The first wine region we visited on the Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015) was the Saale-Unstrut Region. There, we visited 3 wineries: Weingut Lützkendorf, Weingut Bernhard Pawis and Weingut Thürkind. The former 2 are heavy-weights; these are the only 2 members of the VDP, the association of about 200 German elite winemakers, in the Saale-Unstrut Region. Weingut Thürkind is an up and coming wine producer, but plays in a different league.
See also:
Preview: Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
The Saale-Unstrut wine region sits on 51st latitude and is Germany’s northernmost wine region, located in the valleys of the Saale and Unstrut rivers, an area of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). The oldest record of viticulture dates back to the year 998 during the reign of Emperor Otto III.
Weingut Lützkendorf
Weingut Lützkendorf is in Bad Kösen on the Saale River; administratively, Bad Kösen is part of the town of Naumburg. The state-run winery Kloser Pforta is also in Bad Kösen. Uwe Lutzkendorf is the winemaker and owner.
Weingut Lützkendorf was founded at the dawn of the 19th century and existed until 1959 when the GDR authorities integrated the estate (2 hectares) into the government run Agricultural Cooperative.
Udo Lützkendorf, the father of Uwe, was the Director and Cellar master from 1972 to 1992 in what was then the state-owned, and now again state-owned Kloster Pforta Estate, most of the time in the GDR and for 3 years in the re-unified Germany.
The Lützkendorf’s vineyards were handed back to the family in 1991 and the Lützkendorfs made their own wine again with the 1991 vintage. What then followed was a major re-launch, including replanting the vineyards, buying and leasing new vineyards and building a winery, including a Gutsausschank (winery tavern).
In 1996 the winery Lützkendorf was the first estate in the Saale-Unstrut region to become member of the prestigious VDP, the Association of Germany’s Premium Winemakers.
Today, the vineyard area totals 11 hectares, with holdings in the Edelacker (Freyburg), Hohe Gräte (Karsdorf) and Köppelberg (Schulpforte). The area is planted with Silvaner (35%), Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Traminer, Müller-Thurgau and Kerner, as well as with Pinot Noir, Portugieser and Blauer Zweigelt.
In terms of the winemaking philosophy, Uwe said that he follows sustainable vineyard practices. The wines are matured very reductively in either stainless steel tanks or in oak vats. With very few exceptions, the wines are fermented dry. “I never use Süssreserve (sterilized juice)” Uwe said.
“40 percent of our wines are sold to top restaurants, largely in the eastern part of Germany. The same amount is sold directly to private customers and the remaining 20 percent in the winery’s wine tavern.”
See also:
Weingut Lützkendorf in Saale Unstrut in Germany (2011)
The Wines Uwe Lützkendorf Poured
Uwe poured an impressive series of wines.
VDP.Gutsweine
2013 Weingut Lützkendorf Gutedel feinherb
Gutedel is one of the oldest grape varities in the world. Today, it is a popular grape variety in Switzerland.
VDP.Erste Lage
2013 Weingut Lützkendorf Silvaner Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte feinherb
2013 Weingut Lützkendorf Riesling Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
2014 Weingut Lützkendorf Weisburgunder Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
2012 Weingut Lützkendorf Silvaner Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
2012 Weingut Lützkendorf Riesling Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
2012 Weingut Lützkendorf Weisburgunder Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
VDP.Grosse Lage
2012 Weingut Lützkendorf Silvaner Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
2013 Weingut Lützkendorf Riesling Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
2014 Weingut Lützkendorf Weisburgunder Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
In the classification of the German Wine Law of 1971, this wine would be an Auslese trocken.
2007 Weingut Lützkendorf Weisburgunder Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
Peach, apricot, honey on the nose, full-bodied on the palate, elegant, rich.
2008 Weingut Lützkendorf Riesling Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
2012 Weingut Lützkendorf Weisburgunder Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte Spätlese
18 gr. Remaining sugar.
VDP.Erste Lage
2012 Weingut Lützkendorf Traminer Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte Auslese
Bye-bye
Thank you very much Uwe for an outstanding tasting.
Postings: Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)(Published and Forthcoming)
Preview: Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
The Art Marketer: OMBIASY PR & WINE TOURS - Germany-East
Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Tasting at Weingut Lützkendorf with Uwe Lützkendorf – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Visit: Weingut Pawis in Saale-Unstrut
Cellar Tour, Wine Tastin g and Lunch at Weingut Thürkind in the Saale-Unstrut Region
Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in the Saale Unstrut Region
Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour, Wine Tasting and Dinner at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz in Sachsen, with Owner Georg Prinz zur Lippe
Cellar Tour and Lunch at Weingut Karl Friedrich Aust in Sachsen
Cellar Tour, Art Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Zimmerling with Winemaker Klaus Zimmerling and Artist Malgorzata Chodakoska in Sachsen
Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen
Visit and Tasting at Weingut Wirsching in Iphofen, Franken
Visit and Tasting at Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll in Würzburg, Franken
Cellar Tour and Tasting with Star Winemaker Paul Fürst at Weingut Fürst in Franken
Würzburg and its 3 Historic Wine Taverns: Juliusspital, Bürgerspital and Staatlicher Hofkeller
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Graf Neipperg in Schwaigern, Württemberg
Tasting at Weingut Dautel in Württemberg with Christian Dautel
Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Friedrich von Schiller in Bietigheim-Bissingen in Württemberg
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Herzog von Württemberg at Schloss Monrepos with Owner F.R.H. Carl Duke of Württemberg
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Rainer Schnaitmann at Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann in Fellbach, Württemberg
Wine Tasting at Weingut Simon-Bürkle in Zwingenberg, Hessische Bergstrasse
schiller-wine: Related Postings (Weingut Lützkendorf)
4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux
Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Weingut Lützkendorf in Saale Unstrut in Germany (2011)