Weinwelt German Riesling Awards 2010

Picture from left to right: Ilka Lindemann (Weinwelt), Andreas Rings, Steffen Rings, Johannes Thörle, Gunther Hauck und Uli Mell from Weingut Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan, Manuel Brixius und Thomas Dollt from Moselland eG and Richard Grosche (Meininger Verlag)(Source: www.weinwelt.info)

Weinwelt German Riesling Awards 2010 - The 2009 Vintage

Weinwelt is one of the half dozen or so German wine journals. Weinwelt is published by the Maininger Verlag in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse in the Pfalz region. Every year, the Meininger Verlag organizes the Weinwelt Riesling Award.

For the Weinwelt Riesling Award 2010 – the vintage 2009 – 1300 wines were submitted and tasted during 3 days. These were blind tastings by a 78-member panel of experts, including sommeliers, oenologists, wine growers, wine makers, retailers and journalists. Each flight was tasted twice. In a final test, the 40 top Rieslings were tasted again by an eight member jury and the final ranking was determined.

Given the ideal weather conditions in the autumn of 2009, many had predicted that the 2009 vintage would be one of the best in a long time. But this is not the case. 2009 was a good but not an exceptional year. In terms of volume, the 2009 harvest was down by 10 to 15 percent compared with 2008 and with the previous five year average.

Riesling des Jahres 2010 – Riesling of the Year 2010

2009 Riesling „Auf der Mauer“ trocken, Pfalz

Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan
Kirchgasse 10 | 67146 Deidesheim
Tel. +49 (0)6326 6006
Internet: www.bassermann-jordan.de

Tasting notes (in German): Ein Riesling mit viel saftigem Pfirsich und Aprikose, hauchzarter Honignote, rosa Grapefruit, tollem Schmelz und durchgängiger Mineralität.
Price: 15,- Euro

Bassermann Jordan, Buerklin Wolf and Geheimrat von Buhl – the so called 3 “B's” of the Pfalz - have long been considered the top winemakers in the region. They are certainly up there, but others have joined them.

The Geheimer Rat von Bassermann Jordan Estate was established in 1700 by Andreas Jordan, who had immigrated to the Pfalz from the Savoy region. In his footsteps came a long series of respected men: Ludwig Andreas Jordan (1811-1883), Representative of the Frankfurt Parliament and the Federal Parliament; Dr. Ludwig Bassermann-Jordan (1869 - 1914), who greatly influenced the first German wine regulations and who co-founded the Association of Natural Wine Producers (later VDP); Dr. Friedrich von Bassermann-Jordan (1872 - 1959) author of one of the most fundamental works on the history of wine; finally Dr. Ludwig von Bassermann-Jordan (1924-1995), who secured a firm position at the pinnacle of the international wine market for the Bassermann-Jordan wines.

Today, the Estate is managed and owned by the entrepreneur Achim Niederberger, who also holds other significant business interests in the wine industry.

Picture: The Bassermann Jordan Estate

Riesling-Entdeckung des Jahres 2010 – Riesling Discovery of the Year

2009 Riesling Saulheimer Schlossberg trocken, Rheinhessen

Winzerhof Thörle
Rudolf und Johannes Thörle GbR
Ostergasse 40 | 55291 Saulheim
Tel. +49 (0)6732 5443
Internet: www.winzerhof-thoerle.de

Tasting notes (in German): Insgesamt ein sehr druckvoller und vielschichtiger Wein mit großem Potenzial - sehr eigenständige Nase mit Sponti-Art, kühler Mineralität und eleganter Frucht.

Price: 13,50 Euro

Winzerhof Thoerle is a family owned and operated winery in Rheinhessen in the town of Saulheim, with Johannes Thoerle in the driver seat and helped by his parents Rudolf and Ute and his brother Christoph. Johannes joined the winery a few years ago after an apprenticeship, inter alia, with star winemaker Wittmann. The family owns 15 hectares in the Hoelle, Schlossberg and Probstey vineyards in the Saulheim wine region, where they grow mainly Riesling, Silvaner and Burgundy grapes. The historical inn, the “Altes Kelterhaus”, is a cosy setting in which to enjoy a glass of wine, for example at one of the wine dinners that the Thoerles regularly organize. The overwhelming majority of the Winzerhof Thoerle wine portfolio is dry, with both read and white wines on the wine list.

I visited the Thoerle Estate a few weeks ago and wrote about it here.

Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller with Johannis Thoerle and his Mother

Riesling-Kollektion des Jahres 2010 – Riesling Collection of the Year 2010

2009 Riesling Kallstadter Saumagen trocken, Pfalz

Weingut Rings
Dürkheimer Hohl 21 | 67251 Freinsheim
Tel. +49 (0)6353 2231
Internet: www.weingut-rings.de

Tasting notes (in German): Der trockene Riesling besticht mit kalkig-mineralischer Nase, knackigem weißen Pfirsich, Grapefruit, Mirabelle und kühler Würze, tief, komplex, viel Potenzial.

Price: 17,- Euro

The Other Top 800 Wines

The 150 best wines are listed in the print edition of the Weinwelt of July 2010. You should easily find it at Airports and Railway Stations of large cities in Germany. Additional 650 Riesling wines with tasting notes (in German) are available online.


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