for Riesling there are many excellent Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and Silvaner (Sylvaner), just to name the most obvious success stories.

The biggest problem for the vintage is probably going to be that the euphoria about it (not entirely justified, because nearly all the producers who made exciting 2015s also made the best wines in 2013 and 2014 too) will probably result in most of the wines being drunk before they’ve had even a few months in the bottle to open up. Then, a couple of years down the line there will be widespread moaning about how the producers should have held back some 2015s, and how terrible it is that they don’t have many bottles even for themselves. If you want to drink 2015s in the future PUT THEM IN YOUR CELLAR!

Pictures: Stuart Pigott at Weingut Rudolf Fürst, with Annette Schiller

Jancis Robinson on twitter: Really enjoyed German 2015s today. Probably a better vintage for Germany than for Bordeaux - tho have tasted only Mosel & Nahe so far.

Pictures: Jancis Robinson tasting Mosel wines

Producers and Ombiasy WineTours

90% of the VDP members were present in Mainz. Prominent producers not present included Weingut Egon Müller and Weingut JJ Prüm from the Mosel, but also Weingut Pawis and Weingut Lützkendorf from the Saale Unstrut region and Weingut Zimmerling from Saxony. Below you find a list of all the winemakers present in Mainz. Annette and I talked to and tasted the wines of about 1/3 of them during the 2 days. Our selection was very much driven the 3 forthcoming Germany tours by ombiasy WineTours, Germany-North, Germany-South and Germany-East.

Ahr

Deutzerhof - Cossmann-Hehle, J. J. Adeneuer, Jean Stodden, Meyer-Näkel, Nelles

Picture: Annette Schiller with Alexander Stodden, Weingut Jean Stodden

Picture: Dörte Näkel of Weingut Meyer-Näkel. See also: Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Weingut Meyer-Näkel in Dernau, Ahr, with Dörte Näkel – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Marc Adeneuer of Weingut JJ Adeneuer. See also: Wine Tasting at Weingut J.J. Adeneuer in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Ahr, with Marc Adeneuer - Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Baden

Andreas Laible, Bercher, Bernhard Huber, Blankenhorn, Burg Ravensburg, Dr. Heger, Franz Keller, Freiherr von und zu Franckenstein, H. Schlumberger, Heitlinger, Konrad Schlör, Lämmlin-Schindler, Markgraf von Baden, Reichsgraf und Marquis zu Hoensbroech, Salwey, Schloss Neuweier, Seeger, Staatsweingut Freiburg, Stigler, Wöhrle

Picture: Andreas Laible, Weingut Andreas Laible, with Annette Schiller. We will visit Weingut Andreas Laible on the forthcoming Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See:
Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

Picture: Markus Mleinek of Weingut Dr. Heger. See also: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Heger in Ihringen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Franken

Am Stein, Ludwig Knoll, Bernhard Höfler, Bickel-Stumpf, Bürgerspital zum Hl. Geist, Egon Schäffer, Fürst Löwenstein, Fürstlich Castell'sches Domänenamt, Glaser-Himmelstoss, Gregor Schwab, Hans Wirsching, Horst Sauer, Johann Ruck, Juliusspital Würzburg, Michael Fröhlich, Rainer Sauer, Roth, Rudolf Fürst, Rudolf May, Schmitt's Kinder, Staatlicher Hofkeller Würzburg, Stadt Klingenberg - Benedikt Baltes, Störrlein Krenig, Weltner, Zehnthof Luckert, Zur Schwane

Picture: Sebastian and Paul Fürst of Weingut Rudolf Fürst. See also: Tasting and Tour with the Pinot Noir Legend Paul Fürst, Weingut Rudolf Fürst in Bürgstadt, Franken– Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Andrea Wirsching of Weingut Hans Wirsching, Iphofen with Annette Schiller and Chriistian Schiller. See also: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Wirsching in Iphofen in Franken with General Manager Uwe Matheus – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Karl Martin Schmitt of Weingut Schmitt's Kinder with Annette Schiller. We will visit Weingut Schmitt's Kinder during the forthcoming Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See: Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

Picture: Marcel von den Benken, Managing Director, Staatlicher Hofkeller Würzburg. We will visit the Staatlicher Hofkeller Würzburg during the forthcoming Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See: See: Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

Mittelrhein

Bastian, Lanius-Knab, Matthias Müller, Ratzenberger, Toni Jost - Hahnenhof

Picture: Annette Schiller with Johannes Müller of Weingut Matthias Müller. We will visit Weingut Johannes Müller during the forthcoming Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See also: At Weingut Matthias Müller, Mittelrhein, with Traubenhaus, their US-Importer, Germany

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

Clemens Busch, Dr. Fischer, Dr. Heinz Wagner, Dr. Loosen, Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken, Fritz Haag, Grans-Fassian, Heymann-Löwenstein, Karthäuserhof, Maximin Grünhaus, NIK WEIS St. Urbans-Hof, Peter Lauer, Piedmont, Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, Reinhold Haart, S. A. Prüm, Schloss Lieser, Schloss Saarstein, Stiftungsweingut Vereinigte Hospitien, Van Volxem, Von Hövel, Von Othegraven, Willi Haag, Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch, Erben Thanisch

Picture: Dorothee Zilliken​ of Weingut Forstmeister-Geltz Zilliken. We will visit  Weingut Forstmeister-Geltz Zilliken on the forthcoming Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See also: German Wine Dinner with Hanno Zilliken, Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken, at Rasika in Washington DC, USA

Picture: Annette Schiller and Roman Niewodniczanski, Owner, Weingut Van Volxem, see also: Lunch, Tasting and Vineyard Walk at Weingut Van Volxem with Owner Roman Niewodniczanski – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Thomas Haag of Weingut Schloss Lieser with Annette Schiller. We will visit Weingut Schloss Lieser during the forthcoming Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See: Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

Pictures: Günther Jauch, Owner, and Andreas Barth, Managing Director, Weingut von Othegraven, with Annette Schiller

Picture: Nik Weis of Weingut Nik Weis Sankt Urbans-Hof with Annette Schiller. See: Tasting at Weingut St. Urbans-Hof in Leiwen, Mosel, with Nik Weis – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Nahe

Dr. Crusius, Emrich-Schönleber, Gut Hermannsberg, H. Dönnhoff, Joh. Bapt. Schäfer, Kruger-Rumpf, Prinz Salm, Schlossgut Diel, Schäfer-Fröhlich

Picture: Anne and Cornelius Dönnhoff, Weingut Dönnhoff. See also: See also: Wine Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Dönnhoff with Christina Dönnhoff– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Picture: Caroline and Sylvain Taurisson Diehl, Schlossgut Diel. See also: Tasting with Sylvain Taurisson Diel at Schlossgut Diel, Nahe– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Picture (Stuart Pigott): Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf. We will be back at Weingut Kruger-Rumpf during the forthcoming Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See: Wine Dinner with Tour at Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in Münster-Sarmsheim, Nahe, with Georg Rumpf – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Pfalz

A. Christmann, Acham-Magin, Bergdolt - Klostergut St. Lamprecht, Bernhart, Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Dr. Wehrheim, Fitz-Ritter, Friedrich Becker, Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan, Georg Mosbacher, Georg Siben Erben, Herbert Meßmer, Karl Schaefer, Knipser, Kranz, Müller-Catoir, Münzberg - Lothar Kessler & Söhne, Pfeffingen - Fuhrmann-Eymael, Philipp Kuhn, Reichsrat von Buhl, Rings, Siegrist, Theo Minges, Von Winning - Dr. Deinhard, Ökonomierat Rebholz

 Picture: Steffen Christmann of Weingut A. Christmann (with H.O. Spanier of Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Kühling-Gillot). See also: Tour and Tasting at Weingut A. Christmann in Gimmeldingen, Pfalz, with Steffen Christmann – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Picture: Stefan Attmann of Weingut von Winning. See also: Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Winning in Deidesheim, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Picture: Mathieu Kaufmann, Technical Director of Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl, with Annette Schiller. We will visit Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl during the forthcoming Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See: Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

Picture: Hansjörg Rebholz of Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz. We will visit Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz on the forthcoming Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See also: Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Rheingau

August Eser, August Kesseler, Balthasar Ress, Baron Knyphausen, Diefenhardt, Domdechant Werner'sches Weingut, Domäne Schloss Johannisberg, Dr. Nägler, F. B. Schönleber Wein- und Sektgut, Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern, Freimuth, Fritz Allendorf, G.H. von Mumm, Geheimrat J. Wegeler - Gutshaus Rheingau, Georg Müller Stiftung, Graf von Kanitz, Hamm, Hans Lang – Inh. Urban Kaufmann, Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach, Jakob Jung, Joachim Flick, Johannishof, Josef Spreitzer, Künstler, Peter Jakob Kühn, Prinz, Prinz von Hessen, Robert König, Robert Weil, Schloss Vollrads, Wein- und Sektgut Barth, Weingut Leitz, Weingut der Hochschule Geisenheim, von Oetinger

Picture: Johannes Leitz of Weingut Leitz​. We will visit Weingut Leitz on the forthcoming Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See also: Visiting Weingut Josef Leitz in Ruedesheim – Johannes Leitz is Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide 2011

Picture: Wilhelm Weil and Jochen Becker-Köhn, Weingut Robert Weil. See also: The new (VDP) Wine Classification in Germany: Tasting Weingut Robert Weil Wines from Gutswein to Grosse Lage Wine

Picture: Max Schönleber of Weingut Fritz Allendorf. See also: Lighting and the Flavor of Wine - With Winemaker Ulrich Allendorf in his Aroma Vineyard and Color Room at Weingut Allendorf in Oestrich Winkel, Rheingau, Germany

Picture: Alexander Jung of Weingut Jakob Jung. See also: At Weingut Jakob Jung in Erbach, Rheingau, with Winemaker Alexander Johannes Jung, Germany

Picture: Achim von Oetinger of Weingut von Oetinger. We will visit Weingut von Oetinger on the forthcoming Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See also: Achim von Oetinger, Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, Germany: Welcome to the USA and See You Soon in Germany

Picture: Mark Barth of Wein- und Sektgut Barth with Paul Truszkowski from Wine in Black. See also: Tour and Wine Tasting with Lunch, with Mark Barth at Wein- und Sektgut Barth in Hattenheim, Rheingau– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Eva Raps and Urban Kaufmann of Weingut Hans Lang. We will visit Weingut Hans Lang on the forthcoming Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See also: Weingut Hans Lang, Hattenheim in the Rheingau: Eva Raps, Managing Director of VDP, and Urban Kaufmann, Swiss Cheese Producer, Take Over, Germany

Picture: Désirée Eser​ of Weingut August Eser​. See also: Meeting Winemaker/Owner Desiree Eser, Weingut August Eser, on the Banks of the Rhein River in the Rheingau in Germany

Picture: Christian Witte​, Managing Director of Weingut Schloss Johannisberg​. See also: Tour and Tasting at Schloss Johannisberg, Rheingau, with Christian Witte, Domaine Director – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Dirk Würtz, Technical Director, Weingut Balthasar Ress. See also: At Weingut Balthasar Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, during the 2015 Harvest with Winemaker Dirk Würtz, Germany

Picture: Annette Schiller and Andreas Spreitzer, Weingut Spreitzer. See also: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Spreitzer in Oestrich, Rheingau, with Bernd Spreitzer – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Ralph Schönleber of Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber. We will visit Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber.on the forthcoming Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See: Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

Rheinhessen

Battenfeld Spanier, Brüder Dr. Becker, Gunderloch, Gutzler, J. Neus, K. F. Groebe, Kühling-Gillot, Rappenhof, Schloss Westerhaus, Schätzel, St. Antony, Staatliche Weinbaudomäne Oppenheim, Wagner-Stempel, Winter, Wittmann

Picture: H.O. Spanier of Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Kühling-Gillot with Steffen Christmann. See also: Wine Tasting at Weingut Kühling-Gillot in Bodenheim: Kühling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Picture: Johannes Hasselbach of Weingut Gunderloch with Rudi Wiest of Rudi Wiest Selection. See also: Wine Tasting at Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim, with Owners and Winemaker Fritz Hasselbach and Agnes Hasselbach-Usinger – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Picture: Kai Schätzel of Weingut Schätzel with Annette Schiller. See also: Weingut Schätzel in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, Joins the VDP, Germany’s Association of Elite Winemakers, Germany

Sachsen

Schloss Proschwitz - Prinz zur Lippe

Picture: Georg Prinz zur Lippe of Weingut Schloss Proschwitz with Annette Schiller. We will visit Weingut Schloss Proschwitz on the forthcoming Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See also: Dining with Prinz zur Lippe, Owner of Weingut Schloss Proschwitz, at the Lippe’sches Gutshaus - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Württemberg

Aldinger, Beurer, Dautel, Drautz-Able, Fürst Hohenlohe Oehringen, Graf Adelmann, Graf von Bentzel Sturmfeder, Hans-Peter Wöhrwag, Heid, Herzog von Württemberg, Jürgen Ellwanger, Karl Haidle, Kistenmacher-Hengerer, Rainer Schnaitmann, Schlossgut Hohenbeilstein, Staatsweingut Weinsberg, Wachtstetter, Weingut des Grafen Neipperg

Picture: Rainer Schnaitmann of Weingut Schnaitmann with Rudi Wiest, US Importer. See also: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Rainer Schnaitmann at Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann in Fellbach, Württemberg – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Picture: Annette Schiller and Joachim Brand, Managing Director and Winemaker at Weingut Fürst Hohenlohe. We will be back in a few weeks: Coming-up: 2016 Spring Tours by ombiasy WineTours to Germany and the Bourgogne, Germany/ France

Picture: Kilian Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder, Weingut Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder, with Annette Schiller. We will visit Weingut Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder on the forthcoming Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See also: Wine Maker Count of Bentzel-Sturmfeder in Frankfurt am Main Presenting his Wines from Wuerttemberg, Germany

Picture: Herzog von Württemberg, Weingut Herzog von Württemberg, with Annette Schiller. See also: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Herzog von Württemberg at Schloss Monrepos with Owner Duke Michael of Württemberg and Winemaker Moriz Just – Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Kyle Frank, from the Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery in the Finger Lakes Region in the US, pouring the wines of  Staatsweingut Weinsberg. He is currently interning at Staatsweingut Weinsberg. We will visit Staatsweingut on the forthcoming Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours and Kyle will be our host. See: Coming-up: 2016 Spring Tours by ombiasy WineTours to Germany and the Bourgogne, Germany/ France

Picture: One of Württemberg's greatest winemaker, Rainer Wachtstetter, Weingut Wachtstetter, talking to one of Württemberg's greatest Chef, Burkhard Schork. See also:: Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Friedrich von Schiller in Bietigheim-Bissingen in Württemberg – Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Christian Dautel of Weingut Dautel. See also: Tasting at Weingut Dautel in Württemberg with Christian Dautel - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Side Events

There were a number of side events during the days of the 2016 Weinbörse. For instance, at the invitation of Wilhelm Weil, we spent Sunday evening at Weingut Robert Weil.

Picture: Wilhelm Weil, Weingut Robert Weil, and Annette Schiller

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Announcement: 5 Exciting ombiasy WineTours in 2016 - BURGUNDY BORDEAUX GERMANY

Coming-up: 2016 Spring Tours by ombiasy WineTours to Germany and the Bourgogne, Germany/ France

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

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Salwey in Oberrotweil, Kaiserstuhl, Baden, with Benno Salwey – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Martin Zwick's BerlinKabinettCup 2015: Germany's Best 2014 Riesling Kabinett Wines

Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Weingut Meyer-Näkel in Dernau, Ahr, with Dörte Näkel – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Tasting at Weingut J.J. Adeneuer in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Ahr, with Marc Adeneuer - Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Heger in Ihringen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting and Tour with the Pinot Noir Legend Paul Fürst, Weingut Rudolf Fürst in Bürgstadt, Franken– Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Wirsching in Iphofen in Franken with General Manager Uwe Matheus – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

At Weingut Matthias Müller, Mittelrhein, with Traubenhaus, their US-Importer, Germany

German Wine Dinner with Hanno Zilliken, Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken, at Rasika in Washington DC, USA

Lunch, Tasting and Vineyard Walk at Weingut Van Volxem with Owner Roman Niewodniczanski – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut St. Urbans-Hof in Leiwen, Mosel, with Nik Weis – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Dönnhoff with Christina Dönnhoff– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Tasting with Sylvain Taurisson Diel at Schlossgut Diel, Nahe– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Wine Dinner with Tour at Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in Münster-Sarmsheim, Nahe, with Georg Rumpf – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut A. Christmann in Gimmeldingen, Pfalz, with Steffen Christmann – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Winning in Deidesheim, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Visiting Weingut Josef Leitz in Ruedesheim – Johannes Leitz is Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide 2011

Lighting and the Flavor of Wine - With Winemaker Ulrich Allendorf in his Aroma Vineyard and Color Room at Weingut Allendorf in Oestrich Winkel, Rheingau, Germany

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

Achim von Oetinger, Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, Germany: Welcome to the USA and See You Soon in Germany

Tour and Wine Tasting with Lunch, with Mark Barth at Wein- und Sektgut Barth in Hattenheim, Rheingau– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Weingut Hans Lang, Hattenheim in the Rheingau: Eva Raps, Managing Director of VDP, and Urban Kaufmann, Swiss Cheese Producer, Take Over, Germany

Meeting Winemaker/Owner Desiree Eser, Weingut August Eser, on the Banks of the Rhein River in the Rheingau in Germany

Tour and Tasting at Schloss Johannisberg, Rheingau, with Christian Witte, Domaine Director – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

At Weingut Balthasar Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, during the 2015 Harvest with Winemaker Dirk Würtz, Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Spreitzer in Oestrich, Rheingau, with Bernd Spreitzer – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Tasting at Weingut Kühling-Gillot in Bodenheim: Kühling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wine Tasting at Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim, with Owners and Winemaker Fritz Hasselbach and Agnes Hasselbach-Usinger – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Weingut Schätzel in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, Joins the VDP, Germany’s Association of Elite Winemakers, Germany

Dining with Prinz zur Lippe, Owner of Weingut Schloss Proschwitz, at the Lippe’sches Gutshaus - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Rainer Schnaitmann at Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann in Fellbach, Württemberg – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Wine Maker Count of Bentzel-Sturmfeder in Frankfurt am Main Presenting his Wines from Wuerttemberg, Germany

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Herzog von Württemberg at Schloss Monrepos with Owner Duke Michael of Württemberg and Winemaker Moriz Just – Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Friedrich von Schiller in Bietigheim-Bissingen in Württemberg – Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Dautel in Württemberg with Christian Dautel - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Touring Château Rauzan-Ségla, Appellation Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

This château came into being when Pierre des Mesures de Rauzan bought many vineyards in Médoc, including the plot which belongs to Rauzan-Ségla today. By the time of Pierre de Rauzan’s death in 1692, 36 hectares of vineyards belonged to Château Rauzan-Ségla and their wines were highly regarded. Throughout the centuries Château Rauzan-Ségla changed hands several times and lived through ups and downs. In the 1960s the estate was in bad shape and the new owners - Liverpool shipping magnates John Holt and Brent Walker - started the long process to turn around Château Rauzan-Ségla. In 1994 the Wertheim family of Chanel bought Château Rauzan-Ségla. This is a perfect match. The philosophy of the Wertheims concerning their products: top quality, elegance, long term thinking – all this applies to wine as well.

Pictures: Arriving at Château Rauzan-Ségla

Château Rauzan Ségla

Château Rauzan-Ségla is a Deuxièmes Crus in the Classification of 1855, located in the Margaux appellation. Château Rauzan-Ségla was once part of the vast Rausan estate owned by Pierre de Mesures de Rauzan in the mid-17th century. Over time, this estate was divided, and by the time of the 1855 Classification, had been separated into the estates of Château Rauzan-Gassies, Château Rauzan-Ségla, Château Desmirail, and Château Marquis de Terme.

Picture: Welcome

Château Rauzan-Ségla and Château Mouton Rothschild were considered the leading 2emé Cru Classé Bordeaux properties during the 19th century. However, while the fortunes of Mouton prospered in the 20th century, culminating in its elevation to 1er Cru status in 1973, Rauzan-Ségla`s reputation dwindled and a succession of disappointing wines were produced.

Pictures: In the Cellar of Château Rauzan-Ségla, Appellation Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

After a long ownership by the Durand-Dasier family, the estate was acquired by Frédéric Cruse of the Cruse family in 1903 who held ownership until 1957. Liverpool shipping magnate John Holt and Brent Walker followed as owners, before the Wertheimer family bought the estate in 1994.

The vineyard area totals 51 hectares, with Cabernet Sauvignon accounting for 61%, Merlot for 35% and Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot for 2% each. The grapes are fermented in 35 temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks that vary in size. The wine is then matured in barriques (60% new) for 18 months.

The Grand Vin is Château Rauzan-Ségla, with an annual production of 8000 cases. The second wine is named Ségla.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Christian Schiller and John Kolasa in Frankfurt. John Kolasa manged Château Rauzan-Ségla from 1994, when the Wertheim family of Chanel bought Château Rauzan-Ségla until 2015.

Tasting

We finished the visit by tasting the 2006 grand vin.

2006 Château Rauzan-Ségla


On the same qualitative level as this estate’s brilliant 2005, but with slightly less sucrosite, this blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, exhibits a 1986-like personality, a very successful vintage at Rauzan Segla. Its deep ruby/purple hue is accompanied by sweet aromas of bay leaf, black currants, licorice, truffles, and a touch of toast, dazzling fruit, and plenty of ripe, but not astringent tannins. This is a medium to full-bodied, classic, pure, surprisingly approachable Rauzen Segla that will be at its finest between 2012–2025+. 93 pts. Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: February, 2009

Wine-Searcher average price: US$84

Walking over to Château  Palmer

Château Palmer, where we had out next appointment, is in walking distance from Château Rauzan-Ségla. We took a leisurely walk from Château Rauzan-Ségla to Château Palmer.

Pictures: Walking from Château Rauzan-Ségla to Château Palmer

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Tour and Tasting at Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

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Picture: At Château Palmer, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé

Château Palmer is named after a British officer, General General Palmer. It is the top estate of the Margaux appellation after Château Margaux. It is located in the center of the Margaux appellation, and its vineyards lie on a sparse gravel plateau. Château Palmer's relatively high Merlot content makes Palmer the closest in style of any leading Médoc properties to the great wines of Pomerol and St-Emilion.

Pictures: Arriving at Château Palmer Coming from Château Rauzan-Ségla

Wine has been produced at this estate since 1748. The château changed hands multiple times until it was acquired in 1938 by a syndicate of four very prominent Bordeux families - the Sichel, Ginestet, Miailhe and Mähler-Besse families - forming the Société Civile du Château Palmer in the process. Since then, the Ginestet and Miailhe families have pulled out. The heirs of the Sichel and Mähler-Besse families remain shareholders of the Société Civile du Château Palmer.

Château Palmer

Château Palmer is a Troisième Cru en 1855, situated in the communes Margaux and Cantenac. Once a part of Château d'Issan, 50 hectares of vineyards came to the Gascq family - an influential Bordeaux dynasty - in the late 1700s. These vineyards became Château de Gascq, which quickly established itself.

Pictures: In the Vineyard

In 1814, the widow of the final Gascq heir sold the property to General Charles Palmer, who had fought with Wellington against Napoleon. General Palmer gave it his own name and invested in the property over the following years, acquiring additional land and facilities. By 1831, Château Palmer had 82 hectares under vine, and had a reputation on a par with Château Margaux and Château Beychevelle. His political career and fortunes, however, began to falter and eventually Charles Palmer had no choice other than to sell off his assets, including Château Palmer. Charles Palmer died in London in 1851. Although his tenure of the estate was a relatively short one of just 29 years, he nevertheless left his mark; the property, vineyards and wine remain Château Palmer to this day.

From 1844 to 1853, Château Palmer was owned by the Caisse Hypothécaire de Paris. From 1853 to 1938, it was owned by the Péreire brothers Isaac and Emile Péreire, bankers and rivals of the Rothschilds. In 1938, a syndicate of the Sichel, Ginestet, Mialhe and Mähler-Besse families took control. Over the years, the Ginestet and Miailhe families have pulled out.

Pictures: Sorting Tables

Today, the vines of Château Palmer cover a surface of 52 hectares, mostly located in the Cantenac sector of Margaux, made up of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot. The high share of Merlot makes Château Palmer Palmer unique in the Medoc.

Pictures: In the Cellar

The grapes are fermented in 52 temperature controlled, cone-shaped stainless steel vats that vary in terms of size. The Grand Vin is Château Palmer; it sees up to 21 months in oak of which 45% is new. Château Palmer also produces Alter Ego. Because the latter comes from different and has a different blend than the Grand Vin, Château Palmer does not consider Alter Ego as its second wine, but as a different, indeendet wine. The Alter Ego de Palmer sees up to 17 months in oak, of which between 25-40% is new.

The production of the Grand Vin Château Palmer is 11,000 cases and of Alter Ego de Palmer 8,000 cases.

Pictures: Tasting

Tasting

2011 Alter Ego de Château Palmer

“Wahoo!” Tempted just to leave it at that really. Since 2005 particularly, tasting at Palmer has been one of the highlights of the week for myself and the BB&R team. It’s not only the Grand Vin that has been honed into a magnificent Adonis, but this too is a beauty to behold in its own right. Some second wines are a pale image of their big brother. However, Alter Ego is no Fredo to Michael Corleone. It’s lush, approachable, joyful even playful in comparison but by no means insignificant. It’s something fun to play with until the Grand Vin is ready to reveal itself. A definite buy for my cellar this year. Simon Staples, Berrys’ Fine Wine Director

Wine-searcher average price: US$72

2006 Château Palmer

Coffee, plum and spices on the nose follow through to a full body, with lovely fruit and a soft, silky-textured finish. Very balanced and beautiful, with lots of violet, new wood and richness. Long. Needs time. James Suckling, Wine Spectator, Rating: 93

Wine-searcher average price: US$229

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