The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020 was released on Thursda, October 31, 2019. The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020 reviews on about 1000 pages more than 11.000 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.
The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020 honored the following three outstanding personalities of the German wine world with Winemaker of the Year, Rising Star of the Year and Discovery of the Year awards:
Winemaker of the Year (Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020): Matthias and Hansjörg Aldinger, Weingut Aldinger (Württemberg)
Rising Star of the Year (Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020): Carl Ehrhard, Weingut Ehrhard (Rheingau)
Discovery of the Year (Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020): Carsten Saalwächter, Weingut Saalwächter (Rheinhessen)
12 winemakers received the top rating of 5/ 5 stars in the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020. I have listed them below, arranged by region. There are no changes compared with last year.
See: Germany's 12 Top Winemakers (With 5/5 Stars) - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2019
Postings/ Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020
I am releasing 4 postings with regard to the Vinum WeingGuide Deutschland 2019:
Germany's Best Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020 Awards
Germany's Best Wines: 10 Categories - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020
Germany’s 12 Top Winemakers (With 5/5 Stars) - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020
100 Points Wine - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020
Winemaker of the Year (Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2020): Matthias and Hansjörg Aldinger, Weingut Aldinger (Württemberg)
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.
See:
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
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
Winemaker Dinner with Chef/ King of Spices Ingo Holland and Sebastian Fürst (Weingut Rudolf Fürst, Franken), Julian Huber (Weingut Bernhard Huber, Baden) and Jérôme Legras (Champagne Legras & Haas)
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. 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.
Nahe
Emrich-Schönleber
The first mentioning of winegrowing in the Schönleber family dates back to the mid-18th century. Today the estate has 20.4 hectares of vineyards and 85% is planted with Riesling. Monzingen is located in the western fringes of the Nahe winegrowing area, with vineyards situated between 160 to 250 metres above sea level, and protected from the north by the Soonwald forest. Werner and Frank Schönleber’s rigorous quality control brought the winery to the upper echelon in Germany and beyond.
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. The estate’s 22 ha are farmed bio-dynamically with a production of about 10,000 cases.
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
Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Wine Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
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
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
The Wittmann family has been growing grapes and producing wine in the small Rheinhessen village of Westhofen since 1663. Today, the estate cultivates 62 acres of vines in the rolling limestone hills found in the southern part of the region, just west of the Rhine river valley. They have been pioneers in developing the full-bodied, well-balanced style of dry wines for which the region has become known. And they were early adopters of organic (1990) and biodynamic (2004) viticulture.
Riesling is the dominant grape variety, accounting for 65% of the estate’s vineyard area. They also produce the three Pinot varieties (Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir), as well as Silvaner. In addition, small quantities of Scheurebe, Chardonnay and some minor varieties are grown.
Saale-Unstrut
None.
Sachsen
None.
Württemberg
None.
schiller-wine: Related Postings
UPCOMING Tours/ Wine Dinners/ Tastings - Annette and Christian Schiller/ ombiasyPR & WineTours/ schiller-wine, Germany, France, USA (Issued: November 1, 2019)
Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2019)
Winemaker Dinner with Chef/ King of Spices Ingo Holland and Sebastian Fürst (Weingut Rudolf Fürst, Franken), Julian Huber (Weingut Bernhard Huber, Baden) and Jérôme Legras (Champagne Legras & Haas)
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)
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
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
Winemaker Dinner with Chef/ King of Spices Ingo Holland and Sebastian Fürst (Weingut Rudolf Fürst, Franken), Julian Huber (Weingut Bernhard Huber, Baden) and Jérôme Legras (Champagne Legras & Haas)
The Annual "Slaughterhouse" Riesling Feast in New York: Rieslingfeier 2017, 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
Tasting at Weingut Emrich-Schönleber in Monzingen, Nahe, with Owner/ Winemaker Frank Schönleber - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours
At Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich in Bockenau - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir
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
Riesling Gala 2017 at Eberbach Monastery in the Rheingau: A Riesling Feast in a Breathtaking Historic Setting, Germany
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
Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Wine Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Extraordinary Views of the Rheingau Vineyards - A Spectecular Helicopter Flight over the Rheingau with Rheingau Winemakers, Germany
One of the Bio-dynamic Stars in Germany: Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn in Östrich, Winkel– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Philipp Wittmann and Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann at Weingut Wittmann in Westhofen – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2015, USA
A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2016, USA