Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Braunewell in Essenheim, Rheinhessen, with Stefan Braunewell - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours took place from August 28 – Friday, September 06, 2024. We spent 10 days visiting top wine estates in five wine regions, tasting fabulous Rieslings and Pinot Noir (aka Spätburgunder), meeting world-renowned wine makers, travelling through the world’smost beautiful wine regions, cruising on the romantic Rhein river, looking at dizzying steep vineyards along the Rhein and Mosel rivers, and delving deep into German history and culture: Rheinhessen • Rheingau • Mittelrhein • Mosel • Nahe

Radisson Blu Hotel Schwarzer Bock in Wiesbaden

We met on Wednesday, August 28, 2024 at Radisson Blu Hotel Schwarzer Bock in Wiesbaden, a 4-star hotel steeped in history and the spa culture of Wiesbaden is situated in downtown Wiesbaden close to the Kurhaus, Casino, Opera and Theatre house and the Wilhemstrasse, one of Germany`s finest upscale shopping streets. The building dates back to 1486 when it was constructed as a bath house taking use of Wiesbaden’s hot springs.

Meet and Greet

The tour started at 12:30 am with a Meet & Greet at Radisson Blu Hotel Schwarzer Bock.

Rheinhessen

Our wine tour through the classic German wine regions started with winery visits in Rheinhessen.

Rheinhessen is Germany’s largest wine producing region with about 68,000 acres of vineyards. It is basically the wedge between the Nahe river in the west and the Rhein river to the north (where the Rhein flows east to west for 19 miles) and to the west (where the Rhein flows south to north). A variety of grapes grow here: Riesling, Silvaner, Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and also great Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). For a long time Rheinhessen was a rather underrated wine region but young, ambitious winemakers brought Rheinhessen back into the limelight. Today some of the most sought after and interesting wines are produced in Rheinhessen.

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Braunewell in Essenheim, Rheinhessen, with Stefan Braunewell

The Braunewell family can look back to 1655 as grape growers in Essenheim. The family’s roots however are in France. The religious wars that raged in France in the 16th and 17th century caused the family, who were Huguenots, to seek safety across the border in Rheinhessen. Today Stefan and Christian Braunewell are the 3rd generation making wine. They belong to the young generation of ambitious winemakers that brought the Rheinhessen wine region back into the limelight. 

They have 67 acres under vine in the Seltztal, an area about 8 km south of the Rhein river. The vineyards are planted with the white grape varieties Pinot Gris and Riesling with 30% each, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Scheurebe. Red wine varieties are Pinot Noir with 20%, St.Laurent, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot. 

The generally hilly Rheinhessen landscape takes a different shape in the Seltztal with steeper slopes and a somewhat unusual soil composition of limestone, limey marl, and loess. The white single vineyard wines are spontaneously fermented, the reds are bottled unfiltered. The Braunewell brothers also produce gorgeous “Winzer Sekt”, sparkling wines in the traditional method of a second fermentation in the bottle. The winery is a member of “Fair’n Green”, a seal for sustainability in viticulture.

Established: 1655
Vineyard Area: 28 ha
Production: 250.000 bottles
Owners: Braunewell Family
Cellar Master: Christian und Stefan Braunewell
Region: Rheinhessen
Village: Essenheim
Top vineyards: TEUFELSPFAD, KLOPP,  BLUME
Soils: Limestone & clay
Grape Varieties: Riesling, Grauer Burgunder (Pinot Gris), Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay
Memberships: Maxime Herkunft Rheinhessen, Fair 'N Green, Traditional Sektmaker

Gault Millau: winemaker of the year 2023 | 3,5 Trauben
Eichelmann: world class winery | 4,5 Sterne
VINUM: 3,5 Sterne
Falstaff: Top Sekterzeuger

Ultra-premium Sekt: "Rohkost 2023" with 28 German Elite Producers of Sparkling Wine, Bensheim, Germany 

 

We talked about the visit for the first time with Christian Braunewell at Rohkost 23. 28 leading German Sekt producers presented their sparklers at Griesel & Compagnie in Bensheim, Hessische Bergstrasse, on May 22, 2023. This was the third "Rohkost" tasting.

Each of the 28 Sekt producers at the event poured 2 sparkling wines, at 3 different stages of the production process of Sekt, which can last a decade or even longer.

First, early stage - base wine (after first fermentation, before second fermentation, without bubbles). All base wines were vintage 2022.

 

Second, intermediate stage - base Sekt (after second fermentation, before aging on the lees, with bubbles).  The base Sekts were vintage 2018/19/20.

 

Third, the final product - Sekt ready to be consumed. The Sekts ready for consumtion were, depending on the aging period on the lees, were vintage 2014/15716/17/18. The longest on the lees were those of Schlossgut Diel and Sekthaus Raumland,

 

The sparkling wines poured at the event were all at par with the best sparkling wines from around the world. No wonder that people are talking now about a Sekt revolution in Germany, following the dry white wine revolution 3 decades ago and the Pinot Noir revolution more recently. 

 

The producers present at "Rohkost", including Weingut Braunewell,  are all at the forefront of this revolution. 

See: Ultra-premium Sekt: "Rohkost 2023" with 28 German Elite Producers of Sparkling Wine, Bensheim, Germany

Arriving at Weingut Braunewell

Welcome

In the Cellar

In the Vineyard

Tasting

Bye-bye

Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours: Already Released and Forthcoming Postings

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Braunewell in Essenheim, Rheinhessen, with Stefan Braunewell - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Thörle in Saulheim, Rheinhessen, with Christoph Thörle, Johannes Thörle and Uta Thörle - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Grauburgunder Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant Lumen in Wiesbaden - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Eva Fricke in Eltville, Rheingau, with Eva Fricke - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Wein- und Sektgut Barth (VDP) in Hattenheim, Rheingau, with Mark Barth and Alexia Putze - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at the Klosterschänke at Eberbach Abbey (founded by Cistercian monks at about the same time as the famous Château de Clos de Vougeot in Burgundy) - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Guided Tour of Eberbach Abbey(founded by Cistercian monks at about the same time as the famous Château de Clos de Vougeot in Burgundy) - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Kloster Eberbach (VDP) in Eltville, Rheingau, with Head-winemaker Katrin Puff - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine-pairing Dinner with Wines of Weingut Balthasar Ress at Restaurant Kronenschlösschen, with Weingut Balthasar Ress Senior Boss Stefan Ress, Kronenschlösschen Head-sommelier Florian Richter  (Best German Sommelier 2024 - Sommelier Union), Chef Roland Gorgosilich and Owner Johanna Ullrich - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Georg Breuer in Rüdesheim, Rheingau, with Theresa Breuer - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schloss Johannisberg (VDP), with Dieter Salomon - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch and Impromptu Tasting of Weingut Familie Allendorf Wines with Ulrich Allendorf and Max J. Schönleber at Restaurant Allendorf am Rhein - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn (VDP) in Oestrich-Winkel, Rheingau, with Peter Bernhard Kühn - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut August Kesseler (VDP) in Assmannshausen, Rheingau, with August Kesseler - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch, Tasting and Vineyard Tour at Weingut Lanius Knab (VDP) in Oberwesel, Mittelrhein, with Jörg Lanius - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cruise on the Rhein, from Boppard to Koblenz, passing the famous Loreley Rock - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour of the Fortress Ehrenbreitstein - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch and Impromptu Wine Tasting of the Wines of Weingut Madame Flöck, with Weingut Madame Flöck Owner/ Winemaker Robert Wade, Verbene Bistro Chef Tim Johnston, Restaurant Verbene Michelin starred Chef/ Owner David Weigang and Partner Verena Schimmel - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at the 2024 Weinfest in Winningen - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour of Eltz Castle, a True Fairy-tale Medieval Castle in the Hills above the Mosel, Built more than 850 Years ago by the Eltz Family - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Restaurant Heim in Hotel Reiler Hof (Michelin Bib Gourmand) in Reil - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Melsheimer in Reil, Middle Mosel, with Thorsten Melsheimer - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Clemens Busch (VDP) in Pünderich, Middle Mosel, with Oda Berthold - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Weingut Dr. Thanisch, Erben Müller-Burggraef Wines and Overnight Stay at the Brand-new, High-end Deinhard’s Hotel in Bernkastel-Kues - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting Weingut Dr.Loosen (VDP) in Bernkastel-Kues, Middle Mosel, with Anne Juchem - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Max Ferdinand Richter in Mülheim, Middle Mosel, with Dirk Richter - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Hermann Ludes in Thörnich, Middle Mosel, with Julian Ludes - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting at Weingut Günther Steinmetz in Brauneberg, Middle Mosel, with Sammy Steinmetz - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours 

Tasting at Weingut Matthias Hild in Wincheringen, Upper Mosel, with Matthias and Jonas Hild - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch with Wines from Luxemburg at Koeppchen Bistro-Brasserie in Wormeldange-
Haut in Luxembourg - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Van Volxem (VDP) in Wiltingen, Saar, with Lukas Büchner - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Asian Themed Wine-pairing Dinner at Dian's in Bernkastel-Kues, led by Janet Cam and Annette Schiller - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
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Tasting at Weingut H. Dönnhoff (VDP), Oberhausen, Nahe, with Anne Dönnhoff - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Hermannshöhle Restaurant Weck in Niederhausen - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours 

Tasting at Weingut Korrell Johanneshof in Bad Kreuznach, Nahe, with Sonja Reinbold and Martin Korell - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant Kruger-Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf (VDP), with Stefan Rumpf - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting and Bottling at Schlossgut Diel (VDP) in Rümmelsheim, Nahe, with Sylvain and Caroline Diel - Germany Rhein-Mosel-Nahe 2024 by ombiasy WineTours