Weingut Pawis is arguably the #1 producer in the Saale-Unstut Region in the eastern part of Germany. Weingut Lützkendorf, which we visited also on the Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), and Winzerhof Gussek, which we visited on the last year’s tour, are the other 2 contenders for the #1 spot in the region. You should also watch Weingut Hey in Naumburg and Weingut Thürkind in Gröst.
Marcus Pawis, son of Bernhard and Kerstin Pawis, was our host this time. He took as on a tour of the estate and lead a winetasting at the newly renovated Brunnenhaus.
Bernhard and Kerstin Pawis greeted us. We also had the chance to meet the father of Bernhard Pawis, Herbert Pawis, who still runs a small wine tavern.
Weingut Pawis
Weingut Pawis is located in the historic Zscheiplitz Estate, close to Freyburg. The renovation of the Estate was a major undertaking. The just added the Brunnenhaus, an event location with hotel rooms, to the gorgeous set-up.
Bernhard Pawis is a trained winemaker, who got his education in the former German Democratic Republic. Shortly after the Berlin Wall came down in 1990, Bernhard’s parents - Herbert and Irene Pawis– bought 0.5 hectares of vineyard land and founded a small winery cum wine tavern (Strausswirtschaft). They sold the wine they produced in tavern on their premise. Bernhard had a day job, but helped his parents after work.
Business was good, so when his father died in 1998, Bernhard decided to quit his job take over his parents’ winery. He constructed a modern winery in the center of Freyburg and enlarged the winery’s vineyard land through purchases and long-term lease arrangements. In 1995, Weingut Pawis produced 5.000 bottles, five years later 2000 50.000 bottles. Not only quantity improved, but also the quality of the Weingut Pawis wines and in 2001, Weingut Pawis was invited to join the VDP, Germany’s association of elite winemakers.
The VDP membership put Weingut Pawis on Germany’s wine map and the winery Bernhard had constructed 10 years ago reached capacity limits. Bernard moved again, this time to something grand, the historic Estate Zscheiplitz. The former feudal Estate Zscheiplitz was completely run-down and required a major renovation effort. Bernhard pushed ahead with it, overcoming many obstacles. Since May 2007, the Weingut Pawis is based at the Zscheiplitz Estate in Freyburg-Zscheiplitz.
The vineyard area totals 14 hectares, with holdings in the Edelacker, a VDP.Grosse Lage (Grand Cru), Mühlberg (Freyburg) and Sonneneck (Naumburg). The area is planted with the white varieties Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Bacchus and Kerner, and with the red varieties Dornfelder, Portugieser, Pinot Noir and Regent. The white varieties account for 80% of the portfolio.
In terms of winemaking philosophy, Weingut Pawis follows sustainable vineyard practices. The wines are made primarily in a dry style, using temperature-controlled fermentation. The premium wines are matured in barriques made from the Trias oak found in the region. When vintage conditions permit, noble sweet wines are also made. The estate also produces bottle-fermented sparkling wines and grappa-style spirits.
Weingut Pawis sells about 1/3 of its production in the western part of Germany. This is unusually large, but having met Bernhard Pawis and his wife Kerstin, seen the hip tasting room and tasted his wines, I can see why Bernhard Pawis is much more successful in the western part of Germany than his colleagues.
Marcus Pawis and the Brunnenhaus
The Brunnenhaus is the latest addition to the Pawis Empire. Right next to the winery, it is an event location with hotel rooms, managed by Marcus Pawis. Our tasting took place in the Brunnenhaus.
Marcus Pawis, borne in 1986, has a Bachelor and Master for Event Management (Berlin) and runs the Brunnenhaus.
What Marcus Pawis Poured
The Saale Unstrut and Sachsen VDP decided to drop the Ortswein category and to go for a 3-tier classification system: Gutswein, Erste Lage, Grosse Lage..
2011 Weingut Pawis Blauer Zweigelt Sekt brut
2014 Weingut Pawis Weissburgunder trocken
2014 Weingut Pawis Grauburgunder Muschelkalk trocken
2014 Weingut Pawis Riesling R 736 Freyburger Edelacker trocken
2013Weingut Pawis Riesling Grosses Gewächs Edelacker
2013 Weingut Pawis Grauburgunder Grosses Gewächs Edelacker
2013 Weingut Pawis Weissburgunder Grosses Gewächs Edelacker
2013 Weingut Pawis Blauer Zweigelt Barrique trocken
Bye-bye
Thanks Marcus for a great tour and 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)
Weingut Pawis (Saale Unstrut): Estate Tour and Wine Tasting with Markus Pawis – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Cellar Tour, Wine Tasting and Lunch at Weingut Thürkind in the Saale-Unstrut Region
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
schiller-wine: Related Postings (Weingut Pawis)
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 Pawis (Saale Unstrut): Estate Tour and Wine Tasting with Kerstin Pawis – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Weingut Pawis in the Saale Unstrut Region - A Profile, Germany
Weingut Pawis in Saale Unstrut, Germany (2011)