Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours led by Annette Schiller took place from June 28 to July 9, 2026. The tour started in Frankfurt and ended in Frankfurt.
Dinner: Meet and Greet an Mainlust Desche Otto in Frankfurt/ Schwanheim
Zur Mainlust Desche Otto
Mainlust Desche-Otto is a small and cosy apple wine tavern with a lovely garden, run by Claudia and Louie - in walking distance from where we live in Frankfurt am Main. Claudia and Louie's motto is "hard-core Hessian". They strive for the "not so usual", with delicious local fare with a modern touch, over 150 brandies (Louie's passion) and the Kulturpfuhl Schwanheim Program, including Annette's Bordeaux wine tasting some time ago and a Virginia wine tasting.
Tonight and the following night: nh Hotel in Frankfurt-Niederrad, a 4-star modern hotel 10 minutes from Frankfurt Airport and with easy access to downtown Frankfurt and the airport by S-Bahn or tram. The comfortable rooms have sound-proof windows and air condition. There also is a restaurant, a cozy bar, and an outdoor terrace.
DAY 2: Monday June 29
We started our wine tour through Germany with a visit to the Franken region. The region stretches to the west about 70 km east of Frankfurt on the south-facing slopes lining the Main river and its tributaries. There are 3 distinctively different sub region: Main Viereck, Main Dreieck, Steigerwald. Hallmark of Franken winemaking is the Silvaner grape and the “Bocksbeutel” wine bottle, a flattened spherical flask. About 20% of wines produced in Franken are red wines from Spätburgunder and Frühburgunder. Red wines are produced mainly in the Main Viereck region, the closest to Frankfurt.
Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Rudolf Fürst with Sebastian Fuerst (Owner and Winemaker)
Weingut Rudolf Fürst (VDP) in Bürgstadt, Franken. The Miltenberg basin in the western tip of the Franken wine region between the forested hills of the Odenwald and the Spessart, where Bürgstadt is located, provides ideal climatic conditions for first-class viticulture. The Fürst family has been producing wine in this area since 1638. They are famous for producing outstanding red wines. The weathered colored sandstone of the Centgrafenberg vineyard in Bürgstadt and the extremely steep slopes of the Schlossberg vineyard in Klingenberg are home to the most extraordinary Frühburgunder and Spätburgunder wines produced by Paul Fürst and his son Sebastian. Frühburgunder (also known as Pinot Madeleine or Pinot Noir Précos) is an old variety, indigenous to this region, which yields full bodied wines and has attracted more and more attention over the last years. Spätburgunder is complemented by other classic Franconian wines (all dry) from Riesling, Weißburgunder, and Silvaner. White wines are pressed gently, fermented and aged in both barrels and stainless steel tanks for 6 – 12 months. “Weingut Rudolf Fürst is an acknowledged Pinot magician in Germany, not just with Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) but also the earlier-ripening Frühburgunder.” Jancis Robinson MW, The Financial Times, November, 13, 2011.
Vineyard Tour by Car
Tasting
Lunch at "Zum Ochsen" in the Medieval Town of Wertheim
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Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Alte Grafschaft in Kreuzwertheim, Franken with Norbert Spielmann (Founder and Owner) and Julius Spielmann (Winemaker)
The Alte Grafschaft estate has a long and fascinating history. For more than four centuries, the walls have witnessed the highs and lows of the wine world. Founded by a renowned Wertheim wine merchant, the estate grew under the patronage of the Wertheim nobility to its present size of 45 acres. In 2010, the estate returned to the hands of a dedicated Wertheim wine merchant family, the Spielmann family. Over the generations, the core business of the Spielmann’s business shifted from purchasing wine in barrels and bottling it to trading with French wines. This is how the Spielmann and Legras families - Champagne Legras & Haas - came to know each other. The two families have been working together for nearly 30 years. When the opportunity arose for Jérôme Legras to acquire a stake in the Alte Grafschaft winery, he did not hesitate. Since 2023 the Alte Grafschaft is managed by the Spielmann and Legras families. The winery is dedicated exclusively to the production of dry wines to showcase the richness of its vineyard sites to fully realize the potential of the Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Silvaner, and Pinot Noir grape varieties.
Cellar Tour with Julius Spielmann
Tasting with Norbert and Julius Spielmann
Dinner at Restaurant Oberschweinstiege in Frankfurt
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DAY 3: Tuesday, June 30
The next two and a half days we explored the Rheingau wine region, by many considered the jewel in the crown because of its legendary aristocratic history of world-famous wine estates. It is a fairly small wine region with about 8,000 acres of vineyards. The Rhein river originates in Switzerland and flows north where it empties into the North Sea in the Netherlands. The Taunus mountains force the Rhein river to make a sudden turn. Near Wiesbaden the Rhein turns west at a right angle and continues flowing east to west for about 19 miles before it turns north again. The Rheingau is the narrow strip on the south-facing slope of the Taunus along the Rhein river. We are here at 50° north of latitude but the huge body of water and the protective Taunus hills make the Rheingau perfect for grape growing. It is a predominantly Riesling region with a historic pocket of perfect terroir on the steep south-facing slopes around Assmannshausen for producing stunning Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir).
Tasting at Weingut Kuenstler in Hochheim with Gunter Kuenstler, Owner and Winemaker
Weingut Künstler (VDP) in Hochheim, Rheingau
The Künstler family has been producing wine since 1648. The father of Gunter Künstler, proprietor of Weingut Künstler, Franz Künstler, was born in 1926 in Unter Tannowitz. At the tender age of 13, he was forced to take charge of the family estate while his father was serving in in the Second Word War. After the war, the region around their home town became a part of the Czech Republic and the Künstlers became refugees in what was then West-Germany. Not able to return to their century old family home, the family eventually settled in Hochheim, starting from scratch. I remember very well the small row house in Hochheim that was the initial home of the Kuenstler winery.
Franz’ son Gunter Künstler bottled his first vintage in 1982 at the age of just 19. He officially took over the business from his father in 1992, and was admitted to the Rheingau VDP just two years later. In 2006, the winery moved to the former Burgeff sparkling wine cellars on the outskirts of Hochheim The winery grew and now belongs to the top estates in Germany; 75% of its 75 acres are classified as first growths. The village of Hochheim is the gateway to the Rheingau region and actually sits on the banks of the Main river, which joins the Rhein river only a few miles downstream.
The terroir in Hochheim differs distinctively from the rest of the Rheingau. This eastern spur of the region— extending towards Frankfurt—is characterized much more by limestone than the loessloam and slate sites typical of the central Rheingau. The limestone lends the wines a wonderful creaminess and a melting quality, greater textural harmony, and that extra touch of roundness compared to the steelier wines grown on loess and slate. Gunter Künstler has all but perfected this style over the past few decades.
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One of Europe's best-preserved and important medieval monasteries. Its Romanesque and Gothic buildings are very impressive. Still a world-class winery today, the Eberbach Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery, founded in 1136 by Bernard of Clairvaux of Burgundy as the first Cistercian monastery on the eastern bank of the Rhine river. The nearly 900-year-old Eberbach Abbey in the Rheingau is a magical place where tradition and the future, encounter and dialogue, and values and ideas form a fruitful symbiosis. With its Romanesque and Early Gothic structures, the former Cistercian abbey ranks among the most magnificent monuments of monastic architecture and is considered the best-preserved medieval monastic complex in Europe.
We got an in-depth visit, including a visit of the old monk’s dormitory where every year the famous auction of premium German wines takes place. A very special treat was a peek into the treasure chamber, where century old wine bottles are still stored and where the movie “The Name of the Rose” with Sean Connery was filmed in 1986.
Weingut Kloster Eberbach (VDP) Rheingau
The iconic Weingut Kloster Eberbach is closely linked to the history of the Abbey of Cîteaux and the abbey’s vineyards, the ‘Clos de Vougeot’ and the winemaking facility, the Château de Clos de Vougeot in Burgundy. Bernard of Clairvaux, a major leader in the reformation of the Benedictine Order (Cluny) which eventually led to the founding of a new order, the Cistercians, was abbot at the Abbey of Cîteaux. The Cistercian monks were the first “Colonialists” by establishing monasteries all around Europe. The monasteries sustained their living through farming and winemaking.
Eberbach Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery, founded in 1136 by Bernard of Clairvaux as the first Cistercian monastery on the eastern bank of the Rhein river. By establishing the abbey he also founded the winery. In medieval times Eberbach Abbey was the largest winery in all of Europe with 750 acres of vineyards.
Today Eberbach Abbey is one of the five State-owned wineries (the State of Hesse is its proprietor) and with 500 acres the largest winery in Germany. The estate’s holdings in highly esteemed vineyards in the Hessische Bergstrasse and the Rheingau wine region are unparalleled.
We took a look at the state of the art recently constructed new technical facilities of the winery built under the famous Clos Steinberg vineyard just down the road from the Abbey. Contrary to the Abbey of Cîteaux, the Château de Clos de Vougeot, and the Clos de Vougeot vineyards which are divided by roughly 80 owners, the Eberbach Abbey estate – the monastery buildings, vineyards, and winemaking facilities are still today an entity and Weingut Kloster Eberbach is still today a world-class winery.
Lunch
Tour of the Eberbach Abbey
Tasting with Katharina Puff, Winemaker
Tour of the Treasure Chamber
In the Steinberg Vineyard and at the Winery
Dinner at Allendorf am Rhein
Weingut Allendorf is one of the oldest wine estates in Germany. We went there the next day for a tasting. Weingut Allendorf runs a nice restaurant on the banks of the Rhein River where we had dinner.
Hotel: Weingut F.B. Schönleber (VDP), Rheingau
We stayed 2 nights at the hotel of Weingut F.B. Schönleber.
Hotel F.B.Schönleber in Oestrich-Winkel, a 3.5-star family-run hotel at winery F.B.Schönleber with bright, spacious rooms furnished in a cosy country style. The rooms above the vaulted ceiling wine cellar face a lovely garden and the Rhein river.
The Schönleber family can trace its viticulture tradition back to the year 1783. Today the winery is managed by winemaker brothers Bernd and Ralf Schönleber. They own 25 acres of vineyards of which 94% are planted with Riesling and 6 % with Pinot Noir, and they produce 80,000 bottles of Riesling and 20,000 bottles of Sekt, the German equivalent of Champagne. The quote of the GaultMillau wineguide for Germany says it all: “This is one of the most reliable wine estates of the Rheingau and it thoroughly understands how to produce top dry Rieslings and excellent sparkling wines.”
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Tasting
DAY 5: Thursday, July 02
Wine Tasting in the Vineyard at Weingut Laquai in Lorch, Rheingau, with Owner and Winemaker Gudolf Laquai
Today we travelled to Lorch to the very end of the Rheingau region where it touches the Mittelrhein region. We left the heart of the Rheingau region. The Rhine river left its east to west direction, took a turn to the right and flows south to north again Lorch is a unique place: it sits on one of the narrowest parts of the Rhein river where the Taunus mountain range plunges nearly 60 % down into the valley. The sun's rays strike with all their power on the slate soil rich with minerals.
In Lorch the Laquai family has a long tradition of producing wine, going back to 1716. In 1990 brothers Gilbert and Gundolf Laquai started to revitalize extremely steep vineyards and introduced the terrace system. They became pioneers in the Rheingau of planting the slopes horizontally instead of vertically. The embankements of the terraces leave enough room for the development of healthy fauna and flora to help grow healthy vines that give healthy fruit. Their wines reflect the soil: the Rieslings have an herbal, mineral character, and the Pinot Noir shows Cassis and Cherry, herbal notes, strong tannins and a long finish.
Crossing the Rhine River by Ferry Boat
Lunch in a Castle: "Zum Mundchenk auf Schoenburg"
Mittelrhein
In the afternoon we explored the Mittelrhein wine region, arguably the wine world’s most spectacular scenery with medieval villages and castles and ruins crowning the top of the hills like pearls on a string. This is the 65 km stretch of the romantic Middle Rhine Valley with vineyards on vertiginous steep slopes on both sides of the river between Bingen and Bonn. With 1150 acres under vine it is Germany’s second to smallest wine region, planted predominantly with Riesling.
Bacharach
Tasting at Weingut Toni Jost (VDP) in Bacharach, Mittelrhein with Cecilia Jost, Owner and Winemaker
For over 180 years, the Jost family has been cultivating vineyards in Bacharach. The family’s focus was always on acquiring vineyards in Bacharach’s top site, the so-called Hahn. Today, five generations later the “Hahn” almost exclusively belongs to the Jost estate. Current owner is Peter Jost together with his daughter Cecilia, who is also the winemaker. The 37 acres of vineyard land are planted mostly with Riesling (80%). 15% is planted with Pinot-Noir, and the rest with Pinot-Blanc, and Dunkelfelder (a cross breed between Fabertraube and Blauer Portugieser, however more sophisticated DNA tests show different parents). One third of the vineyards are located in the Rheingau region, in Walluf and Martinsthal. Because of these vineyards in the Rheingau the estate has been a member of the VDP Rheingau since 1989. In 1987 Peter Jost was founding member of the VDP Mittelrhein.
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Hotel Mercure in Koblenz, a 4-star hotel beautifully located on the banks of the Rhein river with a view of the fortress Ehrenbreitstein and next to the Electoral Palace and 1 km from the Deutsches Eck where the Mosel river joins the Rhein river.
DAY 6: Friday, July 03
We were leaving the wine regions along the Rhein river, crossed the Mosel river and travelled some 15 km along the left bank of the Mosel east bound to visit a wine estate in the western-most sub region of the Mosel, the “Lower Mosel”. The vineyards of the Lower Mosel are by far the steepest of the Mosel region. Some have an inclination of 60°. The bewitching slate slopes with terraces have made the Lower Mosel area also known as “Terrassenmosel”.
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Heymann-Löwenstein (VDP), Winningen, Lower Mosel, with (new) Owner Thomas Doerr and (old) Winemaker Tim Roettgerding
Reinhard and Cornelia Heymann-Löwenstein founded this wine estate in 1980. However the Heymann-Löwenstein family can look back on more than 500 years of winemaking. Reinhard is the 13th generation winemaker carrying on the family name. The last ten years daughter Sarah, the 14th generation took over. Today the winery has 40 acres under vine, with 98 % Riesling and 2 % Pinot Noir. The Löwensteins harvested late - at around 160 days of hangtime after flowering – to achieve physiological ripeness of the grapes. The winery is located in the Lower Mosel, just 15 minutes from Koblenz, where the Mosel river joins the Rhein river.
As of January 1, 2026 the winery has new owners, Jochen Heigoldt (owner of the Backnang-based wine merchant Vioneers) and Thomas Dörr, who comes from a long-established wine making family and, following his studies, enjoyed a highly successful tenure at the renowned Dr. Bürklin-Wolf estate in the Pfalz region. The estate’s dedicated team, headed by winemaker Tim Roettgerding remained entirely intact, preserving the spirit of Heymann-Löwenstein in the process.
Cellar Tour
Dinner at Gaststaette Winzerschaenke in Walporzheim
Hotel : Nights 6 + 7: Friday, July 03, Saturday, July 04 - Hotel Villa Sanct Peter in Walporzheim, a 4.5- star upscale family-run hotel in a gorgeous ensemble: a Wilhelminian- style villa with annex, a beautiful garden, a full-service spa, fantastic view towards the famous Walporzheimner Gärkammer vineyard, and the excellent Wine Bar “Max”.
Yesterday late afternoon we arrived in the Ahr wine region. The Ahr is one of Germany's northernmost wine regions. It is also one of the smallest, with only 1300 acres of vineyards extending only 24 km along the Ahr River as it flows towards the Rhein river just south of Bonn. From Altenahr, in the west, to the spa town Bad Neuenahr, the vines are perched on steep, terraced cliffs of volcanic slate. In the broad eastern end of the valley, the slopes are gentler and the soils are rich in loess. Four out of five bottles of Ahr wine are red: velvety to fiery Pinot Noir and Frühburgunder which we already tasted on our first day in the Franken region. Lively, fresh Riesling is the most common white wine produced here. Producing top wines in this region requires considerable effort. The terrain is extremely rugged. Winemakers sometimes have to climb through rugged rock crevices into extreme steep slopes to tend the vines and harvest the grapes—sometimes in places where only a few rows can be planted side by side. Although the Ahr is the third smallest wine-growing region in Germany, it has the largest contiguous area for growing red wine.
Tasting at Weingut Deutzerhof (VDP) in Mayschoß, Ahr, with Alexander Merks
The first mentions of the Deutzerhof in Mayschoß as a wine estate date back to 1574. The estate remained in the Hehle family for generations, underwent modernization during the 20th century, and was relocated in 1980 to its current site at the edge of the Mönchberg vineyards. In January 2020, ownership of the estate passed to Jürgen Doetsch, a close associate and longtime friend of the Hehle family. It is one of the smaller wine estates with only 20 acres under vine. The vineyards are situated on some of the Ahr valley’s most renowned and steepest south-facing slopes. Here, slate and greywacke soils, combined with a heat-retaining microclimate, create ideal conditions for expressive grape varieties. Deutzerhof was honored with the "Roter Riese" (Red Giant) title at the VINUM Red Wine Awards 2025.
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Photo Stop
Tasting at Weingut Jean Stodden (VDP) in Rech, Ahr, with Alexander Stodden, Owner and Winemaker, and Anna Stodden, Winemaker
The Stodden family has been growing wine in the Ahr Valley since 1578. From 1900 onwards, Alois Stodden produced his own Pinot Noir. Gerhard Stodden brought the estate to national prominence from the mid 1970s onwards; since 2013, it has been managed by his son, Alexander Stodden. 95% of the vineyard area of 20 acres is planted with Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir); the remainder consists of Riesling and Frühburgunder. The red wines are matured in wooden barrels: the entry-level Spätburgunder in traditional “Fuder” casks (1,000 liters), while all other wines age in French barriques. The VDP.Grosse Gewächse wines mature in barriques, where they also undergo malolactic fermentation. In addition to classic red wines, sparkling wine is produced from Spätburgunder or Riesling grapes.
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The small village of Marienthal owes its existence to the monastery founded here in 1137 by Augustinian nuns from Klosterrath. Secularized in 1802, the former religious house became the headquarters of the State Wine Estate in 1925. Starting in 2004, a modern winery, complete with an on-site tavern, was developed within the historic ruins, harmoniously blending tradition with state-of-the-art technology. A combination of classic methods and continuous innovation shapes operations in both the cellar and the vineyards, forming the foundation for wines of exceptional quality. The vines thrive in the best vineyard sites surrounding Marienthal, such as the Ahrweiler Rosenthal, the Marienthaler Stiftsberg, and the Marienthaler Klostergarten. The estate is now owned by a consortium of four regional wine producers and operates as an independent winery with an adjoining restaurant. The ownership group consists of the Mayschoß-Altenahr winegrowers' cooperative, the Dagernova Weinmanufaktur (formerly the United Ahr Winegrowers' Cooperative of Dernau), the Brogsitter winery, and the Meyer-Näkel winery. The estate is managed and operated on-site by the Franz- Josef Appel family, who serve as lessees and operators Situated amidst the vineyards along the Red Wine Trail, Weingut Kloster Marienthal offers a unique atmosphere and has been recognized by the German Wine Institute as a "Highlight of Wine Culture." It frequently hosts cultural events. In the garden tavern, visitors can unwind with a glass of Pinot Noir and a homemade “Flammkuchen” (tarte flambée) while enjoying views of the ruins and the surrounding vineyards.
Tasting from Barrel
Tasting from Bottle
The next three days we travelled in the Mosel Valley. The Mosel river, which gives the wine region its name originates in France on the western side of the Vosges mountain range and once having crossed into Germany, the river takes multiple turns before it empties into the Rhein in Koblenz. With a vineyard area of 23,000 acres the Mosel wine region is the 5th largest wine region. Our focus is on the Middle Mosel section where you find vineyards on very steep slopes (the Bremmer Calmont is the steepest vineyard world-wide with an almost 70° inclination - nick name: Mount Everest of the vineyards). The soils are Devonian slate in the steep sites and sandy, gravelly soils in the flatlands of the Middle Mosel Valley. We also explore the Upper Mosel Valley, where the Mosel river is also a country border: the eastern side of the river belongs to the German Mosel valley and the western part to the Luxembourg Mosel valley. Here we find shell-limestone and chalky soils and the indigenous Elbling grape.
Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Middle Mosel, with Sebastian Selbach, Winemaker, and Johannes Selbach, Owner and Winemaker
The ancestors of the Selbach family have been cultivating Riesling since 1600. Today, Johannes Selbach and his wife Barbara are running the winery with passion for the wines and continue the long family tradition producing top quality Riesling. The 20 hectares (49 acres) of the estate are all on the steep slopes of the Mosel in top vineyard sites like Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr and Graacher Domprobst. The great-grandfather of Johannes owned a Mosel steamship and shipped his wines in oak barrels down the Mosel and the Rhine to the North Sea ports. These barrels were made by Matthias Oster, a cooper and the great-grandfather on the paternal side of the family. The traditional 1000 liter oak barrels called "Fuder" are still used.
Recently Johannes Selbach teamed up with Paul Hobbs, a California-based renowned wine maker to establish a winery on a 27 hectare-estate on the southern tip of Lake Seneca in the Finger Lakes AVA in New York State.
Lunch at Panorama Hotel and Restaurant in Kroev, with Owner Lotios Aslanidis
Most interesting wine list filled with "German new wave" winemakers.
Tasting at Weingut Staffelter Hof in Kröv, with Jan Matthias Klein, Owner and Winemaker, and with Gerd and Gundi Klein (Previous Generation)
Middle Mosel In 2012 the winery celebrated its 1150th anniversary based on a document from the year 862, making it the oldest still-existing business in Germany. In 1805 the ancestors of the current owner family purchased the estate. In 2014 Jan Matthias Klein took over the winery as manager and owner and became the 7th generation at the helm of the estate. Since the advent of organic viticulture along the Mosel in the 1980s, organic thinking and practices became increasingly important for the Klein family as well. In 2012 the winery converted to organic viticulture. Consequently, Jan Matthias applied for membership in EcoVin, Germany’s largest association of organic winemakers. Jan was captivated by an old, yet resurgent style of winemaking. This led to the creation of natural wines without added sulfur and left unfiltered. He became more and more interested in future-oriented developments of the family winery and started to plant newly bred fungus resistant grape varieties PIWIS. Another project is the restoration of a resilient ecosystem through his project “WeinWald”- “WineForest”, combatting monoculture through inter-row cover cropping, integrating livestock for natural fertilization, planting biodiverse hedgerows, and implementing agroforestry.
Dinner at Alter Moselbahnhof in Bernkastel-Kues
Nights 8 + 9 + 10: Sunday, July 05, Monday, July 06, Tuesday, July 07 - Hotel Deinhard’s in Bernkastel-Kues, a brand-new 5-star modern boutique hotel in the heart of the Mosel Valley: a new interior in a beautiful historic 17th century building with a great wellness area.
The rooftop lounge provides for views over the famous Doktor Vineyard.
Tasting at Weingut Fritz Haag (VDP) in Brauneberg, Mosel, with Markus Schulte
The world-renowned wine estate Fritz Haag lies in the heart of the middle Mosel. It looks back on a 400 year old history. Since 2005 Oliver Haag, together with his wife Jessica, is responsible for the estate. He trained and worked with the best of the best in Germany, such as Helmut Dönnhoff, Bernhard Breuer, and graduated from the Geisenheim oenological university. Oliver Haag continues the philosophy of his legendary father Wilhem Haag, which is the production of fine, fruity, delicate Mosel Rieslings of unmistakable character. The south-facing, premier Brauneberger Juffer site, including its prime "Juffer-Sonnenuhr" parcel, offers perfect conditions for a style of incomparable minerality. The extremely steep slopes, characterized by weathered slate soils, gradients of up to 70%, and a high stone content, force the vines to root deeply into mineral-rich zones to access sufficient nutrients and moisture. The result is wines featuring delicate fruit notes, unique, crystalline clarity, and a structure defined by their terroir.
Lunch at Hotel/ Restaurant Weisser Baer
Stop at the Mosel Loup between Leiwen and Trittenheim
Tasting at Weingut St. Urbans-Hof (VDP) in Leiwen, Mosel, with Anna Courad
St. Urbans-Hof is a rather young wine estate by European standards. The winery was established in 1947 by the grandfather of the current owner Nik Weis. Nik’s father, Hermann Weis mastered the art of vine grafting and was well known in Germany and beyond for his skills. He was particularly known for his work with the Riesling grape. In the beginning of the 70s, he pioneered the use of Riesling in Canada, which was then still new to the idea of quality wine making. Hermann Weis planted the first Riesling vines in the Niagara Peninsula. This developed later into the Vineland Estate Winery. At home in Leiwen he expanded the estate considerably and his son Nik now cultivates 79 acres of vines in a broad spectrum of outstanding sites in the Mosel and Saar valleys. The wines show elegance, lightness and finesse. The majority of the production goes into the export and the St. Urbans-Hof wines are widely available in the US and Canada.
An Evening (and Dinner) in Bernkastel-Kues
Late Evening German Wine Class in the Rooftop Lounge
DAY 10: Tuesday, July 07
Porta Nigra in Trier
The city of Trier sits on the banks of the Mosel River and is the oldest city in Germany. In Roman times it was the largest city north of the Alps, and the second most important 11 city of the Roman Empire. For some years it even became an imperial city. This 2000 year old city is a treasure trove of Roman and German history, and pagan and Christian culture. There is a lot to see in Trier, but the most famous landmark from Roman times is a must: the Porta Nigra, the Roma city gate. The most eminent citizen of Trier in modern times was Karl Marx, who was born and raised here.
Schloss Saarstein is located in the lower Saar valley. The Saar river is a tributary to the Mosel river. The Monopol site “Schloss Saarstein” was planted in 1828. The shipping entrepreneur Hansen purchased the property and later his grandson built the magnificent castle. After the second world war the Hansen family sold the property. In the 1950s ownership changed hands when Dieter Ebert purchased the estate.
Today his son Christian Ebert is the winemaker and manager of Schloss Saarstein. There is one vineyard site: Monopol Serriger Schloss Saarstein. This is a 32 acres southsouthwest facing, steep vineyard that immediately surrounds the castle, almost exclusively planted with Riesling (there are 10% other whites planted: Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) and Auxerrois). Because the Ebert family owns the entire site, they are the only producers who can bottle wine with the name "Schloss Saarstein". Schloss Saarstein is situated in an exceptionally picturesque setting amidst some of the Saar region's most beautiful scenery. The castle sits precariously at the top of the very steep vineyard. The house is surrounded by a spectacular glass walled-in terrace, allowing for breathtaking views over the steep vineyard and down to the valley and the Saar river. Alongside Egon Müller and Zilliken, Schloss Saarstein produces the finest sweet wines; these noble-sweet Rieslings enjoy a deservedly magnificent reputation. Their Auslese, Eiswein, and Beerenauslese wines rank among the very best sweet Rieslings Germany has to offer. Insiders maintain that it is only in the Saar region that this astonishing interplay of sweetness and acidity is truly perfected.
Dinner at DIAN in Hotel Deinhard's: Asian Food and German Wine Pairing
"One for the Road" in the Rooftop Lounge
DAY 11: Wednesday, July 08
Our last day started with winery visits in the Nahe wine region, with 10,000 acres one of the smaller ones. The wine region follows the Nahe river which originates in the Federal State of Saarland and meets the Rhein in Bingen. The region is protected by the Hunsrück hills from the northern winds and enjoys a temperate climate. The Nahe wine region is the region in Germany with the most diverse geological formations making it very difficult to claim a distinctive “Nahe” character of the wines. The Nahe has180 soil varieties: entire rock cycle, chalk, sand, gravel, all types of clay, loess, quartzite,slate, limestone, which provides for many different types of wines. 77% of Nahe wines are white, predominantly Riesling but also Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, and all white Burgundy grapes. The rest is mainly Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir).
Tasting at Schlossgut Diel (VDP) in Rümmelsheim, Nahe with Sylvain and Caroline Diel
The origins of Schlossgut Diel are a tower and the walled remnants of castle Burg Layen in the village of Rümmelsheim in the Nahe. It was built prior to 1200, changed hands numerous times over the centuries but was finally purchased by Johann Peter Diel in 1802. Today owners are 7th generation Caroline Diel and her husband Sylvain Diel. Before taking over the wine estate at home, Caroline gathered a tremendous wealth of experiences: she spent the last 2 high school years in a boarding school in California, south of San Francisco, studied enology at Geisenheim university in the Rheingau, and worked for almost a decade at very prestigious estates around the world: Château Pichon-Lalande in Bordeaux; in Germany at Weingüter Toni Jost (Mittelrhein) and von Winningen (Pfalz); in the Champagne at Ruinart; in South Africa at Vergelegen and at Romanée Conti in Burgundy. She also worked one year at Schloss Halbturn in the Burgenland in Austria and finally at Rippon Vineyard in New Zealand. The vineyard area totals 53 acres, all located in the commune of Dorsheim, with holdings in the toprated Burgberg, Goldloch and Pittermännchen sites planted with 65% Riesling, Grauburgunder, Weissburgunder, Chardonnay and 10% Spätburgunder. A project close to Caroline’s heart is the production of ‘Sekt’ in the Méthode Traditionelle as she learned it during her time at Ruinart in Reims.
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Prinz Salm in Wallhausen, Nahe (VDP) with Prinz Michael zu Salm-Salm
This is Germany’s oldest family-owned winery. It was founded in 1219 by the Prinz zu Salm family. Today it is led by oenologist Felix Prince zu Salm-Salm representing the 32nd generation with his wife Princess Victoria, when he took over from his father Prince Michael in 2017.
Prince Felix’s father Prince Michael played a pivotal role in the VDP’s renaissance during his tenure as its president from 1990 to 2007. Under his leadership, the VDP classification system, among other initiatives, was developed. (VDP stands for Association of Premium German Wine Estates). He guided the VDP into the modern era and currently serves as its Honorary President. This VDP classification paved the way for a major reform of the German wine law which came into force in 2021. The wine estates ha 50 acres of vineyards, 1/3 in Wallhausen und 2/3 in Bingen am Rhein. The vineyards are classified according to the VDP system.
The majority is planted with Riesling. There is a tiny portion of Pinot Noir. The Rieslings have a unique quality and texture due to the Grünschiefer – green slate – terroir only to be found here. The winery converted to organic farming methods as early as 1988, making it a pioneer in the Nahe 13 region. Its organic practices are inspected annually and certified by the Naturland association.
Tour
Tasting
Rheinhessen
Our wine tour through the classic German wine regions ended with a winery visit 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.
Tasting at Weingut Braunewell in Essenheim, Rheinhessen.
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.
3-course Dinner at Michelin-starred Lohninger in Frankfurt
DAY 12: Thursday, July 09
Good-bye City Tour of Frankfurt by Tram
Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours: Released and Forthcoming Postings
Dinner: Meet and Greet an Mainlust Desche Otto in Frankfurt/ Schwanheim - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Weingut Rudolf Fürst (VDP) with Sebastian Fuerst (Owner and Winemaker) - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Alte Grafschaft in Kreuzwertheim, Franken with Norbert Spielmann (Founder and Owner) and Julius Spielmann (Winemaker) - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at Restaurant Oberschweinstiege in Frankfurt - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineToursTasting at Weingut Kuenstler in Hochheim with Gunter Kuenstler, Owner and Winemaker - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at Allendorf am Rhein (Weingut Allendorf) - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Wine Tasting in the Vineyard at Weingut Laquai in Lorch, Rheingau, with Owner and Winemaker Gudolf - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch in a Castle: Zum Mundchenk auf Schoenburg - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut Toni Jost (VDP) in Bacharach, Mittelrhein with Cecilia Jost, Owner and Winemake - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours r
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Heymann-Löwenstein (VDP), Winningen, Lower Mosel, with (new) Owner Thomas Doerr and (old) Winemaker Tim Roettgerding - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut Deutzerhof (VDP) in Mayschoß, Ahr, with Alexander Merk - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Middle Mosel, with Sebastian Selbach, Winemaker, and Johannes Selbach, Owner and Winemaker - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Panorama Hotel and Restaurant in Kroev, with Owner Lotios Aslanidis - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut Staffelter Hof in Kröv, with Jan Matthias Klein, Owner and Winemaker, and with Gerd and Gundi Klein (Previous Generation) - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at Alter Moselbahnhof in Bernkastel-Kues - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut Fritz Haag (VDP) in Brauneberg, Mosel, with Markus Schulte - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Hotel/ Restaurant Weisser Baer - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Stop at the Mosel Loup between Leiwen and Trittenheim - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut St. Urbans-Hof (VDP) in Leiwen, Mosel, with Anna Courad - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
An Evening (and Dinner) in Bernkaste-Kues - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Late Evening German Wine Class in the Rooftop Lounge - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Domaines Vinsmoselle in Wormeldange, Luxembourg - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at DIAN Restaurant in Hotel Deinhard's: Asian Food and German Wine Pairing - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Schlossgut Diel (VDP) in Rümmelsheim, Nahe with Sylvain and Caroline Diel - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Weingut Prinz Salm in Wallhausen, Nahe (VDP) with Prinz Michael zu Salm-Salm - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Zollamt Restaurant in Bingen, Opposite of the Famous Ruedesheimer Berg - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours g
Tasting at Weingut Braunewell in Essenheim, Rheinhessen - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
3-course Dinner at Michelin-starred Lohninger in Frankfurt - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
Good-bye City Tour of Frankfurt by Tram - Germany Classic 2026 (Franken, Rheingau, Mittelrhein, Ahr, Mosel, Nahe, Rheinhessen) by ombiasy WineTours
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