Pictures: Christian and Annette Schiller at the Pre-release Presentation of the 2019/ 20 Grosses Gewächs (GG) Wines at Schloss Vollrads, here with Desire Eser-Knyphausen and Dodo Knyphausen, Weingut August Eser
Germany’s Grosses Gewächs (GG) wines are released on September 1. These are the ultra-premium dry wines from the very best vineyard sites made by some of the best producers in Germany.
As a rule, the white wines are released in the year following the harvest, the red wines are released after an additional 12 months of aging. Increasingly, wine producers are giving their white wines more time and are releasing not only the red wines but also the white wines after 24 months. Thus, this year`s tasting included both vintage 2019 and vintage 2020 white wines.
Many events throughout Germany take place in the weeks and months following the release of the new GGs. In addition, there is a highly exclusive tasting for a selected group of about 150 importers, journalists, bloggers, sommeliers and other multipliers on the Monday and Tuesday before September 1 in Wiesbaden. You meet there the who-is-who of German wine. I regularly participated in this tasting during the past years and reported about it on my blog schiller-wine.
Pre-release Presentation of the 2019/ 20 GGs from the Rheingau
German producers take advantage of the high-caliber group gathering in Wiesbaden for the Pre-release Tasting and organize side events.
For 8 years in a row, interrupted only through the Covid-crisis, the VDP producers of the Rheingau have organized a special event on the Saturday before the Wiesbaden tastings and presented their new GG releases to their guests. All winemakers introduce their wines personally. The more formal part is then supplemented by a party-style get-together with the winemakers and more tasting.
8 years ago, this was a speed-boat event on the Rhine River including tasting. 7 years ago, the VDP.Rheingau flew their guests with helicopters over the Rheingau, from Hochheim to Assmannshausen, followed by a party at Weingut Robert Weil (Wilhelm Weil is the President of the VDP.Rheingau). 6 years ago, we went into the terroir; this was a most interesting conference-type tasting were we learned a lot about the different terroirs of the Rheingau from its producers. Again, the tasting was followed by an after-party at Weingut Robert Weil. 5 years ago, we took a boat trip from Hochheim to Assmannshausen and tasted the wines as we passed the vineyards. 3 years ago, went back to the roots and focussed on the history of dry wines in the Rheingau. The event took place at Weingut Robert Weil. Last year, the tasting had to be cancelled due to covid.
See:
VDP.Rheingau Invited to a Pre-Release Presentation of the 2017 Grosses Gewächs (GG) Wines
VDP.Rheingau Rhine River Boat Trip with Pre-release Presentation of the 2015 Grosses Gewächs (GG) Wines
The Rheingau and its Terroirs: Tasting with Rheingau’s Elite Winemakers, Germany
Extraordinary Views of the Rheingau Vineyards - A Spectecular Helicopter Flight over the Rheingau with Rheingau Winemakers, Germany
Grosses Gewächs (GG)
What is a VDP.Grosses Gewächs? There is still a bit of confusion out there, as (1) Grosses Gewaechs (GG) is a term that was created by the VDP only a few years ago and (2) the VDP has established a new classification for German wines that differs radically from the German standard classification (and is still in the process of refining and implementing it).
GGs and the New German Wine Classification
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 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 VDP producers.
In a nutshell, the VDP is moving to a classification system that resembles very much the classification system in the Bourgogne. The classification of the VDP puts the terroir principle at the center of its classification approach.
With the latest modifications of 2012, the absolutely finest vineyards are called Grosse Lage and dry wines from these super top vineyards are called Grosses Gewächs. Grosses Gewächs wines are the finest dry wines from Germany’s finest vineyards.
A step below are the Erste Lage wines. There is now talk about calling the dry wines from Erste Lage vineyards Erstes Gewächs.
See:
Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany
The Rheingau
It is remarkable: For its entire length of nearly 560 miles, the Rhine flows north with one exception – a 28-mile stretch where the river changes its course. Here, it flows to the west, thereby enabling both the river and the vineyards facing it to bask in the warmth of the sun all day long. This is the Rheingau, one of the medium-size German wine regions. It is a quietly beautiful region, rich in tradition. Queen Victoria's enthusiasm for Hochheim's wines contributed to their popularity in England, where they, and ultimately, Rhine wines in general, were referred to as Hock.
The third President of the USA - and notable bon viveur - Thomas Jefferson visited the Rheingau in 1788 and wrote that the wine of the "Abbaye of Johnsberg is the best made on the Rhine without comparison … That of the year 1775 is the best." He also referred to the Rheingau’s Riesling as the "small and delicate Rhysslin which grows only from Hochheim to Rudesheim". Impressed by the quality of the Rheingau Riesling wines, he bought 100 grapevines to take back to his estate in Virginia.
Picture: The Rheingau
Although the Rheingau is one of Germany’s smaller wine-growing regions, its 3,100 ha (7,660 acres) of vineyards are vastly diverse in their geological makeup. The soil varies from stony slate at the western part near the villages of Assmannshausen and Rüdesheim to loess, sand and marl in the lower central villages of Geisenheim, Johannisberg, Winkel, Oestrich and Hattenheim. Soil reverts to stony phyllite in the higher central and eastern villages of Hallgarten, Kiedrich and Hochheim. Generally, wines from the lower slopes where the soil is heavier—sandy loam and loess—produce fuller wines, while at the higher slopes where it is more stony and slatey, the wines reflect more minerality, elegance and concentration.
The Rheingau enjoys a distinctly continental climate with cold winters and warm, but not hot, summers. The Rheingau is dominated by Riesling, accounting for 4/5 of the vineyard area. Pinot Noir accounts for 1/10 and is concentrated around Assmannshausen.
The 2021 VDP.Rheingau GG Event
The event had 4 parts.
First, we started with a boat trip that took us down the Rhine from Wiesbaden Biebrich to Oestrich Winkel. The focus of the boat trip was on ultra-premium Sekt.
Second, in Oestrich Winkel we visited "Anleger Allendorf", a new restaurant on the Rhine run by Weingut Allendorf, and the historic "Brentanohaus", also run by Weingut Allendorf.
Third, a bus took us from there to Schloss Vollrads, where we spent the rest of the day. At the center was an extensive tasting of 29 new GGs from the Rheingau, introduced by the respective producer.
Fourth, following the tasting, some of us took a little tour of Schloss Vollrads. We all ended the day with dinner, music and more wine.
Pictures: Leaving Wiesbaden Biebrich on Board of the Rhein Dream
Part 1: The new VDP Classification of Sekt: VDP.Sekt and VDP.Sekt.Prestige
We started the event with a 90 minutes boat trip down the Rhine from Wiesbaden Biebrich to Oestrich Winkel. The focus of the boat trip was on ultra-premium Sekt.
Earlier this year, the VDP membership adopted a new Sekt classification.There are now two standards of Sekt - VDP.SEKT and VDP.SEKT.PRESTIGE®. Traditional bottle fermentation is obligatory for both. Vintage Sekts must be granted at least 24 months (VDP.SEKT) or 36 months (VDP.SEKT.PRESTIGE®) on the lees. Grand Sekts may also mature well beyond those minimum guidelines. The VDP's strict production regulations will also apply for the production of Sekt base wines. A dedicated VDP specification guide has also been developed to provide other mandatory Sekt parameters. This includes, for example, stipulations that Sekt produced in accordance with the VDP.SEKT.STATUT must originate from the estate’s own suitable vineyards. From pruning to harvest - which traditionally falls on the early side for sparkling wines - all vineyard work and harvesting is to be performed by hand. Beyond this, each region will define its own permissible varieties for VDP.SEKT and VDP.SEKT.PRESTIGE®, typically Riesling and the Pinot family, supplemented by regional classics. This flexibility at the regional level reflects the insight that a Sekt classification focused tightly on origin overlooks some admirable parts of the spectrum of fine German sekts. As a result, varietal blends and cuvées from single sites will also be allowed.
5 Rheingau VDP producers presented their world class Sekts, so little known in the world. But things are changing and consumers from around the world are increasingly appreciating the outstanding sparklers from Germany.
Pictures: Tasting Ultra-premium German Sparkling Wines - VDP.SEKT and VDP.SEKT.PRESTIGE - with Mark Barth, Wein- und Sektgut Barth, Gunter Künstler, Weingut Künstler and Ralf Schönleber, Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber. Wilhelm Weil, Weingut Robert Weil, did not Present a Sparkler, but just helped pouring.
Part 2: Weingut Allendorf - Anleger Allendorf and Brentanohaus
In Oestrich Winkel we visited "Anleger Allendorf", a new restaurant on the Rhine run by Weingut Allendorf, and the historic "Brentanohaus", also run by Weingut Allendorf.
The Brentanohaus was built in the middle of the 18th century by the Ackermann family from Bingen, and has been in the possession of the Brentano family whose ancestors come from an Italian noble family for almost 200 years. The ancestors, coming from the wine-growing region around Lake Como, "nobiles de Brenta, dicti de Brentanis" have a "Brenta", i.e. a wooden tub for grapes, in their coat of arms. Towards the end of the 17th century the family settled in the trade town of Frankfurt where it founded a branch of the rapidly flourishing Milan trading house. In 1804, the family acquired the elongated building with the vast mansard roof which is surrounded by an extensive garden and a wall. In summer the estate in Winkel was the centre of the big family and meeting place for their circle of friends. Among their friends were well-known personalities from arts and science who were followers of Romanticism such as e.g. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the brothers Grimm and many more. Originally preserved rooms and parlours in the Brentanohaus convey an impression of the living culture and the sense of life during this time.
Pictures: At Anleger Allendorf and Brentanohaus, here Annette Schiller with Catharina Mauritz, 8th Generation Owner of Weingut Domdechant Werner
Part 3: The new VDP.Grosses Gewächs Wines, at Schloss Vollrats
At the center was an extensive tasting of 29 new GGs from the Rheingau, introduced by the respective producer.We tasted 26 whites from 2019 and 2020 and 3 reds from 2019. The tasting took place in the historic rooms of Schloss Vollrads.
Schloss Vollrads
Schloss Vollrads is a historical monument and one of the art-historical highlights of the Rheingau region. It is also one of the oldest wine estates in the world; wine sales have been documented as early as 1211.
Picture: Arriving at Schloss Vollrads
The impressive tower house, built in 1330, was constructed on the foundation of a roman defense tower.
Schloss Vollrads was owned since 983 until 1218 by the Archbishop of Mainz and since then until 1997 by the family of Greiffenclau. In 1997 – in view of unsurmountable debts - Count Erwein Matuschka-Greiffenclau committed suicide and since then the Nassauische Bank, a government-owned bank, is the owner of Schloss Vollrads.
Picture: At Schloss Vollrads
Schloss Vollrads is a rather large estate by German standards, with 60 hectares of vineyard land, and produces exclusively Riesling wines. Some of the vineyards were already in the possession of the Greiffenclau family in 1300.
Tasting
The wines were presented in flights of 3 wines. Most of the producers were present and introduced their wines personally. The tasting took place in one of the larger rooms of Schloss Vollrads.
Pictures: VDP.Rheingau Producers presenting their new Grosses Gewächs Wines
Parts 4 and 5: Tour and Dinner, Music, and More Wine
The day ended with a dinner party. Some of us toured part of Schloss Vollrads.
Pictures: Dinner, Music and more Wine
schiller-wine - Related Postings
VDP.Rheingau Invited to a Pre-Release Presentation of the 2017 Grosses Gewächs (GG) Wines
VDP.Rheingau Rhine River Boat Trip with Pre-release Presentation of the 2015 Grosses Gewächs (GG) Wines
The Rheingau and its Terroirs:Tasting with Rheingau’s Elite Winemakers, Germany
Extraordinary Views of the Rheingau Vineyards - A Spectecular Helicopter Flight over the Rheingau with Rheingau Winemakers, Germany
Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany
Tour and Wine Tasting with Lunch, with Mark Barth at Wein- und Sektgut Barth in Hattenheim, Rheingau– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau: Tour and Wine Tasting - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
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Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Künstler– 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)
Impromptu Winetasting with Alexander Jung,Weingut Jakob Jung, Erbach, Rheingau, Germany
Schloss Vollrads in the Rheingau: Tour and Tasting- Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch, Cellar Visit and Tasting at Weingut Baron Knyphausen in Erbach, Rheingau, with Owner Gerko Freiherr zu Knyphausen and Winemaker Arne Willkens - Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Spreitzer in Oestrich, Rheingau, with Bernd Spreitzer – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany
Meeting Winemaker/Owner Desiree Eser, Weingut August Eser, on the Banks of the Rhein River in the Rheingau in Germany