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.
We finished our visit of the Saale Unstrut Region with Weingut Thürkind. It is an up and coming wine producer, but plays in a different league than the other 2 producers.
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 Thürkind
Weingut Thürkind was founded shortly after reunification (in 1991) when the Government returned land to Rudolf and Birgit Thürkind which had been nationalized during the communist era. The land included 1.8 hectares of vineyards.
During the GDR times, Rudolf Thürkind used to work as cellar master in the cooperative in Freyburg. Winemaker colleagues of the wine regions in the western part of Germany encouraged the Thürkinds to produce and bottle their own wine and not to deliver the grapes to the cooperative in Freyburg. And they assisted the Thürkinds through the provision of inexpensive machines. Rudolf Thürkind produced a bit more than 1000 cases from the first vintage.
Today, more than twenty years later, the Thürkind family owns 15 acres of vineyards in very favorable sites and developed the old farm into into a beautiful estate, making excellent wines, including gorgeous Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris.
See also:
Preview: Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Since 2005, Weingut Thürkind also offers rooms for people who are interested to spend their vacation at a winery.
Son Mario Thürkind is now at the helm of the estate, with his wife Anje. They have 2 children. Mario Thürkind did an apprenticeship at Weingut Ernst, one of the winemakers that helped the Thürkinds so much when they started their business after reunification.
The vineyard area has grown to 12 hectares. In addition, Mario Thürkind buys grapes amounting to 6 hectares. The main grape varieties are: Müller-Thurgau, Riesling, Kerner, Weißburgunder and Grauburgunder as well as Blauer Portugieser and Zweigelt.
Lunch and Wine Tasting
2014 Weingut Thürkind Müller Thurgau
2014 Weingut Thürkind Weisburgunder
2014 Weingut Thürkind Gutedel
2014 Weingut Thürkind Sauvignon Blanc
2014 Weingut Thürkind Riesling
2013 Weingut Thürkind Freyburger Edelacker Weissburgunder Spätlese trocken
2012 Gröster Steinberg Blauer Zweigelt
Bye-bye
Thanks for a lovely lunch with tasting and cellar tour. We loved the home-made potato salad.
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)
Weingut Pawis (Saale Unstrut): Estate Tour and Wine Tasting with Markus Pawis – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Weingut Thürkind in Gröst, Saale-Unstrut: Tour, Tasting and Lunch – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in the Saale Unstrut Region
Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz in Sachsen, with Owner Georg Prinz zur Lippe
Dinner with Georg Prinz zur Lippe at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz in Sachsen
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