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BEST OF Deutscher Riesling Trocken (2015 - 2016) - Marcus Hofschuster, Wein-Plus, Germany

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

Marcus Hofschuster is Editor-in-Chief and Lead Taster of Wein-Plus, a leading European on-line wine guide, based in Germany. Marcus Hofschuster is the man behind the reputation that Wein-Plus has gained over the past 2 decades. All wines are tasted blind. Marcus Hofschuster uses the 100 points scale.

From time to time, Marcus Hofschuster summarizes his tasting results in a "BEST OF" list. This time, he published a list summarizing his tasting results with regard to drcy Riesling from Germany. All the wines listed are from 2015 and 2016.

We have visited essentially all the wineries listed on one of ombiasy wine tours during the past years. See: Ombiasy Wine Tours 2018: 3 x France and 3 x Germany - Ombiasy Newsletter December 2017

Picture: Nico Rechenberg, Dirk Würtz, Weingut Balthasar Ress, Marcus Hofschuster, Wein-Plus, Armin Diel, Schlossgut Diel, Paul Truszkowski, Wine in Black, and Felix Bodman at the GG Pre-release Tasting in Wiesbaden, Germany, 2016. See: Germany’s Grosses Gewächs GG Wines Released (2015 White and 2014 Red) - Notes from the Pre-release Tasting in Wiesbaden, Germany

Introduction

Marcus Hofschuster provided an introduction in German, which I translated into English:

Because they know what they are doing.

In the beginning, wine lovers and professionals were not quite in agreement about the 2016 vintage. Reactions ranged from baseless enthusiasm to complete rejection. Indeed, the quality range of 2016 is exceptionally wide.

In general, all-in-one judgments about a vintage are pretty difficult to nonsensical anyway. In the case of the 2016 vintage, they are completely impossible.

Without doubt, the year 2016 produced some disappointments. Some wines are just not as good as in other years, but still very good. But at the same time, we have tasted this year some of the best dry Rieslings we have ever encountered. The best wines of the vintage combine expressiveness with elegance and finesse in a way that we have hardly experienced in the best vintages of the last decades.

However, this has only little to do with the year 2016 and its weather conditions. Rather, German viticulture has a winegrower elite for which no effort is too big and no goal too high. And the group of elite winemakers is increasing.

German wine patriots are always fast at hand when it comes to the term "world class". Sometimes too fast. Here it is on the dot.

We tasted about 1300 dry German Rieslings in recent months, of which we can only present you the absolute top. Links to all wines from a score of 80 points can be found in the magazine article.
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Vintage 2016

100WP

Pettenthal GG, Keller

Picture: Annette Schiller and Klaus Peter Keller, Weingut Keller. See: VDP.Rheinhessen Invited to a Gala Dinner: The World Class Wines of the VDP.Rheinhessen Winemakers and the World Class Food of Philipp Stein (1 Star Michelin, Favorite), with Klaus Peter Keller, Philipp Wittmann, H.O.Spanier, Caroline Gillot-Spanier and Other Rheinhessen Stars

99WP

Idig GG, Christmann

Picture: Harvest at Weingut A. Christmann, with Steffen Christmann. See: Winery Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut A. Christmann, with Steffen Christmann – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

98WP

Ölberg-Hart GG “Kapelle”, Christmann

97WP

Morstein GG, Keller
“La Borne” Alte Reben, Wittmann
Pechstein GG, von Buhl
Rottland GG, Ress

Pictures: Philipp Wittmann and Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann, Weingut Wittmann, with Annette and Christian Schiller at Prowein 2015 in Düsseldorf. See: Prowein 2015 in Düsseldorf, Germany – Schiller’s Impressions

Picture: At Weingut von Buhl with General Manager Richard Grosche. See: The Sun-Kissed South: Germany’s Pinot Noir, the Other Whites, the Culinary Regions - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Picture: Dirk Würz, Weingut Balthasar Ress, Technical Director, in the Cellar Tasting the new Wine. See: At Weingut Balthasar Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, during the 2015 Harvest with Winemaker Dirk Würtz, Germany

96WP

Brunnenhäuschen GG, Wittmann
Saumagen GG, Rings
Kirchenstück GG, Bassermann-Jordan
Gräfenberg GG, Weil

Picture: Tasting at Weingut Rings with Andreas Ring. See: Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Rings in Freinsheim, Pfalz, with Andreas Rings - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Pictures: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan in Deidesheim with General Manager Gunther Hauck – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Pictures: Christian and Annette Schiller with Wilhelm Weil at Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich. See: Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

95WP

Jesuitengarten GG, Bassermann-Jordan
Niersteiner Ortswein, Keller
Schäwer GG, Minges
Pechstein GG, von Winning
Wisselbrunnen GG, Ress
Morstein GG, Wittmann
Auf der Lay GG, Emrich-Schönleber

Picture: Deputy Managing Director Andreas Hütwohl of Weingut Von Winning, Pfalz, with Annette Schillerat the 2017 Rieslingfeier in New York. See: The Annual "Slaughterhouse" Riesling Feast in New York: Rieslingfeier 2017, USA.

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

Picture: Tasting at Weingut Emrich-Schönleber in Monzingen, Nahe, with Owner/ Winemaker Frank Schönleber - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

94+WP

Halenberg GG, Emrich-Schönleber

94WP

Ungeheuer GG, Bassermann-Jordan
Felseneck GG, Schäfer-Fröhlich
Rothenberg GG, Gunderloch
Pitermännchen GG, Diel
Frühlingsplätzchen, Emrich-Schönleber
Nußbrunnen GG, Ress
Kieselberg GG, von Buhl
Hohenmorgen GG, Bassermann-Jordan
Uhlen GG “L”, Heymann-Löwenstein
Ungeheuer GG, von Winning
Kalkofen GG, Bassermann-Jordan
Abtsberg GG, Maximin Grünhaus

Picture: Christian Schiller and Tim Fröhlich . See: Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir

Picture: Tasting at Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim with the late Owner and Winemaker Fritz Hasselbach. See: 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: Caroline and Armin Diel. See: New Vintage Tasting at Schlossgut Diel, with Armin and Caroline Diel, Germany, 2014

Picture: In the Cellar with Reinhard Löwenstein. See: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Heymann-Löwenstein in Winningen, Mosel, with Reinhard Löwenstein - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Picture: Cellar Visit, Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Weingut Maximin Grünhaus in Mertersdorf, Ruwer, with Owner Dr. Carl von Schubert – Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

93+WP

Uhlen GG “B”, Heymann-Löwenstein

93WP

Engelmannsberg Erste Lage, Ress
Scharlachberg, Bischel
Halenberg GG, Schäfer-Fröhlich
Pettenthal GG, Kühling-Gillot
Kirchenstück GG, von Winning
Maustal GG, Luckert
Langenberg GG, Diefenhardt
Reiterpfad GG, von Buhl
Juffer-Sonnenuhr GG, Fritz Haag
Pechstein GG, Bassermann-Jordan
Kupfergrube GG, Schäfer-Fröhlich
Felsenberg GG, Gut Hermannsberg
Kirschgarten GG, Kuhn
Michelsberg GG, Karl Schaefer
Jesuitengarten GG, von Winning
Rotenberg GG, Gut Hermannsberg
Röttgen GG, Heymann-Löwenstein
Herrenberg GG, von Schubert
Kirchspiel GG, Wittmann
Rothenberg GG “wurzelecht”, Kühling-Gillot
Weilberg GG, Rings

Picture: Tasting with Carolin Spanier-Gillot in Hohen-Sülzen. See: The Sun-Kissed South: Germany’s Pinot Noir, the Other Whites, the Culinary Regions - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Picute: At Weingut Zehnthof Luckert with  Philipp Luckert. See: Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Picture: In the Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr with Oliver Haag, Weingut Fritz Haag, Mosel. See: Tasting and Vineyard Walk with Oliver Haag, Weingut Fritz Haag– Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Picture: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Gut Hermannsberg in Niederhausen, Nahe– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

92WP

Stolzenberg GG, Heymann-Löwenstein
Schlenzenberg GG, Diefenhardt
Herrenberg GG, Fitz-Ritter
Mandelgarten-Meerspinne GG, Christmann
Königsbacher Ortswein, Christmann
Hölle - Unterer Faulenberg GG, Minges
Goldtröpfchen “Adam & Haart”, A. J. Adam
Stein GG, am Stein
Bürgergarten “Im Breumel”, Müller-Catoir
Hermannshöhle, Dönnhoff
Felsenberg GG “Felsentürmchen”, Dönnhoff
Klosterberg Erste Lage, Kühn
Zellerweg am Schwarzen Herrgott GG, Battenfeld-Spanier
Hipping GG, Gunderloch
Pettenthal GG, Gunderloch
Langenmorgen GG, von Winning
Schloss Johannisberg GG, Schloss Johannisberg
Im Sonnenschein GG, Rebholz
Freundstück GG, Bassermann-Jordan
Grainhübel GG, Bassermann-Jordan
Pechstein GG, Mosbacher
Pfülben GG, Schmitt’s Kinder
Ungeheuer GG, von Buhl
Stromberg GG, Schäfer-Fröhlich
Seligmacher GG, Kesseler
Aulerde GG, Wittmann

Picture: Tasting in the Weinworks Building of Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll. See: Visit and Tasting at Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll in Würzburg, Franken - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

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

Pictures: Annette and Christian Schiller with H.O. Spanier, Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Kühling Gillot at Prowein 2015 in Düsseldorf. See: The Wine Maker Couple H.O. Spanier and Carolin Spanier-Gillot, with Roland Gillot, Lead Wine Tasting of Kuehling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines at Weingut Kuehling-Gillot, Germany

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Helmut Doennhoff at Weingut Doennhoff. See: An Afternoon with Riesling Star Winemaker Helmut Doennhoff at Weingut Doennhoff in Oberhausen in the Nahe Valley, Germany

Picture: The Table of Hannsjörg Rebholz, Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz, Pfalz, at the Gala Dinner of the Rieslingfeier 2016 in New York City, with Annette Schiller, David Schildknecht and Hannsjörg Rebholz. See: A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2016, USA

Picture: Vineyard Tour with Martin Johann Schmitt, Weingut Schmitt's Kinder, Franken. See: Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schmitt’s Kinder in Randersacker, Franken, with Martin Johann Schmitt – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Picture: August Kesseler and Annette Schiller. See: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut August Kesseler in Assmanshausen, with Winemaker Simon Batarseh – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Vintage 2015

96WP

St. Nikolaus GG, Kühn

95WP

Kirchenstück GG, von Buhl

94WP

Doosberg GG, Kühn
Hermannsberg GG, Gut Hermannsberg
Hassel GG, Barth
Schloss Johannisberg GG, Schloss Johannisberg

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

93WP

Rottland GG, Ress
Bastei GG, Gut Hermannsberg
Goldloch GG, Diel

92WP

“Geheimrat J”, Wegeler
Kupfergrube GG, Gut Hermannsberg
Jungfer, Georg Müller Stiftung
Stein GG “Hagemann”, Bürgerspital

Picture: Tasting at Weingut Georg Müller Stiftung with Tim Lilienström. See: Weingut Georg Müller Stiftung in Hattenheim, Rheingau: Cellar Tour, Art Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Tour with Winemaker Tim Lilienström - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

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Impressive Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz, with Richard Grosche - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

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Pictures: Extensive Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz, with Richard Grosche - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy wrote to a friend after a visit to Reichsrat von Buhl: "But if you haven’t been to the Buhl estate, you don’t know what Forster Riesling is".

German chancellor Otto von Bismarck himself was a great lover of Buhl wines (his famous quote "Dieses Ungeheuer schmeckt mir ungeheuer" this Ungeheuer tastes monstrously good, (Ungeheuer = monster) helped make the Forster Ungeheuer site world-famous).

Pictures: Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz

Reichsrat von Buhl has been a family-owned winery for more than 150 years, and has belonged to the circle of the most prestigious wineries in Germany for just as long. Since it was founded in 1849, Reichsrat von Buhl has made its wines in a terroir-dominated, timeless style that has never been oriented to fashion, but always to the grapes’ origins in the best soils of Deidesheimer and Forster. Reichsrat von Buhl is certified organic, and is an active ambassador of both natural, sustainable viticulture and of the best German wines. Since 2013, it has been led by a new team including managing director Richard Grosche and technical director Mathieu Kauffmann. Long term viticultural manager Werner Sebastian remains responsible for the vineyards.

For the most part of the visit, we toured the world-renowed vineyards of Deidesheim and Forst. Following the vineyard tour, we sat down for a tasting of Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl wines.

General Manager Richard Grosche was our host.

Pictures: With Richard Grosche at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl

History

Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl It was founded in 1849 by Franz Peter Buhl (1809-1862). He added the vineyards inherited by his wife, a member of the Jordan dynasty.

When Andreas Jordan, who had immigrated to the Pfalz from the Savoy region, died in 1848, his bequest was split three ways giving rise to Deidesheim’s three biggest wineries, which thenceforth developed independently of each other and still exist today. Today, they bear the names Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan, Reichsrat von Buhl and von Winningen (Dr. Deinhard). They are now all owned by wife of the late Achim Niederberger (who died recently).

Within few years, von Buhl was recognized for its uncompromising quality. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy wrote to a friend after a visit to Reichsrat von Buhl: "But if you haven’t been to the Buhl estate, you don’t know what Forster Riesling is".

But it wasn't just on a national scale that von Buhl became famous. Von Buhl wines become some of the most expensive wines in the world and at the official opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, it was VON Buhl Riesling wine in the glasses raised for the toast.

German chancellor Otto von Bismarck himself was a great lover of Buhl wines (his famous quote "Dieses Ungeheuer schmeckt mir ungeheuer" this Ungeheuer tastes monstrously good, (Ungeheuer = monster) helped make the Forster Ungeheuer site world-famous). Reichsrat von Buhl has always owned the best plot in the 29 hectar grand cru vineyard Ungeheuer.

The first "Reichsrat" (member in the house of Lords in the kingdom of Bavaria) was Armand von Buhl who was given the honorable title for his achievements in the German social legislation 1883-89. Armand married Juliane Schellhorn-Wallbillich, daughter of a very wealthy family in Forst, and had a son named Franz Eberhard Buhl (1867-1921). It was Franz Eberhard who united the wineries Reichsrat von Buhl and Schellhorn-Wallbillich to one of the biggest privately owned wineries in Germany in 1909. At that time, the total property expanded over 200 hectares of vineyards and forests. Franz Eberhard also changed the name of the winery from von Buhl to Reichsrat von Buhl by including his title.

Apart from his achievements at Reichsrat von Buhl, Franz Eberhard was founder and president of the German association of viticulture. After his early death in 1921, his wife Frieda Piper von Buhl ran the estate. She managed not only to maintain but actually increase the high quality that the estate was known for. When she passed away childless in 1952, the winery was inhereted to a political friend of Franz Eberhard, Georg Enoch Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg.

Over the years, the estate was continuously scaled down due to economic difficulties in its operation, until the entire property was left with only around 52 hectares of land under vine, albeit including the best vineyard sites in Deidesheim and Forst, such as Forster Kirchenstück, Pechstein, Jesuitengarten, Freundstück and the Deidesheim sites Leinhöhle, Herrgottsacker, Kiesleberg and Paradiesgarten.

From 1989 to 2013 the winery was leased to Japanese business man Toyohiro Tokuoka. In 2005 the winery was sold by the von Guttenberg family to local business man Achim Niederberger (1957-2013)  who knew back then, that he would have to wait eight years before his team could run the estate.

Beginning with vintage 2013, the new team around managing director Richard Grosche and technical director Mathieu Kauffmann is responsible for the estate. 

Pictures: Touring the Famous Vineyards of Deidesheim, Ruppertsberg and Forst with Richard Grosche, Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

The Famous Vineyards of Forst, Ruppertsberg and Deidesheim

The 62 ha estate is planter 88% to Riesling, 8% Pinot Noir and 4% to Scheurebe, Rieslaner and Sauvignon Blanc. It also produces superb sparkling wines especially the single vineyard Pechstein.

In the villages of Forst, Ruppertsberg and Deidesheim, the estate has significant ownership in the following Grosse Lage (Grand Cru) and Erste Lage (Premier Cru) vineyards:

Pictures: The Famous Vineyards of Forst, Ruppertsberg and Deidesheim

KIRCHENSTÜCK, Forst | VDP.GROSSE LAGE® – Von Buhl has about a quarter of holdings in Kirchenstück Forst ("Church lot"), which is one of the smallest vineyards at 3.7 ha and rated as one of the most highly acclaimed vineyard site in the Pfalz with its heady mix of basalt, sandstone, limestone and clay soils.

JESUITENGARTEN, Forst | VDP.GROSSE LAGE® – 7 hectares. A stone’s throw away from the famed Kirchenstück and next to the Pechstein, a composite make-up of these two neighboring vineyards; at one time it belonged to the Jesuit monastery in Neustadt – therefore the name.

Pictures: The Famous Vinyards of Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl

PECHSTEIN, Forst | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®  – Pechstein Forst ("Bad luck stone") has 15 southeast-facing hectares rich in black basalt and almost a third of it is owned by von Buhl.

UNGEHEUER, Forst | VDP.GROSSE LAGE® – 29 hectares, weathered sandstone with thicker layers of clay and sandstone mixed with lime and basalt rock

FREUNDSTÜCK, Forst | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®

REITERPFAD-IN DER HOHL, Ruppertsberg | VDP.GROSSE LAGE® – Ruppertsberg: Layers of calciferous sediments conditions the configuration of the vineyard which is surrounded by walls of red sandstone. There are additional sandstone based vineyards along with the Kieselberg, Hergottsacker, Leinhöhle and Mäushöhle that also produce loose knit more delicate Rieslings.

REITERPFAD-HOFSTÜCK, Ruppertsberg | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®

KALKOFEN, Deidesheim | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®

KIESELBERG, Deidesheim | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®

Pictures: The Famous Vineyards of Forst

Musenhang, Forst | VDP.ERSTE LAGE®

Kieselberg-Kehr, Deidesheim | VDP.ERSTE LAGE®

Mäushöhle, Deidesheim | VDP.ERSTE LAGE®

Paradiesgarten, Deidesheim | VDP.ERSTE LAGE® – residual soils of red clay and yellow sandstone are good aquifers for its more delicate, lively Rieslings.

Leinhöhle, Deidesheim | VDP.ERSTE LAGE®

Herrgottsacker, Deidesheim | VDP.ERSTE LAGE®

Reiterpfad, Ruppertsberg | VDP.ERSTE LAGE® - Reiterpfad Ruppertsberg ("Rider's path") is the largest in the group of top vineyards at 87 ha of terraces lying to the west of Ruppertsberg, which runs into Deidesheim to the north.

Pictures: Tasting at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz, with Richard Grosche - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

The Wines we Tasted


Weinmanufaktur Reichsrat von Buhl

The name Reichsrat von Buhl always stands for uncompromising quality. For our negociants range, we buy grapes from fellow winemakers and process them as if they were our own. Ultimately, the name Reichsrat von Buhl stands for uncompromising top quality, across all of our wines.

Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl

For wines bottled under the winery’s name, we use only the best grapes from our own organically farmed vineyards. With the exception of the two noble sweet wines, all the white wines we offer are Rieslings, while our rosé and red wines are made exclusively from Pinot Noir; in other words, we use the two great, classic grape varieties of the Mittelhaardt. Since 2013, we have implemented the new VDP quality pyramid: VDP.Gutsweine, VDP.Ortsweine, VDP.Erste Lage und VDP.Große Lage. The quality ranking is indicated by the colour of the capsule, and by the carton.

2015 Weinmanufaktur Reichsrat von Buhl Riesling Brut Sekt

Recently the tradition of making Sekt at the winery has seen a renaissance. Matthieu Kauffmann, enologist at the Champagne House Bollinger was hired to make Germany’s best Riesling Sekt. The first vintage, the 2013 Reichrat von Buhl Sekt, Brut was hyped as the best Sekt ever made in Germany and as close to a grand Champagne as it could get.


2016 Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl Deidesheimer Riesling Trocken. At the Ortswein level but 100% from Deidesheimer Hergottsacker and Deidesheimer Maushöhle, both Erste Lage vineyards

2016 Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl KIESELBERG Riesling Trocken GG Grosse Lage

2016 Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl Suez Riesling Trocken. Suez is always a GG Cuvée from Grosse Lage vineyards.

2016 Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl Deidesheimer Herrgottsacker Riesling trocken Erste Lage

2016 Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl FREUNDSTÜCK Riesling Trocken GG Grosse Lage

2015 Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl Suez Rosé Spätburgunder Trocken. Suez is always a GG Cuvée from Grosse Lage vineyards.


Bye-bye

Thanks Richard for this most impressive vineyard tour.

Pictures: Bye-bye

Lunch at Weinhaus Henninger in Kallstadt, Pfalz

Following the visit of Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl, we had a late lunch at the lovely Weinhaus Henninger, just on the other side of the street of Weingut Köhler-Ruprecht. See: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Koehler Ruprecht in Kallstadt, Pfalz, with Franzi Schmitt – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Pictures: Lunch at Weinhaus Henninger

schiller-wine: Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen - All Postings (Published and Forthcoming)

The Sun-Kissed South: Germany’s Pinot Noir, the Other Whites, the Culinary Regions - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Sekt: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Griesel&Compagnie, Sekthaus Streit, Bensheim, with Winemaker Rachele Crosara - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Lunch at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Landhaus Feckl in Ehningen, with Chef Franz Feckl and Host Manuela Feckl - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

The Evolving Structure of the Wine Industry in Germany– The Case of the Lake Constance Region

Schloss Salem at Lake Constance in Germany: A Museum, a School and a Wine Estate

Visit of Schloss Salem, Kirche Birnau and Weingut Markgraf von Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Staatsweingut Meersburg in Meersburg, Baden, Lake Constance (Bodensee) - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

2 Cellar Tours and 1 Tasting at Weingut Ziereisen in Efringen, Markgräfler Land, Baden, with Hanspeter and Edel Ziereisen - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Pinot Noir Star Producer Weingut Martin Waßmer in Bad Krozingen, Markgräfler Land, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Dinner at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler, 1 Star Michelin, Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Hunn in Gottenheim, Tuniberg, Baden, with Kilian and Martina Hunn - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

The World Class Wines of Alsace

In the world class white wine region Alsace

Tour and Tasting at Domaines Schlumberger in Guebwiller, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Rieflé-Landmann in Pfaffenheim, Alsace, with Paul Rieflé - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Massive Tasting at Domaine Rolly-Gassmann in Rorschwihr, Alsace, with Pierre Gassmann - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Pfister in Dahlenheim, Alsace, with Melanie Pfister - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Promenade au Fleckenstein: Dinner at L'Auberge du Cheval Blanc (2 Stars Michelin) in Lembach, Alsace, with Chef Pascal Bastian - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Wine Tasting at Weingut Friedrich Becker– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Vineyard Tour and Massive Tasting at Weingut Siener in Birkweiler, Pfalz, with Owner/ Winemaker Peter Siener

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

Impromptu Tasting at Weinbar & Vinothek Weingut Dr. Bürklin-Wolf in Deidsheim, with Managing Director Steffen Brahner - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Extensive Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz, with Richard Grosche

Winemaker Dinner at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz, Germany

Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier/ Kühling-Gillot in Hohen-Sülzen, Rheinhessen, with Carolin Spanier

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

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Wagner-Stempel in Siefersheim, Rheinhessen, with Winemaker Oliver Müller and Owner Cathrin Wagner - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Cellar Tour and Lunch at Weingut Schloss Westerhaus in Ingelheim, Rheinhessen, with the Owners Countess and Count von Schönburg-Glauchau and Technical Director Toni Frank - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Tasting at Weingut Knewitz in Appenheim, Rheinhessen - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

Vineyard Tour and Cellar Tour at Weingut Graf Adelmann, Burg Schaubeck, in Steinheim-Kleinbottwar, Württemberg, with Felix Count Adelmann - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

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Picture: Vineyard Tour and Cellar Tour at Weingut Graf Adelmann, Burg Schaubeck, in Steinheim-Kleinbottwar, Württemberg, with Felix Count Adelmann - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

It would be hard to imagine a more stylish setting for a wine estate: a mighty medieval castle, the residence of the Count of Adelmann family, surrounded by a park with huge ancient trees, and in the distance the vineyards. The Adelmann family acquired Burg Schaubeck and the 21 hectares wine estate in 1914 but the estate’s winemaking history stretches back almost 1000 years.

Felix Count Adelmann was our host. He is the fifth generation of his family line managing the estate.

The visit had 2 parts.

Afternoon: We started the visit with a glass of Sekt in the garden of Burg Schaubeck. Felix Count Adelmann took us by car on a vineyard tour. We then visted the old cellars of Weingut Graf Adelmann, the approximately 500 years old "Amtskeller" in Kleinbottwar, a few hundred meters from the castle.

Evening: Following the cellar tour, we headed back to Burg Schaubeck for an amazing wine-tasting dinner in the park of Burg Schaubeck, with Felix Count Adelmann and his mother Christine Countess Adelmann.

This posting covers the vineyard and cellar tour in the afternoon. A separate posting will cover the dinner in the evening.

Pictures: Sekt Reception at Weingut Graf Adelmann, Burg Schaubeck, in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg, with Felix Count Adelmann

Weingut Graf Adelmann

Weingut Graf Adelmann is in Kleinbottwar in Württemberg. The heart of it is Burg Schaubeck, a mighty medieval castle, the residence of the Count of Adelmann family, surrounded by a park with huge ancient trees, and in the distance the vineyards.

The Schaubeck family built Schaubeck Castle in the 13th century atop the remains of a Roman manor and began making wine there shortly thereafter. In the middle ages these wines were served as "Schaubeckers" in Vienna and other European Courts.

The Adelmann family acquired Burg Schaubeck and the 21 hectares wine estate in 1914.

In the fifth generation of the family, Felix Graf Adelmann has managed the fortunes of the winery since 2012. The property also includes other agricultural land, which has been leased since 1990.

The wine is not made at the castle itself, but in the approximately 500 years old Amtskeller in Kleinbottwar, a few hundred meters from the castle.

The partly steep terraced vineyards cover 21 hectares of vineyards in Kleinbottwar (16 ha), Grossbottwar (1 ha) and Hoheneck (3 ha terraces).

The 2 VDP.Grosse Lage vineyards Kleinbottwarer Oberer Berg and Kleinbottwarer Süßmund are monopole site.

Grape varieties: 33% Riesling, 13% Lemberger, 13% Trollinger, 8% Samtrot, 8% Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder), 5% Spätburgunder, 3% Muskateller, 17% others.

In addition to Weingut Graf Adelmann wines, where all the grapes are sourced from own vineyards, there are also entry-level Weinkellerei Graf Adelmann wines, where the grapes are bought from other producers. The labels of these two lines of production are distinctively different. 

Brandies and Sekt is also produced. The winery is a member of VDP as well as founding member of the two groups H.A.D.E.S. and Deutsches Barrique-Forum.

Weingut Graf Adelmann/ VDP

It would be hard to imagine a more stylish setting for a winegrowing estate: a medieval castle, powerful and angular, the seat of its county, surrounded by huge ancient trees in a wide-ranging park — and there on the horizon, the vineyards. Although the Adelmanns first acquired the property in 1914, the Schaubecker estate's winemaking history stretches back almost a thousand years. Felix Graf Adelmann represents the fifth generation of his line to oversee the tradition-rich estate. Like his father before him, he values traditional dry, barrel-aged red wines, while maintaining an open mind for modern innovations. His white wines, by contrast, embrace elegance and a fine structure. Weingut Graf Adelmann has long been counted among the region's bastions of quality.

Owner Felix Graf Adelmann
Winemaker Ruben Röder
Outside Manager Sabine Roth
VDP member since 1973
Hectares of vineyards 21
Bottle production 140 000
Grape varieties 16% Riesling, 18% Lemberger, 8% Trollinger sowie u.a. Grau-, Spät- & Weissburgunder, Samtrot & Clevner

Pictures: Vineyard Tour at Weingut Graf Adelmann, Burg Schaubeck, in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg, with Felix Count Adelmann

Barrique Aging and Cuvées at Weingut Graf Adelmann

Weingut Graf Adelmann is a pioneer in Germany when it comes to using barrique barrels and blending wines.

Already in 1981, Micheal Count Adelmann, the father of Felix Count Adelmann, started to age his wines in barrique barrels, at a time when the wood tone was still considered a gross error in Germany.

In 1989, Micheal Count Adelmann created his first cuvée, at a time when only single-variety wines were considered premium wines in Germany.

With like-minded colleagues, Michael Count Adelmann, founded in 1986 H.A.D.E.S. and in 1990 the Deutsche Barriqueforum.

H.A.D.E.S. grew out of the „study group new oak barrel“. It comprises the wineries Fürst zu Hohenlohe, Öhringen, Graf Adelmann, Kleinbottwar, Drautz-Able, Heilbronn, Jürgen Ellwanger, interbach and the „Sonnenhof“ of the Fischer family. The name H.A.D.E.S. was put together out of the first letters of the name of the 5 members.

H.A.D.E.S. was a leader in introducing barrique aging to Swabia – and more generally – Germany. Initially, H.A.D.E.S. wines were rejected as “untypical” or “woody” and had to be sold as table wines. This has changed completely over the past 30 years. Using new wood has become a common tool in winemaking in Germany.

Pictures: Cellar Tour at Weingut Graf Adelmann, Burg Schaubeck, in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg, with Felix Count Adelmann

Brüsselle and Adelmann

​In 1853, General Major Baron Felix von Brüsselle from Austria inherited Burg Schaubeck castle with its agricultural and vineyard holdings.

Since then the entry-level wines were sold for a long period under the designation "Brüsseler", a slight modification of the family name that fits in with the local Swabian dialect. The noble-sweet wines were sold and still are being sold as "Brüsseler Spitze" (the highest quality Brüsseler) with a wonderful traditional label that uses a background of antique lace (another meaning of the German word Spitze).

Felix de Bruesselle really took to his new task and soon his wines were winning medals at international expositions everywhere. His son had little interest in continuing at Schaubeck castle and left the estate to his sister who with her husband Heinrich Graf Adelmann took over the estate in 1914 and renamed it Weingut Graf Adelmann.

Un­der the leadership of Heinrich Graf Adelmann the estate rose to the top echelon in Württemberg. Heinrich Graf Adelmann was also active outside the wine trade as a diplomat and politician. He was elected three times as a representative to Parliament.

His son Raban followed eagerly in his footsteps but died suddenly in 1935.

At the young age of 23 his nephew, also Raban, assumed control. He had studied law and history at the universities of Bonn and Cologne and at Williams College in Massachusetts. He continued the tradition of producing high quality wines and also giving of his time to public service. In 1962 he was appointed NATO representative by Foreign Minister Heinrich von Brentano. Finally in 1967 he returned to Schaubeck castle and devoted his time exclusively to producing fine wines.

In 1978, his son Michael Graf Adelmann took over the reins. Also a lawyer, who studied in Munich and Tübingen. He started to age his wines in barrique barrels, at a time when the wood tone was still considered a gross error in Germany. In 1989, Micheal Count Adelmann created his first cuvée, at a time when only single-variety wines were considered premium wines in Germany. With like-minded colleagues, Micheal Count Adelmann, founded in 1986 H.A.D.E.S. and in 1990 the Deutsche Barriqueforum.

Fifth Generation: Felix Graf Adelmann Since 2012

Felix Graf Adelmann: New challenge brings its time: not only the quality, but the balance sheet must be right. Wineries are now companies with the classic departments such as sales and marketing. Of course, the family thing remains - and in order to prepare for the many tasks, Felix Graf Adelmann breaks with a tradition: he did not studied law, but business administration in London and Madrid, and then gained experience as a business consultant. He trained for the work in the cellar and vineyard at renowned wineries in Germany and abroad. The current generation continues to hold fast to the family tradition: the wine enthusiast tirelessly upholds the banner of quality according to the motto "traditional - but never conventional", just typical of Adelmann.

Dinner in the Garden of Burg Schaubeck

Following the vineyard and cellar tour, we headed back to Burg Schaubeck for an amazing wine-tasting dinner in the park of Burg Schaubeck, with Felix Count Adelmann and his mother Christine Countess Adelmann. The dinner will be covered in a separate posting.

Pictures: Dinner in the Garden of Burg Schaubeck

Postings: Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken (Published and Forthcoming)

Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg Project in Sanssouci, Potsdam

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Lindicke in Werder an der Havel, Brandenburg, with Katharina Lindicke

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Born in Salzatal, Saale-Unstrut, with Elisabeth Born - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Visit and Wine Tasting Lunch at Weingut Hey in Naumburg, Saale-Unstrut, with Matthias Hey – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Zufriedenheit in Naumburg, with Chef Robert Klaus and his Excellent Food, and Uwe Lützkendorf, Weingut Lützkendorf, and his World-class Wines - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Tasting at Weingut Uwe Lützkendorf, with Uwe Lützkendorf, in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut– Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in the Saale Unstrut Region, Germany

Visit and tasting at Landesweingut Kloster Pforta in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut, with Managing Director Björn Probst

Weingut Kloster Pforta: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Managing Director Christian Kloss – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wine and Music:"Martin Luther Lunch" at the Historic Vincenz Richter Restaurant, Weingut Vincenz Richter, in Meissen with Senior Boss Gottfried Herrlich and the Music of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schuh in Coswig, Sachsen, with Katharina Pollmer-Schuh and Matthias Schuh - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Tour and Dinner at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz - Prinz zur Lippe in Zadel, Sachsen, with Georg Prinz zur Lippe - Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at the Sächsisches Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth in Radebeul, Sachsen - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Wine and Opera in Dresden: Mozart at Semper Opera and the Best Wines of Sachsen at Wine Bar Weinzentrale in Dresden-Neustadt, with Owner/ Sommelier Jens Pietzonka – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen (Saxony), Germany

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Aldinger in Fellbach (Stuttgart), with Matthias Aldinger - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Karl Haidle in Kernen-Stetten, Württemberg, with Moritz Haidle - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Dinner at Weingut Graf Adelmann Burg Schaubeck in Steinheim-Kleinbottwar, Württemberg; with Count Adelmann

Cellar tour and Tasting at Weingut Zehnthof, Theo Luckert in Sulzfeld, Franken, with Philipp Luckert

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Staatlicher Hofkeller in Würzburg, Franken, with General Manager Marcel von den Benken– Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll in Würzburg, Franken - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Pairing Dinner at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Reisers am Stein, Würzburg, Franken

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Rudolf Fürst in Bürgstadt, Franken, with Sebastian Fürst

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

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Benedikt Baltes in Klingenberg, Franken, with Benedikt Baltes: The Wines of Weingut Benedikt Baltes and of Weingut Julia Bertram

Schiller’s Favorites: 2 Legendary Wine Taverns in Würzburg – Juliusspital and Bürgerspital

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Würzburg

Best German Sparkling Wines (Sekt): Meininger Deutscher Sektpreis 2018

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Picture: Tasting at Sekthaus Raumland in Flörsheim-Dalsheim, Rheinhessen, with Heide-Rose and Volker Raumland. See: See: Tasting at Sekthaus Raumland in Flörsheim-Dalsheim, Rheinhessen, with Heide-Rose and Volker Raumland - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Germany is one of the largest sparkling wine markets in the world. One out of four bottles of sparkling wine produced in the world is consumed in Germany. Sparkling wine produced in Germany is called Sekt. Sekt can range from inexpensive mass Sekt to premium and ultra-premium Sekt made in the méthode traditionnelle.

Deutscher Sekt Preis 2018/ German Sekt Competition 2018

For the fourth time, Meininger Verlag organized a Sekt Competition in July 2018 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse. A total of 577 Sekts were tasted. Only premium and ultra-premium Sekts (made in the méthode traditionnelle) could be submitted.

Meininger Verlag: Sekthaus Raumland defended its position as the best sparkling wine producer and again receives the special award "Collection of the Year". Volker Raumland from Flörsheim-Dalsheim (Rheinhessen) achieved the best overall result with four times 93, four times 92 points and four other Sekts, which were among the best in the competition. But also new discoveries such as Weingut Stefan Reinhardt and Weingut Eymann, both from the Pfalz, show that things amoving ahead. Overall, 99 Sekts reached over 90 points.

Two years ago (but not this year) Annette Schiller was one of the tasters.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Volker Raumland and Boris Maskow at the Tasting Two Years Ago (Photos: Facebook). See: Best German Sparkling Wine (Sekt): Meiningers Deutscher Sektpreis 2016, with Annette Schiller as Judge

Sekt Basics

Sekt is made in all German wine regions, both in the méthode traditionnelle and charmat method. There are three groups of Sekt makers: (i) large and (ii) smaller Sekt houses, who only make Sekt and (iii) winemakers, who make predominantly wine, but complement their wine selection by a few Sekts. The Sekts produced by large Sekt estates tend to be in the demy-sweet and sweet range, while the Sekts of smaller estates and the wine makers are mostly in the brut and extra brut range. In addition to Sekt, Germany produces semi-sparkling wine, which is called Perlwein. But the production of Perlwein is small.

Large Sekt Houses

There is a dozen or so large Sekt houses. They produce more than 2.000.000 bottles each annually. Most of these large Sekt houses were established in the 1800s. At that time, there was only one method known to produce Sekt, the méthode traditionnelle. But in contrast to the champagne houses, the large Sekt houses have all moved to the charmat method as main method of the second fermentation after World War II. Like the champagne houses, Sekt houses do not own vineyards, but purchase the base wine from winemakers. More than three quarters of the base wine used to make Sekt is imported from other EU countries, essentially Italy, France and Spain. Sekt can only be labeled as Deutscher Sekt if it is made exclusively from German grapes, which is rare in the case of the large and the smaller Sekt houses. Most of the Sekt houses have beautiful chateau-type facilities with old underground cellars for the second fermentation and storage. Overall, these Sekts are reasonably priced, are of good quality, but with the introduction of the charmat method are no longer in the same class as their counterparts in the champagne region.

The Rotkäppchen-Mumm conglomerate is now the largest Sekt producer. Rotkäppchen was founded in Freiburg (Saale-Unstrut) in 1856, in the eastern part of Germany, and has experienced a phenomenal expansion since reunification of the two Germanys in 1989. It introduced the charmat method in 1956. Mumm was founded in 1827, initially as a champagne house, by the German banker and wine merchant P. A. Mumm. His sons J. and H.G. Mumm created the famous “Mumm Cordon Rouge” at their estate in France and also branched out to Germany. A few years ago, the French branch was bought by Pernod Ricard and the German branch by Rotkäppchen, and the Mumm estates separated. Henkell-Söhnlein, also a conglomerate, is the second largest Sekt house. Henkell was founded in 1832 in Mainz (Rheinhessen). Its most famous “Henkell Trocken”, made of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Chenin Blanc, is available in the US with (supposedly) the same taste as in 1894, when this cuvee was created by Adam Henkell, although then, the charmat methode had not yet been discovered.

Smaller Sekt Houses

The smaller Sekt houses, like the large Sekt houses, do not own vineyards, but also buy the base wine from winemakers. They also tend to have a long history and often links to the champagne region, beautiful facilities and old cellars for the second fermentation and storage. The big difference is that they typically have not gone the route of tank fermentation but continue to ferment in the méthode traditionnelle.

Geldermann in Breisach makes its Sekt exclusively from French wines imported from the Loire valley. The two Germans Deutz and Geldermann founded a champagne house in 1838 in the champagne, and the Breisach (Baden) outlet became their German branch in 1904 for tax reasons. Another one is Kessler, in Esslingen (Baden-Wuerttemberg), the first German Sekt house, founded in 1826 by Georg Kessler, who had worked for Veuve Clicqot. Fürst von Metternich Sekts are produced in a beautiful castle overlooking the Rhein river in the Rheingau. Von Metternich received the castle from the Austrian Emperor Franz I in 1816 as a gift for his skillful negotiations as his Minister of Foreign Affairs during the Vienna congress (1814 -15). The von Metternich Sekts are all Rieslings from von Metternich vineyards.

Small Sekt and Wine Producers

Finally, increasingly, there is a number of top quality winemakers, who, in addition, to their still wines, have started to include Sekts in their portfolio. These Sekts are typically vintage Sekts, from a specified vineyard, made of specific grapes, often Riesling, in the méthode champenoise and with little or not dosage (brut or extra but). While the first fermentation typically takes place at the winery, the second fermentation is often not in the cellar of the winemaker but in the cellar of a Sekt house that bottle-ferments for other wineries. One of those is award-winning Volker Raumland in Rheinhessen. He bottle-ferments for himself and for others. He keeps the bottle sur lie up to 12 years before corking and labeling the bottle for sale. There is a large and growing number of winemakers who have started to produce world class Sekts. Unfortunately, their production is very limited and they are difficult to find in the US.

Deutscher Sekt Preis 2018/ German Sekt Competition 2018: 6 Categories

The Sekts were grouped in 6 different categories:

Riesling brut
Burgundy Grapes brut
Burgundy Grapes brut premium (on the lees for at least 36 months)
Rosé
Other Grapes brut
Sekt trocken

Kategorie I - Riesling Sekt Brut/ Riesling Sekt Brut

1. Platz Riesling Brut Sekthaus Raumland, Flörsheim-Dalsheim

2. Platz 2015 Riesling Brut Tradition Griesel Sekt - Sekthaus Streit, Bensheim

3. Platz Riesling Brut Nature Wein- und Sektgut F. B. Schönleber, Oestrich-Winkel

Pictures: Tasting at Sekthaus Raumland in Flörsheim-Dalsheim, Rheinhessen, with Heide-Rose and Volker Raumland. See: Tasting at Sekthaus Raumland in Flörsheim-Dalsheim, Rheinhessen, with Heide-Rose and Volker Raumland - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Picture: Ultra-premium Sekt: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Griesel&Compagnie, Sekthaus Streit, Bensheim, with Winemaker Rachele Crosara - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Pictures: Bernd and Ralf Schönleber Welcoming us See also: Cellar Tour, Tasting and Dinner at Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber in Östrich-Winkel, Rheingau, with Ralph and Bernd Schönleber - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Kategorie II - Burgunder Sekt Brut/ Burgundy Grapes Sekt Brut

1. Platz 2015 Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay Brut nature Weingut Braunewell, Essenheim

2. Platz 2015 Blanc et Noir Brut Nature Weingut Stefan Reinhardt, Niederkirchen

3. Platz 2014 Ehrenstetter Chardonnay Brut Bezirkskellerei Markgräflerland, Efringen-Kirchen

Kategorie III – Prestige-Burgunder Sekt Brut (mind. 36 Monate Hefelager)/ Premium Burgundy Grapes Brut (minimum 36 months on the lees)

1. Platz 2013 Cuvée Katharina Brut Nature Sekthaus Raumland, Flörsheim-Dalsheim

2. Platz 2010 Pinot Prestige Blanc de Noir Brut Sekthaus Raumland, Flörsheim-Dalsheim

3. Platz 2013 Pinot Prestige Brut Nature Griesel Sekt - Sekthaus Streit, Bensheim

Kategorie IV – Rosé Sekt Brut/ Rosé Sekt Brut

1. Platz Pinot Noir Rosé Brut Weingut Eymann, Gönnheim

2. Platz 2015 Rosé Brut Weinmanufaktur Reichsrat von Buhl, Deidesheim

3. Platz 2016 Sasbacher Pinot Rosé Sekt Brut Sasbacher Winzerkeller, Sasbach

Pictures: Extensive Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz, with Richard Grosche - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Kategorie V –Sortenvielfalt Sekt Brut/ Other Grapes Sekt Brut

1. Platz Creation Riesling und Spätburgunder Brut Wein- und Sektgut F. B. Schönleber, Oestrich-Winkel

2. Platz 2016 Cisterzienser Sekt Sauvignon Blanc Brut Cisterzienser Weingut Michel, Dittelsheim-Heßloch

3. Platz 2016 Scheurebe Brut Weingut Klaus Henke, Sommerach

Kategorie VI – Sekt Trocken/ Sekt Off-dry

1. Platz 2016 Sauvignon Blanc extra trocken Weingut auf den fünfzehn Morgen, Selzen

2. Platz 2016 Schwarzriesling Rosé trocken Weingut Peter Silbernagel, Ilbesheim

3. Platz 2015 Besigheimer Felsengarten Riesling Sekt trocken Felsengartenkellerei Besigheim, Hessigheim

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Cellar Tour, Tasting and Dinner at Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber in Östrich-Winkel, Rheingau, with Ralph and Bernd Schönleber - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Ultra-premium Sekt: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Griesel&Compagnie, Sekthaus Streit, Bensheim, with Winemaker Rachele Crosara - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Tasting at Sekthaus Raumland in Flörsheim-Dalsheim, Rheinhessen, with Heide-Rose and Volker Raumland - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Extensive Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz, with Richard Grosche - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Champagne– An Introduction, France

French Champagne Houses and German Roots

Champagne, Sekt, Cava, Pét-Nat ...: Sparkling Wines around the World - A Primer

Visit and Tasting at Champagne Jean Josselin, a Grower Champagne House in Gyé­ sur­ Seine – Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours, France

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Best German Sparkling Wine (Sekt): Meiningers Deutscher Sektpreis 2016, with Annette Schiller as Judge

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German Wine Makers in the World: Anton Mueller Invented the Remuage Technique Revolutionizing Sparkling Wine Drinking, 1800s, France

German Wine Makers in the World: Eduard Werle --- Owner of the Veuve Cliquot Champagne house (France)

German Wine Makers in the World: Robert Alwin Schlumberger--the Father of Austrian Sekt (Austria)

Tasting the Wines of Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Kühling-Gillot at the Spanier Family Home in Hohen-Sülzen and Touring the Winery with Carolin Spanier-Gillot - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

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Pictures: Tasting with Carolin Spanier-Gillot, Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Kühling-Gillot, in Hohen-Sülzen - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Kühling-Gillot are among Germany's wineries that have reached world-class status. They are owned and run by the winermaker couple H.O.Spanier and Carolin Spanier-Gillot.

It was only in 1993 that H.O. Spanier founded Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier in Hohen-Sülzen at the southernmost tip of the Rheinhessen Wonnegau region. Weingut Kühling-Gillot can look back to a longer history. It is located in the north of the Rheinhessen region, close to Mainz. Carolin took over the winery from her parents after she finished her studies at Geisenheim University.

Pictures: Welcome - Carolin Spanier-Gillot

Since their marriage, Carolin and H.O. have reorganized and streamlined the operations of Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Kühling-Gillot two wineries quite a bit.

There is no wine made in Bodenheim at Weingut Kühling-Gillot any more. The winemaking facilities of both Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Kühling-Gillot are in Hohen-Sülzen.

H.O. takes the lead in terms of winemaking for both wineries and Carolin is more active on the administrative and marketing side of both wineries.

Carolin and H.O. have constructed a lovely tasting room in Bodenheim at Weingut Kühling-Gillot which is the central place for selling and marketing the wines of both Weingut Kühling-Gillot and Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier. You cannot buy wine of Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier in Hohen-Sülzen, but only in Bodenheim.

Pictures: The Spanier Family Home in Hohen-Sülzen

Carolin and H.O. live with their children in Hohen-Sülzen in a posh villa just next to the winemakng facilities of Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Kühling-Gillot.

This is where we were received by Carolin Spanier-Gillot for a tasting of both Weingut Kühling-Gillot and Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier wines. The outlay of the villa allows for receiving guests in an intimite way, which is not possible in the tasting room in Bodenheim.

After the tasting, Carolin took us on a tour of the winemaking facilties in Hohen-Sülzen, where both the wines of Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Kühling-Gillot are made.

Picture: VDP.Rheinhessen Invited to a Gala Dinner: The World Class Wines of the VDP.Rheinhessen Winemakers and the World Class Food of Philipp Stein (1 Star Michelin, Favorite), with Klaus Peter Keller, Philipp Wittmann, H.O.Spanier, Carolin Gillot-Spanier and Other Rheinhessen Stars s

Pictures: Christian Schiller with H. O. Spanier and Caroline Spanier-Gillot at a Tasting in Bodenheim. See: The Wine Maker Couple H.O. Spanier and Carolin Spanier-Gillot, with Roland Gillot, Lead Wine Tasting of Kuehling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines at Weingut Kuehling-Gillot, Germany

Pictures: At a Tasting in Bodenheim at Weingut Kuehling-Gillot. See: The Wine Maker Couple H.O. Spanier and Carolin Spanier-Gillot, with Roland Gillot, Lead Wine Tasting of Kuehling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines at Weingut Kuehling-Gillot, Germany

Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier/ VDP

VDP: This estate is located in Hohen-Sülzen at the southernmost tip of the Wonnegau district, not far from Worms. The best vineyards are transversed by thick, underground beds of limestone from which the roots of the vines can absorb their final nutrients during the hot months of summer. Proprietor H.O. Spanier makes wine in an uncompromisingly natural manner. Thus, it comes as no surprise that he has cultivated his vines biodynamically since 2005. For Spanier, Riesling acts as a translator that interprets the influence of the southern Wonnegau’s extremely lime-rich soils in wine. “That’s what interests me: the spectrum of aromas of the stones and soil that lies beyond the fleeting sensation of fruit.”

Owner H.O. Spanier & Carolin Spanier-Gillot
Winemaker H.O. Spanier
VDP member since 2008
Hectares of vineyards 34
Bottle production 150 000
Grape varieties 70% Riesling, 18% Spätburgunder sowie Weissburgunder & Silvaner

Vineyards

KIRCHENSTÜCK, Hohen-Sülzen| VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
FRAUENBERG, Nieder-Flörsheim | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
ZELLERWEG AM SCHWARZEN HERRGOTT, Mölsheim | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
Monsheim | aus VDP.ERSTEN LAGEN®
Mölsheim | aus VDP.ERSTEN LAGEN®
Hohen-Sülzen | aus VDP.ERSTEN LAGEN®

Pictures: Touring the Wine Cellar in Hohen-Sülzen with Carolin Spanier-Gillot

Weingut Kühling-Gillot/ VDP

This wine estate lies in Bodenheim, not far from the renowned “Roter Hang” (red slope) – the porous red mix of slaty clay and sandstone that rises from the earth like a boulder near Nackenheim, only to disappear a few kilometers southward in Nierstein. The nearly 300-million-year-old ribbon of primary rock that surfaces here brings forth very distinctive wines. Organic viticulture is a fundamental prerequisite. At Kühling-Gillot, the usual late harvest, painstaking selection, and spontaneous fermentation in large oak casks enable the red slate to be perceptible in the wines. In their youth, the wines are charming and smooth; with time, they reveal their origin.

Owner Carolin Spanier-Gillot und H.O. Spanier
Winemaker H.O. Spanier
VDP member since 1997
Hectares of vineyards 18
Bottle production 90 000
Grape varieties 73% Riesling, 15% Spätburgunder

Vineyards

ORBEL, Nierstein | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
PETTENTHAL, Nierstein | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
ÖLBERG, Nierstein | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
HIPPING, Nierstein | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
BURGWEG, Bodenheim | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
KREUZ, Oppenheim | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
ROTHENBERG, Nackenheim | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
SACKTRÄGER, Oppenheim | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
Bodenheim | aus VDP.ERSTEN LAGEN®
Nierstein | aus VDP.ERSTEN LAGEN®

Pictures: Tasting the Wines of  Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Weingut Kühling-Gillot in Hohen-Sülzen, with Carolin Spanier-Gillot

The Wines Carolin Poured

2013 Weingut Kühling-Gillot, Nackenheimer Riesling 1er Cru
2013 Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier, Mölsheimer Riesling 1er Cru
2016 Weingut Kühling-Gillot, Nackenheimer Riesling 1er Cru
2016 Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier, Mölsheimer Riesling 1er Cru
2016 Weingut Kühling-Gillot, Pettenthal Riesling GG
2016 Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier, Kirchenstück Riesling GG

With regard to the 1er Cru on the labels of the first 4 wines, Carolin explained that Rheinhessen has 3-tier classification system: VDP.Gutswein, VDP.Ortswein and VDP.Grosse Lage. And, all wines sold as VDP.Ortswein have to come from a VDP.Erste Lage. Thus in effect, in Rheinhessen an Ortswein is a Erste Lage/ Premier Cru wine. The Rheinhessen VDP winemakers therefore are pushing for putting this information on the label. But the national VDP has not yet approved this.


schiller-wine: Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen - All Postings (Published and Forthcoming)

The Sun-Kissed South: Germany’s Pinot Noir, the Other Whites, the Culinary Regions - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

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Lunch at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Landhaus Feckl in Ehningen, with Chef Franz Feckl and Host Manuela Feckl - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

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Schloss Salem at Lake Constance in Germany: A Museum, a School and a Wine Estate

Visit of Schloss Salem, Kirche Birnau and Weingut Markgraf von Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Staatsweingut Meersburg in Meersburg, Baden, Lake Constance (Bodensee) - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

2 Cellar Tours and 1 Tasting at Weingut Ziereisen in Efringen, Markgräfler Land, Baden, with Hanspeter and Edel Ziereisen - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

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Dinner at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler, 1 Star Michelin, Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Hunn in Gottenheim, Tuniberg, Baden, with Kilian and Martina Hunn - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

The World Class Wines of Alsace

In the world class white wine region Alsace

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Impressive Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz, with Richard Grosche - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen

Winemaker Dinner at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz, Germany

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Dinner with Felix Graf Adelmann, Weingut Graf Adelmann, at Burg Schaubeck in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg- Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

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Picture: Dinner with Felix Graf Adelmann, Weingut Graf Adelmann, at Burg Schaubeck in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg

It would be hard to imagine a more stylish setting for a wine estate: a mighty medieval castle, the residence of the Count of Adelmann family, surrounded by a park with huge ancient trees, and in the distance the vineyards. The Adelmann family acquired Burg Schaubeck and the 21 hectares wine estate in 1914 but the estate’s winemaking history stretches back almost 1000 years.

Felix Count Adelmann was our host. He is the fifth generation of his family line managing the estate.

The visit had 2 parts.

Afternoon: We started the visit with a glass of Sekt in the garden of Burg Schaubeck. Felix Count Adelmann took us by car on a vineyard tour. We then visted the old cellars of Weingut Graf Adelmann, the approximately 500 years old "Amtskeller" in Kleinbottwar, a few hundred meters from the castle.

Evening: Following the cellar tour, we headed back to Burg Schaubeck for an amazing wine-tasting dinner in the park of Burg Schaubeck, with Felix Count Adelmann and his mother Christine Countess Adelmann.

This posting concentrates on the dinner in the evening. I have already posted about the vineyard and cellar tour in the afternoon here: Vineyard Tour and Cellar Tour at Weingut Graf Adelmann, Burg Schaubeck, in Steinheim-Kleinbottwar, Württemberg, with Felix Count Adelmann - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Pictures: Sekt Reception with Felix Graf Adelmann, Weingut Graf Adelmann, at Burg Schaubeck in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg

Weingut Graf Adelmann

Weingut Graf Adelmann is in Kleinbottwar in Württemberg. The heart of it is Burg Schaubeck, a mighty medieval castle, the residence of the Count of Adelmann family, surrounded by a park with huge ancient trees, and in the distance the vineyards.

The Schaubeck family built Schaubeck Castle in the 13th century atop the remains of a Roman manor and began making wine there shortly thereafter. In the middle ages these wines were served as "Schaubeckers" in Vienna and other European Courts.

The Adelmann family acquired Burg Schaubeck and the 21 hectares wine estate in 1914.

In the fifth generation of the family, Felix Graf Adelmann has managed the fortunes of the winery since 2012. The property also includes other agricultural land, which has been leased since 1990.

The wine is not made at the castle itself, but in the approximately 500 years old Amtskeller in Kleinbottwar, a few hundred meters from the castle.

The partly steep terraced vineyards cover 21 hectares of vineyards in Kleinbottwar (16 ha), Grossbottwar (1 ha) and Hoheneck (3 ha terraces).

The 2 VDP.Grosse Lage vineyards Kleinbottwarer Oberer Berg and Kleinbottwarer Süßmund are monopole site.

Grape varieties: 33% Riesling, 13% Lemberger, 13% Trollinger, 8% Samtrot, 8% Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder), 5% Spätburgunder, 3% Muskateller, 17% others.

In addition to Weingut Graf Adelmann wines, where all the grapes are sourced from own vineyards, there are also entry-level Weinkellerei Graf Adelmann wines, where the grapes are bought from other producers. The labels of these two lines of production are distinctively different. 

Brandies and Sekt is also produced. The winery is a member of VDP as well as founding member of the two groups H.A.D.E.S. and Deutsches Barrique-Forum.

Weingut Graf Adelmann/ VDP

It would be hard to imagine a more stylish setting for a winegrowing estate: a medieval castle, powerful and angular, the seat of its county, surrounded by huge ancient trees in a wide-ranging park — and there on the horizon, the vineyards. Although the Adelmanns first acquired the property in 1914, the Schaubecker estate's winemaking history stretches back almost a thousand years. Felix Graf Adelmann represents the fifth generation of his line to oversee the tradition-rich estate. Like his father before him, he values traditional dry, barrel-aged red wines, while maintaining an open mind for modern innovations. His white wines, by contrast, embrace elegance and a fine structure. Weingut Graf Adelmann has long been counted among the region's bastions of quality.

Owner Felix Graf Adelmann
Winemaker Ruben Röder
Outside Manager Sabine Roth
VDP member since 1973
Hectares of vineyards 21
Bottle production 140 000
Grape varieties 16% Riesling, 18% Lemberger, 8% Trollinger sowie u.a. Grau-, Spät- & Weissburgunder, Samtrot & Clevner

Pictures: Vineyard Tour with Felix Graf Adelmann, Weingut Graf Adelmann, in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg

Barrique Aging and Cuvées at Weingut Graf Adelmann

Weingut Graf Adelmann is a pioneer in Germany when it comes to using barrique barrels and blending wines.

Already in 1981, Micheal Count Adelmann, the father of Felix Count Adelmann, started to age his wines in barrique barrels, at a time when the wood tone was still considered a gross error in Germany.

In 1989, Micheal Count Adelmann created his first cuvée, at a time when only single-variety wines were considered premium wines in Germany.

With like-minded colleagues, Michael Count Adelmann, founded in 1986 H.A.D.E.S. and in 1990 the Deutsche Barriqueforum.

H.A.D.E.S. grew out of the „study group new oak barrel“. It comprises the wineries Fürst zu Hohenlohe, Öhringen, Graf Adelmann, Kleinbottwar, Drautz-Able, Heilbronn, Jürgen Ellwanger, interbach and the „Sonnenhof“ of the Fischer family. The name H.A.D.E.S. was put together out of the first letters of the name of the 5 members.

H.A.D.E.S. was a leader in introducing barrique aging to Swabia – and more generally – Germany. Initially, H.A.D.E.S. wines were rejected as “untypical” or “woody” and had to be sold as table wines. This has changed completely over the past 30 years. Using new wood has become a common tool in winemaking in Germany.

Pictures: Cellar Tour with Felix Graf Adelmann, Weingut Graf Adelmann, in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg

Brüsselle and Adelmann

​In 1853, General Major Baron Felix von Brüsselle from Austria inherited Burg Schaubeck castle with its agricultural and vineyard holdings.

Since then the entry-level wines were sold for a long period under the designation "Brüsseler", a slight modification of the family name that fits in with the local Swabian dialect. The noble-sweet wines were sold and still are being sold as "Brüsseler Spitze" (the highest quality Brüsseler) with a wonderful traditional label that uses a background of antique lace (another meaning of the German word Spitze).

Felix de Bruesselle really took to his new task and soon his wines were winning medals at international expositions everywhere. His son had little interest in continuing at Schaubeck castle and left the estate to his sister who with her husband Heinrich Graf Adelmann took over the estate in 1914 and renamed it Weingut Graf Adelmann.

Un­der the leadership of Heinrich Graf Adelmann the estate rose to the top echelon in Württemberg. Heinrich Graf Adelmann was also active outside the wine trade as a diplomat and politician. He was elected three times as a representative to Parliament.

His son Raban followed eagerly in his footsteps but died suddenly in 1935.

At the young age of 23 his nephew, also Raban, assumed control. He had studied law and history at the universities of Bonn and Cologne and at Williams College in Massachusetts. He continued the tradition of producing high quality wines and also giving of his time to public service. In 1962 he was appointed NATO representative by Foreign Minister Heinrich von Brentano. Finally in 1967 he returned to Schaubeck castle and devoted his time exclusively to producing fine wines.

In 1978, his son Michael Graf Adelmann took over the reins. Also a lawyer, who studied in Munich and Tübingen. He started to age his wines in barrique barrels, at a time when the wood tone was still considered a gross error in Germany. In 1989, Micheal Count Adelmann created his first cuvée, at a time when only single-variety wines were considered premium wines in Germany. With like-minded colleagues, Micheal Count Adelmann, founded in 1986 H.A.D.E.S. and in 1990 the Deutsche Barriqueforum.

Fifth Generation: Felix Graf Adelmann Since 2012

Felix Graf Adelmann: New challenge brings its time: not only the quality, but the balance sheet must be right. Wineries are now companies with the classic departments such as sales and marketing. Of course, the family thing remains - and in order to prepare for the many tasks, Felix Graf Adelmann breaks with a tradition: he did not studied law, but business administration in London and Madrid, and then gained experience as a business consultant. He trained for the work in the cellar and vineyard at renowned wineries in Germany and abroad. The current generation continues to hold fast to the family tradition: the wine enthusiast tirelessly upholds the banner of quality according to the motto "traditional - but never conventional", just typical of Adelmann.

Dinner in the Garden of Burg Schaubeck

Following the cellar tour, we headed back to Burg Schaubeck for a wine-tasting dinner in the park of Burg Schaubeck, with Felix Count Adelmann and his mother Christine Countess Adelmann.

The Dinner

We enjoyed a fantastic wine pairing dinner under mighty trees in the beautiful park of Burg Schaubeck, the family castle of the Adelmanns.

Pictures: Dinner with with Felix Graf Adelmann, Weingut Graf Adelmann, at Burg Schaubeck in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg

The Wines Felix Count Adelmann Served

2016 Weingut Graf Adelmann Muskateller Sekt Trocken


2017 Weingut Graf Adelmann Der Weisse Löwe Weissweincuvée Trocken

Riesling, Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder
Alcohol: 12,5 % vol.
Remaining Sugar: 5,2 g/l.

2016 Weingut Graf Adelmann Weissburgunder Kleinbottwarer Lichtenberg VDP.Erste Lage Trocken


2016 Weingut Graf Adelmann Grauburgunder H.A.D.E.S. Trocken

95° Oechsle
Fermentation in 500 l–barrels at 15°C
Aged in French barrique, of which 30% new, medium toasting
Alcohol: 13,5 % vol.
Remaining Sugar: 0,3 g/l


2015 Weingut Graf Adelmann Herbst im Park Rotweincuvée Trocken

45 % Lemberger, 30 % Spätburgunder, 15 % Cabernets and 10 % Dornfelder
Classic mash fermentation for 3 weeks in new (30%) and used (70%) French and Hungarian barrique barrels
Aged for 18 months in barrique
Alcohol: 13,5 % vol.
Remainig sugar: 0,0 g/l.


2015 Weingut Graf Adelmann Der Schwarze Löwe Lemberger GG VDP.Grosse Lage Trocken

2008 Weingut Graf Adelmann Brüsseler Spitze Der Schwarze Löwe Kleinbottwarer Süssmund Riesling Auslese


2016 Weingut Graf Adelmann Muskattrollinger Rosé Sekt Trocken


Thanks

Thanks Felix Graf Adelmann for an amazing afternoon and evening.

Picture: Felix Graf Adelmann

Postings: Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken (Published and Forthcoming)

Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg Project in Sanssouci, Potsdam

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Lindicke in Werder an der Havel, Brandenburg, with Katharina Lindicke

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Born in Salzatal, Saale-Unstrut, with Elisabeth Born - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Visit and Wine Tasting Lunch at Weingut Hey in Naumburg, Saale-Unstrut, with Matthias Hey – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Zufriedenheit in Naumburg, with Chef Robert Klaus and his Excellent Food, and Uwe Lützkendorf, Weingut Lützkendorf, and his World-class Wines - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Tasting at Weingut Uwe Lützkendorf, with Uwe Lützkendorf, in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut– Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in the Saale Unstrut Region, Germany

Visit and tasting at Landesweingut Kloster Pforta in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut, with Managing Director Björn Probst

Weingut Kloster Pforta: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Managing Director Christian Kloss – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wine and Music:"Martin Luther Lunch" at the Historic Vincenz Richter Restaurant, Weingut Vincenz Richter, in Meissen with Senior Boss Gottfried Herrlich and the Music of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schuh in Coswig, Sachsen, with Katharina Pollmer-Schuh and Matthias Schuh - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Tour and Dinner at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz - Prinz zur Lippe in Zadel, Sachsen, with Georg Prinz zur Lippe - Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at the Sächsisches Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth in Radebeul, Sachsen - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Wine and Opera in Dresden: Mozart at Semper Opera and the Best Wines of Sachsen at Wine Bar Weinzentrale in Dresden-Neustadt, with Owner/ Sommelier Jens Pietzonka – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen (Saxony), Germany

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Aldinger in Fellbach (Stuttgart), with Matthias Aldinger - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Karl Haidle in Kernen-Stetten, Württemberg, with Moritz Haidle - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour and Cellar Tour at Weingut Graf Adelmann, Burg Schaubeck, in Steinheim-Kleinbottwar, Württemberg, with Felix Count Adelmann - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Dinner at Weingut Graf Adelmann Burg Schaubeck in Steinheim-Kleinbottwar, Württemberg; with Count Adelmann

Cellar tour and Tasting at Weingut Zehnthof, Theo Luckert in Sulzfeld, Franken, with Philipp Luckert

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Staatlicher Hofkeller in Würzburg, Franken, with General Manager Marcel von den Benken– Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll in Würzburg, Franken - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Pairing Dinner at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Reisers am Stein, Würzburg, Franken

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Rudolf Fürst in Bürgstadt, Franken, with Sebastian Fürst

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

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Benedikt Baltes in Klingenberg, Franken, with Benedikt Baltes: The Wines of Weingut Benedikt Baltes and of Weingut Julia Bertram

Schiller’s Favorites: 2 Legendary Wine Taverns in Würzburg – Juliusspital and Bürgerspital

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Würzburg

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Benedikt Baltes in Klingenberg, Franken: The Wines of Weingut Benedikt Baltes and of Weingut Julia Bertram - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

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Picture: Visit and Tasting at Weingut Benedikt Baltes in Klingenberg, Franken: The Wines of Weingut Benedikt Baltes and of Weingut Julia Bertram

Weingut Benedikt Baltes can look back on more than 100 years of history. It began in 1912 when the city of Klingenberg purchased the building that formerly housed the prince bishop’s fiscal authorities and the Schlossberg vineyard. It was then named Weingut Stadt Klingenberg. It stayed in public hands until 2010 when Benedikt Baltes acquired the wine estate.

Benedikt comes from a family of winemakers in the Ahr region - a predominantly Pinot Noir region - and kind of grew up with being fascinated with the Pinot Noir grape.

His wife Julia Bertram - Germany’s 64th wine queen in 2013 - owns a wine estate in the Ahr region. Together they manage both estates. We tasted wines from both wineries. It was very interesting to compare the Franken and Ahr Pinot Noirs.

Klingenberg is Pinot Noir country. The steep amphitheater-like colored sandstone terraces collect the sun and provide perfect conditions for Pinot Noir. 90% of Benedikt’s production is red wine. The rest is Riesling and Müller-Thurgau.

Pictures: Klingenberg

Benedikt Baltes was our host. We took a look at the impressive vineyards of Klingenberg and toured the winemaking facilities of Benedikt Baltes. We then sat down to taste the wines of Weingut Benedikt Baltes and Weingut Julia Bertram.

The wines of Weingut Benedikt Baltes and of Weingut Julia Bertram are availble in the USA through Schatzi-Wines.

Benedikt Baltes/ Schatzi-Wines

Born in the village of Mayschoß in the Ahr Valley, Benedikt comes from a long line of grape growers and winemakers. His ancestors founded what is said to be the oldest wine cooperative in the world and growing up, Benedikt saw his family sell the fruits of their labor to the co-op where it was transformed into pleasurable yet simple wine. Benedikt always dreamed of making his own wine.

After viticultural school in Bad Kreuznach and apprenticeships in Germany, Portugal and Hungary, Benedikt began looking for a place of his own where he could push himself as a vigneron. It was impossible to find land close to home in the Ahr and Benedikt soon found himself scouring the country for a terroir where he could explore the singular potential of Spätburgunder. He eventually found himself in the historic town of Klingenberg with the opportunity to buy an ancient, “urban winery” (founded in 1601—clearly ahead of its time!), with holdings of old vines on the steep terraces, and he knew that he had found his new home.

Starting fresh in a new area offered Benedikt the unique opportunity to begin to enact his vision without being hamstrung by expectation and tradition. As he explains,

“It´s no family winery so it´s not the usual generational conflict. We are committed to honoring the historical roots of the area, working with 100% Pinot Noir like it was when the winery was founded.

Sustainability is very important to us, so we manage our vineyards in an organic way. In addition to the absence of herbicides and chemical plant protection products, we support our vines with natural plant starch agents such as teas, soils and oils. A dozen sheep also help us to control weeds and to stimulate the soil with their natural fertilizer. We are dedicated to the fostering of permaculture in which one does not have to intervene often and which the vineyard renews itself. By that we have to do nearly everything by hand because of the steep terraces. We need up to 2500 hours per hectare per year, which is really a lot. The manual work gives us the opportunity to work gently, vine by vine. That´s why we love to be winegrowers!”

The first written mention of wine growing in the steep terraced vineyards of Klingenberg dates back all the way to the 12th century. By the 1600’s there was evidence of the wine being consumed in the surrounding cities and exported as far as the Royal Court of Karl Gustav of Sweden. Today, though Churfranken is still quite obscure, even among serious connoisseurs of German wine, it is clear that there has long been an appetite for the unique flavors of the region.

Churfranken is a small “red wine island” in the northwest of Franconia composing only around 350 hectares of vines. The area is planted mostly to red varieties like Portugieser and, most importantly, Spätburgunder. Vines grow on the steep, terraced, red sandstone slopes where they soak up the warm rays of the sun. The stone retains a great deal of heat and this helps to moderate the temperature in the vines when nighttime temperatures plunge. This diurnal shift is crucial to the long, gentle ripening required for making world class Pinot Noir. These special vineyard characteristics are what originally attracted Benedikt Baltes to begin making wine in Klingenberg.

Pictures: Arriving at Weingut Benedikt Baltes in Klingenberg, Franken

Today, working with his girlfriend Julia Bertram (also a Schatzi!) and a group of young, enthusiastic “wine freaks” from all over Germany, Benedikt has emerged as one of the rising stars of the German red wine revolution, bringing attention to the pedigree and aging potential of his unique terroirs.

To meet his desire for “maximum quality,” the fruit is 100% hand harvested, vinified with native yeast and aged in barrels made from oak forests all within 50 kilometers of the winery. There are never any chemical additives in the cellar and the wines are bottled unfiltered. Benedikt is working primarily on two different slopes:

Klingenberger Schlossberg (Große Lage / Grand Cru): 25-60 year old vines, red sandstone in the steep terraces with a tremendous diurnal temperature shift gives the wines a unique combination of elegance, herbal notes and a cool, minty minerality. These wines need time and patience to reveal their depth and elegance

Großheubacher Bischofsberg (Erste Lage / Premier Cru) : 20-40 year old vines, red sandstone on steep terraces. Unlike the profoundly rocky and stony Schlossberg, this site has a sandier topsoil but the mother rock is still pure, red sandstone. The wines from the Bischofsberg are a bit more fruit-driven and are more charming in their youth.

In the words of Benedikt Baltes “Our aim is not to “create” wines, but to conserve and preserve every facet of what our vineyards produce. In our opinion, each wine is unique, in which the vine documents its origin, its soil, the efforts of the winegrower, the weather and the details of an entire year. Authenticity can only be achieved by recognizing the strengths of a special vineyard site and to try to capture them in the wine. Our aim is to show long-lasting, characterful and uniquely authentic wines.”

Pictures: Cellar Tour at Weingut Benedikt Baltes in Klingenberg, Franken, with Benedikt Baltes

Benedikt Baltes/ VDP

Weingut Stadt Klingenberg can look back on more than a century of history. It began in 1912, with the acqusition of the building that formerly housed the prince bishops’ fiscal authorities and the Schlossberg vineyard that belonged to it. The estate also has holdings in excellent sites in the neighboring wine villages of Grossheubach and Rück. In 1955 the estate numbered among the founding members of the VDP.Franken. In the cellar, the current proprietor, Benedikt Baltes, focuses exclusively on preserving the quality achieved in the vineyard. The grapes are harvested 100% by hand and vinified according to traditional practices. Low yields, extended maceration, native oak casks, long maturation in cask, and unfiltered bottling are used to bring forth the unique character of the wines. The entire attention is concentrated on the production of the outstanding Pinot Noir wines.

Owner Benedikt Baltes
Winemaker Benedikt Baltes
Outside Manager Benedikt Baltes
VDP member since 1955
Bottle production 70 000
Grape varieties 80% Spätburgunder, 10% Portugieser, Riesling, Müller-Thurgau

SCHLOSSBERG, Klingenberg | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
BISCHOFSBERG, Großheubach | VDP.GROSSE LAGE

Weingut Julia Bertram/ Schatzi Wines

Julia Bertram grew up in a winemaking family in the tiny Ahrweiller village of Dernau. As a child, she never envisioned herself working in the family business as she watched her parents and grandparents burn the midnight oil in both the vines and in the cellar. But when she was old enough to drink wine, toward the end of high school, she became enchanted by the fruit of their vines and the unique flavors expressed by spätburgunder on slate. Inspired, she worked for several years at the iconic Meyer-Näkel estate before enrolling in the viticulture and oenology program at the University at Geisenheim.

The Ahr is one of the most northern wine regions in Germany yet boasts one of the warmest, mediterranean growing climates in the country with over 1500 hours of sunshine a year. The Ahr river flows from west to east and the vines planted on its treacherous slopes are all south and south-west facing; these slopes hold the summer heat and protect the vines from any radical temperature fluctuation. Guarded from extreme weather by the Eifel and Ardennes highlands, the Ahr receives an average of only 615mm of precipitation a year which helps eliminate Bortrytis—what is normally a major struggle for steep vineyards.

Pictures: Christian and Annette Schiller with Julia Bertram in New York City. 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

The wines of the Ahr are truly unique as it is one of the only regions in the world where you can find Pinot Noir grown on slate soils. The wines have a distinctive ripeness and juicy character, balanced by smoke and mineral cut that is a result of the steep slate terraces.

In 2012, Julia was named German Wine Queen and spent a year representing German wines around the world. Julia began working full time at the family estate in 2014 becoming the 5th generation to do so. At the moment, Julia is making a small amount of wine under her own name with plans to increase her production as she slowly absorbs her family’s domaine.

When Julia began working full time at the family estate, she had strong ideas about improving viticulture. Now, she dedicates herself to focusing only on the best sites, with the oldest vines, and is focused on continually implementing new sustainable practices in the vineyards, undaunted by the challenges of working on the slate terraces. In the cellar, the fruit is handled very gently and the wines are fermented naturally. They are raised in oak barrels of various ages and sizes with the goal of making clear, nuanced wines that articulate their respective terroirs.

“We try to preserve the quality we grow inside the vineyards. So for me, 90% of the quality is growing outside in the steep slopes and our task in the cellar is to help express their elegance and complexity in the best way. By working very gently and without any additions (chemical or otherwise) we give our wines the opportunity to develop themselves.”

Tasting with Benedikt Baltes: Weingut Benedikt Baltes and Weingut Julia Klüber

We tasted the wines of both Weingut Benedikt Baltes and Weingut Julia Bertram


The Wines Benedikt Baltes Poured: Weingut Benedikt Baltes and Weingut Julia Klüber


2016 Weingut Benedikt Baltes Bundsandstein Spätburgunder

The first thing to know about the Baltes’ wines is that all the vineyards are classified, so even this basic wine has pedigree. As the name suggests, the soil is red sandstone, and the entirety of the estate is only 10ha where Benedikt exclusively produces biodynamically-farmed pinot noir. Often, entry-level German pinot noir displays fruitiness but lacks the structure to go with it. This is not the case with Benedikt’s wines. The Buntsandstein has aromas of roses and cassis which unfold over a lattice-like edifice of acidity and sweet tannin which gives it length.

Vineyard: Klingenberg
Soil: Red sandstone
Farming Practice: Biodynamic
Vinification: Neutral cask
Elevage: 18 months neutral cask


2016 Weingut Benedikt Baltes Grossheubach Alte Reben Spätburgunder

This is the village wine of the Bichofsberg vineyard and like the Erste Lage, this shows darker pinot noir aromas than the Klingenberg sites do. It’s also more concentrated and intense, more like Côte de Nuits whereas Klingenberg is more like Côte de Beaune. It was fermented in neutral 300-500L German oak barrels from the Klingenberg forest. There is more grape tannin here, and less “sweet” tannin as in the Klingenberg, but there is a spicy, minty note as well as a floral, rose component. It’s serious pinot noir with class and distinction.

Vineyard: Bischofsberg
Soil: Red sandstone
Farming Practice: Biodynamic
Vinification: Neutral German barrique
Elevage: 18 months neutral barrique

2015 Weingut Benedikt Baltes SCHLOSSBERG, Klingenberg, GG VDP. Grosse Lage

2016 Weingut Benedikt Baltes Klingenberg Alte Reben Spätburgunder

The sites that make up this Alte Reben are not only some of the oldest vines, but they are also in the coolest sites. The diurnal shift from hot summer days to cool nights promote the building of longer phenolic aromas and this wine is darker, but it retains lightness. Black cherry and plum aromas are buttressed with a minty, sweet tannin palate.

Vineyard: Klingenberg
Soil: Red sandstone
Farming Practice: Biodynamic
Vinification: Neutral German barrique
Elevage: 18 months neutral cask


2016 Weingut Julia Bertram Handwerk Spätburgunder

The 2015 Handwerk sold out before we could get it on the website. Like the 2015, this 2016 is sourced from younger vines all over the Ahr Valley, from Mayschloss to Ahrweiler. Partial stem inclusion with a seven-day maceration until spontaneous fermentation started, then pressed and aged in neutral French oak from Meyer-Näkel. Let’s call this spätburgunder a gateburgunder—a gateway drug to the rest of Julia’s range. It’s a bowl of cherries with a leafy edge and a kiss of cinnamon spice. It’s more structured than the 2015, a bit less overt, but every bit delicious and succulent.

Farming Practice: Organic
Vinification: Neutral barrique
Elevage: 1 year neutral barrique, 2 months stainless
Alcohol: 11.5%

2016 Weingut Julia Bertram Dernauer Spätburgunder

This is from Julia’s home village and the Dernauer sites of Pfarrwingert (greywacke), Burggarten (weathered slate and gravel) and Hardtberg (greywacke). After cold maceration up to a week, it was spontaneously fermented in large, German oak, that comes from near Klingenberg, Julia’s beau’s VDP estate in Churfranken. It has more structure than its Ahrweiler sister, showing sour cherry, sweet spice, incense and slight cedar aroma. The palate has polish, sweet tannin and finesse. It is a gorgeous example of pinot noir.

Classification: Ortswein
Vineyard: Pfarrwingert, Burggarten and Hardtberg
Soil: Greywacke, weathered slate and gravel
Farming Practice: Organic
Vinification: Neutral barrique
Elevage: 1 year neutral barrique, 2 months stainless
Alcohol: 12%
Malolactic: Yes

2016 Weingut Julia Bertram Marienthaler Trotzberg Spätburgunder

Postings: Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken (Published and Forthcoming)

Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg Project in Sanssouci, Potsdam

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Lindicke in Werder an der Havel, Brandenburg, with Katharina Lindicke

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Born in Salzatal, Saale-Unstrut, with Elisabeth Born - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Visit and Wine Tasting Lunch at Weingut Hey in Naumburg, Saale-Unstrut, with Matthias Hey – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Zufriedenheit in Naumburg, with Chef Robert Klaus and his Excellent Food, and Uwe Lützkendorf, Weingut Lützkendorf, and his World-class Wines - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Tasting at Weingut Uwe Lützkendorf, with Uwe Lützkendorf, in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut– Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in the Saale Unstrut Region, Germany

Visit and tasting at Landesweingut Kloster Pforta in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut, with Managing Director Björn Probst

Weingut Kloster Pforta: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Managing Director Christian Kloss – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wine and Music:"Martin Luther Lunch" at the Historic Vincenz Richter Restaurant, Weingut Vincenz Richter, in Meissen with Senior Boss Gottfried Herrlich and the Music of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schuh in Coswig, Sachsen, with Katharina Pollmer-Schuh and Matthias Schuh - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Tour and Dinner at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz - Prinz zur Lippe in Zadel, Sachsen, with Georg Prinz zur Lippe - Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at the Sächsisches Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth in Radebeul, Sachsen - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Wine and Opera in Dresden: Mozart at Semper Opera and the Best Wines of Sachsen at Wine Bar Weinzentrale in Dresden-Neustadt, with Owner/ Sommelier Jens Pietzonka – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen (Saxony), Germany

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Aldinger in Fellbach (Stuttgart), with Matthias Aldinger - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Karl Haidle in Kernen-Stetten, Württemberg, with Moritz Haidle - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour and Cellar Tour at Weingut Graf Adelmann, Burg Schaubeck, in Steinheim-Kleinbottwar, Württemberg, with Felix Count Adelmann - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Dinner with Felix Graf Adelmann, Weingut Graf Adelmann, at Burg Schaubeck in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Cellar tour and Tasting at Weingut Zehnthof, Theo Luckert in Sulzfeld, Franken, with Philipp Luckert

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Staatlicher Hofkeller in Würzburg, Franken, with General Manager Marcel von den Benken– Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll in Würzburg, Franken - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Pairing Dinner at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Reisers am Stein, Würzburg, Franken

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Rudolf Fürst in Bürgstadt, Franken, with Sebastian Fürst

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

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Benedikt Baltes in Klingenberg, Franken, with Benedikt Baltes: The Wines of Weingut Benedikt Baltes and of Weingut Julia Bertram

Schiller’s Favorites: 2 Legendary Wine Taverns in Würzburg – Juliusspital and Bürgerspital

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Würzburg

Wine Pairing Dinner at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Reisers am Stein and Tasting and Tour at Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll, with Winemaker Franziska Schömig - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

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Pictures: Wine Pairing Dinner at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Reisers am Stein, Würzburg, Franken

Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll was founded in 1890. Initially, the winery was located in the old town of Würzburg. The main occupation of the Knoll family was a coopery and wine was made only on the side. In 1980, the Knoll family decided to move the winery to the foot of the Würzburg Stein. Sandra and Ludwig Knoll took over the winery in the 1991 and substantially redesigned the winery.

Today, Weingut am Stein comprises an ensemble of buildings, which were either renovated, upgraded or added since Sandra and Ludwig Knoll took over. One of them is the Kitchen House which was upgraded into a Restaurant and Wine Bar.

Since 2002 the restaurant and wine bar has been leased out to Chef Bernhard Reiser, who cooks there at the highest level. Following a tasting and tour at Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll, we had an amzing winetasting dinner at Reisers am Stein with wines of Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll.

At Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll Franziska Schömig was our host. We met Ludwig Knoll in the cellar.

Following a glass of Sekt in the court of the winery, Franziska Schömig took us to the Weinwerk Building for a tasting of the wines of Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll, before showing us around in the modern cellar. From there we walked over to Reisers am Stein for a tastinng dinner on the terrasse, overlooking Würzburg.

Sekt Reception in the Courtyard of Weingut am Stein

We started the evening with a Sekt reception with Franziska Schömig in the courtyard of Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll, just next to Reisers am Stein.

Franziska has her own winery, Weingut Franziska Schömig. She graduated with Moritz Haidle, whome we had met earlier on the tour, from Geisenheim University. When we met her she was on her final days in her job at Weingut am Stein, Ludwig Knoll. Also, at the time, Sandra Knoll was out of the picture for several months because of an accident. We met Ludwig Knoll briefly in the cellar.

2014 Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll Silvaner Brut Sekt. Méthode champenoise, hand-riddled.

Pictures: Sekt Reception at Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll, with Winemaker Franziska Schömig, Würzburg, Franken

Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll is beautifully situated right in the middle of the world-renowned vineyard Würzburger Stein in the town of Würzburg in Franken, Germany.

Dinner on the Terrasse of Reisers am Stein

We had a lovely winetasting dinner at Reisers am Stein, on the terrasse, overlocking Würzburg.

Pictures: Wine Pairing Dinner at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Reisers am Stein in Würzburg, Franken

Reisers am Stein

Bernhard Reiser took over the restaurant and wine bar of Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll in 2002 and named it Reisers am Stein. Before that he had owned for 8 years the Restaurant Louvre (1 Michelin Star) in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

The Reisers am Stein has one star in the Guide Michelin and 16 points in the Gault Millau. The Reisers am Stein is included in the Geroldsteiner list of the 18 best wine places in Germany. The wines offered are of course Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll wines, but also other top wines.

Michelin: Resiers am Stein enjoys a great location high above Würzburg and the views that go with it! Bernhard Reiser's team cooks modern, sophisticated and classically inspired cuisine in a fashionable setting. There is also attentive service and good wines from Weingut am Stein. The 'Freestyle' menu lives up to its name: there is no fixed order to the dishes! - MICHELIN guide inspectors

Pictures: Wine Pairing Dinner at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Reisers am Stein in Würzburg, Franken

The Dinner

Annette had chosen the 5 course tasting menu with corresponding wines.

Pictures: Wine Pairing Dinner at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Reisers am Stein in Würzburg, Franken

Weingut am Stein/ VDP

VDP: The estate Am Stein - Ludwig Knoll is located at the heart of the world-famous Würzburger Stein vineyard. The winery has been in family hands for five generations, passing to Sandra and Ludwig Knoll in 1990 when they took over for Ludwig's father. A dedicated member of Naturland, the estate's efforts are focused on responsible stewardship of the region's natural resources and for producing wines that reflect that distinctive steep vineyard terroir. The comprehensive biodynamic techniques form the cornerstone of the estate's approach, and are integral to Weinwerk and the new "Steinkeller," the crown jewel of the winery buildings. It is a temple of minimalist architecture, and the perfect space for the wines to begin their long expected lives, ripening in wooden barrels, amphorae and concrete eggs.

Pictures: Meeting Ludwig Knoll

Owner Ludwig Knoll
Winemaker Ludwig Knoll und Dominik Diefenbach
Outside Manager Daniel Full
VDP member since 2001
Hectares of vineyards 41
Bottle production 200 000
Grape varieties 35% Silvaner, 25% Burgunder, 20% Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Scheurebe und weitere Sorten

Vineyards

PFÜLBEN, Randersacker | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
STEIN-HARFE, Würzburg | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
STEIN, Stetten | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
STEIN-BERG*, Würzburg | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
SONNENSTUHL HOHENROT*, Randersacker | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
Stein, Würzburg | VDP.ERSTE LAGE®
Sonnenstuhl, Randersacker | VDP.ERSTE LAGE®
Marsberg, Randersacker | VDP. ERSTE LAGE®
Innere Leiste, Würzburg | VDP.ERSTE LAGE®

Pictures: Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll

Tasting in the Weinwerk

After the Sekt reception and before the dinner we enjoyed a portfolio tasting with Franziska Schömig at the Weinwerk Building. This glass cube construction featuring oak stands for the harmonious connection between modern life and grounded nature. Ludwig Knoll: For our winery oak plays a central role: our family’s roots stem from cooperage. The wooden accents also resemble the posts used in our vineyards. The design of our Weinwerk symbolizes the affinity to the vineyards and the origins of quality in our wines.

Pictures: Tasting at Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll, with Winemaker Franziska Schömig

The Wines Franziska Poured

2017 Weingut am Stein Randersacker Silvaner VDP.Ortswein
2017 Weingut am Stein Würzburger Silvaner VDP.Ortswein


2017 Weingut am Stein Würzburger Stein Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage
2017 Weingut am Stein Würzburger Innere Leiste Silvaner VDP.Erste Lage


2017 Weingut am Stein Stettener Silvaner GG VDP.Grosse Lage


2017 Weingut am Stein Stettener Riesling VDP.Erste Lage
2017 Weingut am Stein Würzburger Innere Leiste Riesling VDP:Erste Lage


2017 Weingut am Stein Stettener Stein Riesling GG VDP:Grosse Lage


Visit of the new Steinkeller

Following the tasting, we toured the cellar, including the new Steinkeller.

The new Steinkeller is an amazing room. The cellar is optically dominated by seven concrete eggs, each with a capacity of 1700 liters, behind whose thick walls the micro-oxidation of the wines is particularly gentle, says Ludwig Knoll. The number seven stands for the number of planets and for the forces of the cosmos.

Buried in the ground are clay amphorae from Georgia, the cradle of viticulture in the world. The number five stands for the Pentagon, for the "golden cut", after which the concrete eggs are formed.

The three-tonne oak table in the center of the room is not just a decorative table, but also a piece of nature. Water is trickling down a copper-clad wall, moistening the air and keeping it cool.

Pictures: Visit of the new Steinkeller

Postings: Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken (Published and Forthcoming)

Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg Project in Sanssouci, Potsdam

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Lindicke in Werder an der Havel, Brandenburg, with Katharina Lindicke

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Born in Salzatal, Saale-Unstrut, with Elisabeth Born - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Visit and Wine Tasting Lunch at Weingut Hey in Naumburg, Saale-Unstrut, with Matthias Hey – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Zufriedenheit in Naumburg, with Chef Robert Klaus and his Excellent Food, and Uwe Lützkendorf, Weingut Lützkendorf, and his World-class Wines - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Tasting at Weingut Uwe Lützkendorf, with Uwe Lützkendorf, in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut– Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in the Saale Unstrut Region, Germany

Visit and tasting at Landesweingut Kloster Pforta in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut, with Managing Director Björn Probst

Weingut Kloster Pforta: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Managing Director Christian Kloss – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wine and Music:"Martin Luther Lunch" at the Historic Vincenz Richter Restaurant, Weingut Vincenz Richter, in Meissen with Senior Boss Gottfried Herrlich and the Music of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schuh in Coswig, Sachsen, with Katharina Pollmer-Schuh and Matthias Schuh - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Tour and Dinner at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz - Prinz zur Lippe in Zadel, Sachsen, with Georg Prinz zur Lippe - Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at the Sächsisches Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth in Radebeul, Sachsen - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Wine and Opera in Dresden: Mozart at Semper Opera and the Best Wines of Sachsen at Wine Bar Weinzentrale in Dresden-Neustadt, with Owner/ Sommelier Jens Pietzonka – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen (Saxony), Germany

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Aldinger in Fellbach (Stuttgart), with Matthias Aldinger - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Karl Haidle in Kernen-Stetten, Württemberg, with Moritz Haidle - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour and Cellar Tour at Weingut Graf Adelmann, Burg Schaubeck, in Steinheim-Kleinbottwar, Württemberg, with Felix Count Adelmann - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Dinner with Felix Graf Adelmann, Weingut Graf Adelmann, at Burg Schaubeck in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Cellar tour and Tasting at Weingut Zehnthof, Theo Luckert in Sulzfeld, Franken, with Philipp Luckert

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Staatlicher Hofkeller in Würzburg, Franken, with General Manager Marcel von den Benken– Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll in Würzburg, Franken - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Pairing Dinner at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Reisers am Stein, Würzburg, Franken

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Rudolf Fürst in Bürgstadt, Franken, with Sebastian Fürst

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

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Benedikt Baltes in Klingenberg, Franken: The Wines of Weingut Benedikt Baltes and of Weingut Julia Bertram - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken


Schiller’s Favorites: 2 Legendary Wine Taverns in Würzburg – Juliusspital and Bürgerspital

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Würzburg

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Zehnthof Luckert, in Sulzfeld, Franken, with Philipp Luckert - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

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Pictures: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Zehnthof Luckert, in Sulzfeld, Franken, with Philipp Luckert

Weingut Zehnthof Luckert is right in the center of the pittoresque village of Sulzfeld, which is completely surrounded by a city wall. The walk to the winery through the village was already most interesting.

Pictures: Sulzfeld, Franken

In 1970 Theo Luckert purchased the cellars that once belonged to the prince-bishop’s holdings and founded the Weingut Zehnthof. Today his sons Wolfgang and Ulrich manage the estate, with Wolfgang's son Philipp. They own a very special vineyard, the Creutz, with Silvaner vines planted sometime around 1870. There are about 600 vines that only produce 350 bottles a year. Since 2009 the winery has been certified organic. Zehnthof wines in general are produced without a great deal of technology and fermented in large old neutral oak casks. All wines go through malolactic fermentation and are bottled unfiltered.

Philipp Luckert was our host. He showed us around in the fascinating old cellars and sat down with us in the ultra-modern tasting room for a tasting.

Weingut Zehnthof Luckert wines are available in the USA through Vom Boden.

Pictures: Arriving at Zehnthof Luckert in Sulzfeld, Franken

Zehnthof Luckert/ Vom Boden

Are these the oldest vines in Germany?

The Luckerts work what has to be one of the oldest producing vineyards in all of Germany, a Silvaner vineyard called Creutz that was planted sometime in the 1870s.

Think about this: Someone was planting these vines at about the same time Alexander Graham Bell was working on a prototype of the telephone. Thomas Edison was working on the light bulb.

Picture: Welcome - Philipp Luckert

Old vines are soul, that’s our position at least.

Creutz is only about 600 vines (obviously ungrafted) producing around 350 bottles a year. It is a small part of Luckert’s holdings which are, in total, only 17 hectares. This is a family affair, run by brothers Ulrich and Wolfgang Luckert and son Philipp. But the very existence of this vineyard at Luckert captures something of the spirit here, something of the soul.

“Old school” doesn’t quite capture it. The philosophy is more a thoughtful, calming patience; a lot about the estate and the wines remind me of Nikolaihof.

The Luckert boys have been farming organic for a long time (they have been certified since 2009). Every single wine is made exactly the same way: a slow, cool, natural fermentation and elevage in neutral wood. The cellar is a labyrinth filled with barrels, from petite 200 liter numbers up to an intimidating 5,000 liter giant. All the wines go through malolactic; they are bottled unfined. That’s it.

Picture: Weingut Zehnthof Luckert

All this might make one think the wines are gooey, cumbersome, low-acid affairs, which couldn’t be further from the truth. They can be textural, yet there is always a lightness to them, like a blanket made out of multiple layers of satin. The wines can have cut, a surprising tension. They call the style “fränkisch trocken,” which I’ll go ahead and translate to really damn dry. The flavors are deep and detailed, yet fresh and cerebral – which is to say they are not necessarily about fruit. Mineral, dried herbs, savory notes.

Someone smarter than I once said that Silvaner is like Chardonnay without fruit. Luckert’s Silvaners are like Chablis from another mother.

The oceans of early-harvested, commercially fermented, sterile-filtered Silvaner have largely destroyed the reputation of this grape, which is a damn shame, because Silvaner can be profound. I’ve seen glimpses of god in even the village-level Silvaner of Luckert.

While the Silvaners are king here, the Luckert boys make a smokin’ Sauvignon Blanc (says someone who for the most part detests Sauvignon Blanc) and a Gelber Muskateller that is mineral and linear.

Pictures: Cellar Tour at Weingut Zehnthof Luckert with Philipp Luckert

Weingut Zehnthof Luckert/ VDP

The estate in Sulzfeld derives its name from the prince bishops’ former tithe cellars that the Luckerts purchased in the 1970s. Year after year, in the estate founded by their father, Theo Luckert, Wolfgang and Ulrich Luckert start anew to produce top wines in harmony with nature. Their wines are meant to be individualists, each with an unmistakable, nonexchangeable character marked by both soil and producer. Zehnthof wines are produced without a great deal of cellar technology. They’re fine wines, rich in minerals; made from the best grapes; and slowly develop in large wooden casks – true to the motto of the house: top wine quality for our customers out of love for our profession!

Owner Wolgang und Ulrich Luckert
Winemaker Ulrich Luckert
Outside Manager Wolfang und Ulrich Luckert
VDP member since 1955
Bottle production 90 000
Grape varieties 50% Silvaner, 15% Riesling, 15% Weissburgunder sowie u.a. Müller-Thurgau, Spät- & Frühburgunder, Muskateller & Sauvignon Blanc

Vineyards

MAUSTAL, Sulzfeld | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
Sonnenberg, Sulzfeld | VDP.ERSTE LAGE®
Berg I, Sulzfeld | VDP.ERSTE LAGE®

Pictures: Tasting at Weingut Zehnthof Luckert, in Sulzfeld, Franken, with Philipp Luckert

The Wines we Tasted


2017 Weingut Zehnthof Luckert Sulzfelder Gelber Muskateller Trocken


2017 Weingut Zehnthof Luckert Sulzfelder Silvaner Trocken
2017 Weingut Zehnthof Luckert Sulzfelder Roter Silvaner Trocken
2017 Weingut Zehnthof Luckert Sulzfelder Blauer Silvaner Trocken
2017 Weingut Zehnthof Luckert Sulzfelder Silvaner Alte Reben Trocken


2017 Weingut Zehnthof Luckert Sonnenberg Silvaner Gelbkalk Trocken

2016 Weingut Zehnthof Luckert MAUSTAL Silvaner GG Trocken


2017 Weingut Zehnthof Luckert Sonnenberg Chardonnay Brunnquell Trocken


Lunch in Sulzfeld

Following the visit of Weingut Zehnthof Luckert we had lunch in Sulzfeld.

Pictures: Lunch in Sulzfeld, Franken

Postings: Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken (Published and Forthcoming)

Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg Project in Sanssouci, Potsdam

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Lindicke in Werder an der Havel, Brandenburg, with Katharina Lindicke

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Born in Salzatal, Saale-Unstrut, with Elisabeth Born - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Visit and Wine Tasting Lunch at Weingut Hey in Naumburg, Saale-Unstrut, with Matthias Hey – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Zufriedenheit in Naumburg, with Chef Robert Klaus and his Excellent Food, and Uwe Lützkendorf, Weingut Lützkendorf, and his World-class Wines - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Tasting at Weingut Uwe Lützkendorf, with Uwe Lützkendorf, in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut– Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in the Saale Unstrut Region, Germany

Visit and tasting at Landesweingut Kloster Pforta in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut, with Managing Director Björn Probst

Weingut Kloster Pforta: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Managing Director Christian Kloss – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wine and Music:"Martin Luther Lunch" at the Historic Vincenz Richter Restaurant, Weingut Vincenz Richter, in Meissen with Senior Boss Gottfried Herrlich and the Music of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schuh in Coswig, Sachsen, with Katharina Pollmer-Schuh and Matthias Schuh - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Tour and Dinner at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz - Prinz zur Lippe in Zadel, Sachsen, with Georg Prinz zur Lippe - Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at the Sächsisches Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth in Radebeul, Sachsen - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Wine and Opera in Dresden: Mozart at Semper Opera and the Best Wines of Sachsen at Wine Bar Weinzentrale in Dresden-Neustadt, with Owner/ Sommelier Jens Pietzonka – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen (Saxony), Germany

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Aldinger in Fellbach (Stuttgart), with Matthias Aldinger - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Karl Haidle in Kernen-Stetten, Württemberg, with Moritz Haidle - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour and Cellar Tour at Weingut Graf Adelmann, Burg Schaubeck, in Steinheim-Kleinbottwar, Württemberg, with Felix Count Adelmann - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Dinner with Felix Graf Adelmann, Weingut Graf Adelmann, at Burg Schaubeck in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Cellar tour and Tasting at Weingut Zehnthof, Theo Luckert in Sulzfeld, Franken, with Philipp Luckert

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Staatlicher Hofkeller in Würzburg, Franken, with General Manager Marcel von den Benken– Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll in Würzburg, Franken - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Pairing Dinner at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Reisers am Stein and Tasting and Tour at Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll, with Winemaker Franziska Schömig - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Rudolf Fürst in Bürgstadt, Franken, with Sebastian Fürst

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

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Benedikt Baltes in Klingenberg, Franken: The Wines of Weingut Benedikt Baltes and of Weingut Julia Bertram - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Schiller’s Favorites: 2 Legendary Wine Taverns in Würzburg – Juliusspital and Bürgerspital

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Würzburg

VDP.Rheingau Invited to a Pre-release Presentation of the 2017 Grosses Gewächs (GG) Wines

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Pictures: VDP.Rheingau Invited to a Pre-release Presentation of the 2017 Grosses Gewächs (GG) Wines

Germany’s Grosses Gewächs (GG) wines are released on September 1. These are the ultra-premium dry wines from the very best vineyard sites made by some of the best producers in Germany.

As a rule, the white wines are released in the year following the harvest, the red wines are released after an additional 12 months of aging.

Many events throughout Germany take place in the weeks and months following the release of the new GGs. In addition, there is a highly exclusive tasting for a selected group of about 150 importers, journalists, bloggers, sommeliers and other multipliers on the Monday and Tuesday before September 1 in Wiesbaden. You meet there the who-is-who of German wine. I regularly participated in this tasting during the past years and reported about it on my blog schiller-wine.

Pre-release Presentation of the 2017 GGs from the Rheingau

German producers take advantage of the high-caliber group gathering in Wiesbaden for the Pre-release Tasting and organize side events. For 6 years in a row, the VDP producers of the Rheingau have organized a special event on the Saturday before the Wiesbaden tastings and presented their new GG releases to their guests. All winemakers introduce their wines personally. The more formal part is then supplemented by a party-style get-together with the winemakers and more tasting. 5 years ago, this was a speed-boat event on the Rhine River including tasting. 4 years ago, the VDP.Rheingau flew their guests with helicopters over the Rheingau, from Hochheim to Assmannshausen, followed by a party at Weingut Robert Weil (Wilhelm Weil is the President of the VDP.Rheingau). 3 year ago, we went into the terroir; this was a most interesting conference-type tasting were we learned a lot about the different terroirs of the Rheingau from its producers. Again, the tasting was followed by an after-party at Weingut Robert Weil. 2 years ago, we took a boat trip from Hochheim to Assmannshausen and tasted the wines as we passed the vineyards. The trip back from Assmannshausen was a party with more tasting, good food and other activities.

See:
VDP.Rheingau Rhine River Boat Trip with Pre-release Presentation of the 2015 Grosses Gewächs (GG) Wines
The Rheingau and its Terroirs: Tasting with Rheingau’s Elite Winemakers, Germany
Extraordinary Views of the Rheingau Vineyards - A Spectecular Helicopter Flight over the Rheingau with Rheingau Winemakers, Germany









Grosses Gewächs (GG)

What is a VDP.Grosses Gewächs? There is still a bit of confusion out there, as (1) Grosses Gewaechs (GG) is a term that was created by the VDP only a few years ago and (2) the VDP has established a new classification for German wines that differs radically from the German standard classification (and is still in the process of refining and implementing it). The latest revisions were those that came into effect with the vintage 2012.

GGs and the New German Wine Classification

Although many people think that there is only one wine classification system in Germany – the classification system of the Law of 1971 – this is not correct. True, the classification system of the Law of 1971 is the standard classification system in Germany and the vast majority of winemakers in Germany use this approach. A large number of winemakers, however, have moved away from the standard, in particular the VDP producers.

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 (for the 2011 vintage still called Erste 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.

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

The Rheingau

It is remarkable: For its entire length of nearly 560 miles, the Rhine flows north with one exception – a 28-mile stretch where the river changes its course. Here, it flows to the west, thereby enabling both the river and the vineyards facing it to bask in the warmth of the sun all day long. This is the Rheingau, one of the medium-size German wine regions. It is a quietly beautiful region, rich in tradition. Queen Victoria's enthusiasm for Hochheim's wines contributed to their popularity in England, where they, and ultimately, Rhine wines in general, were referred to as Hock.

The third President of the USA - and notable bon viveur - Thomas Jefferson visited the Rheingau in 1788 and wrote that the wine of the "Abbaye of Johnsberg is the best made on the Rhine without comparison … That of the year 1775 is the best." He also referred to the Rheingau’s Riesling as the "small and delicate Rhysslin which grows only from Hochheim to Rudesheim". Impressed by the quality of the Rheingau Riesling wines, he bought 100 grapevines to take back to his estate in Virginia.

Picture: The Rheingau

Although the Rheingau is one of Germany’s smaller wine-growing regions, its 3,100 ha (7,660 acres) of vineyards are vastly diverse in their geological makeup. The soil varies from stony slate at the western part near the villages of Assmannshausen and Rüdesheim to loess, sand and marl in the lower central villages of Geisenheim, Johannisberg, Winkel, Oestrich and Hattenheim. Soil reverts to stony phyllite in the higher central and eastern villages of Hallgarten, Kiedrich and Hochheim. Generally, wines from the lower slopes where the soil is heavier—sandy loam and loess—produce fuller wines, while at the higher slopes where it is more stony and slatey, the wines reflect more minerality, elegance and concentration.

The Rheingau enjoys a distinctly continental climate with cold winters and warm, but not hot, summers. The Rheingau is dominated by Riesling, accounting for 4/5 of the vineyard area. Pinot Noir accounts for 1/10 and is concentrated around Assmannshausen.

Back to the Roots: The 2018 Event

This year, the event took place at Weingut Robert Weil and allowed us to go back to the roots of the GGs. The event had 4 parts.

First, at the center was an extensive tasting of 27 new GGs from the Rheingau, introduced by the respective producer.

Second, we went back to the roots of the current GGs and tasted 12 older dry wines, including a 1937 Gräfenberg Riesling Weingut Weil and a 1942 Steinberger Riesling Kloster Eberbach - Hessische Staatsweingüter.

Third, there was a Sekt session with the focus on the new VDP Sekt classification, introduced by Wein- and Sektgut Barth, Weingüter Wegeler and Wein- and Bernd Schönleber.

Fourth, we ended the day with dinner, music and more wine.

Welcome by Wilhelm Weil

Wilhelm Weil welcomed the guests and Rheingau winemakers at Weingut Robert Weil at 2pm.




Riesling Soup

We started with a Riesling soup.



The new VDP.Grosses Gewächs Wines

We then had a sit-down tasting of  27 new GGs of the Rheingau, ordered by vintage (2017 before 2016), grape variety (Riesling before Spätburgunder) and region (from west to east).















27 Rheingau GGs

The wines were presented in flights of 3 or 2 wines.

First Flight


2017 Seligmacher, Lorchhausen
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut August Kessler

Winemaker and General Manager Simon Batarseh presented the wine.

See also: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut August Kesseler in Assmanshausen, with Winemaker Simon Batarseh – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours


2017 Berg Roseneck, Rüdesheim
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Allendorf

Winemaker/ Owner Ulrich Allendorf presented the wine.

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


2017 Berg Rottland, Rüdesheim
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Johannishof

Senior Boss Hans Hermann Eser presented the wine


Second Flight


2017 Berg Rottland, Rüdesheim
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Balthasar Ress

Former Technical Director and Winemaker Dirk Würtz presented the wine.

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


2017 Rothenberg, Geisenheim
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut J. Wegeler

Owner Tom Drieseberg presented the wine.


2017 Schloss Johannisberger Silberlack
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Schloss Johannisberg

The new Managing Director Stefan Doktor presented the wine.

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


Third Flight


2017 Jesuitengarten, Winkel
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Prinz von Hessen

2017 Schloss Vollrads Schlossberg
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Schloss Vollrads

Deputy Managing Director Christine Müller presented the wine.

See also: Schloss Vollrads in the Rheingau: Tour and Tasting - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours


2017 St. Nikolaus, Mittelrhein
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber

Owner and Winemaker Bernd Schönleber presented the wine.

See also: Cellar Tour, Tasting and Dinner at Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber in Östrich-Winkel, Rheingau, with Ralph and Bernd Schönleber - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours


Fourth Flight


2017 Rosengarten, Oestrich
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Josef Spreitzer

Winemaker/ Owner Andy Spreitzer presented the wine.

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

2017 Jungfer Hallgarten
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Prinz

Winemaker/ Owner Fred Prinz presented the wine.

2017 Wisselbrunn, Hattenheim
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Josef Spreitzer

Winemaker/ Owner Andy Spreitzer presented the wine.

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


Fifth Flight


2017 Siegelsberg, Erbach
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Jakob Jung

Senior Boss Ludwig Jung presented the wine.

See also: Impromptu Winetasting with Alexander Jung, Weingut Jakob Jung, Erbach, Rheingau, Germany


2017 Siegelsberg, Erbach
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut von Oetinger

Winemaker/ Owner Achim von Oetinger presented the wine.

See also:  Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, with Achim von Oetinger– Germany-North 2016 by ombiasy WineTours


2017 Marcobrunn, Erbach
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach

The new Cellarmaster Kathrin Puff prsented the wine.

See also: Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau: Tour and Wine Tasting - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)


Sixth Flight


2017 Marcobrunn, Erbach
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut von Oetinger

Winemaker/ Owner Achim von Oetinger presented the wine.

See also:  Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, with Achim von Oetinger– Germany-North 2016 by ombiasy WineTours


2017 Gräfenberg, Kiedrich
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Robert Weil

Winemaker/ Owner (and VDP.Rheingau President) Wilhelm Weil presented the wine.

See also: Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)


2017 Langenberg, Martinstal
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Diefenhard

Winemaker/ junior Owner Julia Seyffardt presented the wine.


Seventh Flight


2017 Hölle, Hochheim
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Künstler

Winemaker/ Owner Gunter Künstler presented the wine.

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


2017 Nonnenberg "4 Morgen", Wicker
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Joachim Flick

Winemaker Katharina Flick, daughter of owner Rainer Flick, presented the wine.

See also: FairChoice Certified Wine in Germany: Weingut Joachim Flick in the Rheingau


Eighth Flight


2016 Doosberg, Oestrich
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn

Winemaker/ Owner Peter Jakob Kühn presented the wine.

See also:  One of the Bio-dynamic Stars in Germany: Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn in Östrich, Winkel– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)


2016 Hassel, Hattenheim
Riesling Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Wein- und Sektgut Barth

Winemaker/ Owner Mark P. Barth presented the wine.

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)


Nineth Flight


2016 Berg Schlossberg, Rüdesheim
Spätburgunder Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach

Managing Director Dieter Greiner presented the wine.

See also: Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau: Tour and Wine Tasting - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)


2016 Schlenzberg, Martinsthal
Spätburgunder Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Diefenhardt

Winemaker/ (junior) Owner Julia Seyffardt presented the wine.


Tenth Flight


2016 Höllenberg, Assmannshausen
Spätburgunder Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Allendorf

Winemaker/ (junior) Owner Max Schönleber presented the wine.

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


2016 Höllenberg, Assmannshausen
Spätburgunder Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Künstler

Winemaker/ Owner Gunter Künstler presented the wine.

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


2016 Höllenberg, Assmannshausen
Spätburgunder Trocken GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut August Kesseler

Winemaker and General Manager Simon Batarseh presented the wine.

See also: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut August Kesseler in Assmanshausen, with Winemaker Simon Batarseh – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours


Afternoon Snack

After the tasting of the new GGs, we had some food.



Tasting the Older Wines

We then moved to the old building of Weingut Robert Weil for the tasting of older wines. There were 3 groups of wines: Charta wines, Auslese Trocken and Spätlese Trocken wines and very old wines. This part of the afternoon was moderated by Jochen Becker-Köhn, Deputy-Managing Director of Weingut Robert Weil. He is highly knowledgeable in terms of the history of the Rheingau, he is witty and charming. It was a great pleasure to listen to him.

# The oldest wine classification map of the world is that of the Rheingau of Friedrich Wilhelm Dunkelberg of 1867. Many years the 1869 map of the Mosel was thought to be the oldest. At that time, the thinking in terms of quality was very much terroir-driven.

# 100 years ago, wines from the Rhein River and the Mosel River were more expensive than the today very famous Bordeaux wines.

# In the 1930s, sterile filtration was invented, making it possible to produce the world famous sweet-style low-alcohol Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese wines.

# Before 1945 was largely in the hands of the Jewish Community, which collapsed during the Hitler Regime.

# After 1945, wines from the former Nazi Germany were unpopular in the world.

# The Basic German Wine Law of 1971 (a) reduced the number of vineyards considerably by merging smaller vineyards; more generally the Basic German Wine Law of 1971 moved the vineyards and the terroir to the backburner and (b) moved the sugar content at harvest to the fore (Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese).

# Trockenwelle (Dry Wave) in the 1980s.

# Global warming.

# New VDP Classification since 2002 (modified in 2012): Terroir-driven classification, modelled after the Burgundy classification (Gutswein, Ortswein, Erste Lage, Grosse Lage). Back to the roots.







Charta Wines

The Charta Rheingau Group was founded in 1983. This was part of the Trockenwelle. Charta promoted dry wines that would go well with food(Nouvelle Cuisine). Charta was initiated by winemakers and chefs.

The group also had an eye on classifying vineyards - following the terroir principle in Burgundy - and with the 1992 vintage, Charta developed the Erstes Gewächs concept.

Kabinett Trocken, Spätlese Trocken and Auslese Trocken became popular.

A scientific classification of the vineyards of the whole Rheingau region was finalized in 1999.

Building on the work of the Charta movement, the VDP started to develop a new terroir-driven classification of the vineyards of its members in the early 2000s.

In 2002 at the Annual Meeting of the VDP, a terroir-driven 3-tier classification (Gutswein, Ortswein, Erste Lage) was adopted.

The current 4-tier classification (Gutswein, Ortswein, Erste Lage, Grosse Lage) was adopted by the membership in early 2012, effective with the 2012 vintage.

Since 2012, the VDP producers in the Rheingau started to sell their ultra-premium dry wines as Grosses Gewächs (and no longer as Erstes Gewächs).

1991 Erbach Hohenrain
Riesling Qualitätswein CHARTA
Weingut Jakob Jung

1990 Hattenheim
Riesling Kabinett CHARTA
Weingut Balthasar Ress

1988 Johannisberg Hölle
Riesling Qualitätswein CHARTA
Weingut Johannishof

1986 Schloss Vollrads
Riesling Qualitätswein CHARTA
Schloss Vollrads



GG Predecessors

Before the introduction of the GG concept, the ultra-premium dry wines were marketed as Auslese Trocken and Spätlese Trocken wines. We tasted 4 Trocken wines from the 1990s.

1998 Hochheimer Kirchenstück
Riesling Auslese Trocken
Weingut Künstler

1997 EXCLUSIV
Riesling Spätlese Trocken
Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn

1994 Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland
Riesling Trocken
Weingut Allendorf

1993 Berg Schlossberg
Riesling Qualitätswein Trocken
Weingut J. Wegeler





The Very Old Wines

The tasting culminated in the presentation of 4 very old wines, from: 1976, 1953, 1941 and 1937.



1976 Schloss Johannisberger
Riesling Grünlack Spätlese trocken
Schloss Johannisberg


1953 Steinberger
Riesling Cabinet
Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach


1942 Steinberger
Riesling
Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach


1937 Kiedrich Gräfenberg
Riesling Cabinet
Weingut Robert Weil


Sekts from VDP.Este Lage and VDP.Grosse Lage

Earlier this year, the VDP membership adopted a Sekt classification.

The VDP Sekt classification mirrors the VDP wine classification. Traditional bottle fermentation is compulsory for all Sekt categories. Two of these — VDP. Gutssekt and VDP. Ortssekt must remain at least 15 months on the lees. The single-vineyard categories VDP. Erste Lage and VDP. Grosse Lage Sekt, and all single-vintage Sekt expressions, must spend a minimum of 36 months on the lees. All grapes have to be picked by hand and come from the Sekt maker's own vineyard.



2013 Schützenhaus, Hattenheim
Riesling Brut Nature VDP.Erste Lage
Wein- und Sektgut Barth


2013 Rothenberg, Geisenheim
Riesling Brut VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingüter J. Wegeler


2012 Lenchen, Oestrich
Riesling Brut Nature VDP.Grosse Lage
Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber


2012 Hassel, Hattenheim
Riesling Brut Nature VDP.Grosse Lage
Wein- und Sektgut Barth

2011 Hassel, Hattenheim
Riesling Brut Nature VDP.Grosse Lage
Wein- und Sektgut Barth

2009 Hassel, Hattenheim
Riesling Brut Nature VDP.Grosse Lage
Wein- und Sektgut Barth


Dinner, Music, and More Wine

The event ended in the large room overlooking the Gräfenberg vineyard, with music, dinner and more wine.











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Ombiasy Wine Tours 2018: 3 x France and 3 x Germany - Ombiasy Newsletter December 2017

VDP.Rheingau Rhine River Boat Trip with Pre-release Presentation of the 2015 Grosses Gewächs (GG) Wines

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

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Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Leitz in Rüdesheim, with Johannes Leitz – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut August Kesseler in Assmanshausen, with Winemaker Simon Batarseh – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

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

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

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, with Achim von Oetinger– Germany-North 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

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

Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

One of the Bio-dynamic Stars in Germany: Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn in Östrich, Winkel– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

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

Schloss Vollrads in the Rheingau: Tour and Tasting - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours







Phantastic Dinner at the "New" Weinsinn in Frankfurt, Germany

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Picture: Dinner at the "New" Weinsinn in Frankfurt, Germany, with Owner Matthias Scheiber

In Frankfurt, Annette and I are members of a group of wine and food aficiniados that meets about once a month in a top restaurant. In late August, we had dinner at Weinsinn.

There were eight of us. We had 11 bottles of wine. Most of us had 5 courses, some 4 courses. We spent Euro 190 including tax and tip per person.

Pictures: Weinsinn in the Bahnhofsviertel in Frankfurt

Matthias Scheiber and Milica Trajkovska-Scheiber opened Weinsinn 10 years ago in Frankfurt's Westend. Two years later they opened Gustav not so far away from Weinsinn. Both restaurants were awarded a Michelin star shortly after they opened. Last year, Weinsinn in the Westend had to close as the lease came to an end and Weinsinn relocated to the Bahnhofsviertel (Central Station Area).

Pictures: Arriving at the Weinsinn, with Matthias Scheiber

New York Times: The (Old) Winesinn

A few years ago there was an interesting article in the New York Times about the old Weinsinn.

By PETE WELLS - October 22, 2013: When young lovers dream of a romantic European dinner in a back-street hideaway packed with locals, those back streets tend to be in Paris or Florence, not Düsseldorf or Nuremberg. When thrill-seeking diners book long-distance travel to taste some pathbreaking chef’s strange new inventions, their planes land in places like Barcelona or Copenhagen, not Leipzig or Dresden.

Although the 2013 Michelin Guide paid lavish attention to Germany, awarding 3 stars to 10 restaurants there, neither those restaurants nor their chefs are household names in any country but their own. When Germany flexes its economic muscle, other countries jump to attention. When it shows off its gastronomic power, they shrug.

Picture: Dinner with Friends at the "Old" Weinsinn in Frankfurt (1 Star Michelin/ 16 Points Gault Millau). See: Wine Dinner at one of Frankfurt's Best Restaurants - Weinsinn, Germany

Anytime the world seems to have made a secret pact to ignore a subject, curious minds grow even more curious. So off I went last month on a brief but industrious eating tour of Germany. I traveled to three of the cities foreigners are most likely to visit, Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin, making reservations in relatively new restaurants. None of them were especially luxurious or expensive compared with the rarefied dining rooms that are catnip to the Michelin Guide.

German chefs tend to play a long game, honing their craft in the same kitchen for decades. Coming from New York, where chefs will put a restaurant on their résumés after working there free for a few weeks, I was deeply impressed by the German dedication to putting down roots. But I was especially interested in seeing where the country’s restaurant scene may be going next, so I restricted myself to places that had opened since the start of this decade.

Around the same time, my colleague Frank Bruni was pursuing a similar assignment in China, following similar rules. Unlike me, he stuck to the rules. I bent them to write about a very good meal I had in Frankfurt at Weinsinn, which opened at the end of 2009. ...

Mr. Rickert has a modernist’s skill set and a modernist’s talent for combining the serious and the playful. Look what he does to ratatouille. Even its fans have to admit that the dish, a lump of stewed vegetables mired in a tar pit of olive oil, is usually no great beauty. Mr. Rickert’s version is a colorful, bright, edible garden, a field of couscous across which he plants black olives, shards of feta, a bright green mound of basil ice cream and warm cherry tomatoes that dissolved into sweet pulp on my tongue like berries in a pie.

The ingredients were strewn all across the plate, but the flavors were firmly rooted. That was the case, too, with a dessert of late-summer damson plums that appeared in three guises: stuffed into a tender dumpling, frozen into sorbet and poached with cinnamon syrup.

Weinsinn is compact, with only 35 seats in two small dining rooms. So is Mr. Rickert’s menu of three appetizers, three main courses and three desserts. The wine list, on the other hand, goes on for page after page, although there is a simpler way. We asked the sommelier, Jens Gabelmann, to choose for us. He sized up our table at a glance and brought us just the wine we might have asked for if we had been able to put our wishes into words.

Weinsinn is perpetually full but not a scene; all the action is on the plates and in the glasses. The owners, Matthias Scheiber and Milica Trajkovska, his wife, say they borrowed the idea of serving serious food and drink for reasonable prices in a lively, informal room from French places like La Régalade.

“The bistronomy movement does not exist in Germany,” Mr. Scheiber said. Traditionally, he continued, restaurant cooking in his country isn’t taken seriously unless it “comes out of hotels” with highly formal dining rooms.

Pictures: Dinner at the (New) Weinsinn, with Sommelier Florian Bechtel

The (New) Weinsinn

The new Weinsinn is considerably larger and much more spacious than the old Weinsinn. The kitchen is large and an open kitchen (which is also much larger than in the old Weinsinn) where you can watch the crew prepare the food.

Julian Stowasser, who was for several years the Sous-Chef the 3-Star-Michelin Restaurant Atelier in Munich before joining Weinsinn, is the Executive Chef.

The new Weinsinn confirmed its leading role in the Frankfurt restaurant scene with a super dinner, top wines and first-class service. Without doubt, the Michelin star will arrive in November, when the new Michelin Guide is released. Given his previous job, I would not be surprised if Chef Julian Stowasser than goes for the second star.

Weinsinn: New. Yet familiar. Sophisticated cuisine, consistent design and a relaxing ambience – this is what we had in mind when we opened Weinsinn in 2009. We were therefore delighted to see our concept meet with such positive feedback. After eight memorable years in Frankfurt’s Westend, we are now moving to the Bahnhofsviertel district by the railway station. Much of what we are taking with us will be familiar, while in some areas we have moved on. But the most important thing of all remains unchanged: your feeling at home and being able to enjoy the evening, ideally in good company. Welcome to the new Weinsinn!

Weinsinn: Discover worlds. Up close. Diversity, contrasts and open-mindedness – the things that make Frankfurt unique are especially pronounced here. Paying us a visit in the Bahnhofsviertel district is worth it for this alone. Weinsinn is just a few minutes’ walk from the opera house and theatre on Willy-Brandt-Platz square, and the city and the River Main are just around the corner too. And as you are no doubt aware, Frankfurt is also just a stone’s throw from pretty much anywhere in the world.

Head Chef: Florian Stowasser

Weinsinn: Regional, cosmopolitan, open-minded. Weinsinn stands for a contemporary cuisine that focuses on local products and combines them with international accents. And more than anything else, we are open-minded: For the experimentation of our head chef Julian Stowasser. For the experience he contributes from his previous positions in Munich, Wolfsburg, Sydney and Baiersbronn. And to giving an insight into our craftsmanship, because the kitchen staff aren’t just busy behind the scenes at Weinsinn.

Pictures: Open Kitchen with Head Chef Florian Stowasser

The Wines we had for Dinner

Weinsinn: Every wine makes sense. There are more than 280 bottles to choose from on our wine list. And we have faith in each and every one of them, as we consider all of our wines to be especially expressive representatives of their ilk. From the beginning, we have focused on regional wines, including many representatives of the younger generation of winemakers in our list. Our sommelier Florian Bechtel will happily give you guidance in making your own discoveries. Our recommendation for groups of oenophiles and for an exclusive event is our Wein | Tisch held in the dark green semi-basement.

Pictures: The Wines we had for Dinner

The Dinner

Weinsinn is open only for dinner. The menu is small. You can choose between a 3-course (Euro 70), 4-course (Euro 80), 5-course (Euro 90) and 6-course (Euro 100) meal. Most of us had the 5-course menu, some the 4-course menu. Between the 8 of us, we ordered almost all the dishes that are currently offered.

Hors d'œuvre


Bread


Greetings from the Chef


Vorspeisen

Wildgarnele
Gurke, grüner Apfel


Gelbschwanzmakrele
Alge, Sesam


Zwischengerichte

Ofenkartoffel
Spinat, Demeter-Ei, Schmand


Schottischer Lachs
Ananas, Romanasalat, Dashi


Schwarzfederhuhn
Petersilie, schwarze Johannisbeere,
weiße Zwiebel


Hauptgerichte

Kabeljau
Nordseekrabben, Lauch, Champignon


Lamm
Bohne, Tomate



Nachspeise

Brie de Meaux
Preiselbeere, Tonkabohne


Birne
Buchweizen, dunkles Bier

Kokos
Fenchel, Jasminreis


Petit Four



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UPCOMING Tours/ Wine Dinners/ Tastings - Annette and Christian Schiller/ ombiasyPR & WineTours/ schiller-wine, Germany, France, USA (Issued: September 1, 2018)

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Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller in London

Below is a list of the wine tours, wine dinners and wine tastings planned by Annette and Christian Schiller/ ombiasyPR & WineTours/ schiller-wine for the coming months.

For questions concerning the ombiasy wine tours please consult the ombiasy website.

For all other events please send me (cschiller@schiller-wine.com) or Annette (aschiller@ombiasypr.com) an e-mail.

September 2018

Bordeaux, France, September 4 - 13: 2018 Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See: ombiasy WineTours and UPCOMING Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2018 to Germany and Alsace (May/ June) and to Bordeaux and Burgundy-Champagne (September)

Bourgogne, France, September 20 - 30: 2018 Burgundy Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See: ombiasy WineTours and UPCOMING Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2018 to Germany and Alsace (May/ June) and to Bordeaux and Burgundy-Champagne (September/ October)

October 2018

Rhône Valley, France, October 15 - 24: 2018 Rhône Valley Tour by ombiasy WineTours.

November 2018

Buffalo, New York State, November 1 - 4: Germany, Burgundy and Alsace Tastings at the National Conference of the American Wine Society led by Annette Schiller. See: American Wine Society and The 2017 American Wine Society National Conference in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens

Session 1: A Journey through the Rhône Valley
Session 2: "Abbey Wines": The Importance of the Monasteries for the Development of Viticulture
Session 3: Pinot Noir in Burgundy/ France and Germany

Washington DC, Tuesday, November 6: German Wines in the 21st Century - Tasting at the Washington DC Wine and Cheese Seminar, led by Annette Schiller

December 2018

Frankfurt, Germany, December: Tasting the Best of Virginia Wines in Frankfurt - Virginia Governor's Cup Case 2017. See: Tasting the Best of Virginia Wines in Frankfurt, Germany, with Stuart Pigott: Virginia Governor's Cup Case 2016

January 2019

Frankfurt, Germany: Tasting Aged American Red Wines (Cabernet Sauvignon/ Merlot)

February 2019

March 2019

April 2019

May 2019

Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe: Germany-North Tour 2019. See: Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir

June 2019

Alsace, France, June 18 - 22: Alsace Tour 2019 (Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim)


schiller-wine: Related Postings

Ombiasy Wine Tours 2018: 3 x France and 3 x Germany - Ombiasy Newsletter December 2017

Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France  

Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

Rhône Valley Tour December 2017: From Lyon to Avignon - Wine, Food, Culture, History

The 2017 American Wine Society National Conference in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens

Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir 

Announcement: Abbey Wines, Pinot Noir from Germany and Burgundy, Rhône Valley - 3 Tastings led by Annette Schiller of ombiasy PR and WineTours at the National Conference of the American Wine Society (AWS) in Buffalo, New York State, November 1 to 3, 2018

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Picture: National Conference of the American Wine Society (AWS) in Buffalo, New York State, November 1 to 3, 2018

Annette Schiller, President of ombiasy PR and WineTours and member of the American Wine Society, will lead 3 wine tastings - Abbey Wines, Pinot Noir from Germany and Burgundy, Rhône Valley - at the forthcoming Annual Meetings of the American Wine Society. In addition, Annette and Christian Schiller will pour a selection of German wines at the Showcase of Wines event during the second evening.

Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller in London at the Royal Opera House

The tastings are sponsored by ombiasy WineTours and the wine producers whose wines are being presented or their US importers.

The 2018 American Wine Society Annual Meetings will take place in Buffalo, New York State, from November 1 to 3, 2018.

More than 500 members from all over the USA are coming to this 3-day event, filled with tastings, seminars and presentations.

Pictures: Peter Mondavi Jr. at the ombiasy WineTours Booth during the 2016 Amrican Wine Society National Meetings in California. See: The 2016 American Wine Society National Conference in California, USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens

The American Wine Society

The American Wine Society was founded in 1967 as a non-profit, educational, consumer-oriented organization for those interested in learning more about all aspects of wine. On October 7, 1967, around 200 grape growers, home winemakers, and wine lovers gathered at Dr. Konstantin Frank’s vineyard on Keuka Lake near Hammondsport, NY for the AWS’ initial meeting.

In December of the same year, the thirteen charter members, led by Founder Dr. Konstantin Frank, met to determine the organization structure of AWS and elect officers. Now in its 49th year, the American Wine Society is the largest consumer based wine education organization in North America. Membership is open to anyone interested in wine and over 21 years of age.

In the early days, AWS members were located primarily in the eastern part of the country. As the society grew , we established chapters throughout the eastern U.S., then into the south and Midwest, and finally into western states. Today, the American Wine Society has over 5,000 members in 45 states and 120 chapters across the U.S.

Each November the Society hosts a three-day national conference with two full days of nearly 50 educational seminars to choose from. Winery owners, wine educators, and renowned wine makers are selected to present sessions during this national event. In addition, a program educating members to become AWS certified wine judges is conducted on the day preceding the seminars.

Annette Schiller's Presentations

“Abbey Wines”: The Importance of the Monasteries for the Development of Viticulture

A-6: Room 101 C
Class Maximum 96

Annette Schiller, Owner, Ombiasy PR & Wine Tours

Without the work of monks and sisters, viticulture would not have developed the way it did and would not have become a part of fine living. Monasteries were always a center of intellectual curiosity and thirst for knowledge. They had huge holdings on farmland and vineyards - mostly gifts of rich aristocrats. The abbeys always were and still are self-sufficient and had to work in agriculture to sustain their living. Therefore, the monks not only focused on religious studies but also on studying better methods in farming and viticulture.

Annette will pour the following wines:

01) 2015 Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Louis Latour, Burgundy, France
02) 2015 Bermatinger Spätburgunder, Markgraf von Baden, Bodensee, Baden, Germany
03) 2015 Riesling, Abtei Sankt Hildegard, Rheingau, Germany
04) 2016 Grüner Veltliner, Stift Klosterneuburg, Wachau, Austria
05) 2016 Saalhäuser Weisser Riesling, Kloster Pforta, Saale-Unstrut, Germany
06) 2017 Steinberger, Riesling, Spätlese, Kloster Eberbach, Rheingau, Gemany

See also: Annette Schiller Presented "Abbey Wines" at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), USA

Pictures: Tour of  Weingut Kloster Eberbach and Steinberg Vineyard. See: Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau: Lunch, Tour of the Abbey, the Steinberg and the Steinbergkeller, with Tasting - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Burgundy Pinot Noir and German Pinot Noir: Differences and Similarities

D-3: Room 101 A&H -
Class Maximum 80

Annette Schiller, Owner, Ombiasy PR & Wine Tours

Germany is in the midst of a red wine revolution. Thirty years ago, red wine production amount to 10 percent of the wine produced, now it is almost 40 percent. Germany is now the third-largest producer world-wide of Pinot Noir. Burgundy and the German Pinot wine regions can look back on a long common history and both share a very similar soil profile. The Pinot Noir grape produces terroir-driven wines, and we will explore the similarities and differences of Pinot Noir from Burgundy and Germany.

Annette will pour 6 wines:

01) 2014 Spätburgunder, Weingut Jülg, Schweigen, Pfalz
02) 2014 Pinot Noir, Savigny-Les-Beaune, Albert Bichot, Burgundy
03) 2012 Spätburgunder, Alte Reben, Weingut Bernhard Huber, Malterdingen, Baden, Germany
04) 2012 Pinot Noir, Beaune Grèves, Louis Jadot, Burgundy
05) 2015 Spätburgunder, Assmannshäuser Höllenberg, Crescentia, Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach, Rheingau, Germany
06) 2015 Pinot Noir, 1er Cru Les Porêts-Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Domaine Faiveley, Burgundy

Picture: Annette Schiller in Gevry-Chambertin. See also: Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

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

A Journey through the Rhône Valley

G-3: Room 101 A&H –
Class Maximum 80

Annette Schiller, Owner, Ombiasy PR & Wine Tours

The Rhône Valley is one of the oldest wine regions in France and the second largest after Bordeaux. The Greeks introduced viticulture in the 4th century B.C. Since then, the world has discovered Rhône wines, and some of the most famous wines of the world come from the Rhône Valley. The vineyards are located on both sides of the river. The Rhône Valley is divided into two distinctively different regions: the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône. We will taste wines from both regions and explore the differences.

See also:
Rhône Valley Tour December 2017: From Lyon to Avignon - Wine, Food, Culture, History
Understanding the Wines of the Rhône Valley: The Classification - AOC/ Vin de Pay/ Vin de France The Rhône Wine Region in Southern France and its Wines: History, Classification, Northern and Southern Rhône

Pictures: 2018 Rhône Valley Tour by ombiasy WineTours.

Annette will pour 6 wines:

01) 2017 St.Cosme, IGP Vaucluse Les Deux Abions Blancs
02) 2017 Perrin, Côte du Rhône Reserve Blanc
03) 2014 Guigal, Côte du Rhône
04) 2015 Domaine Belle, Crozes-Hermitag, Les Pierelles
04) 2016 Domaine des Pasquiers, Côte du Rhône Village, Sablet
05) 2015 Bastide St. Vincent Vacqueyras
06) 2015 Château la Nerthe, Châteauneuf du Pape

Showcase of Wines

Friday 7:30pm - 9:30pm

Annette and Christian will pour a selection of German wines, both red and white.

Annette Schiller's Presentations at the 2016 American Wine Society Annual Meetings in California

The 2016 American Wine Society National Conference in California, USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens

The New Germany: Red, Sparkling and Dry - Tasting at the American Wine Society 2016 National Conference in Los Angeles, USA, led by Annette Schiller

The New Classification of German Wines: The VDP Classification - Annette Schiller Conducting a Seminar at the 2016 National Convention of the American Wine Society in Los Angeles, USA

The Insider’s View of Charles Krug Winery - Peter Mondavi Jr., Co-Proprietor, Charles Krug Winery

Château Climens, Premier Cru Barsac and Savory Dishes…who knew? - Bérénice Lurton, Owner of Château Climens and Tony Lawrence, Global Food & Wine Pairing Specialist

Annette Schiller's Presentations at the 2017 American Wine Society Annual Meetings in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania

The 2017 American Wine Society National Conference in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens

Showcase of Wines at the 2017 National Conference of the American Wine Society: Annette and Christian Schiller Present German/ VDP/ Loosen Bros. USA Wines

A Journey through the Vineyards of Alsace - A Tasting Seminar at the National Conference 2017 of the American Wine Society, led by Annette Schiller (ombiasyPR & WineTours)

Burgundy: What makes it so Special? - A Tasting Seminar at the 2017 American Wine Society National Conference in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, led by Annette Schiller (ombiasyPR & WineTours)

German Wines in the 21st Century - A Tasting Seminar at the 2017 American Wine Society National Conference in in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, led by Annette Schiller (ombiasyPR & WineTours)

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Ombiasy Wine Tours 2018: 3 x France and 3 x Germany - Ombiasy Newsletter December 2017

Chardonnay: Germany versus Chablis - Salon Tasting at Schiller's Home, USA

The New Germany – Red, Dry, Sparkling: German Wine Society Tasting, led by Annette Schiller, at Restaurant Old Europe in Washington DC

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

Annette Schiller Presented "Abbey Wines" at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), USA

Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau: Lunch, Tour of the Abbey, the Steinberg and the Steinbergkeller, with Tasting - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

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

Rhône Valley Tour December 2017: From Lyon to Avignon - Wine, Food, Culture, History

Understanding the Wines of the Rhône Valley: The Classification - AOC/ Vin de Pay/ Vin de France

The Rhône Wine Region in Southern France and its Wines: History, Classification, Northern and Southern Rhône 

UPCOMING Tours/ Wine Dinners/ Tastings - Annette and Christian Schiller/ ombiasyPR & WineTours/ schiller-wine, Germany, France, USA (Issued: November 1, 2018)

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Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller in Singapore

Below is a list of the wine tours, wine dinners and wine tastings planned by Annette and Christian Schiller/ ombiasyPR & WineTours/ schiller-wine for the coming months.

For questions concerning the ombiasy wine tours please consult the ombiasy website.

For all other events please send me (cschiller@schiller-wine.com) or Annette (aschiller@ombiasypr.com) an e-mail.

November 2018

Buffalo, New York State, November 1 - 3: Tastings at the National Conference of the American Wine Society led by Annette Schiller. See: American Wine Society and The 2017 American Wine Society National Conference in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens

Session 1: A Journey through the Rhône Valley
Session 2: "Abbey Wines": The Importance of the Monasteries for the Development of Viticulture
Session 3: Pinot Noir in Burgundy/ France and Germany

Washington DC, Tuesday, November 6: German Wines in the 21st Century - Tasting at the Washington DC Wine and Cheese Seminar, led by Annette Schiller

December 2018

Frankfurt, Germany: Tasting the Best of Virginia Wines in Frankfurt - Virginia Governor's Cup Case 2017. See: Tasting the Best of Virginia Wines in Frankfurt, Germany, with Stuart Pigott: Virginia Governor's Cup Case 2016

January 2019

Washington DC, USA, January 4: A Journey through the Rhône Valley - Tasting at the American Wine Society ( Northern Virginia Chapter), led by Annette Schiller

Washington DC, USA, January 11, 2019: The Renaissance of  Terroir in German Wine - Tasting at the German Wine Society ( Washington DC Chapter), led by Annette Schiller

February 2019

Frankfurt, Germany: Tasting Aged American Red Wines (Cabernet Sauvignon/ Merlot) 

March 2019

April 2019

Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe: Germany-North Tour 2019. See: Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir

May 2019

June 2019

Alsace, France, June 18 - 22: Alsace Tour 2019 (Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim)

July 2019 

August 2019 

September 2019  

Bordeaux, France, September 2019: 2019 Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours. See: Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France


schiller-wine: Related Postings

Ombiasy Wine Tours 2018: 3 x France and 3 x Germany - Ombiasy Newsletter December 2017

Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France

The 2017 American Wine Society National Conference in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens

Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir

The 2018 American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo, New York State, USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens

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Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller at the 2018 American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo, New York State

Annette Schiller, President of ombiasy PR and WineTours and member of the American Wine Society, led 3 wine tastings - Abbey Wines, Pinot Noir from Germany and Burgundy, Rhône Valley - at the 2018 Annual Meetings of the American Wine Society. In addition, Annette and Christian Schiller poured a selection of German wines at the Showcase of Wines event during the second evening.

The tastings were sponsored by ombiasy WineTours and the wine producers whose wines were presented or their US importers.

The 2018 American Wine Society Annual Meetings took take place in Buffalo, New York State, from November 1 to 3, 2018.

Pictures: The 2018 American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo, New York State

More than 500 members from all over the USA came to this 3-day event, filled with tastings, seminars and presentations.

Thursday was the day of wine judging. There were full-day courses for those who want to become a certified AWS Wine Judge. This is a 3-year program. Also, the Amateur and Commercial Wine Competitions took place on Thursday.

Picture: Delivering the Wines for Annette's Tastings to the Storage Room

Friday and Saturday was filled with about 50 wine seminars, led by winery owners, wine educators, and renowned winemakers. The breakfasts, lunches, dinners and after-dinner gatherings provided ample opportunities to network with other AWS members.

There were two pre-conference trips, in which Annette and I did not participate.

Pictures: Annette and Christian Schiller at the 2018 American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo, New York State, with Joel Peterson, the Godfather of Zinfandel and Founder of Ravenswood Winery, and His Excellency Ambassador Stanislav Vidovic of Slovenia

Postings on schiller-wine

This is the first in a series of postings related to the American Wine Society National Conference 2018 in Buffalo, New York State:

The 2018 American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo, New York State, USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens

VDP at AWS: Tasting Premium German Wines at the Showcase of Wines of the 2018 American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo, New York State, with Annette and Christian Schiller

"Abbey Wines”: The Importance of the Monasteries for the Development of ViticultureGerman Wines in the 21st Century - Seminar at the 2018 American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo, New York State,USA, led by Annette Schiller

Burgundy Pinot Noir and German Pinot Noir: Differences and Similarities - Seminar at the 2018 American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo, New York State,USA, led by Annette Schiller

A Journey through the Rhône Valley - Seminar at the 2018 American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo, New York State,USA, led by Annette Schiller

The American Wine Society

The American Wine Society was founded in 1967 as a non-profit, educational, consumer-oriented organization for those interested in learning more about all aspects of wine. On October 7, 1967, around 200 grape growers, home winemakers, and wine lovers gathered at Dr. Konstantin Frank’s vineyard on Keuka Lake near Hammondsport, NY for the AWS’ initial meeting.

Pictures: National Conference of the American Wine Society (AWS) in Buffalo, New York State, November 1 to 3, 2018

In December of the same year, the thirteen charter members, led by Founder Dr. Konstantin Frank, met to determine the organization structure of AWS and elect officers. Now in its 49th year, the American Wine Society is the largest consumer based wine education organization in North America. Membership is open to anyone interested in wine and over 21 years of age.

In the early days, AWS members were located primarily in the eastern part of the country. As the society grew , we established chapters throughout the eastern U.S., then into the south and Midwest, and finally into western states. Today, the American Wine Society has over 5,000 members in 45 states and 120 chapters across the U.S.

Each November the Society hosts a three-day national conference with two full days of nearly 50 educational seminars to choose from. Winery owners, wine educators, and renowned wine makers are selected to present sessions during this national event. In addition, a program educating members to become AWS certified wine judges is conducted on the day preceding the seminars.

The 2018 American Wine Society National Conference

Thursday, November 1

7:00 am to 5:00 pm: Wine Judge Certification Programs Year 1 + 2 + 3

7:00 pm to 9:30 pm: Welcome "Tailgate" Reception

10:00 pm to 12:00 pm: Hospitality Suite

Friday, November 2

7:30 am to 8:45 pm: Sparkling Wine Breakfast

Picture: Sparkling Wine Breakfast

8:45 am to 6:00 pm: Exhibits

One of the about 15 booths was Annette Schiller's ombiasyPR & WineTours booth, where Annette presented her 2018 wine tours to Germany (East, South, North) and France (Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Rhone).

Pictures: The Booth of ombiasyPR & WineTours with Annette Schiller

9:00 am to 10:15 am 7 Morning Sessions (A)

“Abbey Wines”: The Importance of the Monasteries for the Development of Viticulture

Prsenter: Annette Schiller, Owner, Ombiasy PR & Wine Tours

Without the work of monks and sisters, viticulture would not have developed the way it did and would not have become a part of fine living. Monasteries were always a center of intellectual curiosity and thirst for knowledge. They had huge holdings on farmland and vineyards - mostly gifts of rich aristocrats. The abbeys always were and still are self-sufficient and had to work in agriculture to sustain their living. Therefore, the monks not only focused on religious studies but also on studying better methods in farming and viticulture.

Pictures: "Abbey Wines”: The Importance of the Monasteries for the Development of ViticultureGerman Wines in the 21st Century - Seminar at the 2018 American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo, New York State,USA, led by Annette Schiller

Annette presented the following wines:

01) 2015 Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Louis Latour, Burgundy, France
02) 2015 Bermatinger Spätburgunder, Markgraf von Baden, Bodensee, Baden, Germany
03) 2015 Riesling, Abtei Sankt Hildegard, Rheingau, Germany
04) 2016 Grüner Veltliner, Stift Klosterneuburg, Wachau, Austria
05) 2016 Saalhäuser Weisser Riesling, Kloster Pforta, Saale-Unstrut, Germany
06) 2017 Steinberger, Riesling, Spätlese, Kloster Eberbach, Rheingau, Gemany

See also: Annette Schiller Presented "Abbey Wines" at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), USA

Pictures: Tour of  Weingut Kloster Eberbach and Steinberg Vineyard. See: Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau: Lunch, Tour of the Abbey, the Steinberg and the Steinbergkeller, with Tasting - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

11:00 am to 12:15 pm 7 Morning Sessions (B)

12:30 pm to 2:15 pm: Luncheon & Business Meeting 

2:30 pm to 3:45 pm 7 Afternoon Sessions (C)

7:30 pm to 9:30 pm: Showcase of Wines

VDP - Wines of Germany Table (Annette and Christian Schiller)

Annette and Christian Schiller presented 6 German wines, 4 whites and 2 red wines. All wines were from VDP producers, the association of about 200 elite winemakers in Germany:

Pictures: VDP at AWS: Tasting Premium German Wines at the Showcase of Wines of the 2018 American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo, New York State, with Annette and Christian Schiller and Conference Chairwoman Diane Meyer

10:00 pm to 12:00 pm: Hospitality Suite

Saturday, November 3

7:30 am to 8:45 pm: Breakfast and AWSEF Annual Meeting

8:45 am to 6:00 pm: Exhibits

9:00am to 10:15am 7 Morning Sessions (D)

Burgundy Pinot Noir and German Pinot Noir: Differences and Similarities

Presenter: Annette Schiller, Owner, Ombiasy PR & Wine Tours

Germany is in the midst of a red wine revolution. Thirty years ago, red wine production amount to 10 percent of the wine produced, now it is almost 40 percent. Germany is now the third-largest producer world-wide of Pinot Noir. Burgundy and the German Pinot wine regions can look back on a long common history and both share a very similar soil profile. The Pinot Noir grape produces terroir-driven wines, and we will explore the similarities and differences of Pinot Noir from Burgundy and Germany.

Pictures: Burgundy Pinot Noir and German Pinot Noir: Differences and Similarities - Seminar at the 2018 American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo, New York State,USA, led by Annette Schiller

Annette presented 6 wines:

01) 2014 Spätburgunder, Weingut Jülg, Schweigen, Pfalz
02) 2014 Pinot Noir, Savigny-Les-Beaune, Albert Bichot, Burgundy
03) 2012 Spätburgunder, Alte Reben, Weingut Bernhard Huber, Malterdingen, Baden, Germany
04) 2012 Pinot Noir, Beaune Grèves, Louis Jadot, Burgundy
05) 2015 Spätburgunder, Assmannshäuser Höllenberg, Crescentia, Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach, Rheingau, Germany
06) 2015 Pinot Noir, 1er Cru Les Porêts-Saint-Georges, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Domaine Faiveley, Burgundy

Picture: Annette Schiller in Gevry-Chambertin. See also: Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

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

11:00am to 12:15pm 7 Morning Sessions (E)

12:30 pm to 2:30 pm: Awards Luncheon

Pictures: Awards Luncheon

2:45 pm to 4:00 pm 7 Afternoon Sessions (F)

4:45 pm to 6:00 pm 7 Afternoon Sessions (G)

A Journey through the Rhône Valley

Presenter: Annette Schiller, Owner, Ombiasy PR & Wine Tours

The Rhône Valley is one of the oldest wine regions in France and the second largest after Bordeaux. The Greeks introduced viticulture in the 4th century B.C. Since then, the world has discovered Rhône wines, and some of the most famous wines of the world come from the Rhône Valley. The vineyards are located on both sides of the river. The Rhône Valley is divided into two distinctively different regions: the Northern Rhône and the Southern Rhône. We will taste wines from both regions and explore the differences.

Pictures: A Journey through the Rhône Valley - Seminar at the 2018 American Wine Society National Conference in Buffalo, New York State,USA, led by Annette Schiller

Annette presented 6 wines:

01) 2017 St.Cosme, IGP Vaucluse Les Deux Abions Blancs
02) 2017 Perrin, Côte du Rhône Reserve Blanc
03) 2014 Guigal, Côte du Rhône
04) 2015 Domaine Belle, Crozes-Hermitag, Les Pierelles
04) 2016 Domaine des Pasquiers, Côte du Rhône Village, Sablet
05) 2015 Bastide St. Vincent Vacqueyras
06) 2015 Château la Nerthe, Châteauneuf du Pape

See also:
Rhône Valley Tour December 2017: From Lyon to Avignon - Wine, Food, Culture, History
Understanding the Wines of the Rhône Valley: The Classification - AOC/ Vin de Pay/ Vin de France The Rhône Wine Region in Southern France and its Wines: History, Classification, Northern and Southern Rhône

Pictures: 2018 Rhône Valley Tour by ombiasy WineTours

7:30 pm to 10:00 pm: Grand Banquet

For the Grand Banquet, people also brought their own wines.

Pictures: Grand Banquet

10:00 pm to 12:00 pm: Music, Dancing and Hospitality Suite

Annette Schiller's Presentations at the 2016 American Wine Society Annual Meetings in California

The 2016 American Wine Society National Conference in California, USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens

The New Germany: Red, Sparkling and Dry - Tasting at the American Wine Society 2016 National Conference in Los Angeles, USA, led by Annette Schiller

The New Classification of German Wines: The VDP Classification - Annette Schiller Conducting a Seminar at the 2016 National Convention of the American Wine Society in Los Angeles, USA

The Insider’s View of Charles Krug Winery - Peter Mondavi Jr., Co-Proprietor, Charles Krug Winery

Château Climens, Premier Cru Barsac and Savory Dishes…who knew? - Bérénice Lurton, Owner of Château Climens and Tony Lawrence, Global Food & Wine Pairing Specialist

Annette Schiller's Presentations at the 2017 American Wine Society Annual Meetings in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania

The 2017 American Wine Society National Conference in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens

Showcase of Wines at the 2017 National Conference of the American Wine Society: Annette and Christian Schiller Present German/ VDP/ Loosen Bros. USA Wines

A Journey through the Vineyards of Alsace - A Tasting Seminar at the National Conference 2017 of the American Wine Society, led by Annette Schiller (ombiasyPR & WineTours)

Burgundy: What makes it so Special? - A Tasting Seminar at the 2017 American Wine Society National Conference in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, led by Annette Schiller (ombiasyPR & WineTours)

German Wines in the 21st Century - A Tasting Seminar at the 2017 American Wine Society National Conference in in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, led by Annette Schiller (ombiasyPR & WineTours)

schiller-wine: Related Postings

UPCOMING Tours/ Wine Dinners/ Tastings - Annette and Christian Schiller/ ombiasyPR & WineTours/ schiller-wine, Germany, France, USA (Issued: November 1, 2018)

Ombiasy Wine Tours 2018: 3 x France and 3 x Germany - Ombiasy Newsletter December 2017

Chardonnay: Germany versus Chablis - Salon Tasting at Schiller's Home, USA

Annette Schiller Presented "Abbey Wines" at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), USA

Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau: Lunch, Tour of the Abbey, the Steinberg and the Steinbergkeller, with Tasting - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History

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

Rhône Valley Tour December 2017: From Lyon to Avignon - Wine, Food, Culture, History

Understanding the Wines of the Rhône Valley: The Classification - AOC/ Vin de Pay/ Vin de France

The Rhône Wine Region in Southern France and its Wines: History, Classification, Northern and Southern Rhône

Wall Street Journal's Lettie Teague on German Wine - A View from New York City, USA

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Picture: The Table of Hannsjörg Rebholz, Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz, Pfalz, at the Gala Dinner of the Rieslingfeier 2016 in New York City, with Annette Schiller, David Schildknecht and Hannsjörg Rebholz. See: A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2016, USA

Lettie Teague is an American author and currently a wine columnist for The Wall Street Journal. Earlier this year, she published an excellent three-part series on German wine in the Wall Street Journal.

I am re-issuing the 3 articles, with my pictures of some of the winemakers mentioned in Lettie's articles:

The Wine Destination Only the Pros Know

Beautiful scenery, outstanding wines, a warm welcome from the winemakers themselves: There’s so much to love in Germany’s Mosel Valley, a region largely undiscovered by American travelers

OENO TRIP Germany’s Mosel Valley offers abundant charms and world-class Riesling to those in the know.

By Lettie Teague
June 27, 2018 11:36 a.m. ET

WHEN I MENTIONED to friends I was traveling to the Mosel region of Germany, invariably they asked one of two questions: “Where else are you going?” and “Why?”

American wine drinkers don’t visit German wine regions the same way they do those in Italy or France. And yet the Mosel is one of the oldest, most beautiful wine regions in the world, home to small, charming villages with half-timbered houses and spectacular Riesling vineyards.

Some of the vineyards are so steep they’re practically vertical. “You learn to dig in your heels,” said Johannes Selbach, owner of Selbach Oster winery, as we stood at the edge of the vertiginous Zeltinger Sonnenuhr vineyard, above the town of Zeltingen. Mr. Selbach lives there, in a generations-old waterfront house that’s regularly inundated when the Mosel river floods.

Mr. Selbach produces some of the region’s greatest Rieslings, and his family is one of several who have been growing grapes in the Mosel for hundreds of years. Unlike Tuscany or Bordeaux or, increasingly, Burgundy, the Mosel is almost entirely populated by small, family-owned wineries, operated by the producers themselves.

Foreign investors are virtually nonexistent here, but should one decide to buy a vineyard I’d recommend the place where I spent some time recently, the Middle Mosel or “Mittelmosel.” Most visitors there, I was told, are English, Belgian, German or Dutch. Ernst Loosen of Dr. Loosen estate believes part of what keeps Americans away are German wine labels, crowded with too much information. “People say, I like your wines but don’t explain them to me, it’s too complicated,” said the high-energy, fast-talking Mr. Loosen, waving his hands.

The region’s wines are also too often (mis)perceived as sweet. Though Mosel wines are actually made in styles ranging from exceedingly sweet to bone dry, perhaps the greatest expression of the Mosel can be found in its Kabinett Rieslings, according to Mr. Selbach. These are the lightest, freshest and most delicate—fruity with a beautiful balancing acidity. They’re also refreshingly low in alcohol (often around 8%). “You can drink a bottle by yourself,” he said.

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)

When I visited, Mr. Selbach received me on the ground floor of his house. (He recently opened a tasting room about a mile downstream from their house that is open during business hours, no appointment necessary; Gänsfelder Str. 20, 54492 Zeltingen-Rachtig). Visitors who make their way to the Dr. Loosen estate find an imposing, four-story, slate house just outside Bernkastel-Kues, the Mosel’s most famous (and touristy) town. Because Mr. Loosen makes wine in other parts of Germany as well as in Washington state, in conjunction with Chateau Ste. Michelle, his winery is better known and more visited than most.

I met Mr. Loosen on the second floor of his house for a tasting of sweet wines as well as the dry ones he introduced into the portfolio in 2008. The latter account for 30% of production today. As we began to taste, he pointed out the window to an impressive structure across the river in Wehlen, the home of an equally famous producer, Joh. Jos. Prüm—my next stop.

Pictures: Ernst Loosen and Annette and Christian Schiller in Washington DC. See: The Dry and Ultra-premium Dry GG and GG Reserve Rieslings of Weingut Dr. Loosen – Ernie Loosen in Washington DC

Mr. Loosen is related to the Prüm family on his mother’s side. “Say hello to Katharina,” he said. Katharina Prüm recently took over management of the 12th-century estate from her father, Dr. Manfred Prüm. He made the Prüm estate one of the most highly regarded Mosel names, known for the purity and ageability of its wines. Its Kabinett Rieslings are famously long-lived.

The Loosens and the Prüms make wine from some of the most famous Mosel Riesling vineyards, including Wehlener Sonnenuhr, which faces the town of Wehlen and features a large 19th-century sundial. It’s one of several “sundial” vineyards—”Sonnenuhr” means “sundial”—on the sunny side of the Mosel. Exposure matters in this cool, rainy region where hail isn’t uncommon and ripening is a perpetual challenge.

Multiple producers own small plots in these vaunted vineyards, with their individual holdings identified by their names or simply their winery colors painted on the tops of stakes among the vines. (Mr. Selbach noted that some wine lovers have made off with the name-marked poles as souvenirs.) Unlike Burgundy’s grand-cru plots, these great Mosel vineyards are remarkably accessible. It’s possible to move from one town to the next simply by walking through vineyards, as both tourists and residents often do.

Some Mosel vineyards, such as the famed Bernkasteler Doctor, are nearly 100 years old, while others are quite new. There has been a good deal of planting in the region of late, particularly of non-Riesling grapes. The day after my visit, Mr. Selbach was planting Pinot Noir, which has become more common in the Mosel recently thanks to a warming trend. “Nothing has changed in the Mosel,” he said. But then he allowed, “The climate has gotten better.”

The weather was certainly warm the week of my late-April visit, which happened to coincide with spargelzeit (asparagus season). This season is short—April-June—so every restaurant around had at least one and often two or three asparagus dishes on the menu. When I arrived at the Zeltinger Hof Gasthaus des Rieslings, the modest but charming hotel where I stayed, I found the proprietor, Markus Reis, laboring over a large pile of asparagus, shaving the thick stalks down to a more manageable size. (I found him repeating the task at breakfast time the following morning and again later that day.)

Mr. Reis is not only the owner of the hotel and operator of a Volkswagen microbus advertising his wine tours; he is also de facto wine director of his hotel’s restaurant. A fan of Mosel Riesling, he’s accumulated quite a few bottles in the cellars of the buildings he’s purchased and renovated over the years.

His wine list includes a remarkably deep selection of old Mosel Rieslings, some dating back more than 100 years, and up to 150 wines by the glass at any given time. Up to now, the only Americans who have stayed at his hotel have been in the wine business, but Mr. Reis is optimistic that will change. “The market for Mosel wine isn’t big,” he said, “but I think it’s coming.”

Picture: Annette Schiller and Manfred Prüm

Picture: Christian Schiller with Katharina Pruem at Wegmans in Virginia. See also: JJ Pruem Goes Supermarket: Meeting Katharina Pruem and Tasting the Incredible JJ Pruem Wines at Wegmans

RIESLING RECONNAISSANCE // Where to Sip, Stay and Dine in The Mosel

Joh. Jos. Prüm

In the village of Wehlen, this estate, run by the elegant Katharina Prüm, is among the region’s most famous. At this and the other wineries listed here, an appointment for visits is necessary. Uferallee 19, 54470 Bernkastel-Kues, 49-6531-3091

Weingut Dr. Loosen

The Loosen estate webpage notes that Ernst Loosen travels frequently and may not be able to meet you, but the welcome will still be warm at this stately slate home. St. Johannishof, 54470 Bernkastel-Kues, drloosen.com

Weingut Selbach Oster

Few winemakers are more charming or welcoming than Johannes Selbach. In addition to great Rieslings, he might share a taste of the wild boar he hunts in his vineyards. Uferallee 23, 54492 Zeltingen-Rachtig, selbach-oster.de

Zeltinger Hof Gasthaus des Rieslings

This three-star hotel has a range of rooms (ask for the Spätburgunder), one of the best wine lists in Germany and a proprietor passionate about wine. Kurfürstenstraße 76, 54492 Zeltingen-Rachtig, zeltinger-hof.de

Bistro-Bar Remise

In a lovely hotel on the site of a 17th-century winery, this charming bistro offers regional fare and a well-priced wine list big on Mosel Riesling. Weinromantikhotel Richtershof, Hauptstraße 81-83, 54486 Mülheim, weinromantikhotel.com

Email Lettie at wine@wsj.com

The Pro Move? Order the German Riesling

Versatile, food-friendly, often a great value: just a few of the reasons sommeliers recommend Riesling. So why aren’t more American wine drinkers taking heed?

By Lettie Teague
July 5, 2018 4:47 p.m. ET

The second in a three-part series on German wine.

Germany and Riesling. Riesling and Germany. Though this grape is cultivated all over the world, no country is more closely connected to its success or failure, shame or fame. It’s the signature white grape of Germany and the source of its greatest white wines. And yet German Riesling is still one of the most misunderstood wines in the world.

The biggest myth: All German Rieslings are sweet. Decades ago, lots of lousy sweet wine from Germany did flood the American market. Not so today. “Germans really drink about 99.9% dry wines,” said German wine importer Stephen Bitterolf of New York-based vom Boden wines. German producers are making dry Rieslings in response to this demand, and more and more are exported to the United States.

There may be no group more dedicated to fostering a better appreciation of German Riesling than sommeliers—though their love may occasionally eclipse their fiscal good sense. “I think sommeliers tend to buy an unrealistic amount of Riesling,” said Michaël Engelmann, wine director of the Modern in New York. About 190 of the 2,800 wines on his list are currently Rieslings, mostly German—with another 60 on hand that are not listed. In Mr. Engelmann’s defense, Riesling is an incredibly versatile grape that can be made in just about any style, from exceedingly sweet to bone-dry and even sparkling.

To combat misperceptions regarding sweetness, Collin Moody, wine director and general manager of Income Tax restaurant in Chicago, focuses on Rieslings from Saar, a part of the Mosel near the city of Trier. “The wines there have a dry tradition and they’re higher in acidity,” he said. One of the uncontested stars of the Saar, Florian Lauer of Peter Lauer winery, makes dry Rieslings ranging from self-described “village” to “grand cru” wines that have achieved quite a cult following.

Key Riesling regions in Germany include the Mosel (as described in last week’s column), Pfalz, Nahe, Rheingau and, to a lesser extent, Rheinhessen. Climate, exposure and soil type differ markedly from one region to the next. In the Mosel, the climate is cool, the vineyards are steep, the soils, blue or red slate; the wines range from sweet to bone dry. The different styles of Mosel Riesling tend to be more delicate than Rieslings from the Pfalz, which are powerful, higher in alcohol and more often dry. The warmer Rheinhessen region southeast of Mosel is a gentle landscape of rolling hills, as opposed to the steep hillsides of the Mosel or some vineyards in neighboring Nahe. Part of Rheinhessen until 1971, Nahe is a small region that enjoys an outsize fame largely thanks to Helmut Dönnhoff.

Pictures: An Afternoon with Riesling Star Winemaker Helmut Doennhoff at Weingut Doennhoff in Oberhausen in the Nahe Valley, Germany

This winemaker’s (mostly dry) Rieslings are some of the best in the world. His Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling, a wine much coveted by collectors, is a good example of how astonishingly affordable great German Riesling can be compared to counterparts from Burgundy and Bordeaux. The retail price of the 2016 vintage is around $61, while other superb Dönnhoff wines like the dazzling 2016 Dönnhoff Kreuznacher Kahlenberg Riesling Trocken Nahe go for half as much.

Sommeliers also love German Riesling for its effortless fit with food. Every sommelier I spoke with cited general Riesling-friendly categories (chicken/fish/vegetables/spicy food) and also mentioned specific dishes: scallops with kaffir lime, hamachi tartare, seared prawns with a grapefruit garnish.

Of course, before any pairing can be made, they must first persuade customers to try Riesling. Chaylee Priete, wine director of the Slanted Door Group of restaurants in the Bay Area, has a wine list long on German Riesling. When customers say they don’t want Riesling because it’s “too sweet,” she gives them tastes of four different wines, one of which is always a Riesling. Half the time that’s the wine they pick, she said. Ms. Priete also does “a sneaky thing with the Spätlese”—getting diners to try a sweeter Riesling style with a spicy dish without telling them about the wine. More often than not they love the pairing.

Mr. Moody wins over customers with words. “Crisp” and “limey” provoke a good response from fearful drinkers, while “off dry,” he noted, tends to play badly. Perhaps it sounds too close to sweet, or people simply don’t know what it means.

After cajoling friends to drink German Riesling in recent weeks, I can sympathize with sommeliers. For instance, when I brought a couple of bottles of German Riesling to the BYOB Divina Ristorante in Caldwell, N.J., owner Mario Carlino dismissed them out of hand. “Too sweet,” he (predictably) said.

I insisted he try the two wines, a 2016 Peter Lauer Riesling “Senior” Faß 6 ($28) that was delicious and juicy with just a touch of sweetness, and the 2016 Peter Lauer Riesling “Saarfeilser” Faß 13 ($54), whose mouthwatering acidity and mineral edge called to mind Chenin, a grape Mario loves. But he failed to note the commonality. In fact, he complained that the wines’ stone-fruit aromas were too much. They “overlaid all the other flavors,” he said. I persuaded him to try again, but Mario remained resolutely Riesling recalcitrant.

There are many Marios out there. When I asked Andy Myers, beverage director for José Andrés Think Food Group, which of the markets he works in across the U.S. is the most enthusiastic Riesling town, he laughed. “Nowhere is a Riesling town,” he said. That doesn’t stop Mr. Myers from buying lots of German Riesling—wines he is happy enough to drink himself even if customers continue to cling to old, misguided notions about the grape. “You don’t sell Riesling,” he said. “You just have Riesling.”

OENOFILE // Rieslings Worth Having, From Slightly Sweet to Very Dry

1. 2016 Dönnhoff Kreuznacher Kahlenberg Riesling Trocken Nahe, $30 Helmut Dönnhoff is the putative dean of dry German Riesling. This one, possessed of a dazzling acidity and a firm mineral finish, is a brilliant entry-level example of the Dönnhoff style.

2. 2015 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Graacher Dompropst Riesling Alte Reben Mosel, $25 With a lovely floral nose and a fairly full body, this Riesling from the ripe 2015 vintage finishes tangy and off dry. Compulsively drinkable, made from old vines in a great vineyard.

3. 2016 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett Mosel, $28 A delightful wine from a legendary estate and a classic Mosel Kabinett: light-bodied and fruity with a crisp acidity. Ideal for a summer day—or in 20 years, as Prüm wines are famously long-lived.

4. 2015 Selbach Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Feinherb “Ur” Alte Reben Mosel, $25 The great Johannes Selbach produces wines from sweet to bone dry. This off-dry wine from very old vines is ripe and luscious with floral and citrus notes and a racy acidity.

5. 2016 Peter Lauer Riesling “Saarfeilser” Faß 13, $54 Winemaker Florian Lauer has staked a claim in the Saar with some of the most thrilling dry Rieslings in the region. This wine is no exception. Marked by taut acidity and a long mineral finish, it’s Saar meets Chablis.

Pictures: Touring the Rüdesheimer Berg with Johannes Leitz. See: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Leitz in Rüdesheim, with Johannes Leitz – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

How German Winemakers Are Quietly Conquering the World

While they wait for their native varieties to catch on globally, they’re priming the export market with stellar expressions of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and other international favorites

By Lettie Teague
Updated July 19, 2018 4:34 p.m. ET

The third in a three-part series on German wine.

“THE SAUVIGNON BLANC opened the door for the Riesling.” It was the last thing I expected to hear from a winemaker in Germany, a country whose vinous reputation rests almost entirely upon Riesling. And yet that’s what I heard from Andreas Hütwohl, deputy general manager and a winemaker at Weingut von Winning, as we tasted the first of three Sauvignon Blancs at his winery in Deidesheim a few months ago.

Mr. Hütwohl explained that von Winning chose Sauvignon Blanc as its lead grape for the export market because, unlike Riesling, it’s won world-wide recognition and acceptance. With Germany’s signature grape still a tough sell abroad, German producers are counting on other varieties to grow the fan base for all the country’s wines.

It’s not that German producers don’t believe in their indigenous variety, Mr. Hütwohl added. Indeed, 80% of his winery’s production consists of Riesling, from some of the best vineyards in the Pfalz region—but most of it stays in Germany.

Only 5% of von Winning’s vineyards are planted to Sauvignon Blanc grapes, but the wine produced from them has proven a worthy emissary abroad. I’ve found it on wine lists and in stores stateside more readily than the Rieslings. The Sauvignon Blanc II was my first encounter with the von Winning estate four years ago, when I selected it from the wine list at Jockey Hollow Bar & Kitchen in Morristown, N.J. It’s the most basic of the winery’s three Sauvignon Blancs—a crisp, lively wine fermented in stainless steel—while the von Winning Sauvignon Blanc I is a bigger, richer wine fermented in oak barrels. And the von Winning Sauvignon Blanc 500, made from the best of the winery’s 500-liter barrels, is the biggest and richest, reminiscent of a Pouilly-Fumé from the Loire Valley of France.

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

Sauvignon Blanc is only one of the many grapes that grow well in the Pfalz (aka Palatinate), just west of Heidelberg and bordering Alsace, France. Most of the wines are dry, and while Riesling is a very important grape in the region, others planted there include Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc (Weißburgunder), Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder), Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder), Gewürztraminer, St. Laurent and Dornfelder.

Pinot Noir grows all over Germany and does particularly well in the Baden and Rheingau regions as well as the Pfalz. This delicate grape even thrives in the Mosel, historically a cool-climate region, a success some attribute to global warming. Germany is now the third-largest Pinot Noir-producing country in the world. According to the latest figures from the Deutsches Weininstitut, over 11% of Germany’s vineyards are planted to the grape.

Germany is also the world’s leading producer of Pinot Blanc, accounting for some 30% of global production. Confusingly, some producers use its German name, Weißburgunder, while others use the French moniker and still others use both. A white grape native to Burgundy, Pinot Blanc is often considered a cheap cousin to Chardonnay—a bit lighter, more fruity and less complex—but it can be a refreshing if undemanding wine. German producers frequently offer several different styles of Weißburgunder, from light and fruity to half-dry (halbtrocken), dry (trocken) and sparkling.

The Darting winery makes Weißburgunder, but the rest of its portfolio is practically a study in the varietal diversity of the Pfalz. Winemaker and owner Helmut Darting also produces Riesling, Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Pinot Meunier, Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Gewürztraminer, Dornfelder and St. Laurent, among many others. “In our region, the harvest takes 10 weeks because we have so many different varieties,” said Heike Darting-Gerstenhöfer, the winemaker’s sister, when I stopped by the cozy Darting tasting room in the town of Bad Dürkheim. “The amount of Pinot Gris we sell is unbelievable,” said Ms. Darting-Gerstenhöfer. “It’s an easy-drinking wine. People say it’s very hard to drink Riesling.”

Many Darting wines, including the Pinot Gris, are not sold in the U.S., though its Pinot Meunier was a sommelier favorite for a while. When Juliette Pope, former wine director of Gramercy Tavern in New York, bought 16 cases, it provoked a bit of a stir, according to Darting’s importer, Boston-based Terry Theise. “Somms are terribly cognizant of any other somm who might be setting a trend,” he noted in an email.

‘The harvest takes 10 weeks because we have so many different varieties.’

No stateside sommelier I know has championed Silvaner. This grape has been cultivated in Germany for centuries, notably in Franken (Franconia), in the state of Bavaria, a region known for its very dry wines. Silvaner can produce wonderfully dry, minerally wines reminiscent of Chablis, but it has yet to crack the U.S. market. Kirk Wille, vice president of Loosen Bros. USA, a wine importing company based in Oregon, wrote in an email, “Our little company already [has] enough work to do with our Riesling crusade, still a struggle. So we couldn’t also sustain a Silvaner crusade.”

When I went shopping in the greater New York area for Silvaners I found only three, two of them quite good: the minerally and textured 2016 Hans Wirsching Iphöfer Kalb Silvaner ($22) and the 2016 Rainer Sauer Silvaner Escherndorfer Lump ($27), which was bright and lively (if possessed of an unfortunate name). Both came in the classic Franconia Bocksbeutel, the squat bulbous green bottle used for the region’s top wines.

Picture: Andrea Wirsching of Weingut Hans Wirsching, Iphofen with Annette Schiller and Chriistian Schiller. See: 2016 VDP Trade Fair Weinbörse - Vintage 2015 - in Mainz: Schiller’s Report

Pictures: At Weingut Wirsching with General Manager Dr. Uwe Matheus. See: 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)

A source of pride for Franconia’s winemakers, the bottle tends to put off American wine drinkers, as it recalls a famous (or infamous) sweet wine once popular in the U.S. “Did you bring Mateus?” my friends asked when I produced the two Silvaners. Once they tried the wines, they were pleased—and relieved to find they were quite dry.

I don’t know when the larger world will embrace German wines beyond Riesling—or even give Riesling the attention it deserves. At the very least, I look forward to the day when Germany is thought of much like Italy and France: a great wine country with more than one grape.

Picture: Annette Schiller and Florian Lauer, Weingut Peter Lauer in New York City. See: A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2016, USA

How German Winemakers Are Quietly Conquering the World

1. 2016 Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz Pinot Blanc Dry Pfalz ($22) The winery, long considered one of the Pfalz’s best, may have a name that’s hard to pronounce, but the wine is happily quite easy to drink: crisp and clean with bright citrus notes.

2. 2017 Leitz Pinot Noir Rosé Dry Rheingau ($17) Light in body as well as color, with pretty floral and red-berry notes, this toothsome Pinot Noir rosé from a well-known producer of Riesling is an ideal wine for summer drinking.

3. 2016 Enderle & Moll Pinot Noir “Basis” Baden ($23) Partners Sven Enderle and Florian Moll have a devoted following for their full-of-character Pinot Noirs. This well-crafted Pinot is an earthy, savory red that could easily be mistaken for a good Bourgogne rouge.

4. 2016 von Winning Sauvignon Blanc II Pfalz ($22) Little wonder von Winning made Sauvignon Blanc its lead grape internationally. This stainless steel-fermented white is juicy, with notes of citrus and herb—like a Loire Valley Sauvignon crossed with a New Zealand one.

5. 2016 Hans Wirsching Iphöfer Kalb Silvaner ($27) The Hans Wirsching winery—“Silvaner Wine Estate of the Year” per a leading German food magazine—draws many accolades. This old-vine Silvaner is full bodied and complex, a first-rate example of the grape.

Email Lettie at wine@wsj.com.

schiller-wine: Related Postings

UPCOMING Tours/ Wine Dinners/ Tastings - Annette and Christian Schiller/ ombiasyPR & WineTours/ schiller-wine, Germany, France, USA (Issued: November 1, 2018)

Ombiasy Wine Tours 2018: 3 x France and 3 x Germany - Ombiasy Newsletter December 2017

A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2016, USA

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

The Dry and Ultra-premium Dry GG and GG Reserve Rieslings of Weingut Dr. Loosen – Ernie Loosen in Washington DC 

JJ Pruem Goes Supermarket: Meeting Katharina Pruem and Tasting the Incredible JJ Pruem Wines at Wegmans

An Afternoon with Riesling Star Winemaker Helmut Doennhoff at Weingut Doennhoff in Oberhausen in the Nahe Valley, Germany

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Leitz in Rüdesheim, with Johannes Leitz – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

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

2016 VDP Trade Fair Weinbörse - Vintage 2015 - in Mainz: Schiller’s Report

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)

A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2016, USA

Winemaker Dinner at Döpfner's im Maingau in Frankfurt, with the K. F. Groebe, Stigler and Kaufmann Estates, Germany

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Pictures: 3 German Star Winemakers at Döpfner's im Maingau in Frankfurt: Andreas Stigler of Weingut Stigler in Baden, Urban Kaufmann of Weingut Kaufmann in the Rheingau and Fritz Groebe of Weingut K.F. Groebe in Rheinhessen

We enjoyed a wonderful winemaker dinner in Frankfurt at Döpfner's im Maingau with 3 German star winemakers: Andreas Stigler of Weingut Stigler in Baden, Fritz Groebe of Weingut K.F. Groebe in Rheinhessen and Urban Kaufmann of Weingut Kaufmann in the Rheingau. The wines were outstanding as was the menu prepared by Chef Jörg Döpfner.

We visited all three winemakers during one of the recent Germany tours by ombiasy WineTours.

See:
Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Stigler, Baden, with Andreas, Regina and Max Stigler - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Visit and Tasting at Weingut Groebe in Westhofen, Rheinhessen, with Fritz Groebe - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Family-style Wine-pairing Lunch at Weingut Hans Lang - Kaufmann, with Owners/ Winemakers Urban Kaufmann and Eva Raps - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Döpfner's im Maingau

Döpfner's im Maingau is the restaurant of Hotel Maingau, which has been owned and run by the Döpfner family for more than 60 years, now in the hands of Jörg and Martina Döpfner.

Pictures: Hotel Maingau and Owner/ Chef Jörg Döpfner with Christian Schiller

A few years ago Jörg and Martina Döpfner decided to restructure the hotel. As a result, Maingau has become a hotel that is focussing on events and conferences, and the fine dining restaurant Döpfner's im Maingau - widely known for its excellent food and well-stocked wine cellar - was moved to the back. Since the restructuring, the Döpfner's im Maingau opens only for special events, like the winemaker dinner with the Stigler, Groebe and Kaufmann Estates.

Three generations of the Döpfner family were present at the winemaker dinner. Senior Werner Döpfner was in charge of the restaurant service, Jörg Döpfner was in charge of the cooking, Martina Döpfner received the guests and dined with us. And their their teenage son was helping out in the kitchen and in the service.

Pictures: Welcome - Winemaker Dinner at Döpfner's im Maingau in Frankfurt, with the  K. F. Groebe, Stigler and Kaufmann Estates, Germany

Weingut Stigler

Weingut Stigler was founded in Ihringen in 1881. Today, it is run by the fourth generation of the founding family, Andreas and Regina Stigler. Their 12 hectares are situated primarily in the sites Ihringer Winklerberg, Freiburger Schlossberg, and Oberrotweiler Eichberg. From the 18th century to the end of the second world war, the Stiglers were also restaurateurs in the old post house as well as the large restaurant in the Freiburg train station.

Pictures: Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Stigler, Baden, with Andreas, Regina and Max Stigler - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Andreas and Regina Stigler still share this passion and regularly offer culinary wine tastings with top chefs de cuisine. Careful winemaking brings forth wines full of character, with great aging potential. Pinot Noir is their most important varietal and accounts for 30% of their vines. It is strongly marked by the mineral-rich, stony soils, as are the red and white Pinots as well as typically for Stiglers, the Riesling.

Owner: Andreas und Regina Stigler
Winemaker: Andreas Stigler
Outside Manager: Andreas Stigler
VDP member since 1986
Bottle production 90 000
Grape varieties 30% Spätburgunder, 17% Grauburgunder, 15% Weissburgunder, 14% Riesling sowie Chardonnay, Silvaner, Traminer, Sauvignon und Chenin Blanc
Geology: Vulkanverwitterungsgesteinsböden, Gneisverwitterung
Growing area: Baden

Weingut K.F. Groebe

Weingut K.F. Groebe has been in the family's hands for more than 250 years. Friedrich and Manuela Groebe cultivate nearly nine hectares of vines in Westhofen, concentrated in renowned sites such as AULERDE, KIRCHSPIEL and MORSTEIN. 2012 saw Weingut K.F. Groebe return to its traditional home of Westhofen. Friedrich Groebe’s signature wine style reflects his own distinctive mix of organic cultivation, spontaneous fermentation and barrel aging. The winemaker's pride and joy: long-lived, nobly sweet Rieslings of international repute. His wines undergo an extended maturation on the lees before being bottled. Patience, intuition and attention are the keys to managing maturation, not unnecessary interventions or high tech solutions. This approach gives Groebe the flexibility for targeted stylistic exploration, with an eye toward better expression of the individual vintage and the larger German Riesling tradition. It requires an unflagging pioneer spirit, yet opens up the freedom to create wines entirely in line with his own confident vision.

Pictures: Cellar Visit and Tasting at Weingut Groebe in Westhofen, Rheinhessen, with Fritz Groebe - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Owner: Friedrich Groebe
Winemaker: Friedrich Groebe
Outside Manager: Friedrich Groebe
VDP member since 2000
Bottle production: 55 000
Grape varieties: 70% Riesling, 10% Silvaner, 10% Grauburgunder, 8% Spätburgunder and others
Soil: Lössboden mit Gehängelehm & tonigen, kiesigen Sanden im Untergrund (Aulerde), Kalksteinverwitterungsboden & Tonmergel (Kirchspiel, Morstein)

AULERDE, Westhofen. VDP.GROSSE LAGE
MORSTEIN, Westhofen, VDP.GROSSE LAGE
KIRCHSPIEL, Westhofen, VDP.GROSSE LAGE

Weingut Kaufmann

Can’t we all imagine the unbridled joy of bringing our closest-held dream to life? Swiss-born Urban Kaufmann, who long dreamed of owning his own winegrowing estate, knows that feeling better than most. Up through 2013, even as he served as owner of one of the most successful Appenzeller cheese dairies, he also traveled to Europe’s finest wine regions, scouting out the ideal spot to turn his dream into reality. The Rheingau, it turns out, was just that sort of place. He joined up with Eva Raps, the former long-standing director of the VDP, in acquiring Weingut Hans Lang, an organically certified estate. They then began a diligent, step-by-step pursuit of their vision of what a Rheingau wine can be. The estate, which now also bears the Kaufmann name, produces traditional Rheingau Rieslings, alongside a range of Pinot wines (Blanc, Gris and especially Pinot Noir). That latter variety has long been the estate’s calling card, drawing admirers throughout Germany for over twenty years.

Pictures: Family-style Wine-pairing Lunch at Weingut Hans Lang - Kaufmann, with Owners/ Winemakers Urban Kaufmann and Eva Raps - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Owner Urban Kaufmann
Winemaker Urban Kaufmann
VDP member since 1994
Hectares of vineyards 18
Bottle production 160 000
Grape varieties 75% Riesling, 15% Spätburgunder, 10% Weiss- & Grauburgunder sowie Chardonnay

Geology leichte tertiäre Mergelböden, tiefgründige Lösse und Lösslehme, steinig-grusige Buntschieferverwitterungsböden

HASSEL, Hattenheim | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
SCHÖNHELL, Hallgarten | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
WISSELBRUNNEN, Hattenheim | VDP.GROSSE LAGE®
Schützenhaus, Hattenheim | VDP.ERSTE LAGE®
Hendelberg, Hallgarten | VDP.ERSTE LAGE®

Pictures: Picture: 3 German Star Winemakers at Döpfner's im Maingau in Frankfurt: Andreas Stigler of Weingut Stigler in Baden, Urban Kaufmann of Weingut Kaufmann in the Rheingau and Fritz Groebe of Weingut K.F. Groebe in Rheinhessen

Menu


2011 STIGLER Blanc de Blancs brut


Amuse Bouche


Gänsestopfleber mit Cranberryragout und Brioche


2014 Rheingau Riesling Kabinett Weingut Kaufmann
2017 KIRCHENSPIEL Riesling Kabinett Weingaut Groebe


Gebratene Riesengarnele auf Mango-Chinoa


2017 WESTHOFENER Grauburgunder trocken Weingut Groebe
2016 Grauburgunder M Weingut Stigler


Seeteufel auf Kräuterrisotto und Ofentomate


2017 Uno Weißburgunder & Chardonnay Weingut Kaufmann
2012 Ihringen Winklerberg Weißburgunder GG Pagode Weingut Stigler


Duett vom Hirsch auf Petersilienwurzelpüree, Steinpilzen und Semmeltalermuffin


2014 Wisselbrunnen Riesling GG Weingut Kaufmann
2012 KIRCHSPIEL Riesling Grande Réserve Weingut Groebe
2011 Freiburg Schlossberg Spätburgunder GG Weingut Stigler


Apfelstrudel Reloaded 2.0


2001 Wisselbrunnen Riesling Spätlese Weingut Kaufmann
2016 AULERDE Riesling Auslese Weingut Groebe


Bye-bye

Thanks to all of you for an outstanding evening.

Pictures: Chef Jörg Döpfner with his Son and Andreas Stigler

schiller-wine: Related Postings

UPCOMING Tours/ Wine Dinners/ Tastings - Annette and Christian Schiller/ ombiasyPR & WineTours/ schiller-wine, Germany, France, USA (Issued: November 1, 2018)

Ombiasy Wine Tours 2018: 3 x France and 3 x Germany - Ombiasy Newsletter December 2017

Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Stigler, Baden, with Andreas, Regina and Max Stigler - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Visit and Tasting at Weingut Groebe in Westhofen, Rheinhessen, with Fritz Groebe - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Family-style Wine-pairing Lunch at Weingut Hans Lang - Kaufmann, with Owners/ Winemakers Urban Kaufmann and Eva Raps - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

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

Château Mouton Rothschild 1979 Magnum and other Fine Wines at Weinsinn in Frankfurt, Germany

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Pictures: Dinner at Weinsinn in Frankfurt, Germany

We celebrated the birthdays of Katharina Schiller-Suarez and her husband Diego Schiller-Suarez at Weinsinn, with two of Katharina's three sibblings. We had a nice selection of wines, both from the wine list and our cellar. The star of the evening was the Château Mouton Rothschild 1979 Magnum.

Matthias Scheiber and Milica Trajkovska-Scheiber opened Weinsinn 10 years ago in Frankfurt's Westend. Two years later they opened Gustav not so far away from Weinsinn. Both restaurants were awarded a Michelin star shortly after they opened. Last year, Weinsinn in the Westend had to close as the lease came to an end and Weinsinn relocated to the Bahnhofsviertel (Central Station Area).

At the birthday dinner for Katharina and Diego, the new Weinsinn confirmed its leading role in the Frankfurt restaurant scene with a super meal, top wines and first-class service.

See also: Phantastic Dinner at the "New" Weinsinn in Frankfurt, Germany

Pictures: Weinsinn in the Bahnhofsviertel in Frankfurt

The (New) Weinsinn

The new Weinsinn is considerably larger and much more spacious than the old Weinsinn. The kitchen is large and an open kitchen (which is also much larger than in the old Weinsinn) where you can watch the crew prepare the food. Julian Stowasser, who was for several years the Sous-Chef of the 3-Star-Michelin Restaurant Atelier in Munich before joining Weinsinn, is the Executive Chef.

Pictures: Dinner at Weinsinn in Frankfurt, Germany

Weinsinn: New. Yet familiar. Sophisticated cuisine, consistent design and a relaxing ambience – this is what we had in mind when we opened Weinsinn in 2009. We were therefore delighted to see our concept meet with such positive feedback. After eight memorable years in Frankfurt’s Westend, we are now moving to the Bahnhofsviertel district by the railway station. Much of what we are taking with us will be familiar, while in some areas we have moved on. But the most important thing of all remains unchanged: your feeling at home and being able to enjoy the evening, ideally in good company. Welcome to the new Weinsinn!

Weinsinn: Discover worlds. Up close. Diversity, contrasts and open-mindedness – the things that make Frankfurt unique are especially pronounced here. Paying us a visit in the Bahnhofsviertel district is worth it for this alone. Weinsinn is just a few minutes’ walk from the opera house and theatre on Willy-Brandt-Platz square, and the city and the River Main are just around the corner too. And as you are no doubt aware, Frankfurt is also just a stone’s throw from pretty much anywhere in the world.

Head Chef: Florian Stowasser

Weinsinn: Regional, cosmopolitan, open-minded. Weinsinn stands for a contemporary cuisine that focuses on local products and combines them with international accents. And more than anything else, we are open-minded: For the experimentation of our head chef Julian Stowasser. For the experience he contributes from his previous positions in Munich, Wolfsburg, Sydney and Baiersbronn. And to giving an insight into our craftsmanship, because the kitchen staff aren’t just busy behind the scenes at Weinsinn.

Pictures: Open Kitchen with Head Chef Florian Stowasser and his Team

The Wines we had for Dinner

Weinsinn: Every wine makes sense. There are more than 280 bottles to choose from on our wine list. And we have faith in each and every one of them, as we consider all of our wines to be especially expressive representatives of their ilk. From the beginning, we have focused on regional wines, including many representatives of the younger generation of winemakers in our list. Our sommelier Florian Bechtel will happily give you guidance in making your own discoveries. Our recommendation for groups of oenophiles and for an exclusive event is our Wein | Tisch held in the dark green semi-basement.

Pictures: The Wines we had for Dinner

The Dinner

Weinsinn is open only for dinner. The menu is small. You can choose between a 3-course (Euro 70), 4-course (Euro 80), 5-course (Euro 90) and 6-course (Euro 100) meal. Most of us had the 5-course menu, some the 4-course menu. Between the 8 of us, we ordered almost all the dishes that are currently offered.

Hors d'œuvre


Bread


Greetings from the Chef


Vorspeisen

Lachsforelle von Birnbaums Fischzucht
Rote Bete, Kren


Muskatkürbis
Schafskäse, Curry

Zwischengerichte

Käsespätzle
Spinat Honigschinken


Gebratenes Kalbsbries
Steckrübe, Grünkohl


Zander
Kraut, Bachkresse


Hauptgericht

Rippenstück vom Rind
Barbecue, Mais


Nachspeise

Sainte-Maure
Sanddorn, Aprikose

Apfel
Kartoffel, Kombucha


schiller-wine: Related Postings

UPCOMING Tours/ Wine Dinners/ Tastings - Annette and Christian Schiller/ ombiasyPR & WineTours/ schiller-wine, Germany, France, USA (Issued: November 1, 2018)

Ombiasy Wine Tours 2018: 3 x France and 3 x Germany - Ombiasy Newsletter December 2017

Phantastic Dinner at the "New" Weinsinn in Frankfurt, Germany

Lunch and Beaujolais at Weinsinn in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

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

Wine Dinner at one of Frankfurt's Best Restaurants - Weinsinn, Germany

Salon Tasting at Schiller‘s Home: Domaine Weinbach, Alsace, Vintage 2014 (2017)

Dinner at Restaurant Schwarzenstein - Nils Henkel in the Rheingau, with Nils Henkel, Chef of the Year 2017 (Der Feinschmecker), Germany

Wine Pairing Dinner at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Reisers am Stein and Tasting and Tour at Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll, with Winemaker Franziska Schömig - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Zufriedenheit in Naumburg, with Chef Robert Klaus and his Excellent Food, and Uwe Lützkendorf, Weingut Lützkendorf, and his World-class Wines - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Dinner with Felix Graf Adelmann, Weingut Graf Adelmann, at Burg Schaubeck in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Lunch at L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, Paul Bocuse’s Iconic Restaurant in Collonges­ au­ Mont­ d’Or, France - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Dining and Wining on Boulevard Montparnasse in Paris: La Rotonde, Le Dôme and La Coupole, France – Pre-Bordeaux Wine Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Dining at Günter Seeger NY, a Temple for Natural Cuisine and German Wine in New York: Brilliance and Simplicity on the Plate and Ultra-premium Dry Red and White Wine from Germany in the Glass

Dinner at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler, 1 Star Michelin, Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Promenade au Fleckenstein: Dinner at L'Auberge du Cheval Blanc (2 Stars Michelin) in Lembach, Alsace, with Chef Pascal Bastian - Germany-South and Alsace 2018 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen 

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg in Sanssouci, Potsdam - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

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Picture: Vineyard Tour and Tasting at the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg in Sanssouci, Potsdam

We all know about Frederick the Great, arguable the most important and beloved King of Prussia. To escape the formal ceremonies and pomp of the Berlin court he built a summer palace “Sanssouci” - basically more like a large, single-story villa than a palace - in Potsdam, outside of Berlin. Frederick the Great was very modern in his thinking and an aficionado of the arts and fine living.

Pitures: Visiting Sanssouci

In his will Frederick the Great wrote that he wanted to be buried in the vineyard of Sanssouci but the twists and turns of history had it that he finally came to rest on Hohenzollern Castle in Württemberg. On August 17, 1991 (the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 made it possible) on the 205th anniversary of his death Frederick's casket lay in state in the court of honor at Sanssouci, covered by a Prussian flag and escorted by a Bundeswehr (German Army) guard of honor. After nightfall, Frederick's body was finally laid to rest in the terrace of the vineyard of Sanssouci – in the still existing crypt he had built there – without pomp, in accordance with his will.

Picture: The Tombstone of Frederick the Great

There are 3 vinyards in Sanssauci. Frederick the Great was a great lover of dessert fruit. Fresh fruit were a must at any of his meals. Therefore he had three terraced vineyards built in three places in Potsdam between 1744 and 1769, where table grapes thrived alongside peaches, apricots, apples and other fruits: Wüster Berg, Mühlberg and Klausberg.

We visited the latter. Andreas Kramp, project leader, was our host at the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg.

Andreas Kramp took us on a tour of the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg and then sat down with us for a tasting of the wines of the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg. After the visit of the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg, we toured other parts of Sanssouci.

Wüster Berg (Desert Hill)

On the 10th of August 1744, Friedrich ordered the building of a terraced vineyard on the ridge called “Wüster Berg” (Desert Hill). The terrace levels of the vineyard were symmetrically arranged as a Rococo Garden. Under the direction of the architect Friedrich Wilhelm Diterichs the southern slope was divided into six broad terraces with their walls arching to the inside in order to achieve maximum utilization of the sunlight. On the surfaces of the retaining walls, even brick walls with trellises with local fruit and wines alternate with 168 glass-covered niches in which exotic fruits were growing. The terrace surfaces above the walls were bounded by strips of grass and planted with espalier fruit trees. Between the 96 pyramid-shaped English yews, 84 orange trees in tubs were standing on the terraces in the summer months.

Philipp Friedrich Krutisch was entrusted with the horticultural works. On the central axis 120 (now 132) steps lead up the slope. In 1746 the works on the vineyard terraces were mostly completed. Over time, however, numerous changes were made. Between 1979 and 1984 the terraces were restored to their original structural condition. Today, figs and Reseda vines grow on the terrace walls, but he vineyard terraces are now used for mere decoration. From the grapes growing here no wine is made any longer.

Mühlberg (Mill Hill)

In 1763, Frederick the Great started to build a new garden on the land below the Mühlenberg (Mill Hill), on which there was a clay pit up to that time. The garden was built on a south-facing slope featuring four 67-metre-long terraces. Due to the soil conditions, the architect Johann Gottfried Büring calculated a foundation depth of 28 meters and a cost of 29,000 thalers. Ultimately, the costs increased to 36,000 thalers. Behind glass-panes and on Trombe walls, grapes, peaches, apricots, figs and apples were ipening. The garden was fully integrated into the royal court life.

During the modernization of the terraces in 1848 directed by the garden director Peter Joseph Lenné, the lowest terrace wall was covered by an exposed brick wall with two fl ights of stairs at its centre featuring a monumental head of Bacchus. Between 1848 and 1852 the vintner’s house was converted into an Italianate villa.

The architecture enthusiast, King Frederick William IV, had the idea to build a monument of Frederick the Great in the form of a temple on the top. Ultimately, only the Triumphal Arch was implemented. Built between 1850 and 1851 according to plans by Friedrich August Stüler, it was intended to upgrade the architecture of the Winzerberg (Vintner’s Hill).

After World War II, the site fell into decay for decades and was considered partially not restorable. However, since 2004, the Bauverein Winzerberg (Building Association Vintner’s Hill) in collaboration with the Foundation Prussian Palaces and Gardens Berlin-Brandenburg has been strongly committed to its reconstruction.

In 2012, the first 100 ancient table grape-vines were planted. In 2013 the first harvest was brought in.

Klausberg

The development of the third active Potsdam vineyard was started in 1769 with the horticultural use of the Klausberg hill, which at the time was outside the park of Sanssouci. In the 19th century, the Belvedere was built on the hill to mark the western end of an elevated triumphal road planned by the Prussian king, Frederick William IV, which was to stretch from the Winzerberg (Vintner’s Hill) over the Court of Honour of Sanssouci Palace, past the new Orangery Palace up to the Klausberg hill. On the southern slope, a terraced garden was built. It was enclosed by a wall and featured glasspaned Trombe walls (built to store the heat of the sun) for growing peaches, apricots and apples. The Dragon House adjacent to the vineyard was intended to be theg ardener’s home. Until 1918, the garden produced exquisite fruits and grapes.

Pictures: Vineyard Tour at the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg Project in Sanssouci, Potsdam

Since 2003, after decades of neglect and decay, there has been new life on the Klausberg hill. In 2007 the Mosaik Werkstätten für Behinderte gGmbH, a charity providing work for disabled people, took over the horticultural care. The horticultural activities here now open up new prospects for people with disabilities as well. So far, ancient vine varieties were rediscovered, new fruit trees were planted and, last but not least, a wall trellis for the future educational pathway for grape-vine varieties was built.

Pictures: Königlicher Weinberg

The dominating variety in this vineyard is Phoenix, a modern breed, arising from the crossing of the Bacchus and Seyval Blanc varieties. In the vineyard, it thrives mainly on the top Trombe wall downhill from the Belvedere on the Klausberg. Other varieties have been represented in smaller numbers so far.

Pictures: Tasting

In 2008, the vineyard was reopened for the first time. In 2011 a sponsorship for vines and trees was started and the first wine was made in collaboration with the Töplitz winery. In 2012, the first Royal Wine Festival took place, which is now celebrated every year in early July. The number of bottles of the 2012 vintage is still limited to 200 half-litre bottles. They can be purchased in the museum shop in the former kitchen of Sanssouci Palace. A part of the proceeds will finance the rebuilding of the Royal Vineyard.

EVENING

Dinner at Restaurant Borchardt in Berlin

Before dinner at Borchardt, we had an Aperitif at Planet Wine, a leading wine shop/ bar in Berlin. Owner Anja Schröder joined us. See: Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Berlin, Germany


The Borchardt is a Berlin institution. Politics, Press, Diplomats, ... it is here where they mingle over a perfect “Schnitzel”, “Tatar Brot” or other very well executed German dishes. The Borchardt looks back on a 150-year history. It was in 1853 that August F. W. Borchardt laid the foundation for a new dining culture that remains intimately associated with Berlin today. The main site of the Borchardt Restaurant in Französische Straße supplied the Kaiser in the Wilhelmine era and went on to survive the Second World War and the city’s division by the Berlin Wall.


Our hotel, Hotel Gendarm Nouveau, was in walking distance from Restaurand Borchard. Hotel Gendarm Nouveau is a 4 star, quiet, small, friendly hotel in the Gendarmenmarkt area, the most centrally located plaza of Berlin.

Postings: Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken (Published and Forthcoming)

Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at the Königlicher Weinberg Klausberg Project in Sanssouci, Potsdam

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. Lindicke in Werder an der Havel, Brandenburg, with Katharina Lindicke

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Born in Salzatal, Saale-Unstrut, with Elisabeth Born - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Visit and Wine Tasting Lunch at Weingut Hey in Naumburg, Saale-Unstrut, with Matthias Hey – Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Zufriedenheit in Naumburg, with Chef Robert Klaus and his Excellent Food, and Uwe Lützkendorf, Weingut Lützkendorf, and his World-class Wines - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Tasting at Weingut Uwe Lützkendorf, with Uwe Lützkendorf, in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut– Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in the Saale Unstrut Region, Germany

Visit and tasting at Landesweingut Kloster Pforta in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut, with Managing Director Björn Probst

Weingut Kloster Pforta: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Managing Director Christian Kloss – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wine and Music:"Martin Luther Lunch" at the Historic Vincenz Richter Restaurant, Weingut Vincenz Richter, in Meissen with Senior Boss Gottfried Herrlich and the Music of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schuh in Coswig, Sachsen, with Katharina Pollmer-Schuh and Matthias Schuh - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Tour and Dinner at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz - Prinz zur Lippe in Zadel, Sachsen, with Georg Prinz zur Lippe - Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at the Sächsisches Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth in Radebeul, Sachsen - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Wine and Opera in Dresden: Mozart at Semper Opera and the Best Wines of Sachsen at Wine Bar Weinzentrale in Dresden-Neustadt, with Owner/ Sommelier Jens Pietzonka – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen (Saxony), Germany

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Aldinger in Fellbach (Stuttgart), with Matthias Aldinger - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Karl Haidle in Kernen-Stetten, Württemberg, with Moritz Haidle - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour and Cellar Tour at Weingut Graf Adelmann, Burg Schaubeck, in Steinheim-Kleinbottwar, Württemberg, with Felix Count Adelmann - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Dinner with Felix Graf Adelmann, Weingut Graf Adelmann, at Burg Schaubeck in Kleinbottwar, Württemberg - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Zehnthof Luckert, in Sulzfeld, Franken, with Philipp Luckert - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Staatlicher Hofkeller in Würzburg, Franken, with General Manager Marcel von den Benken– Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll in Würzburg, Franken - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Pairing Dinner at 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Reisers am Stein and Tasting and Tour at Weingut am Stein Ludwig Knoll, with Winemaker Franziska Schömig - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Rudolf Fürst in Bürgstadt, Franken, with Sebastian Fürst

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

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Benedikt Baltes in Klingenberg, Franken: The Wines of Weingut Benedikt Baltes and of Weingut Julia Bertram - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Schiller’s Favorites: 2 Legendary Wine Taverns in Würzburg – Juliusspital and Bürgerspital

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Würzburg














Germany’s Best Winemakers – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2019 Awards

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Picture: Friedrich Keller, Fritz Keller and Annette Schiller at Weingut Franz Keller, Baden

The new Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland – for 2019 – was published on November 13, 2018. It reviews on about 1000 pages more than 11.500 wines of 1065 wineries. Its rating symbol is a grape and Germany’s best winemakers are awarded one to five grapes.

In addition to this posting:

Germany’s Best Winemakers – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2019 Awards 

I will also post about the following:

Germany’s Top Winemakers (With 5/5 Grapes) - Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2019
Winemaker of the Year - Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2019: Fritz and Friedrich Keller, Weingut Franz Keller, Baden
Germany’s Best Wines – Seven 100 Points Wines in the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2019

Winemaker of the Year:

Fritz und Friedrich Keller, Weingut Franz Keller, Baden

Baden
59 hectares
34% Grauburgunder, 29% Spätburgunder, 16% Weissburgunder
4/5 Grapes

Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 (translated by CS): "Grab and let go, Fritz Keller can do both. With heart, hand and intellect, he has made his father's winery even bigger. Now he confidentely puts it into the hands of his son Friedrich. Together they continue the story - the wines are more expressive and personal than ever", the Gault & Millau honors the duo. And further: " In terms of elegance and expression, the collection presented this year surpasses everything that this winery with a long tradition has shown so far. It testifies to the knowledgeable and courageous hand of Friedrich, who knows how to use the trust placed in him and the early responsibility with great confidence." For this achievement, the winery receives four out of five possible grapes.

Picture: Tasting with Fritz Keller at Weingut Franz Keller in Oberbergen, Baden

See also:

Weingut Franz Keller in Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden: Cellar Tour and Tasting with Fritz Keller – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Franz Keller in Oberbergen, Baden– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Dinner at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler, 1 Star Michelin, Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Rising Star of the Year: 

Albert Behler, Weingut Karthäuserhof, Ruwer

Mosel
19 hectares
90% Riesling
3/5 Grapes

Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 (translated by CS): The estate can look back to over 750 years of winemaking tradition. With the Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg, it owns a world-renowed monopoly vineyard. In recent years, it has lost a bit of its reputation. Thanks to Albert Behler, according to the editors, it is now experiencing a rebirth: "With prudence and foresight, Albert Behler brings a jewel of German wine culture back to sparkle." Once upon a time, the wines of the Karthaeuserhof were legendary - now they shine in new splendor and talk about their great past and bright future. " The Gault & Millau team awards three red grapes. 

Picture: Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland Editor-in-Chief and Albert Behler (Photo: Gault Millau)

See also:

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

Discovery of the Year:

Simone Adams, AdamsWein, Rheinhessen

Rheinhessen
3/5 Grapes

Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 (translated by CS): Simone Adams took over the family winery in 2010 after the unexpected death of her father and changed it quite radically. "With a keen spirit, crystal clear vision and great sensitivity, Simone Adams gives the Burgundy varieties a profile," says the editorial staff. "She captures the Kalkboden terroir in her hometown of Ingelheim authentically and at the same time with a very personal handwriting - thus giving an old terroir a new expression.". In the Gault & Millau Wine Guide 2019 she receives three grapes.

Picture: Simone Adams at Frankfurt/ Wein in 2014

See also:

Frankfurt/Wein Celebrated with the German Wine Queen Nadine Poss and 5 Winemakers: Simone Adams, Weingut Simone Adams, Markus Berres, Weingut C.H. Berres, Stefan Braunewell, Weingut Braunewell, Carmen von Nell-Breuning, Dominikaner Weingut, and Stephan Attmann, Weingut von Winning

schiller-wine: Related Postings

UPCOMING Tours/ Wine Dinners/ Tastings - Annette and Christian Schiller/ ombiasyPR & WineTours/ schiller-wine, Germany, France, USA (Issued: November 1, 2018)

Ombiasy Wine Tours 2018: 3 x France and 3 x Germany - Ombiasy Newsletter December 2017

Weingut Franz Keller in Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden: Cellar Tour and Tasting with Fritz Keller – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

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

Dinner at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler, 1 Star Michelin, Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

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

Frankfurt/Wein Celebrated with the German Wine Queen Nadine Poss and 5 Winemakers: Simone Adams, Weingut Simone Adams, Markus Berres, Weingut C.H. Berres, Stefan Braunewell, Weingut Braunewell, Carmen von Nell-Breuning, Dominikaner Weingut, and Stephan Attmann, Weingut von Winning
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