The world of Riesling returned to Seattle in Washington State.The attraction was the 4th Riesling Rendezvous, a gathering of Riesling producers and enthusiasts from around the world. Riesling Rendezvous is sponsored by Chateau Ste. Michelle, the Washington State giant wine producer and Weingut Dr. Loosen, one of Germany’s top Riesling producers from the Mosel Valley. The famous Eroica Riesling from Washington State is a joint venture of Ste. Michelle and Dr. Loosen. Riesling Rendezvous is the largest international gathering of Riesling producers and enthusiasts in the world. It features three days of tasting, discussing and learning about Riesling.
Germany was represented by 9 elite winemakers. This posting profiles the German winemakers who flew over to Seattle to participate in the 4th Riesling Rendezvous. Two of the German winemakers that were announced as participants had to cancel their participation: H.O. Spanier of Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier and Kuehling-Gillot, and Johannes Leitz of Weingut Leitz.
This posting is part of a series of a dozen or so postings on the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle. I have posted sofar:
The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA
Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany
Photo Album: 4th Riesling Rendezvous (2013) in Seattle, Washington State, USA
The 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle: Impressions from the Grand Tasting at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Washington State, USA
The World of Riesling in Seattle - Fourth Riesling Rendezvous in Washington State, USA
Coming Up in July: 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Washington State, USA
The German Winemakers at the Forthcoming 4. Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Washington State, USA
The German Winemakers
Ernst Looseninvited Loosen Bros. CEO Kirk Wille and his team as well as the 3 German winemakers he represents in the US (Weil, Maximin Gruenhaus, Fritz Haag) plus his friend Helmut Doennhoff and his wife for dinner the evening before the event started.
All German winemakers poured their wines at the opening event, the Grand Tasting on the grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, late Sunday afternoon.
The 4. Riesling Rendezvous concluded with a farewell reception at Chihuly Garden and Glass at the Seattle Center. The Chihuly Garden and Glass is a breathtaking gallery space showcasing the spectacular art of Northwest glass master Dale Chihuly. It was a dramatic and entertaining way to bid farewell to new and old friends as we concluded our Riesling celebration.
All German winemakers presented one wine in the two International Riesling Tastings (dry and beyond dry). The wine is mentioned at the end of the chapter. I will report on schiller-wine about the two International Riesling Tastings. There you will find notes on the wines.
A. Christmann
Weingut A. Christmann is located in Gimmeldingen in the Pfalz. It is owned and run in the 7th generation by Steffen Christmann, who is the current President of the VDP, the association of German elite winemakers.
In 1845 Prof. Dr. Ludwig Häusser and his cousin Johann Martin founded a small winery as a hobby. During the next generations, the winery operations turned into a business. In 1894, Eduard Christmann married Henriette Häusser, the granddaughter of the founder. The estate bears the name of their son Arnold.
Devotion to soil vitality and the preservation and individuality of the terroir has lead Steffen Christmann to practice organic agriculture, strict vineyard management, and severe yield reduction. In the cellar, Steffen Christmann employs long and gentle pressing with low pressure, clarification through natural sedimentation, and a slow, not too cool fermentation sometimes until as late as June with only one filtration.
Weingut A. Christmann Rieslings and Pinot Noirs are among Germany’s finest. 18.5 hectares, 70% Riesling.
Steffen Christmann, jointly with Wilhelm Weil, conducted a workshop on the new VDP classification, where participants could also taste 4 wines of Weingut A. Christmann and Weingut Robert Weil.
Although many people think that there is only one wine classification system in Germany – the classification system of the Law of 1971 – this is not correct. True, the classification system of the Law of 1971 with its pyramid of ripeness of the grapes at harvest (Qualitaetswein, Kabinett, Spaetlese, Auslese …) at the center is the standard classification system in Germany and the vast majority of winemakers in Germany use this approach. A large number of winemakers, however, have moved away from the standard, in particular the producers of premium and ultra-premium wines. Importantly, the powerful group of German elite winemakers – the VDP (Verband Deutscher Praedikatswein Produzenten) – has conceived its own classification system and is developing it further. The latest modifications are those that came into effect with the vintage of 2012.
Steffen Christmann and Wilhelm Weil provided an overview of the system as it currently stands.
2011 Idig Riesling Trocken Grosses Gewaechs (dry)
Clemens Busch
Weingut Clemens Busch is one of the top producers in Germany. And not only that. In a region where the humidity and extremely steep vineyards make most wine makers to rely on some level of pesticide, Clemens Busch is 100% organic/biodynamic.
In a region where noticeable residual sugar in the finished wine and low alcohol is the calling card, Clemens Busch’s focus is on dry premium Rieslings that can compete with the best dry whites in the world. But Clemens Busch also produces off-dry wines as well as powerfully complex, nobly sweet wines.
Weingut Clemens Busch is in Pünderich in the Mosel Valley, rather far down stream. The Busch family lives near the banks of the Mosel in a restored half- timbered house built in 1663. Because flooding can occur here, the vaulted cellar, built in the 1970s, lies nearby, on higher ground, at Clemens’s parents’ home.
The business has been run by Rita and Clemens Busch since 1986, with son Florian joining the team in 2008. Clemens is the fifth generation winemaker at this estate.
10 hectares, 95% Riesling
2010 Marienburger 1.Lage Grosses Gewaechs Fahrlay Riesling Trocken (dry)
See also:
With Wine Maker Clemens Busch in Puenderich at his Winery in the Mosel Valley, Germany
Dönnhoff
Weingut Hermann Dönnhoff is in Oberhausen in the Nahe Valley. The Dönnhoff family has been making wine in this region since 1750.
A leading producer of Riesling wines in the world, including noble-sweet Rieslings. 80% of Dönnhoff's 20 hectares of vineyard holdings grow Riesling grapes, with the remaining twenty percent Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris.
Since 1971, Helmut Dönnhoff has been in charge. Helmut Doennhoff is a Grand Seigneur of German wine. He has been described by Hugh Johnson as having a "fanatical commitment to quality, and a remarkable natural talent for winemaking" and as a "superstar" of the region by Robert Parker. Helmut Doennhoff was named German Winemaker of the Year in 1999 by the Gault Millau Guide. He now works in tandem with his son Cornelius Doennhoff. 25 hectares.
2003 Niederhaeuser Herrmannshoehle Riesling Spaetlese (beyond dry)
See also:
Top 10 Riesling Producers in the World– Snooth 2012
Dr. Loosen
Ernst Loosen is a winemaker based in Germany, who now makes 4 different wines in Germany and the USA: First, Mosel Valley Rieslings, mostly fruity-sweet that made him so famous in the world; second, Pinot Noirs and other wines from the Pfalz, all dry, where he owns Weingut J.L. Wolf; third, the J. Christopher Wines, a collaboration of Ernst Loosen and Jay Somers, mainly Pinot Noir, from Oregon and fourth, the Eroica wines, a collaboration between Dr. Loosen and Chateau Ste. Michelle, the giant wine producer, in Washington State.
Weingut Dr. Loosen is located just outside Bernkastel in the Mosel wine region. The vineyard area totals 22 hectares. Production amounts to 15.000 cases. Ernst Loosen won the "Riesling of the Year" of the German wine magazine Der Feinschmecker in 1989. In 2001, the Gault Millau Weinguide named Ernst Loosen as the German Winemaker of the Year.
Ernst Loosen was co-host. He opened and closed the 4th Riesling Rendezvous with Chateau Ste. Michelle CEO Ted Baseler.
Jointly with Chateau Ste. Michelle Winemaker Bob Bertheau, Ernst Loosen led a Winemakers Roundtable: To Blend or not to Blend (which I was not able to attend).
2011 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Trocken Grosses Gewaechs (dry)
2012 Eroica Gold Riesling (jointly with Chateau Ste. Michelle) (beyond dry)
See also:
Riesling from Germany and Pinot Noir from Oregon: A Winemaker Dinner with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen and J.Christopher Wines, at Black Salt in Washington DC.
Riesling, Pinot Noir and Indian Cuisine: A tête-à-tête Dinner with Winemaker Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at Rasika in Washington DC, USA
Ernst Loosen and Dr. L. Riesling - His Hugely Popular Entry-level Wine Sold Throughout the World;
The Doctor Made a House Call - A Tasting with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC, USA
A Riesling Guru and a Killer Guitarist cum Cult Winemaker: Ernst Loosen and Jay Somers and their J. Christopher Winery in Newberg, Oregon
Wine ratings: Two American/German wines - Eroica and Poet's Leap - on Top 100 Wines from Washington State list for 2009
German American Wines: (1) Pacific Rim Riesling (2) Eroica and (3) Woelffer's Schillerwein
Weingut Fritz Haag
Weingut Fritz Haag is located in Brauneberg in the Mosel Valley. It was founded in 1605. It is now run and owned by Oliver Haag and his wife Jessica Haag.
Oliver’s father, Wilhelm Haag, was in charge bewtween 1957 to 2005. Wilhelm was named German Winemaker of the Year in 1994 (Gault Millau). Oliver graduated with a degree in oenology at Geisenheim College. Oliver's brother, Thomas Haag, has owned and run Weingut Schloss Lieser since 1993.
Weingut Fritz Haag owns a total of 16.5 hectares of Riesling vines around Brauneberg, with 6.5 hectares within Brauneberger Juffer and 3 hectares in the Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr vineyard. Stephen Brook says that the estate's "forte lies in the superb range of sweeter styles, all produced without Süssreserve.
The average annual production is around 5,500 cases of wine, with wines produced at all Prädikat levels, as well as top level dry wines designated as Grosses Gewächs.
2003 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese (beyond dry)
Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan
The Geheimer Rat von Bassermann Jordan Estate was established in the 1700s by Andreas Jordan, who had immigrated to the Pfalz from the Savoy region. When he died in 1848, his bequest was split three ways – an event known as the Jordansche Teilung (Teilung means “division” or “sharing” in German) – giving rise to Deidesheim’s three biggest wineries, which thenceforth developed independently of each other and still exist today. Today, they bear the names Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan, Reichsrat von Buhl and von Winningen (Dr. Deinhard). They are now all owned and managed (management at Reichsrat von Buhl is in the process of being transferred ) by the entrepreneur the family the late Achim Niederberger (who died just a few days ago). Gunther Hauck is the Managing Director and Ulrich Mell the winemaker.
49 hectares. 40,000 bottles.
2011 Deidesheimer Leinhoehle Riesling Spaetlese (beyond dry)
Maximin Grünhaus (Carl von Schubert)
The historic Maximin Grünhaus estate lies at the foot of a long, steep south-facing slope on the left bank of the Ruwer river, about two kilometers upstream from where it joins the Mosel, and is divided into three separate but contiguous vineyards: Abtsberg, Herrenberg, and Bruderberg. The estate belongs to the family of Carl von Schubert.
The estate was first documented in 966. The Schubert family purchased it in 1882. Since 1982, Dr. Carl von Schubert has managed the estate's vineyards. The Schlosskellerei von Schubert estate is more commonly referred to as Maximin Grünhaus.
The Abtsberg: Wines from this vineyard were originally destined for the table of the Abbot (or “Abt”) of the Abbey of St. Maximin. The site covers 35 acres, parts of which have been planted with vines for over a thousand years. The subsoil is blue Devonian slate and the hillside runs south-east to south-west, achieving a gradient of up to 70 percent.
The Herrenberg: Wines from this site were made specially for the Abbey’s choirmasters. Extending over 40 acres, the site benefits from deep soils with good water retention, over a base of red Devonian slate.
The Bruderberg: The smallest of the three Grünhaus vineyards, covering just 2.5 acres, the Bruderberg provided wine for the monks (or ‘brothers’). The site has the same Devonian slate soil as the Abtsberg next door.
2011 Gruenhaeuser Abtsberg Riesling Superior (beyond dry)
See also:
Carl von Schubert from the Maximin Gruenhaus Estate Returned a Favor: With his Wines in Washington DC (and in Seattle), USA
Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt
Since 1983, Annegret Reh-Gartner’s has directed the more than 600-year-old estate, which her father Günther Reh acquired in 1978. Achieving high quality has always been the focal point of her endeavors, just as her wines have always been subject to high standards. The conscious decision to reduce the size of the estate to 36 ha (ca. 90 acres) was an important step, for it enabled the estate to work more selectively in its vineyards and further improve quality. The entire team regards each of the estate’s 12 ha (30 acres) of steep sites in the Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer valleys as both a wonderful gift and a tremendous challenge. Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt is one of the region’s first estates to successfully offer Grosse Gewächse wines.
Annegret Reh-Gartner has been married for more than 25 years to Gerhard Gartner, who defended two Michelin stars in his Aachen-based restaurant Gala for over 10 years. He was recognized as one of the finest chefs of Germany. After taking his final curtain call on the gourmet stage, he devoted himself to his second passion – wine.
With a history that spans more than 650 years (1349-1999), Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt is one of the most traditional estates in the Mosel region. The von Kesselstatt dynasty immigrated to the electorate of Trier in the 14th century.
Four monasteries of St. Maximin and their vineyard holdings were purchased between 1854 and 1889. These remain the basis of the estate to this day.
On the Mosel: Josephshof in Graach with 8 ha (20 acres) of vines in 1858 and Domklausenhof in Piesport with 8 ha (20 acres) of vines in 1858.
On the Saar: Abteihof in Oberemmel with 21 ha (52 acres) of vines in 1889.
On the Ruwer: St. Irminenhof in Kasel with 8.5 ha (21 acres) of vines in 1854.
From 1746 until 1999, estate headquarters were in Palais Kesselstatt in Trier, one of the most beautiful baroque palaces north of the Alps. It was built between 1740 and 1746 by Johann Valentin Thomann, a student of Balthasar Neumann.
Palais Kesselstatt, with its historical vaulted cellars and idyllic courtyard, were lovingly renovated by Günther Reh after he purchased the estate. Today, it is the site of the estate’s wine pub, “Weinstube Kesselstatt.”
In 1987, after extensive reconstruction and building, the estate moved its winemaking facilities to Schloss Marienlay in the Ruwer Valley, which has also served as the estate’s headquarters since 1999.
2011 Josefshoefer Riesling Kabinett (beyond dry)
Robert Weil
Weingut Robert Weil is without any doubt the Rheingau’s flagship winery and one of the top wineries in Germany. In the Feinschmecker Weinguide Deutschland ranking, Weingut Robert Weil is, along with Weingut Dr. Loosen, one of the 16 German wineries with the maximum number of 5 F’s.
Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Wilhelm Weil at Weingut Robert Weil in KiedrichWeingut Robert Weil is managed by Wilhelm Weil, who owns the winery jointly with Suntory from Japan. With 75 hectares under vine, it is one of the largest estates in the Rheingau. The historical manor house, the ultra-modern cellars and the vinothek stand side by side in a beautiful park – the same synthesis of old and new that is reflected in the estate’s philosophy of winemaking.
Weingut Robert Weil is located in the heart of Kiedrich, a village first documented in the year 950. Kiedrich Turmberg and Kiedrich Gräfenberg, the estate’s top vineyards, are among the finest sites in the Rheingau.
The estate cultivates 70 hectares (173 acres) of vineyards, of which 100 percent are planted with Riesling. Kiedrich Turmberg and Kiedrich Gräfenberg are situated on a southwest-facing ridge and a steep cliff with inclines of up to 60 percent. Their soils consist of deep and medium-deep stony, fragmented phyllite partially mixed with loess and loam. This combination of barren stony soils, an ideal microclimate, steep inclination and southwestern exposure allows the grapes to hang on the vine for a very long time. The resulting wines are complex and rich in minerals, with great elegance and finesse.
The vineyards are cultivated in an environmentally friendly manner: organic fertilizer is used as needed; green cover is planted in alternating rows to optimize the humus content of the soil; herbicides are never used, and other plant protection measures are used only sparingly and with respect for habitat. Grapes are harvested by hand, with an extremely critical selection that involves up to 17 rounds through the vineyards.
Wilhelm Weil, jointly with Steffen Christmann, conducted a workshop on the new VDP classification, where participants could also taste 4 wines of Weingut A. Christmann and Weingut Robert Weil.
2009 Kiedricher Graefenberg Erstes Gewaechs (dry)
See also:
Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany
Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany
schiller-wine: Related Postings
When Americans Drink German Wine - What They Choose
German Wine Basics: Sugar in the Grape - Alcohol and Sweetness in the Wine
1st International Riesling Symposium, Rheingau, Germany
Coming Up in July: 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Washington State, USA
Germany’s 2011 VDP Grosses Gewaechs – Grand Cru - Wines Released. Notes from the Pre-release Tasting in Wiesbaden, Germany
German Spaetlese Wines Can Come in Different Versions. I Have Counted Five.
Approaches to Classifying German Wine: The Standard Approach (the Law of 1971), the VDP Approach and the Zero Classification Approach
Wine Blogger Christian G.E. Schiller from schiller-wine Featured Guest of #SommChat on Twitter
Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany
Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany
The Doctor Made a House Call - A Tasting with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC, USA
A Riesling Guru and a Killer Guitarist cum Cult Winemaker: Ernst Loosen and Jay Somers and their J. Christopher Winery in Newberg, Oregon
Wine ratings: Two American/German wines - Eroica and Poet's Leap - on Top 100 Wines from Washington State list for 2009
German American Wines: (1) Pacific Rim Riesling (2) Eroica and (3) Woelffer's Schillerwein
Riesling, Pinot Noir and Indian Cuisine: A tête-à-tête Dinner with Winemaker Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at Rasika in Washington DC, USA
With Wine Maker Clemens Busch in Puenderich at his Winery in the Mosel Valley, Germany
Stepping up: From 3 … to 4 Quality Levels - The New Classification of the VDP, Germany
Germany’s 2011 VDP Grosses Gewaechs – Grand Cru - Wines Released. Notes from the Pre-release Tasting in Wiesbaden, Germany, 2012
German Spaetlese Wines Can Come in Different Versions. I Have Counted Five.
Approaches to Classifying German Wine: The Standard Approach (the Law of 1971), the VDP Approach and the Zero Classification Approach
Ernie and his Friends - The Loosen Bros. USA Portfolio Tour 2012
Top 10 Riesling Producers in the World– Snooth 2012
Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany
Carl von Schubert from the Maximin Gruenhaus Estate Returned a Favor: With his Wines in Washington DC (and in Seattle), USA