Billy Wagner Invited to the 10th Bottle Party at Wein Bar Rutz in Berlin

Pictures: Billy Wagner at the 1oth Bottle Party at Rutz Wein Bar in Berlin

Germany’s Prädikat Wine Estates – the members of the VDP (Verband Deutscher Praedikatsweingueter) - celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the VDP in 2010 in Germany’s Capital Berlin during September 4 to 6, 2010. I was happy and proud to participate. There were a number of events with the official ceremony in the Berlin Cathedral at the center.

Among the side-events, one of the outstanding events was the “Hausbesetzung” dinner at Wein Bar Rutz on Saturday evening, September 4, 2010, followed by the 10th Bottle Party which started at 23:30. I participated in the latter. It was a fantastic party.

I have given a run-down of the whole series of events here and have reported in more detail on the event: 70 Galleries - 200 Winemakers - 1000 Wines here, on the official ceremony in the Berlin Cathedral here and on Jancis Robinson and Hugh Johnson, who participated in the events, here.

Rutz Wein Bar in Berlin

Rutz Wein Bar is not only a top wine bar—it is also a top restaurant and a top wine store.


Pictures: Weinmakers Philip Wittmann (above) from Weingut Wittmann and H.O. Spanier (below) from Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier in the Crowd

Rutz Wein Bar has an extensive wine list, about 1000 or so wines, largely from Germany and other European countries. For example, Rutz offers about a dozen wines from one of my favorite winemaker, Weingut Kuenstler in the Rheingau. Wein Bar Rutz also has some excellent New World wines including about a dozen different vintages of Opus One. The oldest one—1985—goes for Euro 392 in the wine store, and Euro 410 at the wine bar. The nice thing is that you can consume all wines for the wine-store- price plus a corkage fee of Euro 18. There is also a broad selection of wines by the glass.

You can also eat at the bar from the exciting bar menu; I love the “Rinderroulade”—a German specialty.

The kitchen and the main part of the restaurant, including an outside deck, are on the second floor. The restaurant is one of the best in Berlin, with 1 Michelin star. Chef Marcus Mueller offers a number of multi-course menus at various price points. You can also eat a la carte for Euro 20 to 30 per course.

Picture: Marcus Mueller

10th Bottle Party

Another strong point of the Rutz is Billy Wagner, the very entertaining and knowledgeable sommelier. He had invited for a bottle party that started 30 minutes before midnight. The entrance fee was Euro 19 or alternatively a bottle of a Grosses/Erstes Gewaechs wine.


Pictures: Billy Wagner Serving Wine

The following winemakers had donated their grand cru wines and many of them were present at the bottle party: Weingut Reinhold Haart, Weingut Dr. Loosen, Weingut Clemens Busch, Weingut Karthäuserhofberg, Weingut St. Urbans-Hof, Weingut Forstmeister-Geltz Zilliken, Weingut van Volxem, Weingut H. Dönnhoff, Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich, Gut Hermannsberg,Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn, Winneburg'sche Domäne Schloss Johannisberg, Weingut Josef Leitz, Weingut Wittmann, Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier, Weingut St. Antony, Weingut Wagner-Stempel, Weingut Koehler-Ruprecht, Weingut Georg Mosbacher, Weingut Siener, Weingut A. Christmann, Weingut Dr. Bürklin-Wolf, Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz, Weingut Jürgen Leiner, Weingut Zehnthof - Familie Luckert, Weingut Weltner, Weingut Hans Wirsching, Weingut Gerhard Aldinger, Weingut Seeger, Weingut Salwey, Weingut Adeneuer, Weinhaus Reichsrat von Buhl, Staatsweingut Weinsberg.

Picture: Johannes Graf von Schoenburg-Glauchgau from Weingut Schloss Westerhaus in Ingelheim with Annette Schiller

The place was packed at 23:30 and only a little bit less full at 2:00 in the morning, when we left. It was a great opportunity to network and make new friends as well as to catch up with old friends.


Pictures: New VDP Member and TV Star Guenther Jauch in the Crowd


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