For the third time, the Falstaff Trophies Deutschland were awarded. The wine/food/travel journal Falstaff has been around for a number of years, issued in Vienna, Austria, and reporting about wine, food and travel from an Austrian perspective, for Austria-based readers. About three years ago, Falstaff expanded into the German wine and food scene and started to issue a German version of Falstaff in addition to the well established Austrian version. As part of its expansion, Falstaff has created the annual Falstaff Deutschland Wine Trophies, to be awarded to 4 German wine personalities. (A number of the pictures in this posting are courtesy of Ralf Kaiser - Weinkaiser.de).
For previous years, see:
Falstaff Deutschland Wine Trophies 2011
Best German Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff Deutschland Wine Trophies 2012
Hansjörg Rebholz, Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz (Pfalz), is Winemaker of the Year
Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz is a family-owned winery, which was founded by Hansjörg Rebholz’s grandfather. His approach is to do as little as necessary in the wine cellar and as much as possible in the vineyard, i.e. he belongs to the school of winemakers that believes that wine is made in the vineyard and not in the wine cellar. The result: wines that always require a certain maturity and development before they blossom into full beauty. In the tradition of his grandfather, who was aiming at producing "natural wines" and these "with the precision of a Swiss watchmaker" Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz is now fully biodynamic said Peter Moser, editor of Falstaff, in his speech.
The Runners-up
The runners-up were Werner Schönleber, Weingut Emrich-Schoenleber from the Nahe, and Gunter Künstler, Weingut Franz Kuenstler from the Rheingau.
See:
The Wines of Franz Kuenstler from Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany
Eva Fricke, Weingut Eva Fricke (Kiedrich/Rheingau) is Newcomer of the Year
From 2004 to 2011, Eva Fricke was the Operations Manager at Weingut Josef Leitz. Eva Fricke, how was born and grew up in Bremen in Northern Germany, produced her first own wine in 2006, from particularly steep slopes in Lorch. Since 2008 Eva Fricke lives and works at the Koetherhof in Kiedrich where the winery of her about 3 hectares vineyard area is located. Award presenter and fellow winemaker Roman Niewodniczanski pulled his imaginary hat to Eva Fricke's performance, establishing from scratch one of the most exciting wineries in the region. He is "utterly blown away" by her Rieslings.
Picture: Eva Fricke and Christian G.E. SchillerSee:
Visiting Weingut Josef Leitz in Ruedesheim – Johannes Leitz is Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide 2011
The Runners-up
Also nominated were Lea Linster and Maximilian von Kunow (Crossmosel-Projekt) und Michel Städter of Weingut Chat Sauvage in the Rheingau.
Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Michael StaedterSee:
Weingut Chat Sauvage– Bourgogne in the Middle of the Rheingau: Meeting Chat Sauvage’s Winemaker and General Manager Michael Staedter, Germany
Jens Pietzonka, Restaurant »bean and beluga« in Dresden, is Sommelier of the Year
The Runners-up
The Runners-up were Sven Oetzel (La Vie in Osnabrück) and Stefanie Hehn (Seehotel Überfahrt am Tegernsee)
Fritz Keller, Weingut Franz Keller - Schwarzer Adler (Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl) Received the Trophy for his Live Achievements
Fritz Keller, born in 1957, is winemakers, wine merchant, restaurateur and hotelier. Since 1990, he has been heading the family-owned winery in Oberbergen and has also been the patron of the legendary restaurant Schwarzer Adler (1 Michelin star) in Oberbergen. For his dry white and red Pinot wines, which go very well with food, he has received international recognition already many years ago. Also, Fritz Keller was for 20 years the Vice President of the German Sommelier Union. His second passion (besides wine and good food) is football: since 2010, he has been the President of the SC Freiburg. In his speech, Marcel Reif praised Keller's tireless efforts for the promotion of German wine.
schiller-wine: Related Postings
In the Glass: A 2007 Pinot Noir from the Gault Millau Shooting Star of the Year - Estate Baron Gleichenstein, Germany
Chat Sauvage Versus Peter Querbach– An Impromptu Pinot Noir Wine Tasting with Kai Buhrfeind at His Grand Cru Wine Bar in Frankfurt, Germany
Falstaff Deutschland Wine Trophies 2011
Best German Wines and Winemakers - Falstaff Deutschland Wine Trophies 2012
Visiting Weingut Josef Leitz in Ruedesheim – Johannes Leitz is Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide 2011
Weingut Chat Sauvage– Bourgogne in the Middle of the Rheingau: Meeting Chat Sauvage’s Winemaker and General Manager Michael Staedter, Germany