We spent the whole morning at Château Cos d’Estournel, the first left bank château we visited on the tour, including a verticale tasting of 5 vintages. 

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

From Château Cos d’Estournel we went to Maison d’Estournel, a Michelin-rated restaurant belonging to Château Cos d’Estournel, were we had lunch.

Château Cos d’Estournel

Château Cos d’Estournel boasts of one of most impressive architecture in all of Médoc. 

In 1791 Louis Gaspard d’Estournel inherited holdings in Saint-Estèphe upon the death of his father. Over the years he added more land to his holdings, and bought several vineyards in the commune of Saint-Estèphe. The potential of Saint-Estèphe in those days was not fully recognized compared with the appellations further south (Pauillac, Saint-Julien, etc.), which were already fully exploited. Louis Gaspard was enthusiastic about his wines but there was no reputation for this appellation at this time. He ran into financial difficulties and the estate was acquired by a debt collector in 1811. He remained on board as manager and was able to buy it back in 1821. In the meantime recognition for Saint-Estèphe wines was on the rise and in the decades that followed Louis Gaspard was able to buy the best plots off neighboring estates.

Settled in, and seemingly financially secure, Louis Gaspard d'Estournel started to build new cellars and a “châteaux”. His taste reflected his many travels to the Orient, and he constructed tall pagodas, and an imposing arch decorated with lions and unicorns. The doorway was sent over from the Palace of Zanzibar. In 1852 – one year before his death - he again had to sell and the châteaux changed hands many times since then. 

Current owner is industrialist Michel Reybier, who acquired Cos d’Estournel in 2000. He kept Jean-Guillaume Prats, descendant of the Ginestet-Prats family, owners from 1917 till 1998, as Managing Director. He was a divisive figure. He was one of the influential persons in Bordeaux pushing for a “new” Bordeaux style. 

From 2013 to 2017 Aymeric de Gironde was Managing Director. He shifted to a fresher, more elegant and poised style of the Cos d’Estournel wines. 

Today owner Michel Reybier manages the estate himself and winemaking is in the hands of Dominique Arangoïts who also has a keen awareness of balance and freshness.

Maison d’Estournel

MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View

Lunch

The Chef

Bye-bye

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

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, 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

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

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

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, 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 Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Cellar 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

3 Days and Nights in the Spectacular Medieval Town of Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, 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

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château Coutet, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Sauternes, with Technical Director Laurier Girardot - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at Restaurant L’Entrecœur in Preignac, Sauternes - Bordeaux Tour 2022 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

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

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

What we did for Dinner: 5 Nights in Bordeaux City - Wine More Time Wine Bar, Restaurant L‘Estacade, Restaurant La Terrasse Saint Pierre, Château Bouscaut, Grand Cru Classé de Graves - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

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

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

At La Baraque à Huîtres in L’ Herbe: Visit of an Oyster Farmer at the Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour 2022 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, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Estèphe - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at La Maison d’Estournel (following a Winery Tour and Vertical Tasting at Château Cos d’Estournel, Appellation Saint-Estèphe, 2ième Grand Cru Classé) - 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

The Vinum Weinguide Germany 2023 was released a few weeks ago, presenting Vinum's choice of Germany’s best 1 000 wine producers and reviewing more than 10 700 wines on 1118 pages.

5 out of 5 stars („world class“) were awarded to 18 estates. In addition, there are 31 estates with 4.5 stars, and 66 estates with 4 stars.

See here: Germany's 18 Top Winemakers (With 5/5 Stars) - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2023

Subsequently, I released a series of postings that provide more details on individual wine regions. 

Ahr: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023

Baden: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023

Franken: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023

Hessische Bergstrasse: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023

Mittelrhein: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023  

Mosel: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023 

Nahe: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023  

Pfalz: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023 

Rheingau: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023

Rheinhessen: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023

Saale-Unstrut: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023

Sachsen: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023

Württemberg: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023

This posting lists all #1 producers in each of the 13 wine regions of Germany. Some are 5/5-star producers, but not all. In 4 of Germany's 13 wine regions, the top producers are at the 3.5/5-star level, according to the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023.

Jean Stodden - 4.5/5 Stars

Pictures: Tasting with Alexander Stodden, Weingut Jean Stodden, Ahr. See: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Jean Stodden, Ahr, with Alexander Stodden - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Berhard Huber - 5/5 Stars

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

Rudolf Fürst - 5/5 Stars

Pictures: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting (from Barrel and from Bottle) at Weingut Rudolf Fürst, Franken, with Sebastian Fürst - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken

Griesel - 3.5/5

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

Pictures: Tasting and Vineyard Drive at Weingut Ratzenberger in Bacharach, Mittelrhein, with Jochen Ratzenberger - Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling

 

Picture: In Seattle, Washington State, in 2013, during the 4th Riesling Rendezvous: Clemens Busch, Christian Schiller and Hermann Wiemer, founder of Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyards in the Finger Lakes Region in New York State. See: The World of Riesling in Seattle - Fourth Riesling Rendezvous in Washington State, USA

Hofgut Falkenstein - 5/5 Stars

 

Schloss Lieser - 5/5 Stars

Joh. Jos. Prüm - 5/5 Stars

Picture: Annette Schiller and Manfred Prüm

Picture: Christian Schiller with Katharina Pruem at Wegmans in Virginia. See also: JJ Pruem Goes Supermarket: Meeting Katharina Pruem and Tasting the Incredible JJ Pruem Wines at Wegmans

Pictures: Tasting at the Legendary Weingut J.J. Prüm with Amei Prüm– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016

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

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

Pictures: At Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich in Bockenau. See: Tasting at Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich in Bockenau, Nahe - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Bürklin Wolf - 5/5 Stars

Pictures: Hauskonzert - Sunday Morning Concert - at Weingut Dr. Bürklin-Wolf with Annette Schiller and Bettina Bürklin-von Guradze and a 150 years old Steinway Concert Piano. See: 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

Pictures: Germany-South and Alsace 2022 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Knipser - 5/5 Stars

Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller with Hansjörg and Birgit Rebholz at Prowein 2015 in Düsseldorf

Picture: In the Cellar of Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz, Siebeldingen, Pfalz, with Hansjörg and Valentin Rebholz. See: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz, with Hansjörg and Valentin Rebholz and Sabine Wagner - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Pictures: Germany-South and Alsace 2022 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

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

Battenfeld-Spanier - 5/5 Stars

Keller - 5/5 Stars

Picture: Annette Schiller,Julia and Klaus Peter Keller at the 2015 Rieslingfeier in New York, see: A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2015, USA

Kühling-Gillot - 5/5 Stars

Wittmann - 5/5 Stars

Saale-Unstrut: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2023

Picture: Weingut Pawis in the Saale Unstrut Region: Tour and Wine Tasting with Marcus Pawis – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Picures: Annette Schiller and Bernhard Pawis, Weingut Pawis, at Kloster Eberbach, Rheingau 

Pictures: Christian Schiller with Bernhard Pawis at Weingut Pawis in the Saale Unstrut Region

Picture: Christian Schiller and Kerstin Pawis at Weingut Pawis: Riesling!!!

 

Picture: Martin Schwarz, Weingut Martin Schwarz, and Annette Schiller. See: Dresden is the New Unlikely Place for Fine Barolo Wine: Weingut Martin Schwarz– Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours 

 

Pictures: Gert Aldinger, Weingut Aldinger, Karl Eugen Erbgraf zu Neipperg, Weingut Des Grafen Neipperg and Annette Schiller See: 2017 VDP Trade Fair Weinbörse - Vintage 2016 - in Mainz: Schiller’s Report

Pictures: Hansjörg and Matthias Aldinger with Christian Schiller. See: Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards: The Award Ceremony in Mainz, Germany

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

The Jaume family first planted vines in 1826. Five generations later, in 1979, Alain Jaume took over and in 1996 he created Domaine Grand Veneur to bottle and age the wines under their own label.

Today his two sons, Sébastien and Christophe, and his daughter Hélène also work at the estate, hence the 6th generation is maintaining the traditions that made the estate one of the greatest in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. 

The family produces estate wines and négociant wines. 

The estate wines comprise 225 acres: “Domaine Grand Veneur” (15 acres Châteauneuf-du-Pape), “Château Mazane” (35 acres in Vacqueyras), “Clos de Sixte” (80 acres in Lirac), and “Domaine de la Grangette Saint Joseph (95 acres in the Vaucluse, Côte de Rhône appellation. These estate wines are farmed with certified organic agricultural practices. 

The négociant wines are labeled “Alain Jaume” and are from purchased grapes and wines from winegrowing partners in several Southern Rhône appellations. The estate wines of the Jaume family are regarded as belonging to the upper echelon of Southern Rhône wines. The same attention to detail is paid to the winemaking of the négociant wines. The négociant wines are simply great wines at great prices with strength, complexity, and finesse. 

The Jaume family holds five brands. The acquisition of Domaine de la Grangette Saint Joseph in 2015 took the total area owned by Alain Jaume to over 200 hectares:

Domaine Grand Veneur in Châteauneuf du Pape 
Domaine du Clos de Sixte in Lirac
Chateau Mazane Vacqueyras
Domaine de la Grangette Saint Joseph at Jonquières in the Vaucluse (Côte du Rhône Appellation)
Alain Jaume (Négociant)

Pictures: Winemaker Dinner with Hélène Jaume of Domaine Grand Veneur/ Maison Jaume, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, at L'Auberge Chez Francois in Great Falls, USA/ France

Pictures: Hélène Jaume Domaine Grand Veneur/ Maison Jaume in Châteauneuf du Pape and Christian and Annette Schiller. See: Spotlight on Domaine Grand Veneur and Alan Jaume, with Helene Jaume: Tasting at Chain Bridge Cellars in McLean, Virginia, USA (2018)

Wine-pairing Lunch with Hélène Jaume

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

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 Hôtellerie Restaurant Beau Rivage in Condrieu, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 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

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

Tasting and Cellar Tour with Owner/ Winemaker David Reynaud at Domaine Les Bruyères in Beaumont-Monteux, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 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

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 with Alexandra Berthet-Rayne at Domaine André Berthet-Rayne in Cairanne, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting the Wines of Château de Beaucastel at Domaine du Clos des Tourelles in Gigondas with Alexandre Fréguin, UK Best Sommelier 2018 - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant L’Oustalet, 1 Star Michelin, in Gigondas, with Owner-chef Laurent Deconinck and Alexandre Fréguin, UK Best Sommelier 2018 - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

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

Tasting at Domaine la Bouïssière, Gigondas, Southern Rhône, with Josiane Faravel - 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 

Arles: Roman History and van Gogh - 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

Tasting at Domaine de la Solitude in Châteauneuf-du Pape with Owner/ Winemaker Florent Lançon - 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

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Beaurenard 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

After spending 4 days in Alsace, we were back in Germany, in the Pfalz. The first winemaker we visited was Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz, which belongs to the best of the best in Germany.

Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz, Pfalz

Hansjörg and Birgit Rebholz, the third generation of the Rebholz family continue what the founder, the Ökonomierat Eduard Rebholz began: producing highly individualistic wines by working as close as possible with nature. 

Today the winery works according to biodynamic principles. The Rebholz wines do not undergo any chaptalization, fining, or deacidifying nor will sweet reserve be added to underscore the individuality of the terroir, the climate, and the grape. 

The Rebholz were the pioneers to produce through fermented dry wines in the southern Pfalz region. 75% of the 47 acres under vine are planted with Riesling and the Burgundy grapes, 10% with Chardonnay and the rest with Silvaner, Sauvignon Blanc, Muskateller and Gewürztraminer. Due to the purity the wines have an enormous ageing potential. 

Hansjörg Rebholz motto is: “No compromise!" The famous vineyard sites are “Kastanienbusch” and “Im Sonnenschein”.

Hans and Valentin Rebholz

Our guides were Hans and Valentin Rebholz, the twin sons of Hansjörg und Birgit, who are slowly take on more and more responsibilities for the winery. We saw Valentin only shortly. It was mostly Hans Rebholz, while Valentin was working in the wine cellar. 

Hans took us on a vineyard tour by bus to the famous vineyard sites “Kastanienbusch” and “Im Sonnenschein” and then led a seated tasting at the estate.

Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz - 5/5 Stars Vinum

Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller with Hansjörg and Birgit Rebholz at Prowein 2015 in Düsseldorf

Picture: In the Cellar of Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz, Siebeldingen, Pfalz, with Hansjörg and Valentin Rebholz. See: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz, with Hansjörg and Valentin Rebholz and Sabine Wagner - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours 

Arriving

Vineyard Tour by Bus

Seated Tasting

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

Summary: Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

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

Tasting with Helmut Dönnhoff and Sascha Johannes Schömel at Weingut 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

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

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

Lunch at Waldgasthaus Scherrhof - Deep in the Black Forest, Local Badenser Cuisine at its Best - 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

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

The World Class Wines of Alsace

In the world class white wine region Alsace 

Tour of the Newly Constructed Winery with Pierre Gassmann and Tasting (with Wine Journalist Yves Beck) at Domaine Rolly-Gassmann in Rorschwihr, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Guided Tour of Château du Haut-Kœnigsburg in Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

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

Dinner at Restaurant La Veille Forge (Bib Gourmand Michelin) in Kaysersberg, Alsace, with Chef Laurine Gutleben and Restaurant Manager/ Husband Antoine Bauer, both Owners - 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

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

Touring Riquewihr/ Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 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

Wine-pairing Dinner with Owner/ Chef 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 in Wihr-au-Val/Alsace at the 1-star Michelin Restaurant La Nouvelle Auberge, with Chef Bernard Leray, Directeur de Salle Martine Leray and Sommelière Charlotte Leray - 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 

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

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

After celebrating my 70th birthday in Libreville, Gabon, Africa, I celebrated my 71st birthday in McLean, Virginia, USA.

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

Paying Respects to one of the Last Century's Great Heroes - Visiting the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Lambaréné, Gabon, Equatorial Africa

It was a seefood dinner for two, prepared by Chef Annette, at our home in McLean, Virginia.

NV Jean Josselin Champagne Alliance Brut 

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

Foie Gras de Canard

Oysters from Chincoteague Virginia (Tom's Cove)

Snow Crab Legs from Alaska

2018 Weingut Künstler Hölle Riesling Grosses Gewächs GG Tocken Germany

2018 Guerrin et Fils Mâcon-Vergisson AOC Les Rochers France

Scallops

Cheese

2020 Weingut Hillinger Blaufränkisch Austria  

See: Announcement: Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours - 12 Days: May 28 - June 08, 2023

Thank You

The last time we stopped at Château Phélan-Ségur, during the Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, we enjoyed a tour, tasting and lunch, with General Manager Véronique Dausse and Winemaker Fabrice Bacquey. See: Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Château Phélan-Ségur, with General Manager Véronique Dausse and Winemaker Fabrice Bacquey - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2019, France

This time, we did not have lunch at Château Phélan-Ségur, but only a tour and a tasting. However, we were there right in the middle of the 2022 harvest and spent some time watching the reception of the fruit.

We met Fabrice Bacquey, Maître de Chai (Winemaker), briefly.

Château Phélan-Ségur

Château Phélan-Ségur is beautifully situated in the village of Saint-Estèphe with a spectacular view over the Gironde estuary. Its origins date way back but the official history of Phélan Ségur began at the end of the 18th century when a young Irish wine broker, Bernard Phelan, settled in Bordeaux, and eventually bought two wine producing estates Clos de Garramey and Château Ségur (previously owned by Nicolas Alexandre de Ségur, nicknamed “Prince of Vines” because of his many properties in the Médoc) which he merged to become Château Phélan-Ségur. In 1810 Bernard Phelan built the magnificent, imposing Château that remains practically unchanged today. In 1985 the estate was acquired by Xavier Gardinier and is now run by his three sons. Château Phélan-Ségur is a fairly large estate with 175 acres of vineyards. The Phélan-Ségur wines are known for their immense complexity which is due to the great diversity of the terroir.

Château Phélan-Ségur (Berry Bros. & Rudd)

Château Phélan-Ségur is a Cru Bourgeois St. Estèphe property that produces textbook meaty, solid and long-lived St. Estèphes. It was bought by Xavier Gardinier in 1985 and is now run by his sons, Thierry and Laurent.

Phélan-Ségur's 66 hectares of vineyards are well-sited near the Grionde estuary and lies on well drained gravel soils. The vineyards are bordered by those of Château Montrose and Château Calon-Ségur.

Phélan-Ségur's wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (30%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). The grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and the wine is then matured in oak barriques (30% new) for 15 months.

Phélan-Ségur usually requires at least 5-7 years of bottle ageing to show at its best and the best vintages can continue improving for up to 15 years. 

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

Arriving

In the Vineyard

Harvest 2022

In the Cellar

Tasting

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

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, 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

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

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

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, 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 Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Cellar 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

3 Days and Nights in the Spectacular Medieval Town of Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, 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

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château Coutet, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Sauternes, with Technical Director Laurier Girardot - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at Restaurant L’Entrecœur in Preignac, Sauternes - Bordeaux Tour 2022 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

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

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

What we did for Dinner: 5 Nights in Bordeaux City - Wine More Time Wine Bar, Restaurant L‘Estacade, Restaurant La Terrasse Saint Pierre, Château Bouscaut, Grand Cru Classé de Graves - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

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

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

At La Baraque à Huîtres in L’ Herbe: Visit of an Oyster Farmer at the Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour 2022 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, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Estèphe - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at La Maison d’Estournel (following a Winery Tour and Vertical Tasting at Château Cos d’Estournel, Appellation Saint-Estèphe, 2ième Grand Cru Classé) - 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

 

The Wine, Concert, and History Tour - Germany East 2023 by ombiasy WineTours 

Monday, June 19 - Thursday, June 29, 2023

Discover Germany’s internationally unknown wine regions east of Frankfurt and Germany’s intellectual and cultural cradle in “Mitteldeutschland”. Spend 10 days touring four wine regions, enjoy Berlin, Germany’s vibrant, hip, and fascinating capital, indulge in first-class wines, incredible art and culture, and learn about lots and lots of fascinating German and European history from medieval times to recent events such as the transition from a divided Germany and GDR times to a unified country, and attend performances at world-renowned concert and opera houses, such as the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, the Semper Opera in Dresden., and the Mozart Festival in Würzburg. This tour will tickle all your senses and emotions.

• We will kick off the tour in Berlin, the vibrant, fascinating capital of Germany: the cauldron of cultural cool, the combo of glamour and grit, gourmet temples and curry wurst booths, world-class museums and grand opera and street art, and yes! a historic wine making region, which we will explore.
• We will visit a total of 16 wineries (the majority are members of the VDP, the German association of elite wine makers) in 4 different wine regions: Saale-Unstrut, the northernmost German wine region and former GDR territory. It is situated on the hillsides lining the Saale and Unstrut rivers and produces racy white wines from many white grape varieties; Sachsen, also located in the former GDR, is the easternmost German wine region and extends some 35 miles north and south of Dresden along the Elbe river. This region tickles all your senses with its unique voluptuous baroque architecture, a rich history, its wealth of art, and love of all the good things in life; Franken with its Bavarian charm and gorgeous, crisp, crystal clear wines from their signature grape Silvaner; Württemberg, Germany’s premier red wine region with hearty, bold wines made from grapes like Lemberger (Blaufränkisch in Austria), and Trollinger. This is the region where wine is ingrained in daily life like nowhere else. The Württemberg region has the highest per capita consumption of wine in Germany.
• We will get intimate insights into a selection of Germany’s best of the best wineries, normally not open to visitors.
• We will learn how to read the labelon German wine bottles.
• We will get to know the classification of German wines including the new VDP classification.
• We will have excellent, typical German meals at great restaurant, historical places, and at the wineries with the owner/winemaker.
• We will bump into German history and culture at every turn of our trip.
• We will heareye witness accounts of recent German history worthy of a spy thriller: from the GDR to reunified Germany.
• We will get a tour d'horizon of European history while meeting winemakers and owners of wine estates belonging to families having shaped European history thoughout the centuries.
• We will visit Leipzig and Dresden, for many centuries Europe’s cultural and intellectual centers and nowadays again - after surviving almost 50 years under communist rule - a stronghold of European culture.
• We will experience world-class performances: at the Gewandhaus Leipzig, the Semperoper Dresden, the Ballet of Stuttgart.
• We will get the insidetrack and will indulge in art, culture, and history.
  

Germany with its roughly 250,000 acres under vine belongs today to one of the smaller wine producing countries in the world. However, viticulture in Germany has a long tradition, going back to Roman times 2,000 years ago. In the 15th century, the area under vine was four times larger than it is today. Wars, subsequent loss of territory, diseases, overproduction, and competition from beer brewing resulted in land turned over to other agricultural uses. In the 19th century, concentration on terroir and technological progress fostered a tremendous improvement of quality and the prestige of German wines, in particular from the Mosel, Rheingau, and Pfalz regions, resulting in prices above those for first growth Bordeaux wines.

Today, all thirteen wine regions in Germany produce outstanding wines. However, the two regions in the former GDR had a lot of catching up to do. During the communist times from 1945 until reunification in 1989, wine production was nationalized, and winemaking took place in huge VEB (volkseigener Betrieb / company owned by the people) wineries. The output, the bottle count was imposed on the VEB by the State, and therefore quality could not play a major role. The winemaking process was deprived of modern farming and cellar techniques. The majority of wine produced was for the consumption of the communist party members. After the iron curtain came down, family wineries were founded, and the winemakers pursued quality with a vengeance. Some of Germany’s finest Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris today come from the Saale-Unstrut and Sachsen regions.

Monday, June 19 - Thursday, June 29, 2023  

Night 1: Monday, June 19: art'hotel in Berlin, a 4 star quiet, small, friendly hotel close to the Nikolaiviertel in central Berlin. The art’hotels are a collection of unique, modern hotels with an interior design inspired by artists. 

Nights 2 + 3: Tuesday, June 20 + Wednesday, June 21: Hotel Zufriedenheit in Naumburg, a new 4 star, very elegant boutique hotel with stunning room designs in the heart of Naumburg. 

Night 4: Thursday, June 22: Hotel INNSIDE in Leipzig, a brand new 4 star ultra modern hotel in a beautifully restored late 19^th century building just next to J.B. Bach’s famous Sankt Thomas Church, and the historic city center. 

Night 5: Friday, June 23: Parkhotel in Meissen, a beautiful, charming 4-star hotel built in 1870 in the art nouveau style with stunning views across the Elbe river to the Meissen cathedral and the impressive Albrechtsburg. 

Night 6: Saturday, June 24: Hotel INNSIDE in Dresden, a very stylish, modern 4-star hotel with innovative design in the heart of the city with the Twist Sky Bar on the 6th floor that allows for a spectacular panoramic views of the golden, magnificent dome of the rebuilt Frauenkirche. 

Nights 7 + 8: Sunday, June 25 + Monday, June 26: Hotel Greifensteiner Hof in Würzburg, a 4 star hotel with an old-world elegance in the historic center of the Barocke town Würzburg.

Night 9: Monday, June 27: Hotel Lamm Hebsack in Remshalden, a family-run, very cosy hotel with a long tradition of hospitality, a very warm welcome, and a good restaurant. The hotel in the small village of Remshalden is beautifully located between vineyards and orchards.

Night 10: Tuesday, June 28:Hotel zum Alten Rentamt in Schwaigern, a family-run, historic hotel, part of the Count von Neipperg Estate, with an elegant, refined interior and cultivated hospitality. I

Itinerary

For more details and the itinerary day by day go to the website of ombiasy WineTours. 

Previous Germany-East by ombiasy Winetours 

For previous Germany-East by ombiasy WineTours see here:  

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

Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture and History

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

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

We visited Domaine de Beaurenard in the center of the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. We toured the wine cellar and tasted 6 wines. 

Domaine de Beaurenard

Domaine de Beaurenard in Châteauneuf-du-Pape has been a family-run estate for seven generations. A notarial act dated December 16, 1695 mentions “Bois Renard”, which over time has become “Beaurenard”. Today Daniel and Frédéric Colon and Daniel’s sons Victor and Antoninn have taken over and are striving to sustain tradition. 

The estate covers a little under 80 acres of vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and 60 acres in the Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau AOP area. The vines in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape are 45 years old on average and the yield varies from 15 to 35 hl/ha. All of Domaine de Beaurenard’s vines are cultivated organically (Ecocert certified) and biodynamically (Demeter certified). The vines are thus attuned to nature, lunar and planetary cycles, and the rhythms of the cosmos. At key moments, biodynamic preparations (born dung, dung compost, silica, etc.) are applied that strengthen the vines’s natural defenses. To further fortify them, plant-tea sprays (nettle, yarrow, horsetail, camomile) are regularly dispensed. In the vineyards, these methods involve working the soil without herbicides, spreading carefully-dynamized manure, and maintaining sensible grass cover. They also created a conservatory with the 13 grape varieties allowed by the appellation, procured from the estate’s oldest vines which also promotes biodiversity. The varieties were selected over a five-year period and splice-grafted in a plot where the soil had been resting for 12 years. In doing this, the domaine aimed primarily to safeguard a natural genetic heritage that is particularly well adapted to the terroir.

Arriving

Cellar Tour

Tasting

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

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 Hôtellerie Restaurant Beau Rivage in Condrieu, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 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

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

Tasting and Cellar Tour with Owner/ Winemaker David Reynaud at Domaine Les Bruyères in Beaumont-Monteux, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 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

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 with Alexandra Berthet-Rayne at Domaine André Berthet-Rayne in Cairanne, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting the Wines of Château de Beaucastel at Domaine du Clos des Tourelles in Gigondas with Alexandre Fréguin, UK Best Sommelier 2018 - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant L’Oustalet, 1 Star Michelin, in Gigondas, with Owner-chef Laurent Deconinck and Alexandre Fréguin, UK Best Sommelier 2018 - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

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

Tasting at Domaine la Bouïssière, Gigondas, Southern Rhône, with Josiane Faravel - 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 

Arles: Roman History and van Gogh - 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

Tasting at Domaine de la Solitude in Châteauneuf-du Pape with Owner/ Winemaker Florent Lançon - 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

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Beaurenard 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

The Hambacher Schloss is considered a symbol of democracy in Germany. 

From 1798 to 1815 (Congress of Vienna) French Revolution troops governed the Palatinate and had given important rights to the people. 

After the Congress of Vienna this area came under Bavarian rule. The Bavarian administration stripped the people of the rights granted to them under French rule. 

In 1832 the ruin of the Hambacher Schloss was the focal point of the discontent of the Palatinate people over the repressive measures of the Bavarian administration. 

The Hambacher Fest was a German national democratic festival celebrated from 27 May to 30 May 1832 at Hambach Castle. The event was disguised as a nonpolitical county fair. It was one of the earliest main public demonstrations in support of German unity, freedom, and democracy. Finally in March of 1848 at the instigation of liberal leaders from all German States including Austria, a preliminary parliament met in Frankfurt am Main and called for election of a national assembly. The German National Assembly ultimately failed to create a united German state during the revolution of 1848.

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

Summary: Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

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

Tasting with Helmut Dönnhoff and Sascha Johannes Schömel at Weingut 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

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

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

Lunch at Waldgasthaus Scherrhof - Deep in the Black Forest, Local Badenser Cuisine at its Best - 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

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

The World Class Wines of Alsace

In the world class white wine region Alsace 

Tour of the Newly Constructed Winery with Pierre Gassmann and Tasting (with Wine Journalist Yves Beck) at Domaine Rolly-Gassmann in Rorschwihr, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Guided Tour of Château du Haut-Kœnigsburg in Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

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

Dinner at Restaurant La Veille Forge (Bib Gourmand Michelin) in Kaysersberg, Alsace, with Chef Laurine Gutleben and Restaurant Manager/ Husband Antoine Bauer, both Owners - 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

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

Touring Riquewihr/ Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 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

Wine-pairing Dinner with Owner/ Chef 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 in Wihr-au-Val/Alsace at the 1-star Michelin Restaurant La Nouvelle Auberge, with Chef Bernard Leray, Directeur de Salle Martine Leray and Sommelière Charlotte Leray - 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 

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

Lunch at Restaurant 1832 at the Hambacher Schloss in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Pfalz - 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

On January 06, 2023, Annette Schiller led a tasting at the American Wine Sociery (Northern Virginia Chapter) about: All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle?

We tasted 11 sparkling wines from around the world, ranging from a Hillinger Secco (Austria) to a Taittinger Champagne (France). 40 people participated in the tasting. We had 2 bottles per wine.

Annette Schiller: It can be confusing to see all the different labels of bubblies 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 11 sparkling wines and will evaluate the difference in the various methods of how the CO₂ gets into the bottle.  

Annette used a power point presentation for the tasting. You find the slides at the end of this posting. 

Previous Tastings

Annette has done similar tastings with different wines at 2 occasions recently: 

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle? - Tasting at the American Wine Society (NoVa Chapter) led by Annette Schiller

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle? - Wine Tasting by the German Wine Society with Annette Schiller 

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

Tasting

11 Sparkling Wines

How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle?

One fermentation:
- Adding CO2
1) NV Secco, Pink Ribbon, Pinot Noir, Hillinger, Burgenland, Austria
- Méthode Ancestrale
2) 2018 Pét-Nat, Tscherne 18-Pét Pink, Steiermark, Austria

Secondary fermentation
- Charmat Method (tank fermentation)
3) NV Prosecco, Borrasca, Extra Dry, DOCG Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy

- Transfer Method (2 different bottles)
4) NV Jansz, Premium Cuvée Tasmania, Australia
5) NV Korbel, Brut, California, USA

- Méthode Traditionelle (same bottle)
6) NV Paul Cheneau, Cava Brut, Spain
7) NV Domaine Gracieux Chevalier, Crément de Bourgogne Brut, France
8) NV Graham Beck, Rosé, Brut, South Africa
9) 2018 Peter Jakob Kühn, Spätburgunder Blanc de Noir, Brut, Rheingau, Germany
10) 2018 Domaine Carneros by Taittinger, Brut Napa Valley, USA
11) NV Taittinger Brut La Française, France

Power Point Presentation

Château Ferrière, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Margaux, is one of the pioneers of organic and biodynamic winemaking in Bordeaux. Since 2018 Château Ferrière is certified Biodyvin and Demeter. 

We started the visit with a tasting in the tasting room and then toured the winemaking facilities. We visited Château Ferrière in the middle of the harvest of the 2022 vintage.  

Château Ferrière

Château Ferrière, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Margaux is also connected to the Lurton family, but not owned by a member of the Lurton family. 

The estate was founded by Gabriel Ferrière in the mid 18 th century. He was an aristocrat in charge of the king's hunting outings during the 18th century. In 1777, he sold it to his cousins. One of them, Jean Ferrière, will become mayor of the city of Bordeaux after Robespierre's fall, in 1795. 

During the 1855 classification of the Medoc growth Château Ferrière was classified as third growth. The estate remained in the hands of the Ferrière family until 1914, when it was sold to Armand Feuillerat, then owner of another Margaux classified growth, Château Marquis de Terme. 

In 1952, the illustrious Alexis Lichine leased the vineyards of Château Ferrière. He was also owner of parts of Château Prieure Lichine and Lascombes, a second growth in Margaux. The wines of Château Ferrière were then vinified at Château Lascombes. For 40 years, only a small quantity of bottles of Château Ferrière was produced and the wine somehow became a second label for Château Lascombes. 

In 1988 the Merlaut family, négociants in Bordeaux, purchased the vineyards and the buildings, but it is only in 1992 that the agricultural lease came to an end. The family then took over the management of the vineyards as well as the vinification. 

Owner today is Claire Villars, granddaughter of Jacques Merlaut, who married Gonzague Lurton, Henry Lurton’s older brother. The 50 acres of vineyards are characterized by Garonne gravel laying over a deeper chalk and marl. The vineyards are planted with 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. 

In 2012 Claire Villars began the conversion to organic winemaking, in 2015 they were certified organic, she consequently pushed further and undertook the journey to biodynamic winemaking. Since 2018 Château Ferrière is certified Biodyvin and Demeter. 

Her husband Gonzague Lurton also converted his property, Château Durfort-Vivens in Margaux, to organic and biodynamic winemaking and together they now own the largest area of certified biodynamic vineyards among the Grands Crus Classés of 1855.

Arriving 

Tasting in the Tasting Room

Cellar Tour

2022 Harvest

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

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, 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

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

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

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, 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 Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Cellar 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

3 Days and Nights in the Spectacular Medieval Town of Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, 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

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château Coutet, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Sauternes, with Technical Director Laurier Girardot - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at Restaurant L’Entrecœur in Preignac, Sauternes - Bordeaux Tour 2022 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

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

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

What we did for Dinner: 5 Nights in Bordeaux City - Wine More Time Wine Bar, Restaurant L‘Estacade, Restaurant La Terrasse Saint Pierre, Château Bouscaut, Grand Cru Classé de Graves - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

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

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

At La Baraque à Huîtres in L’ Herbe: Visit of an Oyster Farmer at the Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour 2022 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, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Estèphe - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at La Maison d’Estournel (following a Winery Tour and Vertical Tasting at Château Cos d’Estournel, Appellation Saint-Estèphe, 2ième Grand Cru Classé) - 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

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Domaine du Pégau is one of the top Châteauneuf-du-Pape producers and always among the top 3 in France’s Revue du Vin, Wine Advocate and other important magazines.

The visit of Pégau consisted of a seated tasting with 6 wines and a tour of the cellar. Different from the previous visit, we did not have a chance to take to Owner/ Winemaker Laurence Féraud or Winemaker Andreas Lenzenwöger, as both were out of town. 

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine du Pégau in 2018, with Owner/ Winemaker Laurence Féraud and Winemaker Andreas Lenzenwöger 

Pictures: 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

Domaine du Pégau

There is evidence that the Féraud family cultivated vines as early as 1733. However Domaine du Pégau only came into existence in 1987 when Paul Féraud and his daughter Laurence created the estate with initially 17.5 acres of vineyard holdings. 

Today the domaine has a total of 51 acres in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation with a small percentage (about 4 acres) of white grapes; 67 acres of the Côte du Rhône Village appellation, 5 acres of Côte de Rhône, and 53 acres VSIG (vins sans identité géographique – vin de France). 

Pégau produces two special Châteauneuf-du-Pape red cuvées: one is the ‘Cuvée da Capo’ made most years and coming from a plot in La Crau. The lieu dit ‘La Crau’ is a very special plot in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyard sites and the most famous one. It is the area towards Courthézon and particularily rich in the galets roulés, round rocks or pebbles covering the clay soil, and perfect for retaining the heat. 

Domaine du Pégau

SommSelect.com: They may only be in their third decade, but Pégau has already topped restaurant and critics’ lists time after time. Like the illustrious Château Beaucastel, Pégau utilizes all 13 authorized grape varieties in their cuvée and extended aging always occurs in neutral foudres (king-sized oak barrels). The end result is dark, delicious, and remarkably fresh, with profound layers of minerality and spice. No heat, no syrup, just astounding depth, texture, and gorgeous aromatics. Should you be on the lookout for top examples of southern Rhône, Domaine du Pégau is a sure bet, and their “rags to riches” story only adds to the appeal. Once you taste "Cuvée Réservée," you’ll understand why they attract so much fame—their wine is classic, way underpriced, and genuinely ageworthy. We were lucky to get enough to offer six bottles per customer today—bottles any serious collector would be happy to have in his or her cellar.

Daughter-Father team Laurence and Paul Féraud have a grape-growing lineage in southern Rhône that dates to the 1600s and evidence of winemaking from 1733. Still, Domaine du Pégau didn’t formally exist until 1987. At the time, Laurence was living in Paris and returned home to help her father, Paul, farm the family’s 10 acres of vines. The following year, their first vintage was crafted in a roofless winery—it was still under construction. In an interview with the wine blog Vinography, Laurence recalled the bare-bones operation during their inaugural vintage: "We threw the bunches of grapes into the vats and then after 15 or 20 days I got in and took the [grape] must out with a pitchfork. It was my father, me, and one employee."

Money was tight in the beginning years and French wine critic Michel Bettane was their saving grace: He stumbled upon them and penned an article that resulted in much-needed exposure. Soon after, a businessman interested in importing their wines approached them. Upon tasting a few barrel samples, he requested their business, but the Férauds didn’t even have the finances to bottle their wines, so he fronted them cash in order to do so. At the time, Laurence was hand-applying every label—over 800 a day. As years passed, new cuvées were birthed, more vineyards were acquired, and their exports wildly grew. Today, Domaine du Pégau is considered not just one of the great estates of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but the world. 

Laurence Féraud, along with her father—still working in his late 70s—and a small team, farm 14 family-owned parcels around the region. Their vines, some reaching the century mark in age, are situated in various soils, mostly of clay and sand. Other parcels lie atop the classic heat-absorbing galets (round stones) of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Laurence’s holdings are predominately Grenache, but she utilizes all 13 permitted grape varieties of the appellation, both in the vineyard and her "Cuvée Réservée.” They practice sustainable farming and all grapes are harvested by hand. In the winery, a spontaneous ‘whole-cluster’ fermentation occurs in cement tanks, followed by a twice-daily pump over. After completion, aging takes place in large, neutral foudres—never new oak—for 18-24 months. It is always bottled unfiltered.

Region: Southern Rhône
Sub-Region: Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Variety: Grenache 80%, Syrah 10%, Mourvèdre 6%, All Other Permitted Varieties 4%
Alcohol: 14%
Oak: Large Neutral Foudres
Soil: Clay, Chalk, & Sand Beneath Galets
Farming: Sustainable

Arriving

Tasting

Cellar Tour

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

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 Hôtellerie Restaurant Beau Rivage in Condrieu, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 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

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

Tasting and Cellar Tour with Owner/ Winemaker David Reynaud at Domaine Les Bruyères in Beaumont-Monteux, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 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

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 with Alexandra Berthet-Rayne at Domaine André Berthet-Rayne in Cairanne, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting the Wines of Château de Beaucastel at Domaine du Clos des Tourelles in Gigondas with Alexandre Fréguin, UK Best Sommelier 2018 - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant L’Oustalet, 1 Star Michelin, in Gigondas, with Owner-chef Laurent Deconinck and Alexandre Fréguin, UK Best Sommelier 2018 - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

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

Tasting at Domaine la Bouïssière, Gigondas, Southern Rhône, with Josiane Faravel - 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 

Arles: Roman History and van Gogh - 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

Tasting at Domaine de la Solitude in Châteauneuf-du Pape with Owner/ Winemaker Florent Lançon - 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

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Beaurenard 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

Burgundy and Champagne 2023: From Lyon to Paris by ombiasy WineTours - 12-day Total Immersion

Our way of traveling allows wine lovers to fully experience the greater Burgundy area and to get a good idea about Champagne making. What comes to your mind, when you hear ‘Burgundy’? First class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; ancient history; world-renowned vineyards; Cistercian monks; 1000 year old abbeys; quaint small wine villages; the Hospice de Beaune; good cuisine. All this applies and we will explore in detail these different aspects during our tour through Burgundy and the Champagne region. 

We start in vibrant, cool, sophisticated Lyon, the capital of Haut Cuisine, travel through Beaujolais, and work our way up to the north - nothing else makes sense, since we all want the suspense finishing with the famous 'Grand Cru' regions - visiting the Mâconnais, the Côte Chalonnaise, traveling through the most famous white wine vineyards in the Côte de Beaune, to the world famous red wine vineyards in the Côte de Nuits, to Chablis and finally crossing into the Champagne region, and spending the last two nights in the world's capital of bubblies - Épernay. 

The tour ends in Paris. We will travel through beautiful vine-ribboned countryside dotted with witnesses of the great history of the Burgundy and Champagne region.

• We will visit a total of about 18 Domaines inBeaujolais, Mâconnais, Côte Chalonnaise, Côte de Beaune, Côte de Nuits, Chablis.
• We will visit very different Champagne Houses, a grower Champagne House in the Côte des Bar, the southernmost Champagne region, bigger family run Champagne Houses around the Champagne capital Epernay, a very small Champagne producer in the Vallée de la Marne region, and a famous big Champagne house in Reims.
• We will get intimate insights into the world of Burgundy and Champagne by visiting many top rated producers, but also excellent lesser known producers where the wines have a lower price tag.
• We will take a guided tour through beautiful Lyon.
• We will visit the Château de Clos de Vougeot. to explore the historical origins of the famous Burgundy wines and the cru appellation.
• We will have a guided tour through the famous Hospice de Beaune, a very important place for setting the prices for a particular vintage.
• We will visit wine merchants to learn their importance in the region.
• We will experience French hospitality and culinary art at the highest level. We have meals at Michelin starred restaurants, at wine domaines as well as at village restaurants serving typical Burgundian dishes. Believe me, even the most unassuming restaurant serves delicious food.
  

Burgundy and Champagne

Burgundy is one of the world’s best-known wine areas, but perhaps one of the least understood. Burgundy is the most terroir-oriented region in France. Immense attention is paid to the area of origin, as opposed to Bordeaux, where classifications are producer-driven and awarded to individual châteaux. In Burgundy a specific vineyard or region will bear a given classification, regardless of the owner or producer. Secularization during Napoleonic times and the Napoleonic inheritance law led to a subdivision of even the most precious vineyards so that some growers hold only a row or two of vines. Clos de Vougeot for example is a vineyard of 130 acres today parceled into plots owned by 80 different owners. This led to the emergence of négociants who aggregate the produce of many growers to make a single wine.

Burgundy with its 80,000 acres under vine represents just 3% of of the French vineyard surface area. The core of the Burgundy region is divided into five appelations from north to south: Chablis, a predominantly white wine region; Côte de Nuits, predominantly red with the world-famous Grands Crus such as La Tache, Romanée Conti, Clos de Vougeot, etc; Côte de Beaune, red and white, including the world’s most expensive white wine, the Grand Cru Montrachet as well as the famous Grand Cru Charlemagne. Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune together form the so called ‘Côte d’Or’, where the Grand Crus are located. Côte Chalonnaise and the Mâconnais follow further south and transition into the Beaujolais. According to the French land registry Beaujolais belongs to the Burgundy region. When we talk about Burgundy here I am referring to the 5 core regions. Nearly all white Burgundy is Chardonnay with only 6% Aligoté planted. Red Burgundy is almost 100% Pinot Noir, with a small amount of Gamay. There also is 3% ‘Passetoutgrain’, which is a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay. The Cistercian monks were instrumental in introducing winemaking in Burgundy and spreading the art of winemaking to other parts in Europe.

The Champagne region is fairly large and stretches from Chablis to the north of the city of Reims, about 100 miles east of Paris. The vineyard size is similar to Burgundy with 76,000 acres planted with vines. There are around 319 villages with about 5,000 growers who make their own Champagne and 14,000 growers who only sell grapes.

There are so many great producers with wonderful people at the helm that it is very difficult to choose which one to visit. We selected top estates of different price points, from sky-high 100 Parker point wines to budget friendly, excellent, unknown wines exported to the US for the first time.

12 Days: Sunday, July 02 - Thursday, July 13, 2023

Accommodation: 11 Nights

Night 1: Sunday, July 02: Grand Hotel des Terreaux in Lyon, a 4 star, beautiful 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 an indoor pool and hot tub.

Night 3: Tuesday, July 04: Hotel Le Montrachet in Puligny-Montrachet,  a 4 star just renovated hotel at the fringe of the famous wine village Puligny-Montrachet. The 1 Michelin star onsite restaurant –well known for its excellent cuisine- has a beautiful outdoor patio overlooking the vineyards.

Nights 4 + 5 + 6 + 7: Wednesday, July 05 + Thursday, July 06 + Friday, July 07 + Saturday, July 08: Hotel Henry II in Beaune, a 4 star, very comfortable hotel at the northern city gate of Beaune located within a 5 minute walk from the town center. Parts of the hotel buildings are in a historic monument with a second modern part added later.

Nights 8 + 9: Sunday, July 09 + Monday, July 10: Hostellerie des Clos in Chablis, a 4 star charming hotel with beautifully renovated rooms in the heart of Chablis with a great spa and fitness room as well as a renowned restaurant.

Nights 10 + 11: Tuesday, July 11 + Wednesday, July 12: Hôtel Jean Moët in Épernay, a 5 star exquisite boutique hotel on Épernay's elegant street dotted with palaces and mansions from a bygone era. Épernay is the viticultural capital of the Champagne region where many of the world-famous Champagne houses have their headquarters.

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Announcement: Exciting ombiasy Wine Tours in 2023

Frank John is a very small, family owned and run wine manufactury, producing ultra-premium wines according to biodynamic principles.

Frank John was cellar master at the prestigious Reichsrath von Buhl winery before he started out on his own. He now farms 8 acres of vineyards with biodynamic principles and since 2012 he is Demeter certified. Only manual harvesting in the vineyard, real spontaneous fermentation in the wine cellar without the usual post-vaccination with pure culture yeasts. Of course, no enzymes or
bacteria are added. The basic and style-defining feature is the long aging in large wooden barrels of 1.200 to 2.400 liters on the full yeast and the aging in the bottle. Patience as a basic principle, deceleration as a quality feature. Frank John is a true specialist who, like few winemakers, has mastered the full range of wine. He can make red wine, white wine, and sparkling wine. He does this by concentrating on just a few wines. 

The perfect Pinot Noir with German DNA, a dry Riesling worthy of aging and an excellent Riesling sparkling wine with bottle maturity and depth, which is even still disgorged warm, like in the past. 

The wines are all calm and balanced like John himself. You have inner radiance and seriousness. Thoroughly great, technically excellent wines. 

And with son Sebastian, the next generation is already working hard and responsibly in the cellar. Daughter Dorothea is also joining the estate.

After receiving an introduction by Sebastian John in front of the estate, we sat down in the beautiful courtyard for a vertical tasting (2018 – 2019 – 2020) of his Rieslings from different terroir as well as of his Pinot Noir. We also tasted his spectacular Riesling Sekt, before ending the visit with a tour of the wine cellar. 

Arriving

Tasting in the Courtyard

Cellar Tour

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

Summary: Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

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

Tasting with Helmut Dönnhoff and Sascha Johannes Schömel at Weingut 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

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

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

Lunch at Waldgasthaus Scherrhof - Deep in the Black Forest, Local Badenser Cuisine at its Best - 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

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

The World Class Wines of Alsace

In the world class white wine region Alsace 

Tour of the Newly Constructed Winery with Pierre Gassmann and Tasting (with Wine Journalist Yves Beck) at Domaine Rolly-Gassmann in Rorschwihr, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Guided Tour of Château du Haut-Kœnigsburg in Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

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

Dinner at Restaurant La Veille Forge (Bib Gourmand Michelin) in Kaysersberg, Alsace, with Chef Laurine Gutleben and Restaurant Manager/ Husband Antoine Bauer, both Owners - 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

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

Touring Riquewihr/ Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 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

Wine-pairing Dinner with Owner/ Chef 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 in Wihr-au-Val/Alsace at the 1-star Michelin Restaurant La Nouvelle Auberge, with Chef Bernard Leray, Directeur de Salle Martine Leray and Sommelière Charlotte Leray - 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 

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

Lunch at Restaurant 1832 at the Hambacher Schloss in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Pfalz - 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, Pfalz - 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

A very special stop during the 2022 Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours was the one at Cooperage Berger et Fils. Until very recently, and for a long time, the company was a family-company, run and owned by René Berger and his wife Valérie Berger. Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil was recently acquired by the TFF Group.

Berger & Fils is one of the top notch cooperages in Franc. Only the top gun châteaux order their barrels here. It is a small enterprise, and everyone working there strives to make the best and perfect barrique for the wine to ferment and mature to perfection.

When I first visited Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil the company was still owned and run by the Berger family. Valérie Berger was our guide and we met René Berger durng the tour. At that time the web site of Cooperage Berger & Fils contained a very detailed description of the whole barrel making process, which I used for my block posting.

In this posting, I kept the text of René and Valérie Berger. The pictures are from the 2022 Tour.

The Deputy Managing Director of Cooperage Berger & Fils was our guide.

TFF Group

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

Cooperage Berger and Fils

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

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

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, 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

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

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

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, 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 Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Cellar 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

3 Days and Nights in the Spectacular Medieval Town of Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, 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

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château Coutet, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Sauternes, with Technical Director Laurier Girardot - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at Restaurant L’Entrecœur in Preignac, Sauternes - Bordeaux Tour 2022 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

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

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

What we did for Dinner: 5 Nights in Bordeaux City - Wine More Time Wine Bar, Restaurant L‘Estacade, Restaurant La Terrasse Saint Pierre, Château Bouscaut, Grand Cru Classé de Graves - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

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

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

At La Baraque à Huîtres in L’ Herbe: Visit of an Oyster Farmer at the Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour 2022 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, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Estèphe - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at La Maison d’Estournel (following a Winery Tour and Vertical Tasting at Château Cos d’Estournel, Appellation Saint-Estèphe, 2ième Grand Cru Classé) - 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

Winery 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

With a view of wrapping up our Châteauneuf-du-Pape experience, we visited La Cave de Mathias, right in the center of the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Mathias gave a tour d’horizon of Châteuneuf-du-Pape wines and its history. 

The cave itself is an experience. This vaulted cellar of the 17th century is a place where visual art and the art of discovering the secrets of wine meet. 

We visited the following estates.

Tasting at Domaine de la Solitude in Châteauneuf-du Pape with Owner/ Winemaker Florent Lançon - 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

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

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

In the 13th century, during their stay in Avignon, the Popes – especially Pope John XXII- built a papal summer castle in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They found out that the area had exceptional soils, and they established vineyards on the slopes surrounding the summer palace. 

I found a nice article in the Los Angeles Time: “Popes throughout history have liked their juice, and when the papal sea moved to Avignon in the 13th century, that juice was Châteauneuf-du-Pape ("the pope's new castle") made from grapes grown nearby in the Southern Rhône. The castle is a ruin now, the papal court long gone back to Rome, but the wines that bear the pope's coat of arms emblazoned on the bottles are still produced more or less according to the long-standing recipe. Not every winemaker uses all 13 of the grapes in the prescribed blend, though.” 

The wines grow on a soil that is a mixture of large quartz stones (galets roulés) and sandy red clay. The large sun-warmed galets roulés reflect the sunlight and diffuse a gentle, provençal heat that helps the grapes to mature and their juice to concentrate. A very strong southern wind - the Mistral - whips up through the Rhône valley from the Mediterranean Sea and creates a welcome cooling effect, since the region can be pretty hot and dry. 

With more than 8,000 acres under vine, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the largest appellation in the Rhône. It was the first wine region in France to gain AOC (today AOP) status in 1923. 

La Cave de Mathias

Introduction

Tasting in the Cellar

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

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 Hôtellerie Restaurant Beau Rivage in Condrieu, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 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

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

Tasting and Cellar Tour with Owner/ Winemaker David Reynaud at Domaine Les Bruyères in Beaumont-Monteux, Northern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 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

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 with Alexandra Berthet-Rayne at Domaine André Berthet-Rayne in Cairanne, Southern Rhône - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tasting the Wines of Château de Beaucastel at Domaine du Clos des Tourelles in Gigondas with Alexandre Fréguin, UK Best Sommelier 2018 - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant L’Oustalet, 1 Star Michelin, in Gigondas, with Owner-chef Laurent Deconinck and Alexandre Fréguin, UK Best Sommelier 2018 - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

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

Tasting at Domaine la Bouïssière, Gigondas, Southern Rhône, with Josiane Faravel - 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 

Arles: Roman History and van Gogh - 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

Tasting at Domaine de la Solitude in Châteauneuf-du Pape with Owner/ Winemaker Florent Lançon - 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

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Beaurenard 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 - 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

Weingut Rings is one of the current shooting stars in the German wine scene. They came from nowwhere and are now one of the best producers in Germany. In 2015, Weingut Rings was admitted to the VDP, the association of about 200 elite winemakers in Germany. In the Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2023, Weingut Rings is one of the 2 climbers to the group og world class producers (5/5 Stars).

Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2023 - 2 Climbers to the 5/5 Stars Level (World Class): Salwey (Baden) and Rings (Pfalz), Germany

We were received by Andy Rings, who showed us the new winery and sat down with us for an extensive portfolio tasting of 14 wines.

Weingut Rings

The foundation for today's winery was laid by the previous generation, which farmed grapes and other fruit right up until the turn of the millennium. Son Steffen Rings started to make wine at the estate in 2001. His brother Andreas joined the family winery later after he finished his vocational training. In 2008 the brothers teamed up and have been running the estate together ever since. With its steady expansion over the last few years, the now 75 acres of vineyards are planted with an even split between red and white grape varieties. The vineyards now include many of the best sites in Freinsheim, Kallstadt and Ungstein. The brothers produce unique wines that show the different soils and the signature of the winemaker. In mid 2015 winery Rings was admitted to the VDP. This membership crowns the tireless effort of the brothers to strive for top quality wines.

Eco Certifications: EU-Bio-Zertifizierung

At Weingut Frings in 2017

The last time, we visited Weingut Rings, we were still received at the old winery in the center of Freinsheim.

With Andy Rings In Frankfurt

Arriving

Touring the Winemaking Facilities

Extensive Portolio Tasting of 14 Wines

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

Summary: Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

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

Tasting with Helmut Dönnhoff and Sascha Johannes Schömel at Weingut 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

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

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

Lunch at Waldgasthaus Scherrhof - Deep in the Black Forest, Local Badenser Cuisine at its Best - 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

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

The World Class Wines of Alsace

In the world class white wine region Alsace 

Tour of the Newly Constructed Winery with Pierre Gassmann and Tasting (with Wine Journalist Yves Beck) at Domaine Rolly-Gassmann in Rorschwihr, Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

Guided Tour of Château du Haut-Kœnigsburg in Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 by ombiasy WineTours

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

Dinner at Restaurant La Veille Forge (Bib Gourmand Michelin) in Kaysersberg, Alsace, with Chef Laurine Gutleben and Restaurant Manager/ Husband Antoine Bauer, both Owners - 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

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

Touring Riquewihr/ Alsace - Germany-South and Alsace 2022 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

Wine-pairing Dinner with Owner/ Chef 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 in Wihr-au-Val/Alsace at the 1-star Michelin Restaurant La Nouvelle Auberge, with Chef Bernard Leray, Directeur de Salle Martine Leray and Sommelière Charlotte Leray - 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 

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

Lunch at Restaurant 1832 at the Hambacher Schloss in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Pfalz - 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, Pfalz - 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 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