Extraordinaire Wine Dinner with Chef Frank Buchholz and Winemaker Philipp Wittmann/ Rheinhessen in Mainz/ Germany (February 2024).
It was very intimate, with just 13 guests sitting with Philipp at one large table and talking with him about his #worldclass wines, FC Bayern München and other things. Philipp poured 7 wines, including a Morstein GG and a Morstein Auslese. Frank's food 4-course menu was outstanding.
In addition, Annette and I had lived a few blocks away of the restaurant for 5 years in the late 1970s/ early1980s, while studying and later working at the University of Mainz. Our oldest daughter Katharina was borne there as well as our dog Joie, who died in McLean, Virginia, USA in 1989.
Chef Frank Buchholz
Pictures:
Frank Buchholz, Restaurant Buchholz, Mainz and his dish "Duo of Red
Salmon with Basil Sour Cream and Buffalo Mozzarella". See: 1st International Riesling Symposium, Rheingau, Germany, 2010
See also: The Best Restaurants in the Greater Frankfurt am Main Region, Germany (2012)
Frank Buchholz is one of Germany's leading chefs. He got his training with Franz Feckl, Heinz Winkler and Gerd Käfer, among others in the Käfer-Stuben in Munich, the Tristan restaurant in Palma, the Tantris restaurant in Munich and the Marchesi restaurant in Milan. He then served as Maitre de Cuisine at Brückenkeller in Frankfurt am Main from 1996 to 1999.
Frank Buchholz became known through the television cooking show Kochduell, which was broadcast from 1997 to 2005. In 2004 he was also seen in the series The Men's Cooking School on RTL. In 1998 he was a lecturer in food and art at the Frankfurt Schiller School. In 1999 he was awarded 3 hats and 17 points by Gault-Millau as the most innovative chef of the year. In the same year he founded the Young Wild Association with chef friends. In 2004 he finally opened the cooking workshop in Mainz-Gonsenheim and in 2005 his restaurant Buchholz. In 2007 the Buchholz restaurant was awarded a Michelin star.
Frank Buchholz closed his Michelin-starred Restaurant Buchholz in 2015, but continued to operate it as a cooking school and for special events like the winemaker dinner we attended. In addition, he owns and runs Restaurant Bootshaus, beautifully locacated on the banks of the Rhein river in Mainz. We had lunch there during the Germany Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2018. See: Wine Tasting at Weingut Kühling-Gillot in Bodenheim: Kühling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Winemaker Philipp Wittmann
Weingut Wittmann belongs to the group of say 20 #wordclass winemakers in Germany. Weingut Wittmann wines are available in the USA through Loosen Bros USA.
Loosen Bros USA: 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.
The estate has as its foundation the pursuit of balanced wines that have tension, depth and intensity, but at the same time fresh and elegant. Philipp Wittmann looks for natural balance in the vineyards, in order to slow the ripening process and harvest grapes that have fully developed flavors, but are not overripe. The Wittmann family has developed a deep bond with the land they cultivate. This respect for nature and commitment to quality earned Philipp Germany’s Winemaker of the Year 2014.
Accolades for Weingut Wittmann
Winery of the Year – Best White Wine Collection — Eichelmann 2024 Wine Guide
Top 100 Winery, 2019 — Wine & Spirits
Top 100 German Wines 2022— James Suckling
Winemaker of the Year 2014 — Gault Millau Wine Guide
Pictures: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Philipp Wittmann and Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann at Weingut Wittmann in Westhofen – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Pictures: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Wittmann in Westhofen, Rheinhessen, with Philipp Wittmann - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
We will definitely visit Weingut Wittmann on the forthcoming Germany Tour by Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours. Join us!
See: Announcement: 2024 Tours by ombiasy (Annette Schiller) - Loire Valley, German Classic, Rhône http://schiller-wine.blogspot.com/2024/01/announcement-2024-tours-by-ombiasy_0569121469.html
Arriving at "Buchholz"
Star-chef Frank Buchholz
Star-winemaker Philipp Wittmann
Very Intimate: 15 Guests with Philipp Wittmann around a Communal Table
Wine-pairing Dinner
Amuse Bouche
Lachs, Westhofener Riesling, Morstein
Auberginen Tortellini, Weissburgunder
Lammfilet, Spätburgunder
Passionsfruchttartelette, Morstein Auslese
Petits Fours
Bye-bye: Weissburgunder for Washington DC Tastings
Philipp also brought a case of his Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) for 3 upcoming tastings in Washington DC led by Annette Schiller - at German Embassy WashingtonGerman Wine Society - Washington DC and American Wine Society.
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