Friday, March 27, 2015

Germany's Top 11 Winemakers (with 5 out of 5 Grapes) - The Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015

Picture: Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, and Christian G.E. Schiller in Mainz. Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, is the 2015 Gault Millau Deutschland Winemaker of the Year, see: Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015

The Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland is the leading wine guide for German wine. Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland uses a scale of 1 to 5 grapes to rate winemakers and a scale of 1 to 100 points to rate their wines.

The Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015 contains 1000 German wine producers, the 1000 best German wine makers, of which 11 received 5 grapes. Compared to 2014, one winery was promoted to 5 grapes and one winery was demoted to 4 1/2 grapes. Thus, there continue to be 11 winemakers with 5 out of 5 grapes.

Weingut Schloss Lieser from the Mosel joined the group of Germany's elite winemakers and Weingut Dönnhoff, to the surprise of many German wine experts, lost that credential. In fact, Cornelius Dönnhoff, who now is in charge of the wines at Weingut Dönnhoff, is Winemaker of the Year in Stuart Pigott's recent list of Best Wines and Winemakers. See: Cornelius Dönnhoff, Weingut Dönnhoff: Stuart Pigott’s Winemaker of the Year, Germany

Ahr

None.

Baden

Bernhard Huber

One of the winemakers leading the German red wine revolution. He also produces outstanding white wines. Does not have any sweet or noble-sweet wines in his portfolio. 26.5 hectares.

Bernhard Huber, only 53 years old, died in June 2014, a few months before our visit, after a battle with cancer.

See:
Visit: Weingut Dr. Heger in Baden – Germany-South Wine Tours by ombiasy (2014)

His wife Barbara wrote us in a moving email that she and their children try to keep Bernhard Huber's vision of wine making alive and that they will continue to produce top quality wines.

We will visit Weingut Huber during the upcoming Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015):  4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Picture: Julian and Barbara Huber at the 2014 Gault Millau Awards Ceremony in Mainz, see: Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015 Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany

Franken

Rudolf Fürst

Weingut Rudolf Fuerst has the reputation of being a specialist for red wines, Spaetburgunder and Fruehburgunder, which account for 60% of the production; but brilliant dry wines are also produced. Sebastian Fuerst in the process of taking over from his father Paul Fuerst. 18.6 hectares.

We will visit Weingut Rudolf Fürst at the forthcoming Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Coming-up: Wine & Art Tour to Saale-Unstrut - Saxony - Franken - Württemberg: Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours (June 11 - June 20, 2015)

Picture: Paul Fürst, Annette Schiller, ombiasyPR and WineTours, and Guiseppe Lauria at the 2nd International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau (2014)

Hessische Bergstrasse

None.

Mittelrhein

None.

Mosel (Mosel - Saar -Ruwer)

Fritz Haag

Weingut Fritz Haag is located in Brauneberg in the Mosel Valley. It was founded in 1605. It is now run and owned by Oliver Haag and his wife Jessica Haag. Weingut Fritz Haag owns a total of 16.5 hectares of Riesling vines around Brauneberg, with 6.5 hectares within Brauneberger Juffer and 3 hectares in the Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr vineyard.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and German Winemaker Oliver Haag, Weingut Fritz Haag, in Seattle

See:
The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA

Egon Müller

The legendary Scharzhof lies on the Saar River. Egon Mueller’s fruity-sweet and noble-sweet, low alcohol wines are legendary. 16 hectares.

Picture: Annette Schiller, ombiasyPR and WineTours, and Egon Müller, Weingut Egon Müller, at the Rieslingfeier 2015 in New York City, USA

Joh. Jos. Pruem

For decades now, one of the really exceptional winemakers in Germany. The aging potential of the Weingut J.J. Pruem wines is legendary. Katharina Pruem is in the process of taking over from her father Manfred Pruem. 21 hectares.

See:
JJ Pruem Goes Supermarket: Meeting Katharina Pruem and Tasting the Incredible JJ Pruem Wines at Wegmans

We will visit Weingut JJ Prüm during the forthcoming Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015):
4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Picture: Annette Schiller, Ombiasy PR and WineTours, with Manfred Pruem, Weingut JJ Pruem

Schloss Lieser (Thomas Haag)

The newcomer in the list of 5 out of 5 grapes producers. Brother of Oliver Haag, Weingut Fritz Haag, see above. 12 hectares.

Picture: Thomas Haag in Mainz

See:
Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015 

Nahe

Emrich-Schönleber

Frank Schönleber is in the process of taking over from father Werner, who was Gault Millau winemaker of the year 2006. Only white wines, mainly Riesling. 16 hectares.

We will visit Weingut Emrich-Schönleber on the forthcoming Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015):  4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Picture: Annette Schiller, ombiasyPR and WineTours, and Frank Schönleber at Kloster Eberbach

Pfalz

Knipser

A world class producer of both white and red wines. Werner Knipser has been experimenting with international red grape varieties for some years. Virtually all wines are fermented in a dry style. Werner Knipser’s children Sabine Knipser and Stephan Knipser are in the process of taking over. 40 hectares.

Ökonomierat Rebholz

A broad wine portfolio with Riesling and Pinots (Blanc, Noir and Gris) as well as Chardonnay. All dry. A mover and shaker in the "Grosses Gewächs" movement. 19 hectares.

The visit of WeingutÖkonomierat Rebholz was one of the highlights of the Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014): Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014. We will be back in 2015.

Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller with Hansjörg and Birgit Rebholz at Prowein 2015 in Düsseldorf

Rheingau

Robert Weil

A top producer of Riesling wines, in particular fruity sweet and noble sweet wines, well presented in the major wine markets in the world. Now co-owned by the Japanese Suntory company and General Manager Wilhelm Weil, the fourth generation of the founding family. 80 hectares.

The visit of Weingut Robert Weil was one of the highlights of the Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014): Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014). We will be back in 2015.

Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller, Martina Weil, Annette Schiller, Wilhelm Weil at the 2013 Rheingau Riesling Gala

Rheinhessen

Keller

Leader of the Rheinhessen wine renaissance. Has a broad wine portfolio with 60 % accounted for by Riesling and also including the lesser known autochthon Silvaner as well as Spaetburgunder. 15 hectares.

We will visit Weingut Klaus Peter Keller during the upcoming Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015):  4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Picture: Annette Schiller, ombiasyPR and WineTours, Julia and Klaus Peter Keller at the 2015 Rieslingfeier in New York, see: The 11 Winemakers: Rieslingfeier 2015 in New York City, USA

Saale-Unstrut

None.

Sachsen

None.

Wuerttemberg

None.

Previous Years

As for previous years, see:

Germany's Top 11 Winemakers (with 5 out of 5 Grapes) - The Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015
Germany's Top 11 Winemakers (with 5 out of 5 Grapes) - The Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2014
Germany’s Top 10 Winemakers (with 5 Grapes) - The Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2013
Germany’s Top 10 Winemakers (with 5 Grapes) - The Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2012
Germany’s Top 9 Winemakers - the 2010 Gault Millau Wine Guide

Each year, the Gault Millau also selects a winemaker of the year, a discovery of the year, etc. See for these awards this year and previous years:

Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015 Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany
Best German Wines and Winemakers: Gault Millau Awards – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2014
Best German Wines and Wine Makers – the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2013 Awards
2012: Best German Wines (Awards) – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2012
2011: Gault Millau WeinGuide Germany 2011 – Ratings
Gault Millau Wine Germany 2010

schiller-wine - Related Postings

Coming-up: Wine & Art Tour to Saale-Unstrut - Saxony - Franken - Württemberg: Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours (June 11 - June 20, 2015)

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015

JJ Pruem Goes Supermarket: Meeting Katharina Pruem and Tasting the Incredible JJ Pruem Wines at Wegmans

Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany

Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany

Riesling, Pinot Noir and Indian Cuisine: A tête-à-tête Dinner with Winemaker Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at Rasika in Washington DC, USA

The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA

Cornelius Dönnhoff, Weingut Dönnhoff: Stuart Pigott’s Winemaker of the Year, Germany 

Weingut Huber: One of the Fathers of the German Red Wine Revolution: Weingut Huber in Baden

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