Dear wine friends,

Annette & Christian

Dear wine friends,

Annette and I had dinner at Steins Traube, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Mainz-Finthen, in June 2022, with friends.

Chef Philipp Stein 

Philipp Stein was borne in Mainz, where his parents were the fifth generation to own and run the Steins Traube restaurant. In 2019, at the age of 29, Philipp and his wife Alina took over the family restaurant, after a period of renovation. Alina Stein manages the service in the Steins Traube restaurant. 

After working with Dirk Maus, at the Ente in Wiesbaden, with Dieter Müller and at Waldhotel Sonnora, in 2014, Philipp Srein took up his first position as head chef at the Favorite restaurant in Mainz. In the same year, he was awarded a Michelin star and became the youngest Michelin-starred chef in Germany in that year. Philipp and Alina Stein met at the Favorite restaurant, where Alina holding the position of restaurant manager. Since 2017 Philipp Stein he has been a regular television chef on the ARD program ARD-Buffet.

Michelin Guide Deutschland

Michelin Guide Deutschland: Philipp Stein represents the sixth generation at the helm of this restaurant. His ambitious cooking attaches great importance to the changing seasons. An example from the menu is the lukewarm-marinated cured veal tongue with cream of chives, pumpkin and toasted seeds. Smart, modern interior, a lovely courtyard and a really friendly junior chef at your service. 

Dinner 

You have a choice between à la carte, Menü Légère (Euro 80) and Menü Prestige (Euro 125). We all took the Menü Prestige and had 12 bottles of wine. There were 8 of us.

Dinner was outside, in the lovely courtyard of the restaurant. Because of noise restrictions, we moved inside to finish the dinner.

Menü Prestige

Fine de claire oysters #3

Baked curry prawn croustillant in kataifa dough

Carpaccio of dried water melon, imperial caviar, dill mayonnaise, olive, tomato, smoled almond

Ceviche of lake trout, coconut vinegar, coriander, shallot, sweet potatoe, coconut

Wild red prawns, marinated fennel, chanterelles, lovage, lobster jus

Crispy pork belly, octopus curry, dried apricot, pistachio, pepper

Sweetbreads, morel, wild mushroom, cream peas

Saddle of venison, macadamia crust, green asparagus, medlar, parsley root puree, pepper laurel jus, sauche riche

Food and Wine 

Outside

 

Inside

Bye-bye

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Invitation: Annual Riesling Party 2022 at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA

Announcement: Ombiasy WineTours in 2022 Summer and Fall 

Announcement: 3 Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2022 - Rhône Valley Tour: June 20 - June 29, Germany South - Alsace: July 01 - July 10, Bordeaux: September 20 - September 29 

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

German Wine Society Capital Chapter Membership Meeting 2022: Carl Willner Re-elected President and Christian Schiller Re-elected Vice-president, USA/ Germany Washington DC Downtown, USA/ Germany

Christian Stahl, Winzerhof Stahl, Franken, Germany back in the USA - Winemaker Dinner at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Northern Virginia

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the 2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City

Back at Chef Roberto Donna's table.

Annette Schiller Maureen Kelly Fuad Issa and I spent a wonderful evening at Roberto's Ristorante Italiano in Vienna/ Virginia, a new venture of iconic Chef Roberto Donna. 

Chef Roberto Donna moved at about the same time (in the early 1980s) to the USA as Annette and I did, he from Northern Italy, we from the Frankfurt region in Germany. 

Picture: Christian Schiller and Chef Roberto Donna in 2014. See: Winemaker Sabrino Loffredo’s Pietracupa Wines and Chef Roberto Donna’s Food at a Winemaker Dinner at Alba Osteria in Washington DC, Italy/USA

Rather quickly Roberto became one of the leading chefs of the Washington DC area, owning restaurants like Galileo and I Matti and several others, with about 500 employees. But in 2004 Roberto's fortunes turned sour. Galileo's parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 

Roberto had to struggle with financial and legal issues since then. Fortunately he did not go under. He is still cooking at the highest level. 

His latest adventure is Roberto's Ristorante Italiano on Church Street in Vienna/ Virginia, owned by Roberto's wife, Nancy Sabbagh, who also runs the service. 

Yesterday evening it was as it has always been at Roberto's restaurants: relaxed, exquisite food, top Italian wines and excellent service, like in a trattoria in Turino in the Piemonte area where Roberto spent the first 20 years of his life. 

Chef Roberto Donna (from wikipedia) 

Roberto Donna is an Italian chef and restaurateur in Washington D.C. 

Donna was born in Turin, Italy, where he enrolled in culinary school at the age of 13. He came to the United States at the age of 19, working in an Italian restaurant on K Street in Washington, D.C. In 1984, Donna opened Galileo in Dupont Circle, which was an immediate success. The restaurant only seated 50, and in the early days, even Vice-President George H.W. Bush could not secure a last-minute reservation. Donna and his partner Savino Recine opened more casual trattorias, Primi Piatti, and then I Matti, serving pizza and pasta. 

By the end of the 1990s, Donna's empire grew to 12 restaurants, including Il Radicchio, Pesce, and Barolo. In 1999, he expanded Galileo into a neighboring space and opened a restaurant-within-a-restaurant, Il Laboratorio del Galileo, serving multi-course meals in a small (25-30 seats) dining room, with a glass-walled "showcase" kitchen. 

Donna published a cookbook, Cooking in Piedmont, in 1996. 

Donna won the 1996 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. The next year, Galileo was named one of the "10 Best Italian Restaurants in America" by Wine Spectator. The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington recognized Donna as the "Chef of the Year" in 1990, and the "Restaurateur of the Year" in 1995. Donna was invited to Rome in 1996 to receive the Insegna del Ristorante Italiano, awarded by the Italian Government in recognition of serving the best authentic Italian food outside Italy. 

In 2004, Donna's company declared bankruptcy and his restaurants began to close; Galileo closed in 2006, and he had no restaurants to his name when Bebo Trattoria closed in 2009. Donna was prosecuted for failing to pay taxes at Bebo, and in 2010, Donna pled guilty to felony embezzlement, receiving a five-year suspended sentence on condition of probation, good behavior, and restitution. Donna and his business partners still faced several civil lawsuits when he returned to the kitchen with the opening of Galileo III in October 2010. The restaurant closed abruptly after less than one year.

The Dinner at Roberto`s Ristaurante Italiano

Prosecco

Antipasti 

Caprese Salad Local heirloom tomato, buffalo mozzarella, compressed watermelon, basil pesto $20 

Fried Zucchini Blossoms Ricotta, parmesan, mint, tomato coulis, spring salad $19 

Yellowfin Tuna Crudo Thinly sliced tuna, burrata sauce, tomato jelly, sesame, pesto $24 

Octopus Black olive, capers, baby spinach, pesto, potato foam  $22 

Clams and Sausage Sautéed little neck clams with spicy pork sausage and turnip greens $20 

Summer Peach Soup Local peaches, diced local bell peppers, poached shrimp $22 

Chianti

Paste 

Black Ink Tagliolini Al’ Aragosta Maine lobster chunks, poached in tomato cream sauce $44 

Gnocchi con il Ragu Salsiccia Italian pork sausage, red wine tomato sauce, onion $27 

Beet Tortelloni Straciatella, yellow tomato sauce, parmesan $28 

Risotto Ai Gamberi Tomato, shrimp, smoked burrata, local farm herbs $36 

Fettuccine alla Parmigiana Semolina fettuccini tossed table-side in parmesan $30 

Roasted Alaskan Halibut Fennel, confit tomato, tomato water, fennel pollen $38 

Roasted Mulard Duck Breast and Figs Swiss chard, fingerling potatoes, carrots, Vin Cotto sauce $40 

Veal Tenderloin Polenta, beets, spinach, wild mushroom cream sauce $44 

Demkota Ranch Beef Rib Eye (For 2) Seared Rib Eye, roasted turnips, baked sliced potato, garlic Swiss chard $125 

Soft Shell Crab Squid ink fettuccine, broccolini, garlic, tempura fried soft shell crab. $38 

Dolce 

Baked Lemon Ricotta Cake Tomato marmalade, tomato cookie, tomato ice cream $12 

Hazelnut Chocolate Bar Lemon Mousse, vanilla gelato, milk chocolate crémeux $12 

Warm Seasonal Fruit Tart White chocolate Cremoso, caramel sauce $12 

Semifreddo Al Miele Honey semifreddo, fig sauce, fresh fig, lemon crisp $12 

Espresso $4 

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Invitation: Annual Riesling Party 2022 at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA

Announcement: Ombiasy WineTours in 2022 Summer and Fall 

Announcement: 3 Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2022 - Rhône Valley Tour: June 20 - June 29, Germany South - Alsace: July 01 - July 10, Bordeaux: September 20 - September 29 

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

German Wine Society Capital Chapter Membership Meeting 2022: Carl Willner Re-elected President and Christian Schiller Re-elected Vice-president, USA/ Germany Washington DC Downtown, USA/ Germany

Christian Stahl, Winzerhof Stahl, Franken, Germany back in the USA - Winemaker Dinner at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Northern Virginia

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the 2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City

BACK.

After a 2-year interruption, Annette Schiller and Christian Schiller, with Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours, invited again for their traditional August Riesling Party. This is a casual wine tasting and socializing event taking place inside well as outside on our decks. Each guest has to bring a bottle of Riesling/ German wine. Annette prepares typical German food to enjoy with the wines.

Pictures: Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2019)

Riesling

Worldwide, there are about 34.000 hectares planted with Riesling. Germany – with 22.400 hectares – accounts for 2/3 of the total. The second largest Riesling producer is Australia, with 4500 hectares. But this is only about 1/10 of the total. Alsace follows with 3500 hectares. Austria, the US with Washington State and New York State as well as New Zealand make up the remainder. But overall, Riesling is really a niche wine, accounting for only less than 1 percent of total wine production in the world - but a very special niche wine.

Dry and Sweet Riesling

Many wine drinkers, in particular outside of Europe, when they see a Riesling in the shelves, have the association of a sweet-style wine. This is however misguided. Rieslings as a rule are dry wines. Of course, there are the famous sugar sweet Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Eiswein and Schilfwein wines from Austria and Germany, the Sélection de Grains Nobles from France, the icewines from Canada and other Rieslings, made from botrytized, dried or frozen grapes.

The grapes that go into these wines have such a high sugar content that there is nothing you can do to make dry wines out of these grapes. They inevitably produce nobly sweet wines. But apart from these specialty wine, which account for only a tiny share of total production, Riesling grapes in Germany, Austria, Alsace, the US and Australia have normal sugar content at the time of fermentation and tend to produce dry wines, when fully fermented.

However, modern cellar methods allow winemakers in Germany (and elsewhere) to produce wines with a bit of residual sugar with these grapes. These are exceptional wines, essentially made by not letting the fermentation going its full course so that natural sugar remains in the wine. Alternatively, German winemakers are allowed to add sweet-reserve (sterilized grape juice) to increase the sweetness level in the wine, but today, this is mostly done, if at all, for fine tuning the residual sweetness. These fruity-sweet wines are the wines that are so popular among the fans of German wine in the world. These sweet-style wines have lost popularity in Germany, although there appears to be a comeback, but in any case remain very popular outside of Germany, for example in the US.

Schiller's Riesling Party 2022

80 Bottles of Wine

This year, 80 Riesling/ German wine lovers followed the call and showed up with a bottle of wine, mostly, but not exclusively, Riesling, ranging from the popular entry level Loosen Brothers Dr. L to a number of quite spectacular wines, including a 50 years old Dom Perignon Champagne, which Donna Christenson brought. The center of the party was our lower deck, where I arranged the wines according to their sweetness level.

The most popular category were German Kabinett level wines from the Mosel, including from Weingut JJ Prüm, Weingut Dr. Loosen, Weingut, Weingut Forstmeister-Geltz Zilliken, Weingut Maximin Grünhaus - Weingut der Familie von Schubert and Weingut Willi Haag.

Interestingly, not a single guest brought a GG (Grosses Gewächs), the new ultra-premium dry wine category in Germany.

While there were about 50% dry and 50% sweeter-style wines, most of the dry wines were accounted for by Alsace, Austria and the Finger Lakes region, while all sweet-style wines were accounted for by Germany. This is in stark contrast to what you would experience for example in a restaurant in Frankfurt, where the list for German wines, except for noble-sweet wines, is essentially accounted for by dry wines.

The most exotic wine was a Riesling from Moldova.

At the noble-sweet level, we had an Eiswein, a Beerenauslese and a Trockenbeerenauslese.

Finger Lakes

Austria

Alsace

Washington State - Moldova - Canada

Non-Riesling

Germany: Entry-level

Germany: Entry-level

Gutswein Trocken

Kabinett

Spätlese + Auslese

Noble-sweet German: Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein

The Food

The food was served in our dining room.

The main dish was a home-made (by Annette) German Potato Salad with Frankfurter Sausage. In addition, there was:

French Brie Cheese, Italian Salami and German Bread
Raw vegetables with Middle Eastern Hummus and Greek Tzatziki
Italian Mozarella and Tomato Salad
Grapes and Dutch Cookies

Dear wine friends,

Annette & Christian

Previous Riesling Parties at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia

This was our seventh annual Riesling Party in McLean, Virginia:

Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2019)
Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2017)
Annette and Christian Schiller’s Summer of Riesling 2016 in McLean, Virginia, with German Star Winemaker Christian L. Stahl, German Wine Journalist Joachim A.J. Kaiser and Virginia Star Winemaker Chris Pearmund
Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2015)
Riesling Summer at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2014)
Summer of Riesling with Annette and Christian Schiller in Washington DC, USA (2013)

2021

No Riesling Party (Covid)

2020

No Riesling Party (Covid)

2019

Pictures: Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2019)

2018

No Annual Riesling Party

2017

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Announcement: Ombiasy WineTours in 2022 Summer and Fall 

Announcement: 3 Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2022 - Rhône Valley Tour: June 20 - June 29, Germany South - Alsace: July 01 - July 10, Bordeaux: September 20 - September 29 

Upcoming: Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France - One Room Available (Single/ Double) 

One Room Available - Forthcoming Germany-South and Alsace Tour by ombiasy WineTours, July 01 - July 10, 2022

One Room Available - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France, June 20 - June 29, 2022 

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

German Wine Society Capital Chapter Membership Meeting 2022: Carl Willner Re-elected President and Christian Schiller Re-elected Vice-president, USA/ Germany Washington DC Downtown, USA/ Germany

Christian Stahl, Winzerhof Stahl, Franken, Germany back in the USA - Winemaker Dinner at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Northern Virginia

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the 2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City

From Saturday, August 6 , 2022 to Saturday, August 13, 2022, Annette and I spent a week at the beach in the City of Isle of Palms, in the Charleston area in South Carolina. We stayed at the beach house of Cornelia and Chris Tremann, which they bought a year ago. With us were Viatrix and Ernst as well as Dorothea Ottesen with Johanna, Viggo and Leo. 

Florence, South Carolina

Going there, we stayed one night in Florence, South Carolina. On the way back, we did not stop.

Isle of Palms 

"Isle of Palms is 7 miles long and 1 mile wide. Known for its pristine beaches and clean water, natural wildlife as well as world-class resorts, spas, golf and delightful restaurants, Isle of Palms was voted #6 among Top 10 North America Islands by Conde Nast Traveler's Reader's Choice Awards." 

903 Ocean Blvd Isle of Palms

The house of Cornelia and Chris is a second-row house, just 3 minutes away from the beach and has a large pool in the backyard.

Cornelia and Chris live in Munich, Germany, currently. The house is being rented out all year long. 

Here is a testimonial of Henry B.: We had a great week at the pool and the beach. We have stayed on the Isle of Palms several times and by far this is the best and most convenient property we have rented. The pool is absolutely the best and it is a very short walk to down town or the beach. The house is well designed and there is plenty of parking. Simply a great place to stay. 

Alsace wine industry titan André Hugel passed away at the age of 92 following Covid-related complications. The last time Annette and I saw him was during the Alsace Tour 2019 with the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim. 

Marc-André Hugel was our host and the late André Hugel, Marc-André Hugel's grandfather, paid us a visit.

Hugel is represented in the US by Frederic Wildmann.

See also: Tour and Tasting at Hugel in Riquewhir, Alsace, with Jean Frédéric Hugel - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

André Hugel

Famille Hugel: "It is with great sadness that we announce the death of André Hugel on Monday, August 15, at the age of 92. He leaves us with the memory of an incredibly full life, unfailing devotion to the family history and unlimited tenderness towards his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

Spending a few, lazy hours in the picturesque streets of Riquewihr with André Hugel, and pushing open the doors of our centuries-old cellars was like setting out on an exploration of the extraordinary terroirs of Alsace and the history of our wonderful region. 

André was the 11th generation of our family rooted in the Riquewihr (Haut-Rhin) wine-growing area since 1639. The estate is currently run by Marc, Marc-André and Jean-Frédéric Hugel, the 12th and 13th generations. 

After training in Beaune and Geisenheim, André Hugel (born on August 19th, 1929) joined very early the family firm and, together with his two brothers, helped it grow. He kept working until his last days and contributed greatly to the dynamism of Famille Hugel in recent years as a fervent defender of two, highly-symbolic cuvées with a strong, Alsatian character: Grossi Laüe, which means “the best vineyards” in the Alsatian dialect, and Schoelhammer. These are now the leading products of the estate, alongside the iconic Vendange Tardives and Sélections de Grains Nobles. 

Also president of the Riquewihr Archaeological Society since 1978 and of the Museum of Alsace Wines and Vineyards since 1979, he was Grand Master of the Confrérie Saint-Etienne wine guild in 1985, Deputy Major of Riquewihr from 1989 to 1995 and municipal councillor from 1995 to 2001. Aside from his passion for the history of wine-growing in Alsace, André Hugel was also deeply interested in Alsatians conscripted against their will into the German army in World War II. His research in this field led to several publications."

Hugel

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Tour and Tasting at Hugel in Riquewhir, Alsace, with Jean Frédéric Hugel - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Hugel in Riquewhir, Alsace, with Marc-André Hugel and Senior Boss André Hugel - Alsace Tour 2019 with the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim, France

Announcement: Ombiasy WineTours in 2022 Summer and Fall 

Announcement: 3 Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2022 - Rhône Valley Tour: June 20 - June 29, Germany South - Alsace: July 01 - July 10, Bordeaux: September 20 - September 29 

Upcoming: Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France - One Room Available (Single/ Double) 

One Room Available - Forthcoming Germany-South and Alsace Tour by ombiasy WineTours, July 01 - July 10, 2022

One Room Available - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France, June 20 - June 29, 2022 

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

German Wine Society Capital Chapter Membership Meeting 2022: Carl Willner Re-elected President and Christian Schiller Re-elected Vice-president, USA/ Germany Washington DC Downtown, USA/ Germany

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the 2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City

Silent Winds, Dry Seas by Vinod Busjeet 

ONE OF NPR’S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • A sweeping debut novel that explores the intimate struggle for independence and success of a young descendant of Indian indentured laborers in Mauritius, a small multiracial island in the Indian Ocean. 

“The beauty of Busjeet’s splendid, often breathtaking book is, like the best stories of journeys to young adulthood, the precious and well-observed and heartbreaking details of day-to-day life.” –Edward P. Jones, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Known World 

Annette and I have known Vinod and his wife for a while, through the wine bar of Bistrot Lepic and Wine Bar. We were very happy to have him at our home in McLean for a book reading and discussion, with Annette Schiller`s food and my wines. It was a most stimulating and entertaining evening. Thanks Vinod.  

Vinod Busjeet on facebook 

Thanks to Annette Schiller and Christian Schiller for hosting a 21st Century version of a literary salon focused on ”Silent Winds, Dry Seas”, accompanied by delicious food and fine wines in delightful company. An author’s dream.  

Nessa Busjeet on facebook 

Thank you Annette Schiller and Christian Schiller for a great evening with you and your friends. Delicious food and wine and great company

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Announcement: Ombiasy WineTours in 2022 Summer and Fall 

Announcement: 3 Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2022 - Rhône Valley Tour: June 20 - June 29, Germany South - Alsace: July 01 - July 10, Bordeaux: September 20 - September 29 

Upcoming: Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France - One Room Available (Single/ Double) 

One Room Available - Forthcoming Germany-South and Alsace Tour by ombiasy WineTours, July 01 - July 10, 2022

One Room Available - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France, June 20 - June 29, 2022 

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA 

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

German Wine Society Capital Chapter Membership Meeting 2022: Carl Willner Re-elected President and Christian Schiller Re-elected Vice-president, USA/ Germany Washington DC Downtown, USA/ Germany

Christian Stahl, Winzerhof Stahl, Franken, Germany back in the USA - Winemaker Dinner at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Northern Virginia

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the 2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City

I am posting the e-mail invitation that was sent out by the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) for the tasting event "All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle?" lead by Annette Schiller.

With the holidays nearly here, please plan to join the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) on Saturday, November 5, 2022 for a presentation and tasting of sparkling wines by our own Annette Schiller, who has brought some of these wines back from Germany just for us. What a way to start setting a festive mood, and get some ideas for holiday tables! 

Registrations for this event are due by November 1, 2022, and the price is $55 for GWS members, $62 for non-members.  

Germany has a long history of producing sparkling wine - called Sekt in Germany - starting in the early 19^th century. The fascination with sparkling wine let trade and the exchange of knowledge with France boom. At some point in the later 19^th century it was the Germans who controlled the Champagne business in France.  

Today Germany is world champion in sparkling wine consumption. In 2021 Germans drank 274 million liters of sparkling wine (Statistisches Bundesamt) and produced 250 million liters (Statista.com). The bulk of production comes from big brands like Henkell or Rotkäppchen, who make Sekt with the tank method. However, premium sparkling wine production is on the rise. Many German Sekts made in the Méthode Champenoise are on eye level with the best of French Champagnes.

It can be confusing to see all the different labels of bubbles with prices vacillating between just a few dollars per bottle for a mass-produced sparkler to close to a hundred. There is Champagne, Cava, Crémant, Prosecco, Frizzante, Sekt, Winzersekt, Secco, Pet-Nat, to name just a few. But they all have one thing in common: they have significant levels of carbon dioxide in the bottle to make them fizzy. However, there are different procedures to get the fizz into the bottle. We will taste 12 sparkling wines and will evaluate the difference in the various methods of how the CO₂ gets into the bottle.   

Half of our sparkers are from German regions, and the other half from various other countries as listed, including Austria, France, Italy, and the U.S.

You can register and pay for this event in either of two ways.  

First, you can register on our chapter website, https://germanwinesocietydc.org , and make payment by PayPal.   You will need to create a GWS account for the website if you do not already have one, and you will also need to have a PayPal account, as we cannot accept payment by other forms of credit or online transfer.  If you are coming as a couple or other group, you can either register and pay for each individual separately, or do it as part of a single transaction and complete the payment on PayPal together.  If you do a single transaction, please also email the Secretary of the GWS Capital Chapter at the address below to provide the names of each individual coming, as the individual names will not all appear on the website form for multiple persons registering together.

Second, if you prefer to register by mail and pay by check for the event, please clip off the registration form attached to this notice, indicate the names of all who will be attending, and mail a check made out to the German Wine Society in the proper amount along with the form to: 

Carl Willner, President and Secretary, GWS Capital Chapter, 1014 Reserve Champion Drive, Rockville, MD 20850

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the 2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City

Winemaker Dinner and Pre-dinner Tasting with Leo Hillinger, Weingut Leo Hillinger, in Northern Virginia, USA/ Austria

Visiting the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco Superiore Region, Italy

German Wine Makers in the World: The Korbel Brothers from Bohemia Introduced "Champagne" to the US

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

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

French Champagne Houses and German Roots

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)

Ruinart Dinner with Frédéric Panaïotis, Chef de Cave of Maison Ruinart, at Brasserie Beck, Washington DC, with Partner-Chef Brian McBride, USA

Announcement: 3 Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2022 - Rhône Valley Tour: June 20 - June 29, Germany South - Alsace: July 01 - July 10, Bordeaux: September 20 - September 29 

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

I turned 70 on January 5, 2022 and celebrated my birthday in Gabon with Annette, Cornelia, Chris, Viatrix and Ernst. 

See here:

Enjoying 6 Weeks of "Africa Light" in Libreville, Gabon, Equatorial Africa

The Fine Cuisine of Residential Chef Thierry: Lunching for 6 Weeks in Libreville, Gabon, Equatorial Africa

On July 16, 2022, I had a birthday party, first at our house ("Kaffee und Kuchen") and then dinner at Mainlust "Desche Otto" in Frankfurt-Schwanheim, arranged by Annette, with the help of Katharina, Cornelia and Dorothea. 

See here for Desche Otto. 

Mainlust “Desche Otto”– an Ultra Traditional Apple Wine Tavern, with an Innovative Twist, off the Beaten Track in Schwanheim, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

The guests comprised my family, friends - some of them I had not seen for a while - and a group of quaintances from the Stammtisch at Desche Otto.

Katharina and Cornalia did a wonderful slide show of my life, from my birth in Dresden in 1952 to shuttling between Frankfurt am Main and Washington DC in 2022. 

See here: Presentation of my Life at the Occasion of my 70th Birthday by Cornelia and Katharina Schiller, 2022

Thanks again Annette, Katharina, Dorothea and Cornelia for a wonderful party.

After a 2-year interruption, Annette Schiller and Christian Schiller, with Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours, invited again for their traditional August Riesling Party. This is a casual wine tasting and socializing event taking place inside well as outside on our decks. Each guest has to bring a bottle of Riesling/ German wine. Annette prepares typical German food to enjoy with the wines. 

See: 

Invitation: Annual Riesling Party 2022 at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA

Pictures: Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2019)

Riesling

Worldwide, there are about 34.000 hectares planted with Riesling. Germany – with 22.400 hectares – accounts for 2/3 of the total. The second largest Riesling producer is Australia, with 4500 hectares. But this is only about 1/10 of the total. Alsace follows with 3500 hectares. Austria, the US with Washington State and New York State as well as New Zealand make up the remainder. But overall, Riesling is really a niche wine, accounting for only less than 1 percent of total wine production in the world - but a very special niche wine.

Dry and Sweet Riesling

Many wine drinkers, in particular outside of Europe, when they see a Riesling in the shelves, have the association of a sweet-style wine. This is however misguided. Rieslings as a rule are dry wines. Of course, there are the famous sugar sweet Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Eiswein and Schilfwein wines from Austria and Germany, the Sélection de Grains Nobles from France, the icewines from Canada and other Rieslings, made from botrytized, dried or frozen grapes.

The grapes that go into these wines have such a high sugar content that there is nothing you can do to make dry wines out of these grapes. They inevitably produce nobly sweet wines. But apart from these specialty wine, which account for only a tiny share of total production, Riesling grapes in Germany, Austria, Alsace, the US and Australia have normal sugar content at the time of fermentation and tend to produce dry wines, when fully fermented.

However, modern cellar methods allow winemakers in Germany (and elsewhere) to produce wines with a bit of residual sugar with these grapes. These are exceptional wines, essentially made by not letting the fermentation going its full course so that natural sugar remains in the wine. Alternatively, German winemakers are allowed to add sweet-reserve (sterilized grape juice) to increase the sweetness level in the wine, but today, this is mostly done, if at all, for fine tuning the residual sweetness. These fruity-sweet wines are the wines that are so popular among the fans of German wine in the world. These sweet-style wines have lost popularity in Germany, although there appears to be a comeback, but in any case remain very popular outside of Germany, for example in the US.

Schiller's Riesling Party 2022: 80 Bottles of Wine

This year, 80 Riesling/ German wine lovers followed the call and showed up with a bottle of wine, mostly, but not exclusively, Riesling, ranging from the popular entry level Loosen Brothers Dr. L to a number of quite spectacular wines, including a 50 years old Dom Perignon Champagne, which Donna Christenson brought. The center of the party was our lower deck, where I arranged the wines according to their sweetness level. 

Interestingly, not a single guest brought a GG (Grosses Gewächs), the new ultra-premium dry wine category in Germany.

While there were about 50% dry and 50% sweeter-style wines, most of the dry wines were accounted for by Alsace, Austria and the Finger Lakes region, while all sweet-style wines were accounted for by Germany. This is in stark contrast to what you would experience for example in a restaurant in Frankfurt, where the list for German wines, except for noble-sweet wines, is essentially accounted for by dry wines. 

Finger Lakes: 13 Bottles

The Finger Lakes Region in Upstate New York was quite well represented. 13 guests had decided to bring a bottle from this region. Most of the wines were dry.

Austria: 10 Bottles

Austria was also very well repressented with 10 bottles, all dry, including some premium single vineyard wines. 

One of the main importers of German wine, Terry Thiese, used to tell his clients: if you like dry Riesling, go to my Austria portfolio, if you like sweet Rieling, go to my German portfolio. For several decades, he was very influential in German wines in the USA, in particular on the East Coast, and he still is, although his German wine portfolio is now exclusively with Skurnik wines. 

Today, many wine drinkers in the USA associate German wines with residual sweetness and those who like dry Rieslings stay away from German wines and instead go for Austrian (or Alsatian, see below) Rieslings.

Alsace: 5 Bottles

5 guests brought a wine from Alsace, including some premium single vineyard wines.

Washington State - Moldova - Canada: 3 Bottles

We had one Riesling from Washington State, one from Moldova and one from Canada.

Non-Riesling: 9 Bottles

Some guests brough non-Riesling wines, including a 50 years old Dom Perignon Champagne, which Donna Christenson brought.

Germany - Entry-level: 3 Bottles

The German entry-level wines (Blue Nun level) included a wine from Rheinhessen in a bottle with a window through which you could see the Neuschwanstein Castle.

Germany - Entry-level: 10 Bottles

Other German entry-level wines were from producers with a good reputation, like the Dr. L of Weingut Dr. Loosen.

Gutswein Trocken: 5 Bottles

5 guests brought a German Riesling at the Gutswein level.

Kabinett: 13 Bottles

The most popular category were German Kabinett level wines from the Mosel, including from Weingut JJ Prüm, Weingut Dr. Loosen, Weingut, Weingut Forstmeister-Geltz Zilliken, Weingut Maximin Grünhaus - Weingut der Familie von Schubert and Weingut Willi Haag.

Spätlese + Auslese: 6 Bottles

There were 6 Spätlese and Auslese wines, all from winemakers with a good reputation and all from the Mosel.

Noble-sweet German - Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein: 3 Bottles

Dear wine friends,

Annette & Christian

Previous Riesling Parties at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia

This was our seventh annual Riesling Party in McLean, Virginia:

Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2019)
Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2017)
Annette and Christian Schiller’s Summer of Riesling 2016 in McLean, Virginia, with German Star Winemaker Christian L. Stahl, German Wine Journalist Joachim A.J. Kaiser and Virginia Star Winemaker Chris Pearmund
Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2015)
Riesling Summer at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2014)
Summer of Riesling with Annette and Christian Schiller in Washington DC, USA (2013)

2021

No Riesling Party (Covid)

2020

No Riesling Party (Covid)

2019

Pictures: Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2019)

2018

No Annual Riesling Party

2017

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Announcement: Ombiasy WineTours in 2022 Summer and Fall 

Announcement: 3 Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2022 - Rhône Valley Tour: June 20 - June 29, Germany South - Alsace: July 01 - July 10, Bordeaux: September 20 - September 29 

Upcoming: Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France - One Room Available (Single/ Double) 

One Room Available - Forthcoming Germany-South and Alsace Tour by ombiasy WineTours, July 01 - July 10, 2022

One Room Available - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France, June 20 - June 29, 2022 

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

German Wine Society Capital Chapter Membership Meeting 2022: Carl Willner Re-elected President and Christian Schiller Re-elected Vice-president, USA/ Germany Washington DC Downtown, USA/ Germany

Christian Stahl, Winzerhof Stahl, Franken, Germany back in the USA - Winemaker Dinner at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Northern Virginia

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the 2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City

Both the Rhône Valley Tour by ombiasy WineTours and the Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours begin in Lyon. Sofar, all tours have started at the Grand Hôtel des Terreaux, a 4 star Art-Deco hotel in the heart of Old Lyon, the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It combines the atmosphere of an old-fashioned 19th century town house with a modern, innovative décor. It also has a small indoor pool and hot tub.

Again this year, Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours we met at the Grand Hôtel des Terreaux.

Usually, in the evening we have dinner at one of the many Bouchons in Lyon.  A Bouchon serves traditional Lyonnaise cuisine. Originally, the husband would watch over the dining room and pour the wine (Beaujolais or Côtes du Rhône), while the wife cooked every day, family-style cuisine, centered on the offal and cooked meats which Lyon is famous for.

See: Dinner at a Bouchon - Chez Paul - in Lyon: Schiller’s Favorite Bouchons in Lyon, France 

Bouchons tend to be crammed, with people sitting shoulder to shoulder. In view of the covid situation, this year, Annette chose a different place, with more space, the historic Grand Café des Négociants, a cafe-brasserie, a Lyonnais institution since 1864.

Rhône Valley Tour - Introduction

The tour started in the afternoon with Annette providing an overview of the wines of the Rhône Valley.

After Annette's introduction, we went on a 2-hour guided traboule (secret passage) tour of Lyon. There are about 200 in Vieux-Lyon, 160 on the slopes of Croix-Rousse hill and 130 on the Presqu’île, making a total of 500 traboules in more than 230 of Lyon’s streets. Those of Vieux-Lyon are home to treasures of the Renaissance and those of the Croix-Rousse, more recent, date mostly from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Lonely Planet: The Second Empire decor of chandeliers and mirror-lined walls are the big draws at this centrally located cafe-brasserie, a Lyonnais institution since 1864. Stop in for elegantly served teas, classic cocktails and a first-rate selection of wines.

Grand Café des Négociants: Created in 1864, the « Grand Café des Négociants » settles in Lyon’s History. It keeps throughout time its Second Empire decor characterized by its moulded and painted ceilings, its splendid opulent curtains and its numerous mirrors, all in burgundy and mahogany monochrome that give it a warm ambiance.

Formerly a place of negotiation for diamond merchants, silk merchants and wholesale butchers that used numerous mirrors to communicate discretely through signs, the brasserie has remained the meeting place for politicians, artists, business travelers…

Broc Bar

Most of the participants arrived on the day before the tour started. Some of us liked to have a glass of wine and some cheese and charcuterie at the little place just next to the hotel, the Broc Bar.

Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours (Issued and Forthcoming Postings)

Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

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

Dinner at a Historic (Second Empire) Café-Brasserie in Lyon: Grand Café des Négociants - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Maison Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône: Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Drive at E. Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Le Bistro de Serine in Ampuis, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Visit and Tasting at Domaine de Boisseyt in Chavany, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant Beau Rivage in Condrieu, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Dinner at Hôtellerie Beau Rivage in Condrieu, with Chef Chef Ludovic Mounier - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting at Vins Jean-Luc Colombo with Anne Colombo in Cornas, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting at Vins Jean-Luc Colombo in Cornas, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Visit and Tasting at Domaine du Tunnel with Owner/ Winemaker Stéphane Robert in Saint-Peray, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Restaurant Le Quai (Michelin/ Bib Gourmand) in Tain-l’Hermitage, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Paul Jaboulet Aîné in Tain-l’Hermitage, Hermitage, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Paul Jaboulet Aîné in Tain-l’Hermitage, Hermitage, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France 

Visit and Tasting at Domaine Les Bruyères with Owner/ Winemaker David Reynaud in Beaumont-Monteux, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Les Bruyères in Beaumont-Monteux, Northern Rhône, with Owner/ Winemaker David Reynaud - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Maison Chabran - La Grand Table with Chef Louis Chabran and his Father Chef Michel Chabran in Pont d l’Isère, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France 

Lunch at La Grand Table de Michel Chabran, 1-star Michelin, in Pont d l’Isère, Northern Rhône, with Chef Michel Chabran - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting at Domaine Chaume-Arnaud with Owner/ Winemaker Valérie Chaume-Arnaud in Vinsobres, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France 

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Visit and Tasting at Domaine André Berthet-Rayne in Cairanne, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France 

Tasting of the Wines of Château de Beaucastel at Domaine du Clos des Tourelles in Gigondas - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant L’Oustalet (1* Michelin guide) in Gigondas, with Chef Laurent Deconinck - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Visit and Tasting at Domaine des Pasquiers with Jean Claude and Philippe Lambert in Sablet, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Restaurant La Maison de Celou (Michelin Bib Gourmand) in Châteauneuf-de-Cadagne - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

In Les Baux de Provence: Visit of the Olive Oil Mill Moulin Castelas and Overnight Stay and Dinner Hôtel Le Mas de l’Oulivier - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Dinner and Overnight-stay at Hôtel/ Restaurant Benvengudo in Les Baux de Provence - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Arles: City Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

At the Pont du Gard: Lunch at Restaurant Les Terrasses and Sightseeing at the Pont du Gard - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Pont du Gard - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Avignon: Guided Tour of Pont Saint-Bénézet, the so-called ‘Pont d’Avignon’, and the Palace of the Popes - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Beaurenard in Châteauneuf-du Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Vineyard and Cellar Tour at Vignobles Alain Jaume, Domaine Grand Veneur, with Hélène Jaume in Courthézon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Lunch at La Table d’Alain Jaume with Hélène Jaume at Domaine Grand Veneur in Courthézon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting at Domaine de La Solitude in Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine du Pegau in Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine du Pégau in Châteauneuf du Pape, with Owner/ Winemaker Laurence Féraud and Winemaker Andreas Lenzenwöger - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting of Châteuneuf-du-Pape Wines at La Cave de Mathias with Mathias in Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Dinner and Overnight-stay at Hôstellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf du Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Dinner and Overnight-stay at Hôstellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf du Pape, with Chef Hugo Loridan-Fombonnet - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

In October 2022, our Frankfurt Gourmet Group had their monthly dinner at L’ Ecume in Frankfurt and Annette and I - a couple of days in Frankfurt on the way back from the Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy to Washington DC - were able to participate. Annette and I had eaten there a year ago at the occasion of our 45th wedding anniversary.

See: Dinner at L’ Ecume in Frankfurt, with Chef/ Owner Alexandre Sadowczyk - 45th Wedding Anniversary, Germany http://schiller-wine.blogspot.com/2021/09/dinner-at-l-ecume-in-frankfurt-with.html 

Chef Alexandre Sadowczyk

Alexandre Sadowczyk is from the Champagne region. He worked at Restaurant Jules Verne of Alan Ducasse in Paris, at Per Se of Thomas Keller in New York and at Restaurant L´Arnsbourg in Baerenthal in Alsace. 

In Frankfurt, he started his career at Lafleur (2 stars Michelin) and also was the head chef at Weinsinn (1 star Michelin) and at Wilma (1 star Michelin).

Looking at his impressive CV, obviously Alexandre Sadowczyk is a talented chef. But he is flying a bit under the radar currently. L'Ecume is neither listed in the recent Michelin Guide nor in the recent Gault Millau Guide. I would put L'Ecume at 15 points in terms of the Gault Millau Guide rating system. 

L`Ecume is the best restaurant in the "Fine Dining" category of Journal Frankfurt/ 2023. 

Reflecting Alexandre Sadowczyk`s roots in the Champagne region, wine list of L'Ecume is dominated by French wines and is n particular strong in terms of Champagnes.

L' Ecume Menu in October 2022 

The menu is small and contains 9 courses. You can choose between any of them, starting with 4 courses. 

Mini Bunte Tomaten/ Staudensellerie - Estragon 

Alpen Saibling/ Ajo Blanco - Chimichurri - Grapefruit 

Mirabelle/ Geräucherte Burrata - Kräuter focaccia 

Maïs Agnolotti/ Pfefferlinge - Kürbis 

Meeräsche/ Fenchel - Bisque - Wildkräuter 

Salers Rinderfilet/ Cacao - Polanta Cakes - Confierte Schalotten 

Beaufort Käse/ Johanisbeere Mostarda - Whiskey 

Sommer Pfirsich/ Sesam - Pecans - Amaretto 

„Frankfurter 7 Grüne Kräuter“ 

4-Gänge € 78,- Weinbegleitung € 46,- ; Champagnebegleitung € 64,-/ 5-Gänge € 88,- Weinbegleitung € 57,- ; Champagnebegleitung € 80,-/ 6-Gänge € 98,- Weinbegleitung € 69,- ; Champagnebegleitung € 96,-/ 7-Gänge € 108,- Weinbegleitung € 80,- ; Champagnebegleitung € 112,-/ 8-Gänge € 118,- Weinbegleitung € 92,- ; Champagnebegleitung € 128,-/ 9-Gänge € 128,- Weinbegleitung € 103,- ; Champagnebegleitung € 144,-

We chose between 5 and 6 courses. The 6 of us had 9 bottles of wine.

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Invitation: All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle? - Wine Tasting by the German Wine Society with Annette Schiller on November 5, 2022 

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA 

Dinner at Clamato, the Sister Restaurant of Septime, #22 on The World`s 50 Best Restaurants, with Chef Bertrand Grébaut, Paris, 2022

Announcement: 3 Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2022 - Rhône Valley Tour: June 20 - June 29, Germany South - Alsace: July 01 - July 10, Bordeaux: September 20 - September 29 

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

Christian Stahl, Winzerhof Stahl, Franken, Germany back in the USA - Winemaker Dinner at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Northern Virginia

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

Our first winery visit on the Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours (July 1 to 10, 2022) took us to Siefersheim, in the far northwestern corner of the Rheinhessen wine region.

We visited Weingut Wagner-Stempel. We were received by Daniel (Owner and Winemaker) and Catherine Wagner (Owner).  

Daniel Wagner showed us his old and new cellars before tasting 11 wines with Daniel in his modern tasting room.

See also: 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

Weingut Wagner-Stempel

Owner and winemaker Daniel Wagner is the 9 th generation of this estate in Siefersheim, in the far northwestern corner of the Rheinhessen wine region. When Daniel took over he decided to build on the tradition of classic wine production and to pay special attention to the once famous vineyard sites Höllberg and Heerkretz that were somewhat under the radar for the past fifty years. The Siefersheim sites are carved out of volcanic hills and the weathered volcanic soil brings out phenomenal, well-structured wines. Daniel’s thrive for precision and quality regularly gets awarded with 4 grapes in the Gault-Millau wine guide for Germany. 

Weingut Wagner-Stempel

The German Wine Collection (US Importer): Siefersheim is a sleepy village, located in the vast region known as Rheinhessen, just a few kilometres south of the town of Bad Kreuznach. In the undulating and lovely landscape Daniel Wagner, the silent star of the German wine scene has his winery. His family has owned the winery since 1845 but the vineyards were part of a mixed farm. His father produced just bulk-wines, a classical business model for Rheinhessen wineries some decades ago. It was during a school exchange in France where teenager Daniel was bitten by the wine bug. While being fascinated about the wine-culture in “la Douce France” he decided to become a vintner and started his apprenticeship.

He was young when he vinified his first vintage in the year 1992 and full of youthful diligence. After an internship in California he planted in 1995 some Merlot and he was a big fan of all the new cellar techniques that university textbooks offered. Still today he calls himself a “grapevariety hoarder”, loving to play around with Silvaner, Pinot Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc. He was one of the press-admired “young and wild” who made upfront fruity and crowd-pleasing wines, which mirrors the preoccupation of that time around the millennium. But very soon he became aware about the hidden gems located around the village of Siefersheim. The elevations of Heerkretz or Höllberg, which are visible from afar. Having originated around 250 million years ago, where the magmatic rock formed the mountains like balconies of an antique amphitheatre. Those great but at this time totally unknown terroirs made him curious. He enlarged his ownership in the best and steepest parcels with their stone-rich soils and he took the challenge to define meticulously the taste-profile of those terroirs via the grape variety Riesling. It was Daniel who turned an unknown mixed farm into a widely renowned wine estate, and leading the Höllberg and Heerkretz vineyard sites to supra-regional importance.

Rheinhessen is the biggest wine-region in Germany and a vast area with a plethora of soil types, climates and grape varieties. Some decades ago the region was known for the production of Liebfraumilch. Famous vineyards around he villages Westhofen, Flörsheim-Dalsheim or Siefersheim were brought just two decades ago onto stage by such pioneers. It was the exploratory spirit of the “young and wild” that made Rheinhessen into one of the most dynamic regions of Germany. The youngsters grew up and today the wind of change and success blows through those hyped wine-villages. Despite all his achievements, Daniel Wagner is a quiet and pleasant modest man. In the loud noise of a fast moving world, his wines spread peace and joyful serenity, taste sovereign and are in a beneficial way emotional. The taste profile only makes you realize why he is one of the great in the German wine industry.

Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: All Postings (already posted 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

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Daniel Wagner at Weingut Wagner-Stempel (VDP) in Siefersheim, Rheinhessen - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

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

Tasting with Helmut Dönnhoff and Sascha Johannes Schömel at Weingut H. Dönnhoff (VDP) in Oberhausen, Nahe - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

An Afternoon with Riesling Star Winemaker Helmut Doennhoff at Weingut Doennhoff in Oberhausen in the Nahe Valley, Germany

Dinner in a Typical Old Town Mainz Wine Tavern: At Weinhaus Bluhm and at Weinhaus Schreiner - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

Cellar Tour and Tasting in the Courtyard with Owner/ Winemaker Gesine Roll at Weingut Weedenborn Weedenborn in Monzenheim, Rheinhessen - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Weingut Jülg (VDP): Lunch in the Wine Tavern with Karin and Werner Jülg and Tasting in the Vineyard with Johannes Jülg - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

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

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Sven Nieger at Weingut Sven Nieger in Baden-Baden-Varnholt, Ortenau - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour and Tasting with Owner/ Winemaker Robert Schätzle at Weingut Schloss Neuweier (VDP) in Baden-Baden-Neuweier, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour (and Lunch) with Robert Schätzle, Owner/ Winemaker, Weingut Schloss Neuweier in Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Martin Bercher at Weingut Bercher (VDP) in Burkheim, Kaiserstuhl, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Matthias Höfflin and Kaylie Magestro at Weingut Höfflin in Bötzingen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting in the Courtyard with Joachim Heger and Winemaker Markus Mleinek at Weingut Dr. Heger (VDP) in Ihringen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

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

The World Class Wines of Alsace

In the world class white wine region Alsace

Cellar Tour with Pierre Gassmann and Tasting at Domaine Rolly-Gassmann in Rorschwihr, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 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

Tasting at Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Turckheim, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner with Chef Laurine Gutleben and Restaurant Manager/ Husband Antoine Bauer, both Owners, at Michelin-rated Restaurant La Veille Forge in Kaysersberg, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour and Tasting with Jean Pierre Dirler at Domaine Dirler-Cadé in Bergholtz, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Domaine Dirler-Cadé with Jean Pierre Dirler and Ludevine Dirler-Cadé - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Frédéric Hugel at Domaine Hugel & Fils in Riquewhir, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour and Tasting at Hugel in Riquewhir, Alsace, with Jean Frédéric Hugel - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Owners Catherine Faller and Eddy Leiber-Faller at Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Visiting Colette Faller at Domaine Weinbach in Kaysersberg in Alsace

Dinner with Chef de Cuisine Jean-Michel Eblin at 1-star Michelin Restaurant Le Maximilien in Zellenberg, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours
 
Cellar Tour and Tasting with Adrien Schoenheitz at Vins Schoenheitz in Wihr-au-Val, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Restaurant 1-star Michelin Restaurant La Nouvelle Auberge in Wihr-au-Val, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting with Rémy Gresser at Domaine Rémy Gresser in Andlau, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours 

Tasting at Domaine Rémy Gresser in Andlau, with Rémy Gresser - Alsace Tour 2019 with the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim, France

Vineyard Tour and Tasting with Hans Rebholz, Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz (VDP), Pfalz - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours 

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

Lunch at Restaurant 1832 at the Hambacher Schloss - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting in the Courtyard and Cellar Tour with Frank John at Weingut Frank John in Neustadt an der Weinstraße - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Andreas Rings at Weingut Rings (VDP) in Freinsheim, Pfalz - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours 

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

Tasting with Bettina Bürklin-von Guradze and Riccardo Korner at Weingut Dr. Bürklin-Wolf (VDP) in Wachenheim, Pfalz - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours 

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

The 45th Anniversary Celebration of the German Wine Society in the USA took place at the German Embassy in Washington DC on October 7, 2022, organized by the German Wine Society/ Washington DC Chapter, with 13 wines from all 13 German wine regions. 

Embassy chef Daniel Labonne provided a menu of delicious German-style foods in several courses chosen to accompany the wines.

 

We had the following wines, covering all 13 German wine regions, including Sachsen, Saale Unstrut and Hessische Bergstrasse. The wines from these 3 regions Annette and I had to bring ourselves to the USA, as wines from these regions are not (yet) available in the US market.

 

nv Hild Elbling Brut Sekt 

 

First Flight: Trocken Duo from the East

2021 Pawis Riesling Quarzit trocken, Saale-Unstrut

2020 Tim Strasser Rotling trocken, Sachsen

 

Second Flight: Trocken Duo from the West

2021 Kloster Eberbach Chardonnay trocken, Hessische Bergstrasse

2020 Donnhoff Weissburgunder trocken, Nahe

 

Third Flight: Whites Beyond Riesling

2020 Hans Wirsching Iphöfer Kalb Silvaner trocken, Franken

2020 Wörner “Steillage Weiss” (blend of Riesling and Müller-Thurgau, trocken), Baden

 

Fourth Flight: The Trend Toward Reds

2019 Meyer-Näkel Spätburgunder (trocken), Ahr

2021 Beurer Trollinger (trocken), Württemberg

 

Fifth Flight: A Pair of Spectacular Spätlese

2020 J.J. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spätlese, Mosel

2018 Spreitzer Winkeler Jesuitengarten Riesling Spätlese, Rheingau

 

Sixth Flight: Auslese Grand Finale

2019 Müller-Catoir Haardter Herzog Rieslaner Auslese, Pfalz

2018 K.P. Keller Rieslaner Auslese, Rheinhessen

2004 Ratzenberger Bacharacher Wolfshöhle Riesling Auslese, Mittelrhein

 

Report by Carl Willner (President and Secretary/ German Wine Society - Washington DC Chapter and First Vice President and Secretary/ German Wine Society - USA): On the evening of October 7, 2022, starting at 6 pm and running until about 10 pm, the German Wine Society celebrated its 45th Anniversary as an Oktober Weinfest tasting and dinner event at the German Embassy House in Washington, DC., a very fitting location since the GWS began at the German Embassy in 1977.  

The event was organized by the Capital Chapter of the GWS, and was the best attended GWS event since it has been possible to reopen to in-person events following the covid pandemic; indeed, attendance was higher than almost all GWS events in the several years preceding the pandemic as well.  We had 70 people registered to come, and 72 people actually present, since not only did all the people registered come, but two longtime members showed up without a recorded registration and were admitted since they said they had sent in a check before registration closed, which was unfortunately never received.  

This incredibly popular event was sold out within a week of being announced, unparalleled in my experience. We had in attendance 55 Capital Chapter members, including all current board members, as well as 6 Delaware Valley Chapter members including National President Beth Sheligo, 8 non-members, and 3 Embassy guests including Minister-Counselor Astrid Jakobs de Padua and Consul General Dr. Niels von Redeker, who delivered very entertaining welcoming remarks during the reception at the start of the event.

During the patio reception at the start of the meeting, while sekt and salmon canapes were being served, the GWS conducted its election to the National Board of Directors.  Beth Sheligo and I delivered reports on the state of the Delaware Valley and Capital Chapters, and the meeting dispensed with a reading of the previous meeting minutes, as well as reports from the Secretary and Treasurer in Hanne Caraher’s absence (Beth did report that the state of the GWS finance was solvent).  The slate of directors proposed was unanimously elected.  Three longtime directors, Executive Chair George Marling, Secretary/Treasurer Hanne Caraher, and Alice Fitz, have now stepped down, and have been replaced with three new directors, Christian Schiller (Vice Chair of the Capital Chapter), Ken Belsley (Treasurer of the Capital Chapter), and wine writer Jason Wilson of the Delaware Valley Chapter, so that the National Board remains at full strength.  The three remaining directors from the prior board, Beth Sheligo, Barry Boothe of the San Francisco Chapter (who could not be present), and I, were all re-elected as well.  

The National Board subsequently met on Zoom to choose officers on October 9, and reelected Beth Sheligo as National President, myself as 1st Vice President, and Barry Boothe as 2nd Vice President, while also selecting Ken Belsley as Treasurer and myself as Secretary to replace Hanne Caraher in her two roles.   Jason Wilson agreed to take on the webmaster role and work to restore and update the National website, together with myself and Ken on a website committee.  George Marling was awarded the honorary title of Emeritus Chair to enable him to have a continuing role in the Society at the National level, even though he is no longer an elected member of the Board.

The dinner commenced about 7 pm in the Embassy House, and guests enjoyed the traditional tasting of 13 wines from each of the 13 German wine regions, including 2 Spatlese and 3 Auslese wines, with 10 whites, 2 reds and a Rotling white/red blend being served.  Several of the wines were from single vineyards, and there was a good mixture of dry and sweet wines. I am attaching to this report the menu from the event, so as to provide full details on all of the wines.  

Chef Daniel Labonne and his staff provided a very tasty four-course menu that paired well with the wines (and the Capital Chapter Board had played a major role in choosing), including a first course of potato and leek soup, a second fish course of Branzini with spinach, a third course of pork medallions wrapped in bacon with red cabbage, spaetzle, and lingonberry sauce, and a selection of three mini-desserts. 

During the dinner, Annette Schiller provided very informative remarks on the flights of wines (unfortunately difficult for many to hear due to the size of the group in the Embassy House and ongoing conversations, leading us to think that an investment in a portable microphone would be worthwhile), and at the end Jeff Wheeler of the Friends of the Goethe Society also provided some remarks about his group.   

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA 

German Wine Society Capital Chapter Membership Meeting 2022: Carl Willner Re-elected President and Christian Schiller Re-elected Vice-president, USA/ Germany Washington DC Downtown, USA/ Germany

Christian Stahl, Winzerhof Stahl, Franken, Germany back in the USA - Winemaker Dinner at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Northern Virginia

Ho, Ho, Ho - German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) Christmas Party at the Cosmos Club in Washington DC Downtown, USA/ Germany

The German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) Presented: 2019 German Vintage Tasting with Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages, Washington DC, USA

Tasting at Weingut Dönnhoff, Oberhausen, Nahe. with Anne Dönnhoff - Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling 

Tasting at Weingut Jos. Jos. Prüm in Bernkastel-Wehlen, Mosel, with Amei Prüm - Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling 

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

Announcement: 3 Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2022 - Rhône Valley Tour: June 20 - June 29, Germany South - Alsace: July 01 - July 10, Bordeaux: September 20 - September 29 

The Bordaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours typically begins in Bordeaux City in the afternoon. We meet at the hotel, visit an estate in the viccinity of Bordeaux City and a negociant house and finish the day with dinner in Bordeaux city.

This year, on the Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, we went to Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, toured the Millésima Negociant House (just on the other side of the street of our hotel) and had dinner at Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City, which literally sits on the Garonne river opposite of Bordeaux City center.

Château Haut-Bailly is just a 30 minutes drive by bus from the Hilton Garden Hotel in Bordeaux City. Château Haut-Bailly just completed a multi-million construction of a state-of-the-art wine cellar. 

We got a comprehensive tour of the vineyards and the new wine cellar followed by a tasting in the new tasting room in the wine cellar. When we toured the production facilities we bumped into Jean Christoph, the cellar master, who spent some time with us to explain to us the new facilities and the challenges of the current vintage.

At our visit Château Haut-Bailly was in the middle of the harvest of the 2022 vintage.

On earlier tours, we have gone to Château Haut-Bailly for the final dinner on the last day of the tour. This time, we started here. 

See: Tour and Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France

Château Haut-Bailly

At Château Haut-Bailly wine has been produced for more than five centuries. Like many Bordeaux estates, the property changed owners multiple times over the centuries. However, three owner families put their mark on the estate. In 1630 it was bought by the Le Bailly family which eventually gave the estate its name. In those days the château had about 80 acres under vine, roughly the same as today. There were many ups and downs during the centuries and by the 1950s the estate was in a sorry state. A wine merchant from Belgium, Daniel Sanders, bought the château in 1955 and started intensive renovations. His efforts proofed him right and Château Haut-Bailly was one of the 16 wine producers awarded with the Grand Cru Classé certification in the 1959 classification of the Graves estates. 

In 1998, Elisabeth and Robert G. Wilmers – he was an American banker (he passed away in 2018), she is French – bought Château Haut-Bailly and spared no expenses to invest in the vineyards, winery, and the château to give the estate the possibility to keep producing top quality wines. 

Château Haut-Bailly is managed by Véronique Sanders, fourth generation of the Sanders family. In 2020 a new vinification and barrel cellar was inaugurated. The architecture is stunning: here architecture meets nature with beautiful views of the vineyards.

2021: US$124

2020: US$144

2015: US$174

2010: US$246

Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France (Published and Forthcoming Postings)

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

Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France

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

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics 

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

What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France

Tour and Tasting at of Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France

How does the Negociant System in Bordeaux work? Tour at the Negociant Millésima - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

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

Dinner with a View: At Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Dinner with a View: At Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City - An Update

Schiller’s Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France - An Update

Tour and Tasting at Château La Conseillante, Appellation Pomerol - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting at Château La Conseillante, Appellation Pomerol, with General Manager/ Winemaker Marielle Cazaux - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Clos Puy Arnaud with Owner Thierry Valette, Appellation Côtes de Castillon - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at Restaurant L’Atelier de Candale in Saint-Laurent-des-Combes - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Cellar Tasting at Tertre-Rôtebœuf with Owner/ Winemaker François Mitjavile, Appellation Saint-Emilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting (including from Barrel) at Tertre Rôteboeuf, Saint Emilion, with Owner and Winemaker François Mitjavile, France – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2018) 

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

Saint-Émilion: Tour of Saint-Émilion and Dinner at Restaurant Le Bouchon on the main Square - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Vineyard Tour in a Golf Cart and Tasting at Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château Dassault with the Managing Director, Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France 

Gourmet Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur with Dany Rolland - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland, GM Benoit Prévot and Chef Frédéric Bozzo - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting at Couvent des Jacobins, Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

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

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour, Lecture and Tasting at Château Reynier with Owner/ Winemaker Marc Lurton, Appellation Entre-Deux-Mers - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Reynier, Appellation Entre-Deux-Mers, with Owners/ Winemakers Marc Lurton and Agnès Lurton 

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château Coutet, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Sauternes, with the General Manager - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Grand Cru Classé Appellation Pessac-Léognan - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

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

Lunch at Restaurant Le Bord d’Eau in Fronsac - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château de la Rivière, Appellation Canon-Fronsac - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret, Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret/ Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2019, France

Schiller's Favorite Seafood Restaurants in Arcachon and Cap Ferret (Bassin d'Arcachon/ Bordeaux)

L’Herbe: Visit of an Oyster Farmer - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Oysters in Bordeaux: Visiting the Oyster Farmer Raphael Doerfler and his Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm in Grand Piquey/ Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2019, France

Winery Tour and Vertical Tasting at Château Cos d’Estournel, Appellation Saint-Estèphe, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Estèphe - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Cos d’Estournel, Appellation Saint-Estèphe, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, with Managing Director Aymeric de Gironde - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Lunch  at La Maison d’Estournel in Saint-Éstèphe - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Phélan-Ségur in Saint-Éstèphe, with Winemaker Fabrice Bacquey - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Château Phélan-Ségur, with General Manager Véronique Dausse and Winemaker Fabrice Bacquey - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2019, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Ferrière, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Margaux - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Pauillac, with Nicolas Glumineau, Managing Director - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Pauillac, with Nicolas Glumineau, Managing Director - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Massive (16 Vintages) Tasting of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande with MD/ Winemaker Nicolas Glumineau and Panos Kakaviatos in Washington DC, USA

Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon Longueville Baron in Pauillac - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017 France

Wine-Pairing Lunch at Château Pichon Longueville Baron in Pauillac - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017 France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château Gruaud-Larose, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Julien - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château Lynch-Bages, 5ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Pauillac - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Picnic-style Lunch at Château Kirwan, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Margaux - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch, Tasting and Tour at Château Kirwan, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Natalie Schyler - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Sophie Schÿler, Owner of Château Kirwan, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, for a Wine Pairing Luncheon at Evo Bistro in McLean, with the Wines of RdV and Clemens Busch, USA/ France/ Germany

Dinner in the Private Quarters of the Château Bouscaut, Grand Cru Classé de Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, with Owner Sophie Lurton Cogombles and Winemaker/ Owner/ Husband Laurent Cogombles

Pictures: The New National Board of the German Wine Society -  Beth Sheligo (President) and Carl Willner (First Vice President and Secretary), Jason Wilson (Web Master), Christian Schiller (with Annette Schiller). Not in the Pictures: Barry Boothe (Second Vice President) and Ken Belsley (Treasurer)

The German Wine Society in the USA was founded in 1977 when 83 graduates of the German Wine Academy were formally inducted in a ceremony at the German Embassy in Washington, DC. Those residing in the Baltimore/Washington area were the nucleus of the Ambassador Chapter, chartered on February 24, 1979 at its Inaugural Tasting. (The Ambassador Chapter evolved into the Capital Chapter in Washington DC, a few year later.) A special tasting and induction was held in Houston in 1978, proving national interest.

The Society functions as an association of autonomous local chapters, which are self-supporting and conduct meetings in accordance with the wishes of their memberships within the parameters of the National By-laws. Membership in the National society is a prerequisite for membership in a chapter. Members at large reside in cities where there is no local chapter.

The affairs of the National organization are managed by a Board of Directors, Officers and an Executive Committee, representing all areas where there are Chapters.

At this occasion, a new National Board was elected. 

Three longtime directors, Executive Chair George Marling, Secretary/Treasurer Hanne Caraher, and Alice Fitz, have stepped down, and have been replaced with three new directors, Christian Schiller (Vice Chair of the Capital Chapter), Ken Belsley (Treasurer of the Capital Chapter), and wine writer Jason Wilson of the Delaware Valley Chapter, so that the National Board remains at full strength. 

The three remaining directors from the prior board, Beth Sheligo, Barry Boothe of the San Francisco Chapter and Carl Willner, were all re-elected as well.  

The National Board subsequently met on Zoom to choose officers on October 9, and reelected Beth Sheligo as National President, Carl Willner as 1st Vice President, and Barry Boothe as 2nd Vice President, while also selecting Ken Belsley as Treasurer and Carl Willner as Secretary to replace Hanne Caraher in her two roles.  

Jason Wilson agreed to take on the webmaster role and work to restore and update the National website, together with Carl Willner and Ken Belsley on a website committee.  

George Marling was awarded the honorary title of Emeritus Chair to enable him to have a continuing role in the Society at the National level, even though he is no longer an elected member of the Board.

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

45th Anniversary of the German Wine Society at the German Embassy in Washington DC, October 7, 2022, Germany/ USA 

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA 

German Wine Society Capital Chapter Membership Meeting 2022: Carl Willner Re-elected President and Christian Schiller Re-elected Vice-president, USA/ Germany Washington DC Downtown, USA/ Germany

Christian Stahl, Winzerhof Stahl, Franken, Germany back in the USA - Winemaker Dinner at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Northern Virginia

Ho, Ho, Ho - German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) Christmas Party at the Cosmos Club in Washington DC Downtown, USA/ Germany

The German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) Presented: 2019 German Vintage Tasting with Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages, Washington DC, USA

Tasting at Weingut Dönnhoff, Oberhausen, Nahe. with Anne Dönnhoff - Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling 

Tasting at Weingut Jos. Jos. Prüm in Bernkastel-Wehlen, Mosel, with Amei Prüm - Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling 

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

Announcement: 3 Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2022 - Rhône Valley Tour: June 20 - June 29, Germany South - Alsace: July 01 - July 10, Bordeaux: September 20 - September 29 

Annette Schiller, President of ombiasy PR and WineTours and member of the American Wine Society, will lead two wine tastings at the forthcoming National Conference of the American Wine Society in Bellevue/ Seattle/ Washington State. The tastings are sponsored by ombiasy WineTours and the wine producers whose wines are being presented or their US importers.

More than 600 members from all over the USA are coming to this 3-day event, filled with tastings, seminars and presentations.

Pictures: Annette and Christian Schiller at Previous AWS National Conferences

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 hosts a three-day national conference with two full days of educational seminars, nearly 49 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.

2 Tastings at the National Conference of the American Wine Society in Bellevue/ Seattle/ Washington State, USA, 2022

Title: Towards the Freedom to Make the Right Wine 

F-5: Room: Grand B

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

Abstract: Most wine regions have strict regulations with regard to acidity levels, residual sugar, alcohol levels, and in particular, desired tasting profiles of the finished wine. The resulting certification is without doubt a very important orientation instrument for the consumer. There are more and more wine artists around the globe who have the passion to create a wine in freedom, independent of agricultural industry aids and recommendations from a laboratory. During this seminar we will taste six wines from world-famous winemakers who produce wines with an unmistakable taste showcasing the importance and possibilities of rediscovered methods for people and the environment. 

Title: The End of the “Großlage”in Germany 

A-6: Room: Grand C  

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

Abstract: Did you ever complain about the difficulty to understand the label of a bottle of German wine? Those days are finally over since, on January 27, 2021, the German parliament passed a new German wine law. The most important point of the new wine law is that a new hierarchy to determine the quality of the wine was introduced. The emphasis shifted from the sugar level of grapes at point of harvest as quality measure to the wine’s geographic origin and how narrowly it is defined. This concept follows the “terroir” principle, well-known from the classification in Burgundy. 

We will explore the quality levels by tasting six wines moving up in the quality pyramid.

Annette Schiller's Presentations at the American Wine Society National Conference 2021 in Atlantic City, New Jersey

Annette Schiller`s 3 Presentations at the American Wine Society National Conference 2021 in Atlantic City, New Jersey: Sparkling Wines, Austria, Bordeaux

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle? - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the 2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City

The Wines of Austria - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the  2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City

Good Value Bordeaux Wines: Discover the Petits Châteaux - Presentation by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, at the  2021 American Wine Society National Conference in Atlantic City  

45th Anniversary of the German Wine Society at the German Embassy in Washington DC, October 7, 2022, Germany/ USA 

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA 

Announcement: 3 Ombiasy Wine Tours in 2022 - Rhône Valley Tour: June 20 - June 29, Germany South - Alsace: July 01 - July 10, Bordeaux: September 20 - September 29 

Following an afternoon in Lyon, we spent 21/2 days in the Northern Rhône region. Our fest stop was the famous and large producer Guigal in Ampuis in the Côte-Rôtie. 

Though Guigal is situated in the Northern Rhône it produces wine from appellations across the Rhône region, but is particularly noted for their Côte-Rôtie wines. We spent the whole morning at the Guigal estate learning a lot about the Northern Rhône and the Côte Rôtie. The visit had three parts.

First, we started with a tour of the large winemaking facilities Ampuis. Second, to get you a feel for the Côte Rôtie we took a trip through the vineyards to see the Côte Blonde and Côte Brune as far as our bus could negotiate the serpentine small roads. Finally, we went to the famous Château d’Ampuis for a tasting. 

Guigal

The Guigal Estate is a family business and was founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal. Etienne Guigal worked at Vidal Fleury before establishing his own domaine. Much later in the 1980s Vidal Fleury was acquired by Guigal, but remains independently managed. 

Today Maison Guigal is run by Philippe Guigal, the third generation of the family who also is the head winemaker. Through carefully selected acquisitions Guigal grew and today the total vineyard holdings are around 120 acres of which half are in the Côte Rôtie. The estate also acquired the famous Château d’Ampuis, an important historic and oenological monument whose long history – an ancient fort built in the 12th century- is directly linked to the Côte-Rôtie appellation. The Château sits majestically on a hill surrounded by vineyards overlooking the Rhône river. 

With a current production of 6,5 million bottles Guigal is also the most important négociant in the Northern Rhône, although the majority of the purchased fruit comes from the Southern Rhône. Marcel Guigal, the second generation is credited with the biggest impact on the quality of the Northern Rhône wines when he introduced single vineyard cuvées from Côte Rôtie in the 1970s. 

Maison Guigal has the rare distinction of being a quality leader in both estate and négociant wines.

Guigal (Vintus)

The impact and influence of the Guigal family across the Rhône Valley, France, and all the world of fine wine is so immense, it’s sometimes difficult to remember that it’s all happened so quickly. In a country with such a rich and deep wine history, the Guigal family’s story is only in its third generation.  The more you learn about the family, the more astounding becomes their story. Their wines are the benchmarks for every Rhone appellation, and over the last thirty years they have become arguably the most lauded producer in the world. Year after year the Guigal family produces wines of exceptional quality that in all classes offer exceptional value.

The remarkable story begins with Etienne Guigal, a remarkably independent and both intellectually and physically capable man. He was the youngest child in his family, but as the most resilient he was sent off on his own at a very young age when his family could no longer afford to care for him. He came to Ampuis, half an hour south of the city of Lyon and the home of Cote-Rotie, to pick apricots. In the early 1930s his brother helped Etienne, still only 14 years of age, secure a job in the vineyards at the largest winery in the Rhône. Etienne started pruning in the vineyards and rose to cellar master over the course of 15 years, before eventually leaving just after the war in 1946 to start his own firm, E. Guigal.

Etienne’s son Marcel became involved very early in the business when in 1961 he was forced to rush back from school because his father was suddenly struck with total blindness. Marcel has led the firm since, and his unparalleled work ethic and dedication to quality have lifted the Guigal wines to the pinnacle of the wine world, and the Guigal domaine to its status as the leading winery from the Rhône Valley. In the process Marcel brought attention to Côte-Rôtie and other appellations throughout the Rhône that were in danger of being lost in the annals of wine history, despite the region’s distinguished past of 2,500 years as a superior wine-producing area, and the cradle of wine civilization in France. 

Today, Marcel’s son Philippe serves as Director and Oenologist at Guigal, and with his father is carrying on the tradition of leadership in the Rhône Valley and uncompromising excellence.

The Guigal firm is extraordinary in a number of dimensions. First is their decision that they will only purchase vineyards that are capable of producing truly great wines. Therefore despite their important production, they own only 150 acres, all in the Northern  Rhône. They own overwhelmingly the finest collection of vineyards in Côte-Rôtie, the finest, carefully selected sites in both Condrieu and Saint Joseph, four exquisite parcels in Hermitage, and some of the finest vineyards in Crozes-Hermitage. These 150 acres are truly the finest collection of vineyards in the Northern Rhône, and serve as the source for their estate-bottled wines and the foundation for their Northern Rhône appellation wines.

A second important dimension is Guigal’s approach to viticulture. The Guigal family is tireless in its work on the steeply sloped, terraced vineyards it owns, with views entirely to the long-term. They are methodically re-building vineyards today that won’t be planted for another five to ten years because of their belief in the soils, expositions and mesoclimates of these sites. Their philosophy in the vineyard is to prune low and strictly limit the number of shoots per vine, training for low vigor and low-yields and looking for natural balance and concentration in this manner. No pesticides, herbicides or chemicals are used in the vineyards, and the fact some of Guigal vines date back to the 1890s is a testimony to the nurturing, obsessive approach the Guigals have in their vineyards.

Thirdly, Guigal is a unique negociant company. The family knows the Northern Rhône like no one else, and supplements their holdings by buying grapes from long-time grower partners. In total, they vinify around 33% of Côte-Rôtie and 45% of Condrieu, and have access to top fruit in all the regions they work. In the Southern Rhône, they buy only wine, and with a distinctive approach. Namely, they do not have a single contract. Marcel and Philippe taste relentlessly – typically 200 wines a day before 8:30am, 7 days a week – and start from scratch every year. In a given year, they will purchase the top 1% of the wines they taste, and because of their longtime contacts, they have access to the best wines in the region; they select, in other words, 1% from the very finest wines in the Southern Rhône. Also important to note, they decide very early on what wine they will purchase, sometimes before malolactic fermentation is even finished, and they will not purchase later to meet demand. From their experience, access, and early work, they give themselves the opportunity to find the best possible wines, and if they find a great wine they buy it, regardless of vintage or price considerations. The Guigal’s work ethic in finding the best fruit and wines in the Rhône Valley can be summarized by the motto on the Chateau d’Ampuis: “Nul bien sans la peine” – no good without pain.

Fourthly, Guigal’s vinfication is singular in the world of wine, and allows their great raw materials to flourish in the bottle. Their vinification approach actually harkens back to tradition in the Rhône Valley, with long aging, which integrates tannins and flavors and creates wines of great complexity and refinement. Because of their superior fruit, the Guigals do not make “simple”  wines – these wines demand time to come together.  All wines undergo natural yeast fermentation, and intervention is at a bare minimum, with no fining or filtration. The top Guigal wines undergo famously long maturation period in barrel, up to three and a half years, but even parcels of old-vine Syrah for their Côtes du Rhône are aged in foudres for six months, completely atypical for the Côtes du Rhône category. The Guigals are so exacting about the aging process that, finding inconsistent barrels from even the best tonnelleries, they make every barrel used in their winery themselves. Every day, five barrels are produced by hand by their single cooper at the Chateau d’Ampuis; they are the only winery in the Rhône Valley with their own cooperage, and one of the only in France. These barrels are destined for their Northern Rhône wines, while they use foudres built to exacting specifications for their Southern Rhone wines. The reality is that it is enormously expensive to hold onto 3 or 4 vintages of Chateauneuf-du-Pape or Côte-Rôtie, or even to hold onto Côtes du Rhône that is two or three vintages behind what other producers are releasing, but it is done for the quality of the wine, and so that consumers can enjoy the wines for drinking upon release.

Year after year the Guigal family produces wines of exceptional quality that in all classes offer exceptional value.

Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours (Issued and Forthcoming Postings)

Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

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

Dinner at a Historic (Second Empire) Café-Brasserie in Lyon: Grand Café des Négociants - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Maison Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône: Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Drive at E. Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Le Bistro de Serine in Ampuis, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Visit and Tasting at Domaine de Boisseyt in Chavany, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant Beau Rivage in Condrieu, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Dinner at Hôtellerie Beau Rivage in Condrieu, with Chef Chef Ludovic Mounier - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting at Vins Jean-Luc Colombo with Anne Colombo in Cornas, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting at Vins Jean-Luc Colombo in Cornas, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Visit and Tasting at Domaine du Tunnel with Owner/ Winemaker Stéphane Robert in Saint-Peray, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Restaurant Le Quai (Michelin/ Bib Gourmand) in Tain-l’Hermitage, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Paul Jaboulet Aîné in Tain-l’Hermitage, Hermitage, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Paul Jaboulet Aîné in Tain-l’Hermitage, Hermitage, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France 

Visit and Tasting at Domaine Les Bruyères with Owner/ Winemaker David Reynaud in Beaumont-Monteux, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Les Bruyères in Beaumont-Monteux, Northern Rhône, with Owner/ Winemaker David Reynaud - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Maison Chabran - La Grand Table with Chef Louis Chabran and his Father Chef Michel Chabran in Pont d l’Isère, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France 

Lunch at La Grand Table de Michel Chabran, 1-star Michelin, in Pont d l’Isère, Northern Rhône, with Chef Michel Chabran - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting at Domaine Chaume-Arnaud with Owner/ Winemaker Valérie Chaume-Arnaud in Vinsobres, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France 

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Visit and Tasting at Domaine André Berthet-Rayne in Cairanne, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France 

Tasting of the Wines of Château de Beaucastel at Domaine du Clos des Tourelles in Gigondas - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant L’Oustalet (1* Michelin guide) in Gigondas, with Chef Laurent Deconinck - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Visit and Tasting at Domaine des Pasquiers with Jean Claude and Philippe Lambert in Sablet, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Restaurant La Maison de Celou (Michelin Bib Gourmand) in Châteauneuf-de-Cadagne - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

In Les Baux de Provence: Visit of the Olive Oil Mill Moulin Castelas and Overnight Stay and Dinner Hôtel Le Mas de l’Oulivier - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Dinner and Overnight-stay at Hôtel/ Restaurant Benvengudo in Les Baux de Provence - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Arles: City Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

At the Pont du Gard: Lunch at Restaurant Les Terrasses and Sightseeing at the Pont du Gard - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Lunch at Pont du Gard - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Avignon: Guided Tour of Pont Saint-Bénézet, the so-called ‘Pont d’Avignon’, and the Palace of the Popes - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Beaurenard in Châteauneuf-du Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Vineyard and Cellar Tour at Vignobles Alain Jaume, Domaine Grand Veneur, with Hélène Jaume in Courthézon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Lunch at La Table d’Alain Jaume with Hélène Jaume at Domaine Grand Veneur in Courthézon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting at Domaine de La Solitude in Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine du Pegau in Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine du Pégau in Châteauneuf du Pape, with Owner/ Winemaker Laurence Féraud and Winemaker Andreas Lenzenwöger - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting of Châteuneuf-du-Pape Wines at La Cave de Mathias with Mathias in Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Dinner and Overnight-stay at Hôstellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf du Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Dinner and Overnight-stay at Hôstellerie du Château des Fines Roches in Châteauneuf du Pape, with Chef Hugo Loridan-Fombonnet - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France