The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 was released on Friday, November 24, 2017. I participated in the presentation of the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 in Mainz, Germany. See: Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards: The Award Ceremony in Mainz, Germany
The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 reviews on about 1000 pages more than 12.000 wines of 1000 wineries. Its rating symbol is a star and Germany’s best winemakers are awarded one to five stars. The wines are rated on the 1 to 100 scale.
14 winemakers received the top rating of 5/ 5 stars in the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018. I have listed them below, arranged by region.
Ahr
None.
Baden
Bernhard Huber
One of the winemakers leading the German red wine revolution. Bernhard Huber, only 53 years old, died in June 2014, after a battle with cancer. His son, Julian Huber, has taken over. We visited Weingut Huber during the Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2014 and again in 2015. 28 hectares.
See:
Wine Tasting at Weingut Bernhard Huber– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Tasting at Weingut Bernhard Huber in Baden, with Yquem Viehauser and Julian Huber – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Franken
Rudolf Fürst
Weingut Rudolf Fürst has the reputation of being a specialist for red wines, Spätburgunder and Früburgunder, which account for 60% of the production; but brilliant dry wines are also produced. Sebastian Fürst has taken over from his father Paul Fürst. 20 hectares.
Hessische Bergstrasse
None.
Mittelrhein
None.
Mosel (Mosel - Saar -Ruwer)
Egon Müller
The legendary Scharzhof lies on the Saar River. Egon Mueller’s fruity-sweet and noble-sweet, low alcohol wines are legendary. 16 hectares.
Schloss Lieser (Thomas Haag)
The older brother of Oliver Haag, Weingut Fritz Haag, grew up at Weingut Fritz Haag, see above. 12 hectares.
Thomas Haag has been the winemaker at Weingut Schloss Lieser in Lieser since 1992 and its owner since 1997. Schloss Lieser – a mighty castle – is the landmark of Lieser, a tiny, quaint Mosel village, built in 1875 by Baron von Schorlemer. Weingut Schloss Lieser was founded in 1904 and produced some of the greatest wines in the Mosel region. In the second half of the 1900s, however, the estate passed through several hands and went into decline.
Zilliken
Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken is one of Germany’s leading producer of fruity-sweet and noble-sweet wines. The estate enjoys cult status in some circles, including with some of my wine friends in the Washington DC area. 11 hectares. Only Riesling.
Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken is owned and run by Hanno Zilliken and his daughter Dorothee. Hanno and Dorothee Zilliken are Winemaker of the Year (Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017). In addition, Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken was promoted from 4/5 to 5/5 grapes in the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017. See: Hanno and Dorothee Zilliken are Winemaker of the Year (Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017)
Nahe
Dönnhoff
Helmut Dönnhoff is a Grand Seigneur of German wine. After being at the helm of this prestigious producer, he handed over to his son a few years ago. Weingut Dönnhoff produces only Riesling wines. The dry ones are much appreciated in Germany, while in the US and Asia, Weingut Dönnhoff is better known for its fruity-sweet and noble-sweet Rieslings. 25 hectares.
Schäfer-Fröhlich
Tim Fröhlich took over the virtually unknown estate of his parents in 1998 and shaped it into one of the top Nahe estates in a very short period of time.Tim is a “master” of indigenous yeast fermentation. His dry wines are much appreciated in Germany, while in the US and Asia, Weingut Dönnhoff is better known for its fruity-sweet and noble-sweet Rieslings. 20 hectares. 85% Riesling.
Pfalz
Bürklin Wolf
Bernard Bürklin founded this estate in 1597. Today it is run by his descendant, Bettina Bürklin von Gurdaze, and her husband Christian.
Weingut Bürklin Wolf is one of the largest family-owned wine estate in Germany, with 110 hectares of vineyards in the Pfalz Mittelhardt, including many of the best sites in Wachenheim, Forst, Deidesheim and Ruppertsberg. Even though this estate produces first-class sweet wines, the site is most famous for its dry Rieslings.
Knipser
A world class producer of both white and red wines. Werner Knipser has been experimenting with international red grape varieties for some years. Virtually all wines are fermented in a dry style. Werner Knipser’s children Sabine Knipser and Stephan Knipser are in the process of taking over. 40 hectares.
Ökonomierat Rebholz
A broad wine portfolio with Riesling and Pinots (Blanc, Noir and Gris) as well as Chardonnay. All dry. A mover and shaker in the "Grosses Gewächs" movement. 19 hectares.
The visit of Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz was one of the highlights of the Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014, 2015, 2017). We will be back.
See:
Wine Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Rheingau
Peter Jakob Kühn
One of the leaders of biodynamic winemaking in Germany. Last year's Gault Millau Deutschland Wunemaker of the Year. 20 hectares. 90% Riesling and 10% Pinot Noir. Peter Jakob's son Peter Bernhard Kühn is in the process of taking over.
Picture: Annette Schiller with Peter Jakob Kühn in Berlin
Robert Weil
A top producer of Riesling wines, both dry and fruity sweet and noble sweet wines, well presented in the major wine markets in the world. Now co-owned by the Japanese Suntory company and General Manager Wilhelm Weil, the fourth generation of the founding family. 90 hectares. Only Riesling.
Rheinhessen
Keller
Leader of the Rheinhessen wine renaissance. Has a broad wine portfolio with 60 % accounted for by Riesling and also including the lesser known autochthon Silvaner as well as Spaetburgunder. 15 hectares.
Wittmann
Saale-Unstrut
None.
Sachsen
None.
Württemberg
None.
Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018
The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 was released on Friday, November 24, 2017. I participated in the presentation of the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 in Mainz, Germany. The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 is at the same time a new and an old German wine guide.
2 days after the publication of the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018, on Monday, November 27, the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 was released. The Gault Millau WeinGuide 2018 was published by Zabert + Sandmann, which had aquired the license for the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland in June 2017 from the Christian Verlag. The latter had published the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland for many years.
The Gault MillauWeinGuide Deutschland 2018 was put togather by a newly established team of tasters, all of them highly regarded, led by Editor-in-Chief Britta Wiegelmann. Previously, she was Editor-in-Chief of the Vinum Wine Journal. She took over the position from Joel B. Payne, who had been the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland Editor-in-Chief (earlier with Armin Diel) since it was first published in 1994.
Joel B. Payne - along with his Deputy Carsten S. Henn - stayed with the Christian Verlag, managed to bring on board the Vinum Journal and decided to continue publishing a wine guide under a new name: The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland was borne.
The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 was put togather Joel B. Payne, Editor-in-Chief, and Carsten Henn, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, with the same team that put togather and rated the wines and winemakers of the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017, published 12 months ago. The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 looks very much like the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017 except for the color of the cover, which is red and no longer green. Also, the winemakers do not receive 1 to 5 grapes anymore but 1 to 5 stars.
Joel B. Payne made clear that he sees the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 as an update of the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017 and in a row with the previous 24 issues of the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland, the production of which he led as Editor-in-Chief. Red is now the new Green, said Joel B. Payne at the presentation of the Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2018 (which is red), while the cover of the Gault Millau Millau WeinGuide Deutschland has been green during the past 24 years and continues to be green.
schiller-wine: Related Postings
A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2016, USA
Wine Tasting at Weingut Bernhard Huber– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Tasting at Weingut Bernhard Huber in Baden, with Yquem Viehauser and Julian Huber – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Tasting and Tour with the Pinot Noir Legend Paul Fürst, Weingut Rudolf Fürst in Bürgstadt, Franken – Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Winemaker Dinner with Sebastian Fürst, Weingut Fürst, Franken, at Schaumahl, Offenbach/ Frankfurt, 16 Points Gault Millau, Germany
Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards: The Award Ceremony in Mainz, Germany
The World of Riesling in Seattle - Fourth Riesling Rendezvous in Washington State, USA
Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015
Tasting at Weingut Schloss Lieser in Lieser with Owner/ Winemaker Thomas Haag– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016
Hanno and Dorothee Zilliken are Winemaker of the Year (Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017)
Dorothee Zilliken, Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken Presents her Noble Rieslings at Frankfurt/Wein in Frankfurt, Germany
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken with Hanno Zilliken - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
An Afternoon with Riesling Star Winemaker Helmut Doennhoff at Weingut Doennhoff in Oberhausen in the Nahe Valley, Germany
Wine Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
One of the Bio-dynamic Stars in Germany: Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn in Östrich, Winkel– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2015, USA
2017 VDP Trade Fair Weinbörse - Vintage 2016 - in Mainz: Schiller’s Report
Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards: The Award Ceremony in Mainz, Germany