The Frankfurt Restaurant scene has been enriched earlier this year by the opening of the Golden Kron in Eschersheim, owned and managed by Michelin-starred Chef Alfred Friedrich and Cult Sommelier Pit Punda.
Chef Alfred Friedrich can look back to an impressive serie of Michelin stars earned in some of Germany's best restaurants. Pit Punda is a well-known Sommelier and General Manager in the Frankfurt Restaurant szene. They teamed up earlier this year to take over Zur Golden Kron in Eschersheim, a Frankfurt suburb.
Pit Punda's and Alfred Friedrich's Zur Golden Kron is an Edelwirtshaus/ Noble Inn. They do not have the intention to add another Michelin star to Alfred Friedrich's most impressive CV. They have someting else in mind: High quality inn cooking. This represents a radical cut with the past for Alfred Friedrich and a rare opportunity for his guests, because it is still the genius Alfred Friedrich in the kitchen, but now cooking at a less sophisticated and more affordable level in a very relaxed atmosphere.
Zur Golden Kron in Eschersheim is an historic half-timbered house. Records indicate that already in the 13. century there were horse stables in the building and probably an inn. Traders stopped here on the way to Frankfurt.
Zur Golden Kron comprises 3 charming wood-paneled inn rooms, a courtyard where it is lovely to sit during the summer months and a separate room with modern kitchen facilties which can hold a group of up to 30 guests.
December: Chef's Table Winemaker Dinner with Winemaker Rainer Schnaitmann
Once a month, on the second Friday, Zur Golden Kron organizes a kind of chef's table winemaker dinner in the separate event location that has its own kitchen. This month, world class winemaker Rainer Schnaitmann from Würtemberg was the guest of honor.
In an Decanter (November 2017) article by Anne Krebiehl, MW, Weingut Schnaitmann is one of the 20 top Spätburgunder producers selected by the author. See: Decanter November 2017: Spotlight on German Pinot Noir - The 20 German Spätburgunder Favorites of Anne Krebiehl (MW), UK
14 guests were sitting at a large table with Rainer Schnaitmann in one half of the room and Alfred Friedrich with his crew was preparing the food in the kitchen in the other half of the room. This is a kind of a chef's table atmosphere, where you can see into the kitchen from your table where you are eating. Particulary on my side of the table, I was very near to the kitchen and could watch the master very closely prepare the 7 courses of the menu. Sometimes, I would get up and stand next to Chef Alfred Friedrich.
The dinner started at 8:00pm and ended at around 1:00am after midnight. Annette and I were the last to leave Zur Golden Kron at 3:00am in the morning. It was a spectacular event.
Euro 149 including tax and tips for 7 courses and 9 Weingut Schnaitmann wines.
Alfred Friedrich
Alfred Friedrich is a top gun in the German restaurant scene. He was for 3 years Souschef at Eckart Witzigmann's Aubergine (3 stars Michelin) in Munich. He also worked with Jörg Müller (3 stars Michelin) on the island of Sylt. In 1991, he became Executive Chef at the Brückenkeller im Frankfurt (2 stars Michelin). In 1996 he opened his own restaurant Humperdinck in Frankfurt and earned 1 Michelin star. From 1999 to 2004 he was the Executive Chef at the Restaurant Marcobrunn (Hotel Schloss Reinhartshausen) in Eltville, Rheingau. After that he was the Chef de Cuisine at Heinz Winkler's Residenz in Aschau (3 stars Michelin). From 2009 to 2014 he was the Executive Chef at the Tigerpalast in Frankfurt and pushed the restaurant from 1 to 2 stars Michelin. In the past 3 years, he was the Executive Chef at Lafleur (2 stars Michelin) in Frankfurt and the 1718 Bistro in the Ketschauer Hof in Deidesheim.
Pit Punda
Host Pit Punda is well known in the Frankfurt gastro scene from his days at Emma Metzler, Cyrano and Zarges. Most recently he was the General Manager and Head Sommelier at our beloved SchauMahl in Offenbach (Frankfurt). I also still remember the corner bistro Cyrano, which he run with Chef Milan Seidenfaden. I was a regular there during the 6 years it existed.
Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann
Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann is in Fellbach (close to Stuttgart) in Württemberg. For over 500 years the Schnaitmann family has been making wine in the Rems and Neckar valleys.
After his studies and some apprenticeships, Rainer Schnaitmann no longer wanted to deliver his grapes to the local cooperative. With lots of time and effort, his grandparent’s historical house was renovated, and a new focus on quality varietals was put into place. The 1997 vintage was the first under his own label. Initial success stories followed soon thereafter, particularly with Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, all of which enhanced the young estate’s reputation. Rainer Schnaitmann is convinced that there is much untapped potential in the vineyards of the Rems Valley.
The conversion to organic viticulture is finished, and it will lead in long-term stability and even more job satisfaction.
What Rainer Schnaitmann he has accomplished in 20 years, taking 2 ½ hectares from the local Fellbach co-op to the top of the Württemberg wine region with now 25 hectares, is an amazing accomplishment in German wine. Today, Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann belongs to the larger (privately owned) estates in Württemberg. Rainer Schnaitmann definitely helped putting Württemberg on the map for the serious wine aficionado outside of Germany.
His most important holding is the Grosse Lage (Grand Cru) Fellbacher Lämmler with gypsum keuper, colored marl and sedimented red sandstone depending on elevation in the vineyard. The other Grand Cru, the Uhlbacher Götzenberg, Rainer Schnaitmann’s holdings are in the heart piece which is a red sandstone quarry – easy to warm up, poor water maintenance – lighter soil produces looser knit but refined Rieslings.
Grape varieties: 25% Riesling 25% Lemberger 20% Pinot Noir 8% Sauvignon Blanc 6% Pinot Gris 16% other. Weingut Schnaitmann produces 11,000 cases annually and is a member of the VDP since 2006.
In a recent Decanter article by Anne Krebiehl, MW, Weingut Schnaitmann was one of the 20 top Spätburgunder producers listed by the author. See: Decanter November 2017: Spotlight on German Pinot Noir - The 20 German Spätburgunder Favorites of Anne Krebiehl (MW), UK
Rainer Schnaitmann is widely available in the US through Rudi Wiest Selections.
Dinner
Apero
Tatar vom Saibling
mit Saiblingskaviar von Sicher aus Tainach und Vogelmiere
2013 Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann Evoé! Blanc de Noir Brut Nature
Amuse Bouche
Schwäbisch Hallisches Spanferkel
mit drei Variationen mit Filderkraut
2016 Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann Altenberg Riesling Erste Lage
2015 Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann Götzenberg Riesling Grosse Lage GG
Vorspeise
Lauwarmer Hummer Carpaccio
mit Zitronengras und Edamame
2015 Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann Sauvignon Blanc Réserve
Zwischengang 1
Gebratener Wolfsbarsch
mit Fregola Sarda und Austernjus
2016 Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann Grau Weiss Erste Lage
Zwischengang 2
Vendée Taube Taubenbrust
Roter Bete, Tropea Zwiebeln, Himbeere
2015 Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann Lämmler Spätburgunder Grosse Lage GG
Hauptgang
Rücken vom Hirschkalb
mit Holunderbeeren, Schokolade, Gewürzbrot und Rosenkohl
2015 Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann Siemenroth Lemberger Erste Lage
2015 Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann Siemonroth Cuvée MC (Merlot Cabernet Franc) Erste Lage
Dessert
Tarte vonder Williams Birne
mit Honig-Thymianeis
2016 Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann Badmer Gewürztraminer Auslese
Bye-bye
Thanks Rainer, and Pit and Alfred for an outstanding chef's table winemaker dinner.
Upcoming Chef's Table Winemaker Dinners at Zur Golden Kron
Friday January 12, 2018: Weingut Graf Neipperg/ Württemberg
Friday February 9, 2018: Weingut Nittnaus/ Gols
Friday March 9, 2018: Weingut Zehnthof Luckert/ Franken
Friday April 13, 2018: Weingut Gutzler/ Rheinhessen
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