Monday, January 1, 2024

Mittelrhein: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024


The Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2024 was released recently, presenting Vinum's choice of Germany’s best 1,000 wine producers and reviewing more than 10,500 wines on 1,080 pages. 

5 out of 5 stars („world class“) was awarded to 20 estates. There are two new ones on the list: Schloss Johannisberg and Rings. Congratualtions!

In addition, there are 32 estates with 4.5 stars, and 76 estates with 4 stars.

Postings

This posting is the 9th in a series of postings related to the Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2024:

Germany's 20 Top Winemakers (With 5/5 Stars) - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024

Climbers: Weingut Schloss Johannisberg (Rheingau) and Weingut Rings (Pfalz) Join Group of 5/ 5 Stars Winemakers in the Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2024

Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2024 Awards - The Nominations

Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2024 Awards: Dörte + Meike Näkel, Weingut Meyer Näkel (Winemaker of the Year), Andy + Steffen Rings, Weingut Rings (Rising Star of the Year), Martin Prüm, Weingut Martin Prüm (Discovery of the Year)

Best Wines of the Year - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2024 

Top 10 Wines of the Year 2023 - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2024

Ahr: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Baden:  The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Franken: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Hessische Bergstrasse: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Mittelrhein: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Mosel: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Nahe:  The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Pfalz:  The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Rheingau: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Rheinhessen:  The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Saale Unstrut: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Sachsen:  The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Württemberg: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024

Hessische Bergstrass - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

In the Mittelrhein region, the best winemakers - 3 - are in the 3.5/5 points category of the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 and 5 producers are in the 3/5 points category.  

Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, and I have met 2 of the 3 producers in the 3.5/5 winemakers group and one producer of the 3/5 winemakers group at various occasions over the past years, often at their estate during a Germany wine tour by ombiasy WineTours, which is owned and run by Annette Schiller and based in Washington DC, USA.

Mittlerhein

(London Wine Competiton)

Mittelrhein (literally, “Middle Rhine”) is one of the 13 German wine-growing regions, located along a 120-kilometer stretch of the famous Rhine river. The Middle Rhine is commonly thought of as the touristy portion of the Rhine, and probably the wine growing region that most foreigners think of when they think about German wine. Moreover, Mittelrhein is located to arguably the most famous German wine growing region, Mosel. 

Despite the picturesque scenery of the region – including the Rhine Gorge, recently included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites – wines from Mittelrhein are rarely exported, due to the combination of increasing domestic demand and declining supply. 

The most famous grape varietal from Mittelrhein is Riesling, which accounts for a majority (68%) of all wine produced in the region. The second most popular grape varietal is Spatburgunder, which accounts for just 8.7% of wine production from this region. Trailing far behind are Müller-Thurgau (6.3%) and Kerner (3.3%). 

The Mittelrhein wine region is divided into a total of 2 districts, 11 sites, and 111 vineyards. These vineyards are located on both sides of the Rhine. Of the 11 sites, 10 are located in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, while 1 is located in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. 

Similar to other German wine growing regions, white wine grapes are dominant, accounting for 85% of all wine produced in Mittelrhein. Predominantly, this is due to the climate of the region, which favors white wine production. 

Visiting Mittelrhein Producers

Matthias Müller, 3.5 Stars

Picture: Johannes and Matthias Müller, Weingut Matthias Müller in Spay, Mittelrhein. See: Tasting at Weingut Matthias Müller in Spay, Mittelrhein, with Johannes and Matthias Müller - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Ratzenberger, 3.5 Stars


Pictures: Tasting and Vineyard Drive at Weingut Ratzenberger in Bacharach, Mittelrhein, with Jochen Ratzenberger - Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling

Toni Jost, 3 Stars

Picture: Peter and Cecilia Jost, Weingut Toni Jost, Bacharach, Mittelrhein. See: Wine Tasting at Weingut Toni Jost in Bacharach, Mittelrhein, with Cecilia Jost – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours, Germany

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

ombiasy WineTours: Wine Tour Schedule 2023 - Austria, Germany/East, Burgundy/ Champagne, Germany/ North

Summery: Germany "From Berlin to Frankfurt" 2023 (Saale Unstrut, Sachsen, Franken, Württemberg) by ombiasy WineTours 

Tour and Tasting at Weingut Tement, Steiermark, with Sommelier Andy Bodor and Manfred and Heidi Tement - Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours   

Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard in Préhy, Chablis - From Lyon to Paris: Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference December 2021

The American Wine Society National Conference 2022 in Bellevue/ Seattle, Washington State - Seen through Christian Schiller`s Camera Lens

Tasting Top Virginia Wines in Frankfurt, Germany: Virginia Governor's Cup Case 2017

A Journey through Bourgogne with Louis Jadot - Tasting at the Washington Wine and Cheese Seminar Presented by Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, and Thibaud Marquis, Louis Jadot

Maison Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône: Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Cellar Master Jean Christoph - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA 

Massive Tasting of Bordeaux 1982 - the Vintage that made Robert Parker a Star, USA/ France

Carl Willner, Christian Schiller and Ken Bensley of the German Wine Society/ Washington DC Chapter (Re-)elected to the National Board, USA, Germany 

The End of the "Grosslage" in Germany - Seminar about the new German Wine Law of 2022 at the 2022 American Wine Society National Conference in Bellevue/ Seattle, Washington State, led by Annette Schiller

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle? - Tasting at the American Wine Society (NoVa Chapter) led by Annette Schiller 

Germany's Weingut Künstler #2 on James Suckling's List of the Top 100 Wines of the World (2022)

The New German Wine Law of 2021 - Tasting at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), presented by Annette Schiller  

"Wein-Oktoberfest" of the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter) at the German Embassy in Washington DC, USA 

Christian Schiller: Re-elected to the Board of the "Weinfeder", the Association of German Wine Journalists

 

No comments:

Post a Comment