Friday, February 2, 2018

Rieslingfeier 2018 in New York City: Gränd Tasting and Gala Dinner

Picture: Jochen Dreissigacker, Weingut Dreissigacker, Andreas Hütwohl, Weingut von Winning, Andreas Spreitzer, Weingut Spreitzer and Johannes Leitz, Weingut Leitz, at the Rieslingfeier 2018 in New York City

Rieslingfeier is an annual event in New York City that celebrates Riesling, in particular German Riesling. The cornerstone event is the Rieslingfeier Gala Dinner. Inspired by Daniel Johnnes’ famous Burgundy fête “La Paulée” it is very likely the greatest German wine BYOB dinner in the world, with both winemakers and guests bringing special bottles from their cellars to share.

Rieslingfeier is orchestrated by Stephen Bitterolf of the vom Boden wine importing company.





Pictures: New York Impressions

This year, the Rieslingfeier took place on Saturday January 27, 2018. The 2018 Rieslingfeier consisted of 2 events: The Gränd Tasting at Craft Restaurant in New York City Downtown during the day and the Gala Dinner at Reynard/ Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg in the evening.

13 top German wine producers and (for the first time) 1 top Alsacian producer were in attendance.

For previous Rieslingfeier events, see:

2017
The Annual "Slaughterhouse" Riesling Feast in New York: Rieslingfeier 2017, USA

2016
A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2016, USA
Rieslingfeier 2016 in New York – Gränd Tasting: The Winemakers of the Rieslingfeier 2016, USA
Rieslingfeier 2016 in New York – Gala Dinner, USA

2015
A German Riesling Feast in New York City: Rieslingfeier 2015, USA
The 11 Winemakers: Rieslingfeier 2015 in New York City, USA
Riesling Crawl in New York City – Or, Where to Buy German Wine in Manhattan: Schiller's Favorite Wine Stores, USA
The Gala Dinner of the Rieslingfeier 2015 in New York City, USA

Participating Winemakers

13 top German wine producers and (for the first time) 1 top Alsacian producer were in attendance. Annette Schiller, who organizes wines tours (ombiasyPR and WineTours), and Christian Schiller, who blogs on schiller-wine, joined the 2018 celebration of German Riesling. We were happy to meet the participating German elite winemakers. Many of them we know personally. Some of them we call our friends. Most of them we have visited on a recent ombiasy wine tour.

Trimbach

Alsace
100 hectares
Jean Trimbach



Pictures: Christian Schiller with Jean Trimbach at Maison Trimbach in Ribeauville in Alsace. See: Visiting Jean Trimbach at Maison Trimbach in Ribeauville in Alsace (2011)


Pictures: With Hubert Trimbach at Maison Trimbach in 2014. See: At Maison Trimbach in Alsace with Hubert Trimbach – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)


Pictures: Christian Schiller and Annette Schiller with Jean Trimbach at Open Kitchen, Virginia, USA. See: Back in the Washington DC Area: Jean Trimbach Presented Maison Trimbach Wines at a Winemaker Dinner at Open Kitchen, USA (2013)

Koehler-Ruprecht

Pfalz
13 hectares
54% Riesling, 20% Spätburgunder
Louis - Dressner
General Manager Dominik Sona





Pictures:Tour and Tasting at Weingut Koehler Ruprecht in Kallstadt, Pfalz, with Franzi Schmitt – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

von Winning

Pfalz
49 hectares
80% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Deputy Managing Director Andreas Hütwohl

Picture: At Weingut von Winning in Deidesheim, Pfalz. See: Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Winning in Deidesheim, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Dreissigacker

Rheinhessen
28 hectares
60% Riesling
Schatzi Wines
Jochen Dreissigacker




Pictures: Tasting the Wines President Obama was Served: At Weingut Dreissigacker in Bechtheim, Rheinhessen, with Ute Dreissigacker – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Leitz

Rheingau
43 hectares
98% Riesling
Schatzi Wines
Johannes Leitz

Picture: Annette Schiller and Johannes Leitz, Weingut Josef Leitz, at Kloster Eberbach, Germany



Pictures: With Johannes Leitz at Weingut Leitz. See: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Leitz in Rüdesheim, with Johannes Leitz – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Spreitzer

Rheingau
21 hectares
95% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Andreas Spreitzer






Picture: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Spreitzer in Oestrich, Rheingau, with Bernd Spreitzer – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Diel

Nahe
25 hectares
60% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Caroline Diel
Sylvain Diel







Pictures: Christian Schiller with Armin, Caroline and Anouk Diel at Schlossgut Diel in Germany. See: Tasting with Sylvain Taurisson Diel at Schlossgut Diel, Nahe – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)


Pictures: Annette Schiller with Caroline Diel and Armin Diel at the 2017 Schlossgut Diel Christmas Market

Dönnhoff

Nahe
28 hectares
80% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Cornelius Dönnhoff

Picture: Christian Schiller with Helmut Dönnhoff, Weingut Hermann Dönnhoff

Picture: Annette Schiller, Helmut Dönnhoff and Daughter Christina Dönnhoff (Weingut Dönnhoff) and Didier Cuevelier (Chateau Leoville Poyferre) at Weingut Dr. Robert Weil



Pictures: Wine Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Dönnhoff with Christina Dönnhoff – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Immich-Batterieberg

Mosel
9 hectares
100% Riesling
Louis - Dressner
General Manager/ Winemaker Gernot Kollmann





Pictures: Tasting and Vineyard Visit at Weingut Immich-Batterieberg in Enkirch, Mosel, with Gernot Kollmann - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Picture: Gernot Kollmann, Weingut Immich-Batterieberg, Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, Dominik Sona and Franzi Schmitt, Weingut Koehler-Ruprecht and Clemens Busch, Weingut Clemens Busch, at Bart Vandaele's BToo in Washington DC. See: Post-Rieslingfeier and Pre-Big Glou Dinner with 3 Top Winemakers from Germany at BToo in Washington DC: Clemens Busch, Immich-Batterieberg and Koehler-Ruprecht, USA

Willi Schaefer

Mosel
4 hectares
100% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Christoph Schaefer

Selbach-Oster

Mosel
22 hectares
97% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Johannes Selbach

Picture: With Johannes Selbach at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel. See: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, with Johannes Selbach – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Picture: Johannes and Barbara Selbach and Annette Schiller in New York at the 2015 Rieslingfeier, see: The 11 Winemakers: Rieslingfeier 2015 in New York City, USA

Picture: Christian Schiller and Johannes Selbach in New York City at the 2013 Riesling and Co Tasting, see: Schiller’s Favorites at the 2013 Riesling and Co Tasting in New York City, USA

Egon Müller

Mosel
8 hectares
98% Riesling
Egon Müller


Pictures: Annette and Christian Schiller with Egon Müller, Weingut Egon Müller, at the Rieslingfeier 2015 in New York City, USA, see: The 11 Winemakers: Rieslingfeier 2015 in New York City, USA

Picture: Annette Schiller and Egon Müller. See: The Annual "Slaughterhouse" Riesling Feast in New York: Rieslingfeier 2017, USA

Hofgut Falkenstein

Mosel
8 hectares
80% Riesling
Owner Johannes Weber
Owner Franz Weber
Lars Carlberg


Pictures: Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards: The Award Ceremony in Mainz, Germany

Lauer

Mosel
9 hectars
100% Riesling
Vom Boden
Florian Lauer



Pictures: Florian Lauer, Weingut Peter Lauer, and Christian Schiller. See: Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2016 Awards: The Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany

Rieslingfeier: Gränd Tasting

Saturday, January 27th, 2018 | 10:30am-3:00pm
Craft Restaurant
43 East 19th Street, New York, NY

The first of the 2 Rieslingfeier events was a walk-around tasting with the 14 participating winemakers. All producers were in attendance pouring 3 to 4 of their wines.





Pictures: Gränd Tasting

Gränd Tasting: Trimbach

Alsace
100 hectares
Jean Trimbach

2014 Reserve Magnum
2015 Sélection Vieilles Vignes
2008 Cuvée Frédéric Emile


Pictures: Jean Trimbach, Egon Müller, Annette Schiller

Gränd Tasting: Koehler-Ruprecht

Pfalz
13 hectares
54% Riesling, 20% Spätburgunder
Louis - Dressner
General Manager Dominik Sona

2016 Saumagen Kabinett Trocken
2015 Saumagen Spätlese trocken
2016 Steinacker Kabinett
2015 Saumagen Auslese



Gränd Tasting: von Winning

Pfalz
49 hectares
80% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Deputy Managing Director Andreas Hütwohl

2016 Paradiesgarten 1e Lage Trocken
2016 Kalkofen GG
2016 Sauvignon Blanc "I"



Gränd Tasting: Dreissigacker

Rheinhessen
28 hectares
60% Riesling
Schatzi Wines
Jochen Dreissigacker

2016 "Organic" Trocken
2016 Bechtheimer Trocken
2015 Bechtheimer Trocken
2013 Geyersberg Trocken



Gränd Tasting: Spreitzer

Rheingau
21 hectares
95% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Andreas Spreitzer

2016 "Muschelkalk" Trocken
2016 Wisselbrunnen GG
2016 Jesuitengarten "Alte Reben" Feinherb


Pictures: Annette Schiller, Andreas Spreitzer, David Schildknecht

Gränd Tasting: Diel

Nahe
25 hectares
60% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Caroline Diel
Sylvain Diel

2016 "Von der Nahe" Feinherb
2016 Eierfels Trocken
2016 Goldloch GG



Gränd Tasting: Lauer

Mosel
9 hectars
100% Riesling
Vom Boden
Florian Lauer

2016 "Barrel X"
2016 "Senior" Fass 6
2016 Stirn Fass 15



Gränd Tasting: Dönnhoff

Nahe
28 hectares
80% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Cornelius Dönnhoff

2016 Kahlenberg Dry
2016 Krötenpfuhl Kabinett
2016 Kirschheck Spätlese


Pictures: Cornelius Dönnhoff, David Schildknecht, Annette Schiller

Gränd Tasting: Immich-Batterieberg

Mosel
9 hectares
100% Riesling
Louis - Dressner
General Manager/ Winemaker Gernot Kollmann

2015 "CAI"
2016 Escheburg
2014 Ellergrube



Gränd Tasting: Egon Müller

Mosel
8 hectares
98% Riesling
Egon Müller

2014 Kanta (Australia)
2015 Château Belá (Slovak Republic)
2016 "Scharzhofberg" QbA
2016 Scharzhofberg Kabinett "Alte Reben"
2016 Scharzhofberg Spätlese



Gränd Tasting: Leitz

Rheingau
43 hectares
98% Riesling
Schatzi Wines
Johannes Leitz

2016 Berg Kaisersteinfels "Terrassen" GG
2016 Berg Roseneck "Katerloch" GG
2016 Berg Rotland "Hinterhaus" GG


Pictures: Johannes Leitz, Kevin Pike of Schatzi-Wines

Gränd Tasting: Selbach-Oster

Mosel
22 hectares
97% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Johannes Selbach

2016 Schlossberg "Böhmer" Trocken
2016 Sonnenuhr Spätlese Feinherb "Uralte Reben"
2016 Sonnenuhr Spätlese



Gränd Tasting: Hofgut Falkenstein

Mosel
8 hectares
80% Riesling
Owner Johannes Weber
Owner Franz Weber
Lars Carlberg

2016 Herrenberg Kabinett Trocken #1
2016 Sonnenberg Spätlese Trocken
2016 Herrenberg Kabinett Feinherb #4
2016 Herrenberg Spätlese #11



Gränd Tasting: Willi Schaefer

Mosel
4 hectares
100% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Christoph Schaefer

2016 Himmelreich Kabinett
2016 Himmelreich Spätlese
2016 Domprobst Spätlese #10



Rieslingfeier: Gala Dinner

Saturday, February 18th, 2017 | 7pm
Reynard | Wythe Hotel
80 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

Picture: Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn

There were 14 tables with 1 winemaker and 10 guests at each table.

The five course meal was customized by Reynard’sExecutive Chef Christina Lecki to pair with dry and off-dry Riesling.

The wine service was presided over by Rieslingfeier Chef Sommelier Raj Vaidya along with a group of the country's top sommeliers.

At each table, about 20 wines were served, provided by the host winemaker and his/ her guests. At the table of Egon Müller, for example, you would be served about 10 Egon Müller wines and 10 wines the guests brought from their cellars.

All the wines were outstanding, but some of them were out of this world. You could walk to other tables and taste the wines poured there. Guests and winemakers also walked around and shared the wines with other people.

The evening began at 7pm with a Weingut Dreissigacker Sekt reception. Dinner started at 8:00pm and ended at around midnight.

Reception with Dreissigacker Sekt

The evening began at 7pm with a Weingut Dreissigacker Sekt reception.


Pictures: Jochen Dreissigacker and his Riesling Sekt Brut


Picture: Andreas Spreitzer, Weingut Spreitzer, Johannes Leitz, Weingut Leitz, Andreas Hütwohl, Weingut von Winning, Cornelius Dönnhoff, Weingut Dönnhoff

Picture: Jochen Dreissigacker, Weingut Dreissigacker, Johannes Leitz, Weingut Leitz, Caroline Diel, Schlossgut Diel, Andreas Spreitzer, Weingut Spreitzer

Picture: Gernot Kollmann, Weingut Immich-Batterieberg, Jean Trimbach, David Schildknecht

Picture: Egon Müller and Caroline Diel

The Gala Dinner

Following the Sekt Reception, Stephen Bitterolf welcomed and introduced the visiting winemakers. The 28 sommeliers (2 at each table) started to pour the wines and the first course was served. During the next 4 hours or so we all enjoyed a wonderful dinner with amazing wines, from the table where you were seated but also from the other tables. People - winemakers, consumers and reps/ importers - tend to walk around at the Rieslingfeier Gala Dinner, either with their own wine or with a glass exploring what is being poured at other tables.

Picture: Stephen Bitterolf Introducing the Winemakers








14 Tables at the Gala Dinner

There were 14 tables with 1 winemaker and 10 guests sitting at each table.

Gala Dinner: Lauer Table

Mosel
9 hectars
100% Riesling
Vom Boden
Florian Lauer



Pictures. Florian Lauer and Aldo Sohm

Gala Dinner: Willi Schaefer Table

Mosel
4 hectares
100% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Christoph Schaefer


Pictures: Christian Schiller, Christoph Schaefer and Annette Schiller



Gala Dinner: Dreissigacker Table

Rheinhessen
28 hectares
60% Riesling
Schatzi Wines
Jochen Dreissigacker



Picture: Jochen Dreissigacker and Sylvain Diel

Gala Dinner. Leitz Table

Rheingau
43 hectares
98% Riesling
Schatzi Wines
Johannes Leitz



Gala Dinner: Spreitzer Table

Rheingau
21 hectares
95% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Andreas Spreitzer





Gala Dinner: Dönnhoff Table

Nahe
28 hectares
80% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Cornelius Dönnhoff



Gala Dinner: von Winning Table

Pfalz
49 hectares
80% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Deputy Managing Director Andreas Hütwohl



Gala Dinner: Selbach-Oster Table

Mosel
22 hectares
97% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Johannes Selbach



Gala Dinner: Koehler-Ruprecht Table

Pfalz
13 hectares
54% Riesling, 20% Spätburgunder
Louis - Dressner
General Manager Dominik Sona




Gala Dinner: Immich-Batterieberg Table

Mosel
9 hectares
100% Riesling
Louis - Dressner
General Manager/ Winemaker Gernot Kollmann



Gala Dinner: Trimbach Table

Alsace
100 hectares
Jean Trimbach





Gala Dinner: Hofgut Falkenstein Table

Mosel
8 hectares
80% Riesling
Owner Johannes Weber
Owner Franz Weber
Lars Carlberg


Pictures: David Schildtknecht and Johannes Weber

Gala Dinner: Egon Müller Table

Mosel
8 hectares
98% Riesling
Egon Müller




Picture: Annette Schiller Pouring a Scharzhofberger Kabinett

Gala Dinner: Schlossgut Diel Table

Nahe
25 hectares
60% Riesling
Skurnik/ Theise
Caroline Diel
Sylvain Diel

This year, my wife Annette Schiller and I were sitting with Caroline Diel and Sylvain Diel, Schlossgut Diel. Ryan Plas/ Coquette/ New Orleans and Andrew Algren/ Cherry Circle Room/ Chicago were pouring the wines.









The Menu

The food was excellent, but, of course, a bit on the backburner with all these outstanding wines being poured into your glass, at your table as well as on all the other tables.







Our Wines: 2 GGs

We brought, as Stuart Pigott commented on facebook, a "cool couple" of wines: a Riesling from the up-and-coming producer Weingut Schätzel in Rheinhessen and a Pinot Blanc from an off-the-beaten-track wine region, Saale-Unstrut in the eastern part of Germany. Both producers are not (yet) available in the US market.

2016 Weingut Schätzel, Hipping, Riesling GG - Rheinhessen
2016 Weingut Lützkendorf, Hohe Gräte, Weisburgunder GG - Saale/ Unstrut

Picture: Annette Schiller and Ryan Plas/ Coquette/ New Orleans

Picture: Andrew Algren/ Cherry Circle Room/ Chicago

Picture: Annette Schiller and Valerie Masten of Skurnik/ Theise

The End

The 2018 Rieslingfeier ended around midnight. Again, it was an unforgettable event with amazing wines, including a 1939 Riesling from Weingut Spreitzer and a 2009 G-Max from Klaus Peter Keller (with trades at the seconday market for US1500 currently), to single out 2 wines among the many outstanding wines that I was able to taste.




Picture: Jochen Dreissigacker and Andreas Spreitzer

Picture: Jochen Dreissigacker, Weingut Dreissigacker, Andreas Hütwohl, Weingut von Winning, Andreas Spreitzer, Weingut Spreitzer and Johannes Leitz, Weingut Leitz



Going Back to the Hotel

Picture: Crossing the East River into New York Downton

Stephen Bitterolf

Rieslingfeier was founded in 2012 by Stephen Bitterolf, a passionate advocate for Germany's culture of winemaking. He was the Wine Director at Crush Wine & Spirits in New York where he helped develop one of the largest German wine programs in the country before founding his own import company, vom Boden.



Pictures: Stephen Bitterolf at the 2018 Gränd Tasting and the Gala Dinner, Opening and Closing

Opera

Annette and I travelled to New York on Friday, January 26. We had bought tickets for the Metropolitan Opera. We also went to 2 wine bars.

Pocket Bar NYC: A tiny neighborhood wine bar.

Ardesia (510 W 52nd St): Le Bernardin veteran Mandy Oser’s iron-and-marble gem offers superior wines in a relaxed setting.



Pictures: Pocket Bar NYC


Pictures: Ardesia

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Ombiasy Wine Tours 2018: 3 x France and 3 x Germany - Ombiasy Newsletter December 2017

Tasting with Sylvain Taurisson Diel at Schlossgut Diel, Nahe – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Leitz in Rüdesheim, with Johannes Leitz – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Winning in Deidesheim, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Koehler Ruprecht in Kallstadt, Pfalz, with Franzi Schmitt – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Wine Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Dönnhoff with Christina Dönnhoff – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Visiting Jean Trimbach at Maison Trimbach in Ribeauville in Alsace (2011)

At Maison Trimbach in Alsace with Hubert Trimbach – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Back in the Washington DC Area: Jean Trimbach Presented Maison Trimbach Wines at a Winemaker Dinner at Open Kitchen, USA (2013)

Tasting the Wines President Obama was Served: At Weingut Dreissigacker in Bechtheim, Rheinhessen, with Ute Dreissigacker – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Spreitzer in Oestrich, Rheingau, with Bernd Spreitzer – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany

 Tasting and Vineyard Visit at Weingut Immich-Batterieberg in Enkirch, Mosel, with Gernot Kollmann - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Post-Rieslingfeier and Pre-Big Glou Dinner with 3 Top Winemakers from Germany at BToo in Washington DC: Clemens Busch, Immich-Batterieberg and Koehler-Ruprecht, USA

Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, with Johannes Selbach – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards: The Award Ceremony in Mainz, Germany

Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2016 Awards: The Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany

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