Best Organic Wines from Germany - ECOVIN Ecowinner 2012

Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller with Lotte Pfeffer-Müller, Weingut Brueder Dr. Becker, President of ECOVIN

I participated as a judge in the ECOVIN Ecowinner 2012 Contest, which took place in the lovely village of Oppenheim at the Rhine River in Rheinhessen. I have already reported about this one-day-event of June 5, 2012: Judging at the ECOVIN Ecowinner 2012 Contest in Oppenheim, Germany

Here are the results – the winners.

ECOVIN

ECOVIN is an association of winegrowers in Germany whose nearly 200 members with 1.000 ha vineyards are practicing organic viticulture and organic winemaking according to ECOVIN guidelines. To date about one percent of viticulturists in Germany produce wine according ECOVIN guidelines. Importantly, the ECOVIN certification covers the whole process of wine making, comprising grape growing in the vineyard and wine making in the cellar.

What is Organic Wine? Organic  and Other Green Concepts of Winemaking

Last year at Weingut Meinklang in Pamhagen in Austria in the stone cave below the winery with Werner Michlits, where Werner showed us his magic cow poop and other ingredients for biodynamic farming, I was really at the forefront of wine making with an ecological mindset. There are many others on this route. But these “green” winemakers come in different colors. I just tasted the Santa Julia wines of Familia Zuccardi, who produce mass wines in Argentina with organic grapes. Argentina, in general, is very well suited for organic wine making. “We practice sustainable agriculture in the vineyard” said Yann-Leon Beyer when I visited Domaine Leon Beyer in Alsace in France. The Donkey and Goat Winery in Berkeley produces wine according to the natural wine concept in the midst of the city of Berkeley without owning any vineyards. Researchers have found out that from a point of view of minimizing the carbon footprint, New Yorkers should drink Bordeaux instead of domestic wine from California. For a primer for "green" wines see: Organic, Sustainable, Biodynamic, Natural Wines … A Primer for “Green” Wines

Organic Wine Making in Germany: Bio Label

Germany introduced comprehensive organic legislation - and the Bio label - as part of an European effort in 2001. The Bio label is a hexagonal logo with the inscription "Bio". The Bio label is not a wine specific label, but a general food label.

Picture: Bio Label in Germany

As for wine, the German/EU regulations only provide rules for organic grape growing in the vineyard. The wine making part in the cellar is not covered by the current German/EU regulations and Bio label. Just a few days ago, however, the EU came out with a broadening of the legislation to also include the wine making part, which will become effective with the 2012 vintage.

Organic Wine Making in Germany:  ECOVIN Label

While the Bio label is a government and general food logo, the ECOVIN label is a NGO and wine specific logo. In the German-speaking countries there have been non-government organizations that had issued labels for organic food long before the advent of the EU organic food regulations and the Bio label. Their labels are still used widely as they significantly exceed the requirements of the EU regulations.

Picture: Ecovin Logo

When it comes to wine, the ECOVIN label is – with the Demeter label - the most important one. The ECOVIN logo is a stylized grape fruits with ECOVIN on top.

Ecowinner 2012

Kategorie 1 | Sekt – Sparkler

1. Platz
Weingut Hohlreiter | Pfalz
2010 Weißburgunder Crémant Pfalz, Sekt brut

2. Platz
Weingut Abril | Baden
2009 Rosé Sekt extra trocken

3. Platz
Weingut Großmann | Nahe
2007 Pinotin Rotsekt trocken

Picture: The Ecowinners 2012

Kategorie 2 | Secco

1. Platz
Weingut Huster | Rheinhessen
2011 *frizzz* trocken

2. Platz
Weingut Metzler | Rheinhessen
2011 *Martinello* trocken

3. Platz
Weingut Schönhals | Rheinhessen
2011 Secco Rosé trocken

Kategorie 3 | Rosé / Weißherbst

1. Platz
Strombergkellerei | Württemberg
2011 Bönnigheimer Stromberg Cuvée Rosé feinfruchtig

2. Platz
Weingut Goldschmidt | Rheinhessen
2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé trocken

3. Platz
Weingut Stutz | Württemberg
2011 Spätburgunder Rosé Gutswein fruchtig

Pictures: The Ecowinners 2012, category 3, where my group had the final word

Kategorie 4 | Riesling trocken, bis inkl. 12,5 Vol. % - Riesling dry, up to 12.5% alcohol

1. Platz
Weingut Neumer | Rheinhessen
2011 Tafelstein Riesling trocken

2. Platz
Weingut Hoffmann | Mosel
2011 Riesling Spätlese trocken

3. Platz
Weingut Schäfer-Heinrich | Württemberg
2011 Heilbronner Stiftsberg Riesling Kabinett trocken

Kategorie 5 | Burgunderfamilie trocken, bis inkl. 12,5 Vol. % - Pinot family (white), up to 12.5% alcohol

1. Platz
Weingut Janson Bernhard | Pfalz
2011 Zellertaler Weißburgunder trocken

2. Platz
Weingut Knobloch | Rheinhessen
2011 Weißburgunder trocken

3. Platz
Weingut Metzler | Rheinhessen
2011 Grauer Burgunder *S* Spätlese trocken

Kategorie 6 | alle anderen Rebsorten trocken, bis inkl. 12,5 Vol. % - all other white grape varieties, up to 12.5% alcohol

1. Platz
Weingut Hirschhof | Rheinhessen
2011 Westhofener Steingrube Sauvignon Blanc trocken

2. Platz
Weingut Schick | Rheinhessen
2011 Ingelheimer Grüner Veltliner trocken

3. Platz
Weingut Castel-Peter | Pfalz
2011 Silvaner trocken

Kategorie 7 | Riesling trocken größer 12,5 Vol. % - Riesling dry, more than 12.5% alcohol

1. Platz
Weingut Steffens-Kess | Mosel
2011 Reiler Goldlay Riesling Auslese trocken

2. Platz
Weingut Schäfer-Heinrich | Württemberg
2011 Heilbronner Stiftsberg Riesling *N* trocken

3. Platz
Weingut Schick | Rheinhessen
2011 Ingelheimer Goldberg Riesling Spätlese trocken

Picture: Rhe Ecowinners 2012 in category 7, where my group had the final word

Kategorie 8 | Burgunderfamilie und alle anderen Rebsorten trocken größer 12,5 Vol. % - Pinot family (white) and all other white grape varities, more than 12.5% alcohol

1. Platz
Weingut Kreischgauer | Rheinhessen
2011 Dorn-Dürkheimer Römerberg / vom Muschelkalk Weißer Burgunder trocken

2. Platz
Weingut Kreischgauer | Rheinhessen
2011 Dorn-Dürkheimer Römerberg Weißer Burgunder trocken

3. Platz
Weingut Pflüger | Pfalz
2011 Friedelsheim Weißburgunder trocken

Kategorie 9 | Riesling Restsüße 10-24g/l – Riesling, fruity sweet

1. Platz
Weingut Schick | Rheinhessen
2011 Ingelheimer Goldberg Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken

2. Platz
Weingut Hubertushof | Mosel
2011 Lieserer Rosenlay Riesling Spätlese halbtrocken

3. Platz
Weingut Golschmidt | Rheinhessen
2011 Osthofener Liebenberg Riesling Spätlese feinherb

Kategorie 10 | übrige Rebsorten Restsüße 10-24g/l – all other grape varieties with remaining sugar 10 – 24 g/l

1. Platz
Weingut Keßler | Rheinhessen
2011 Zornheimer Vogelsang Spätburgunder Blanc de Noir Spätlese

2. Platz
Weingut Kopp | Rheinhessen
2011 Niersteiner Silvaner feinherb

3. Platz
Weingut Hohlreiter | Pfalz
2009 Grauburgunder Spätlese

Kategorie 11 | alle Rebsorten Restsüße größer 25g/l und Dessertweine – all white noble sweet wines, with more than 25 g/l remaining sugar

1. Platz
Weingut Schick | Rheinhessen
2011 Ingelheimer Hasensprung Scheurebe Beerenauslese edelsüß

2. Platz
Weingut Lorenz | Rheinhessen
2011 Huxelrebe Trockenbeerenauslese edelsüß

3. Platz
Weingut Janson Bernhard | Pfalz
2011 Zeller Kreuzberg Gewürztraminer Beerenauslese edelsüß

Kategorie 12 | leichte Rotweine bis 12,5% - light red wines

1. Platz
Weingärtner Brackenheim | Württemberg
2011 Trollinger mit Lemberger trocken

2. Platz
Weingut Schäfer-Heinrich | Württemberg
Heilbronner Stiftsberg Trollinger trocken

3. Platz
Weingut Rösch-Spies | Rheinhessen
2010 Nuance Cuvée trocken

Pictures: ECOVIN President Lotte Pfeffer-Müller, Weingut Brueder Dr. Becker, and ECOVIN General Manager Ralph Dejas

Kategorie 13 | Spätburgunder, ohne Barrique größer 12,5 Vol. % - Pinot Noir without oak and more than 12,5% alcohol

1. Platz
Weingut Hubert Lay | Baden
2010 Ihringer Winklerberg Spätburgunder Spätlese trocken

2. Platz
Weingut Hubert Lay | Baden
2009 Ihringer Fohrenberg SL Spätburgunder Spätlese trocken

3. Platz
Weingut Siglinger | Württemberg
2009 Spätburgunder ** trocken

Kategorie 14 | alle anderen Rotweine, ohne Barrique größer 12,5 Vol. % - all other red grape varieties without oak

1. Platz
Weingut Arndt F. Werner | Rheinhessen
2009 Ingelheimer Selection Blauer Frühburgunder Selection trocken

2. Platz
Weingut Axel Schmitt | Rheinhessen
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon trocken

3. Platz
Weingut Stutz | Württemberg
2009 Lemberger Edition F trocken

Kategorie 15 | Rotweine aus dem Barrique, alle Rebsorten größer 12,5 Vol. % - red wines aged in barrique with more than 12.5% alcohol

1. Platz
Weingut Arndt F. Werner | Rheinhessen
2008 Ingelheimer Höllenweg Cabernet Sauvignon *S* trocken

2. Platz
Weingut Knobloch | Rheinhessen
2008 Eppelsheim Felsen Spätburgunder trocken

3. Platz
Weingut Schäfer-Heinrich | Württemberg
2009 Cabernet Cubin trocken

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at the tasting in Oppenheim

Kategorie 16 | Weiße PIWI – white fungus resistant grape varieties

1. Platz
Weingut Ollinger-Gelz | Mosel
2011 Cabernet Blanc trocken

2. Platz
Weingut Goldschmidt | Rheinhessen
2011 Dalsheimer Steig Johanniter Kabinett feinherb

3. Platz
Weingut Wöhrle | Pfalz
2011 Cabernet Blanc Spätlese trocken

Kategorie 17 | Rote PIWI – red fungus resistant grape varieties

1. Platz
Weingut Schönhals | Rheinhessen
2009 *R* Rondo trocken

2. Platz
Weingut Ruesch | Baden
2009 Markgräfler Regent Kabinett trocken

3. Platz
Weingut Metzler | Rheinhessen
2009 Regent Spätlese trocken

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Judging at the ECOVIN Ecowinner 2012 Contest in Oppenheim, Germany

Blogging for Organic Wine – New Ways of Wine Experience: The Organic Wines of Oekoweingut Hubertushof at Prowein 2012 in Germany 

Judging at Wine Competitions in Virginia (USA), Pfalz (Germany) and Rheinhessen (Germany)

The Natural Wines of the Donkey and Goat Winery in Berkeley, California

Visiting Jared Brandt and his Donkey and Goat Winery – Natural Wines Made in Berkeley, California

Excellency and Ecology: The Wines of Gebrueder Dr. Becker in Rheinhessen, Germany

Wine Event: President Obama and the First Lady eat at the "Green" Restaurant Nora and have a "Green" Spottswoode Wine

The Millesime Bio 2010 in Montpellier, France: A Discovery of Organic and Biodynamic Wines at the one of a Kind Wine Trade Show

Benzinger Wines Served at the 2010 "Green" Annual White House Correspondents Dinner

The Natural Wines of Terroir in San Francisco

Skype and Biodynamic Winemaking - Winetasting in the US with Winemaker Werner Michlits, Weingut Meinklang, in Austria

At the Forefront of Biodynamic Winemaking: Visiting Werner and Angela Michlits and their Weingut Meinklang in Austria

Julia Zuccardi from Familia Zuccardi in Argentina Visited the US to Introduce New Santa Julia Wines

One of Oregon's Pioneering Winemakers - Myron Redford - with his Amity Vineyard Wines in Washington DC

Visiting Yann-Leon Beyer at Maison Leon Beyer in Eguisheim in Alsace

Organic, Sustainable, Biodynamic, Natural Wines … A Primer for “Green” Wines