The 2019 Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours started with a visit of the 2019 VDP Weinbörse in Mainz. The VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter) is the association of Germany's elite winemakers. It is more than 100 years old.
Compared with large, international trade fairs the VDP Weinbörse is “klein aber fein,” (“good things come in small packages”). It takes place in the Rheingold Halle in Mainz, adjacent to the Hilton Hotel were the group spent the first night.
At the 2019 Weinbörse, 186 of 195 members offered a comprehensive overview of their vintage collections. More than 1,600 different wines and sparkling wines were served on the two days of the fair. The focus was on the 2018 vintage.
Vintage 2018
Expectations for the 2018 vintage were high beforehand. The fact that it lives up to its promises is shown by the consistently positive reactions of the international trade public. The 2018 vintage is described as "powerful, fruity with fresh acidity", but also "muscular and yet very elegant".
VDP President Steffen Christmann is also very satisfied that after the small vintage of 2017 "there is finally enough in the cellar again"
Terry Theise: 2018 is a homogenous vintage with a very high general level, below which it seldom falls (at least in this portfolio) and above which it only occasionally rises. It is, usually, a flowery and lyric vintage, neither muscular nor “powerful.” It leads with blossom. It is perhaps 80% delicious and 20% fascinating. It isn’t demanding. The wines are not inscrutable, they are forthcoming and attractive in fresh and vital ways. They feel unclouded, serene; it was consistently joyful to drink them.
The VDP
The VDP is the world’s oldest and only national association of top-quality wine estates. From the vineyard to the cellar, VDP members voluntarily adhere to stringent, in-house quality standards.
The four-tier VDP classification pyramid adopted in 2012 – VDP.GUTSWEIN, VDP.ORTSWEIN, VDP.ERSTE LAGE, and VDP.GROSSE LAGE – underscores the significance of origin as the basis of wine quality. The “VDP eagle,” a stylized eagle bearing a cluster of grapes, is mandatory on capsules and stands for terroir-driven viticulture and handcrafted winemaking.
See also:
The New Classification of German Wines: The VDP Classification - Annette Schiller Conducting a Seminar at the 2016 National Convention of the American Wine Society in Los Angeles, USA
The new (VDP) Wine Classification in Germany: Tasting Weingut Robert Weil Wines from Gutswein to Grosse Lage Wine
“Wine markets are highly competitive, both nationally and internationally. Working with the clear positioning of our premium wines and the strict, origin-based quality classification hierarchy, our members have increasingly succeeded in establishing demand in all classification levels. Naturally the big volume sales come in the base segment involving VDP.GUTSWEIN. But we also see enormous growth potential in the range of the VDP.ORTSWEIN and VDP.ERSTE LAGE®. Customers, including those in export markets, are looking for regional wines with character, and understand that origin is the decisive quality characteristic,” says VDP President Steffen Christmann.
Average sales and average prices:
Domestic 77%
Export 23%
VDP.GUTSWEIN 9.70 €
VDP.ORTSWEIN 12.70 €
VDP.ERSTE LAGE® 17.00 €
VDP.GROSSE LAGE® 32.00 €
Among others, Jancis Robinson, Stephan Rheinhard (Robert Parker) and Stuart Pigott were tasting with us.
Meeting Germany's Elite Winemakers
The visit of the 2019 Weinbörse was the perfect introduction to our wine tour: Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling
We already met many of the winemakers we were going to visit on the tour and we had the opportunity to taste many top wines from all German wine regions - those we visited on the tour and those we did not visit.
There were 12 of us this year on the Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours, including Annette and myself. 6 members opted to explore the Weinbörse themselves and 6 stayed with Annette and me.
Mainz City Tour
After the visit of the Weinbörse and before dinner, we went on a City Tour of Mainz.
Dinner at Restaurant Heilig Geist
We finished the day with dinner at the Heilig Geist (Holy Spirit). This is a very special place. A deconsecrated church with glorious, soaring vaulted ceilings sets the scene. This restaurant with good German food is just in a majestic location.
schiller-wine: Related Postings (Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling - Published and Forthcoming Postings)
Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling
Attending the 2019 Weinbörse in Mainz
2017 VDP Trade Fair Weinbörse - Vintage 2016 - in Mainz: Schiller’s Report
Vineyard tour, cellar visit and tasting at winery Joachim Flick in Hochheim, Rheingau, with Owner and Winemaker Reiner Flick
FairChoice Certified Wine in Germany: Weingut Joachim Flick in the Rheingau
Lunch at the Weingut Schloss Johannisberg Gutsrestaurant
Tour and Tasting at Schloss Johannisberg, Rheingau, with Christian Witte, Domaine Director– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany
Cellar visit and tasting at winery Geheimrat J. Wegeler in Oestrich-Winkel, Rheingau
Cellar visit and tasting at winery Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Rheingau. with Jan Christensen
Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Kloster Eberbach: Dinner, Guided Tour and Aperitif at the Schwarzes Häuschen in the Steinberg Vineyard
Wining in the Steinberg Vineyard– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau: Lunch, Tour of the Abbey, the Steinberg and the Steinbergkeller, with Tasting - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch, Cellar visit and tasting at winery Baron Knyphausen in Erbach, Rheingau, with Baron Knyphausen and winemaker Arne Willkens
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Baron Knyphausen in Erbach, Rheingau - Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Tasting and dining at winery Kaufmann in Hattenheim, Rheingau, with Owners and winemakers Urban Kaufmann and Eva Raps
Family-style Wine-pairing Lunch at Weingut Hans Lang - Kaufmann, with Owners/ Winemakers Urban Kaufmann and Eva Raps - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar tour, vineyard tour, and tasting in the vineyard at winery Laquai in Lorch, Rheingau, with Gundolf Laquai
Lunch at restaurant Altes Haus in Bacharach
Tasting and vineyard drive at winery Ratzenberger in Bacharach, Mittelrhein, with Jochen Ratzenberger
Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Ratzenberger, Mittelrhein, with Jochen Ratzenberger - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours
Rhine River Cruise in the Mittelrhein Valley
Rhine River Cruise in the Mittelrhein Valley, an UNESCO World Heritage Region - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided tour of Eltz Castle
Tasting at winery Reinhold Franzen, Bremm, Terrassen-Mosel, with Angelina Franzen
Tasting at winery Jos. Jos. Prüm in Bernkastel-Wehlen, Mosel, with Amei Prüm
Tasting at the Legendary Weingut J.J. Prüm with Amei Prüm– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016
Wine-pairing dinner at winery Richard Böcking in Traben-Trarbach, Middle Mosel, with Owner Denman Zirkle
Tasting at winery Dr. Loosen in Bernkastel-Kues, Middle Mosel, with Ernst Loosen
Wine Tasting at Weingut Dr. Loosen in Bernkastel-Kues, Mosel – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Ernst Loosen Presented his Wines at Weingut Dr. Loosen, Bernkastel-Kues, Mosel Valley, Germany
Weingut Dr. H Thanisch - Erben Mueller-Burggraef: Visit of the famous Berncasteler Doctor Cellar and Tour and Tasting at Weingut Dr. H Thanisch - Erben Mueller-Burggraef, with Ownwe Matthias Willkomm
The Wines of the Berncasteler Doctor, Bernkastel-Kues in the Mosel Valley, Germany
Lunch at Restaurant Juffer Flair of Weingut Christian Steinmetz in Brauneberg
Tasting at winery Haart in Piesport, Mosel, with Johannes Haart
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Trier, Germany
Cellar tour and tasting at winery Peter Lauer in Ayl, Upper Mosel, Saar Valley, with Katharina Lauer and Peter Lauer
Lunch at Weinrestaurant Ayler Kupp at winery Peter Lauer
Tasting at winery H. Dönnhoff, Oberhausen, Nahe, with Anne Dönnhoff
Wine Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Dönnhoff with Christina Dönnhoff– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
An Afternoon with Riesling Star Winemaker Helmut Doennhoff at Weingut Doennhoff in Oberhausen in the Nahe Valley, Germany
Visit and tasting at winery Dr. Crusius, Traisen, Nahe, with Peter and Judith Crusius.
Vineyard tour, cellar tour and tasting at winery Kruger-Rumpf, Münster-Sarmsheim, Nahe, with Stefan and Georg Rumpf
Tour, Tasting, Dinner and Overnight Stay at Weingut Kruger Rumpf, Nahe, with Stefan, Cornelia and Georg Rumpf– Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard tour and tasting at winery Bischel in Appenheim, Rheinhessen, with Christian Runkel, Owner and Winemaker
Winery visit and lunch at winery Louis Guntrum in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, with Konstantin Guntrum
Guntrum is Back (Stuart Pigott/ James Suckling): Wine Pairing Lunch and Tour at Weingut Louis Guntrum in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, with Owners Konstantin and Stephanie Guntrum - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Mainlust “Desche Otto” – an Ultra Traditional Apple Wine Tavern, with an Innovative Twist, off the Beaten Track in Schwanheim, Frankfurt am Main, Germany