Weingut Chat Sauvage is the odd ball among the traditional century old wineries in the Rheingau. While the Rheingau is famous for its Rieslings, accounting for almost 80 percent of its output, Chat Sauvage’s vineyards are only planted with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, like in the Bourgogne in France. And Chat Sauvage’s Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs rank among the best in the country.
General Manager/ Winemaker Michael Städter was our host. Our visit coincided with Weingut Chat Sauvage’s “Schlemmerwochen” (gourmet week) event.
Weingut Chat Sauvage
Weingut Chat Sauvage, founded in 2001, is the baby of Günter Schulz, who has made his money and still is making his money outside of the wine industry. Wine, in particular Bourgogne varieties, is his passion. The winery is run by Michael Städter.
The history of Weingut Chat Sauvage began in 1992, when Günther Schulz started to make regular visits from Hamburg, where he lives, to the Rheingau in order to visit his daughter. He quickly fell in love with the region and began to think about making wine himself in the Rheingau. His first wines – couple of barrels - were made at Weingut Schamari-Mühle in Johannisberg, in cooperation with Erik Andersson.
Right from the beginning, the Chat Sauvage wines were sought after by wine lovers in Germany, which encouraged Günter Schulz to push ahead with his passion. The next important step was the construction of a winery. He auctioned off his collection of fine wines at Christie’s in London and used the proceeds to buy more vineyard land and to construct a winery in Johannisberg in the Rheingau. Weingut Chat Sauvage moved into the new winery in August 2010.
The vineyard area of Chat Sauvage totals 9 hectares, with 7 hectares Pinot Noir and 2 hectares Chardonnay. 2/3 of the vineyards are steep slopes. The Chat Sauvage vineyards are scattered around in the western part of the Rheingau.
All work in Chat Sauvage’s vineyards is manual work. Considerable attention is paid to keeping the yields low, with first pruning after flowering, a green harvest, as well as selective hand-picking.
In terms of the cellar, Michael explained that traditional maceration, 18 months aging in barrique and no filtration are among the guiding principles for making Chat Sauvage wines. In terms of oak, Michael told us that they had experimented with Hungarian wood, but have settled now on French oak. Spontaneous fermentation? Michael expressed skepticism.
Michael Städter
While Günter Schulz is the owner and the brain behind Weingut Chat Sauvage, the man on the ground is Michael Städter. He is the Managing Director and the Cellar Master of Weingut Chat Sauvage. He has been with Günter Schulz from early on in the Chat Sauvage undertaking. His mother is from Oestrich Winkel in the Rheingau.
Michael started his career in the wine industry at Schloss Johannisberg, where he did a 3 years apprenticeship in winemaking. This was followed by studies in viticulture and oenology at the famous Geisenheim College. During his studies, Michael worked at the Weingut Schamari-Mühle, were Günter Schulz started his Chat Sauvage journey in 2001. Thus, right from the beginning, Michael was part of the project. When Günter Schulz decided to have his own winery, he asked Michael if he would be interested in joining him as Managing Director and Winemaker. Michael accepted.
What Michael Städter Poured
2013 Weingut Chat Sauvage, Rheingau, Rose, Pinot Noir
2014 Weingut Chat Sauvage, Rheingau, Chardonnay
2013 Weingut Chat Sauvage, Rheingau, Pinot Noir, Gutswein (from the whole Rheingau Region)
2011 Weingut Chat Sauvage, Rüdesheim, Pinot Noir, Ortswein (from the Rüdesheim Village)
2012 Weingut Chat Sauvage, Johannisberger Hölle, Pinot Noir, Lagenwein (from a single vineyard)
2007 Weingut Chat Sauvage, Lorcher Kapellenberg, Pinot Noir, Lagenwein (from a single vineyard)
In terms of ex winery prices, Weingut Chat Sauvage’s Pinot Noir portfolio starts at Euro 17 (for the Gutswein). At the Ortswein level the Pinots go for Euro 28 and at the Lagenwein level mostly for Euro 45. The most expensive wine currently is the 2013 Weingut Chat Sauvage, Lorcher Schlossberg, Pinot Noir, Lagenwein, which sells for Euro 150.
Postings: Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir (Posted and Forthcoming)
Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir
Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, with Achim von Oetinger– Germany-North 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch and Tour: Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut Chat Sauvage in Johannisberg, Rheingau, with Winemaker Michael Städter
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber in Östrich-Winkel, Rheingau, with Bernd and Ralph Schönleber
Vineyard tour, Cellar tour and Tasting at Weingut Leitz in Rüdesheim, with Johannes Leitz
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut August Kesseler in Assmanshausen, with Winemaker Simon Batarseh
Cruise on the Rhine River from Lorch to Boppard
Tasting at Weingut Matthias Müller in Spay, Mittelrhein, with Matthias Müller and son Johannes Müller
Visit and Tasting at Winzergenossenschaft Mayschoss in Mayschoss, Ahr
Tasting Pinot Noir at Weingut Kreuzberg in Dernau, Ahr with Owners/ Winemakers Ludwig Kreuzberg and Frank Josten
Tasting at Weingut Markus Molitor in Haus Klosterberg, Mosel
Tasting at Weingut Jos. Jos. Prüm in Bernkastel-Wehlen, Mosel, with Frau Prüm
The Wines of the Berncasteler Doctor, Bernkastel-Kues in the Mosel Valley, Germany
Wining in Bernkastel-Kues in the Mosel Valley: Wine Tavern “Spitzhaeuschen”, Germany
Tasting at Weingut Schloss Lieser in Lieser, Mosel, with Thomas Haag
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Trier, Germany
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken in Saarburg, Saar with Hanno Zilliken
Lunch at Landgasthof Zur Traube in Meddersheim, Nahe: Remembering Klaus Peter Wodartz' Ente in Wiesbaden
Tasting at Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich in Bockenau, Nahe
Dinner with Wine Pairing at the new Wine Tavern of Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in Bingen, Rheinhessen, with Stefan Rumpf
Tasting at Weingut Tesch in Langenlonsheim, Nahe, with Martin Tesch
Cellar Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Weingut Hans Lang in Hattenheim, Rheingau, with Urban Kaufmann and Eva Raps