Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours took place from August 28 – Friday, September 06, 2024. We spent 10 days visiting top wine estates in five wine regions, tasting fabulous Rieslings and Pinot Noir (aka Spätburgunder), meeting world-renowned wine makers, travelling through the world’smost beautiful wine regions, cruising on the romantic Rhein river, looking at dizzying steep vineyards along the Rhein and Mosel rivers, and delving deep into German history and culture: Rheinhessen • Rheingau • Mittelrhein • Mosel • Nahe
Following:
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Georg Breuer in Rüdesheim, Rheingau, with Theresa Breuer - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
we went to Weingut Schloss Johannisberg. Dieter Salomon was our host.
We were treated to an in-depth visit of the iconic Weingut Schloss Johannisberg and a thorough tasting of Schloss Johannisberg’s superb wines. Dieter Salomon showed us the old cellars, the new winemaking facilities and the Schloss Johannisberg vineyard, followed by a seated tasting of the Weingut Schloss Johannisburg wines.
The tasting included the new Weingut Schloss Johannisberg signature wine, the Goldlack trocken, which sells for Euro 200 plus per bottle.
Weingut Schloss Johannisberg wines are available in the USA through Freixenet Mionetto USA.
Weingut Schloss Johannisberg
Weingut Schloss Johannisberg is one of the world’s oldest Riesling wine estate going back 900 years and it was here that the “Spätlese” was accidently discovered. For many centuries the estate was owned by the Prince-Abbot of Fulda, but changed hands several times during the Napoleonic wars and subsequent secularization.
In 1816, Austrian Emperor Francis II, gave the estate to his Foreign
Minister, Prince von Metternich, as a thank you for his successful
negotiations in the reorganization of Europe during the “Congress of
Vienna”. The last resident of the Metternich family at Schloss
Johannisberg, Tatjana Princess von Metternich was a patron of the arts
in the Rheingau and beyond and revived the castle to its former gory
after the destructions during World War II. After her death in 2006, the
Oetker family (yes, that's the one that produces baking helpers and
puddings) bought the estate.
Today 125 acres of vineyards around the Castle are farmed. The soils are quartzite from the Taunus hills with significant iron-rich loess and loam components. The Johannisberg Rieslings are a brilliant example of what the Riesling grape is able to produce. The wines show substance, considerable volume, and a spicy fruitiness paired with pronounced acidity. Schloss Johannisberg is one of the only 16 wine estates in all of Germany’s 13 wine regions rated with 5 stars in the Vinum wine guide 2024.
Freixenet Mionetto USA: Weingut Schloss Johannisberg
Few wine enthusiasts probably realize that with every sip of Riesling from Schloss Johannisberg, they are enjoying the legacy of nearly 1,200 years of history that involves a monastery and a palace – both of which have a great wine history. The first documented wine harvest was in A.D. 817. Louis the Pious was delighted with the 6,000 liters of wine from the vines on the hill, then known as Bischofsberg (bishop’s hill). Nearly three centuries later (circa 1100), the first Benedictine monastery in the Rheingau was founded on the hilltop and the monks diligently tended the vines on the slopes below. In 1130, they consecrated their abbey church in honor of John the Baptist, after which the hill, the monastery and the village assumed the name Johannisberg (John’s hill). In 1716, the Prince-Abbot of Fulda at that time had the monastery torn down and a Baroque palace built on the site. Parts of the nearly 900-year-old abbey cellar remained intact. After restoring the vineyards in just two years (1719/1720), 294,000 Riesling vines were planted. It is thanks to their efforts that Schloss Johannisberg is justifiably the first Riesling wine estate in the world.
Riesling heralded the start of a new era of viticulture in the Rheingau – and not only there. Schloss Johannisberg’s recognition of the benefits of a Spätlese (late harvest) came about by accident. Every autumn, the head monastery in Fulda sent a courier on horseback with orders on when to begin the harvest. In 1775, he was delayed. By the time he arrived in Johannisberg, the ripe grapes were infested with mold – noble rot – yet they were harvested and pressed. The monks thanked God for the phenomenal results and erected a monument to the courier in the courtyard. The Prince-Abbot issued an edict that henceforth, the grape harvest should always take place this late.
Connoisseurs all over the world owe thanks to the Rheingau wine experts for further developing the practice of selective, late harvesting: Auslese (1787), Beerenauslese, and Trockenbeerenauslese, as well as Eiswein, which was first harvested in Germany at Schloss Johannisberg in 1858.
The forest on top of the Taunus protects the vineyards from cold winds from the north. In the south, the Rhine lays like a lake in front of the estate on the foothills. The 50° parallel runs directly through the vineyard and its unique soil drains water and maintains temperature for perfect minerality in Riesling.
Long before printed labels were common practice, Schloss Johannisberg had its own system of distinguishing among its bottlings through the use of colored seals. Introduced by Fürst von Metternich in 1820 and still in use to this day, the quality of a wine, based on the ripeness of the harvested grapes, can be identified according to color.
Arriving
Johannisberg Vineyard
Cellar
Tasting
Bye-bye
Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours: Already Released and Forthcoming Postings
Overview: Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours led by Annette Schiller - Facebook Day-by-day Postings
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Braunewell in Essenheim, Rheinhessen, with Stefan Braunewell - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut Thörle in Saulheim, Rheinhessen, with Christoph Thörle, Johannes Thörle and Uta Thörle - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Grauburgunder (French: Pinot Gris - Italian: Pinot Grigio) and Dinner at Restaurant Lumen - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by
ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut Eva Fricke in Eltville, Rheingau, with Eva Fricke - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Wein- und Sektgut Barth (VDP) in Hattenheim, Rheingau, with Mark Barth and Alexia Putze - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe
2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Iconic
Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau (one of the Largest Wineries in
Germany): Lunch at the Abbey Tavern and Guided Tour of the Eberbach
Abbey - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
"Steinberg"
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Kloster Eberbach
(VDP) in Eltville, Rheingau, with Head-winemaker and Deputy MD Kathrin
Puff - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant Kronenschlösschen, Hattenheim, Rheingau, with Weingut Balthasar Ress Senior Boss Stefan Ress, Kronenschlösschen Maître and Head Sommelier Florian Richter (Best German Sommelier 2024 - Sommelier Union), Chef Roland Gorgosilich and Owner Johanna Ullrich - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Georg Breuer in Rüdesheim, Rheingau, with Theresa Breuer - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schloss Johannisberg (VDP), the Iconic Rheingau Estate, with Dieter Salomon - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch and Impromptu Tasting of Weingut Familie Allendorf Wines with Ulrich Allendorf and Max J. Schönleber at Restaurant Allendorf am Rhein - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting
at Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn (VDP) in Oestrich-Winkel, Rheingau, with
Peter Bernhard Kühn - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut August Kesseler (VDP) in Assmannshausen,
Rheingau, with August Kesseler - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by
ombiasy WineTours
Lunch, Tasting and Vineyard Tour at Weingut
Lanius Knab (VDP) in Oberwesel, Mittelrhein, with Jörg Lanius - Germany
Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Cruise on the Rhein,
from Boppard to Koblenz, passing the famous Loreley Rock - Germany
Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour of the Fortress Ehrenbreitstein - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch and Impromptu Wine Tasting of the Wines of Weingut Madame Flöck, with Weingut Madame Flöck Owner/ Winemaker Robert Wade, Verbene Bistro Chef Tim Johnston, Restaurant Verbene Michelin starred Chef/ Owner David Weigang and Partner Verena Schimmel - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at the 2024 Weinfest in Winningen - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour
of Eltz Castle, a True Fairy-tale Medieval Castle in the Hills above
the Mosel, Built more than 850 Years ago by the Eltz Family - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch
at Restaurant Heim in Hotel Reiler Hof (Michelin Bib Gourmand) in Reil -
Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour
and Tasting at Weingut Melsheimer in Reil, Middle Mosel, with Thorsten
Melsheimer - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting
at Weingut Clemens Busch (VDP) in Pünderich, Middle Mosel, with Oda
Berthold - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Weingut
Dr. Thanisch, Erben Müller-Burggraef Wines and Overnight Stay at the
Brand-new, High-end Deinhard’s Hotel in Bernkastel-Kues - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting
Weingut Dr.Loosen (VDP) in Bernkastel-Kues, Middle Mosel, with Anne
Juchem - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting
at Weingut Max Ferdinand Richter in Mülheim, Middle Mosel, with Dirk
Richter - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting
at Weingut Hermann Ludes in Thörnich, Middle Mosel, with Julian Ludes -
Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut Günther Steinmetz in Brauneberg, Middle Mosel, with Sammy Steinmetz - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting
at Weingut Matthias Hild in Wincheringen, Upper Mosel, with Matthias
and Jonas Hild - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch
with Wines from Luxemburg at Koeppchen Bistro-Brasserie in
Wormeldange-Haut in Luxembourg - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by
ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard
Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Van Volxem (VDP) in Wiltingen,
Saar, with Lukas Büchner - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy
WineTours
Asian Themed Wine-pairing Dinner at Dian's in
Bernkastel-Kues, led by Janet Cam and Annette Schiller - Germany
Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut H. Dönnhoff (VDP), Oberhausen, Nahe, with Anne Dönnhoff - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Hermannshöhle Restaurant Weck in Niederhausen - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting
at Weingut Korrell Johanneshof in Bad Kreuznach, Nahe, with Sonja
Reinbold and Martin Korell - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy
WineTours
Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant Kruger-Rumpf,
Weingut Kruger-Rumpf (VDP), with Stefan Rumpf - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe
2024 by ombiasy WineTours