schiller-wine

German Riesling and International Grape Varieties – Top Wine Makers Wilhelm Weil and Markus Schneider at Kai Buhrfeindt’s Grand Cru in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

2012-01-30T01:00:00.039-05:00

Picture: Wilhelm Weil, Weingut Robert Weil, Kai Buhrfeindt, Grand Cru Weinrestaurant, Christian G.E. Schiller, Markus Schneider, Weingut Markus Schneider

Weingut Robert Weil produces only Riesling, both in the dry and in the fruity-sweet and noble-sweet styles. It is without any doubt the Rheingau’s flagship winery. It was founded in 1875 and is currently managed and co-owned by Wilhelm Weil. Weingut Robert Weil wines represents at its best what German wine is known for in the world: classic Riesling wines.

By contrast, Weingut Markus Schneider is a new winery, founded only a few years ago. Wine maker Markus Schneider is one of Germany’s shooting stars, who has made himself a name within a short period with innovative, non-traditional wines, in particular new-world-style red wines.

Pictures: Wilhelm Weil, Weingut Robert Weil, and Markus Schneider, Weingut Markus Schneider; Kai Buhrfeindt, Grand Cru Weinrestaurant

Thus, at the Grand Cru dinner, we had the opportunity to taste the wines of the representatives of two camps: (1) Weingut Robert Weil, 100% Riesling, a world star when it comes to dry, fruity sweet and noble sweet Rieslings, with a long tradition and (2) Weingut Markus Schneider, presenting the international grapes Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Merlot, unknown in Germany a few years ago that can compete with any such wines from anywhere in the world; a young innovative wine maker, producing non-traditional, new-world-style wines in Germany.

These top wines accompanied a delicious menu created for us this evening by Chef Michael Amerswald.

During the evening, I was reminded of a conversation that I had a few months ago with German wine expert Phil Bernstein from MacArthur’s Beverages in Washington DC. The German Wine Society had invited Lindsay Morris, who had done a master thesis about the future of German wine in the US. She argued that Germany should branch out and promote its non-traditional wines, such as red wines, which now accounts for one third of Germany’s wine output. Phil took the opposite position: Germany should not branch out, it should focus on where its comparative advantages are and do what nobody in the world does as well as Germany – produce Riesling.

Kai Buhrfeindt and his Grand Cru in Frankfurt am Main

Over the past couple of years, I have regularly dropped by the Grand Cru Wine Bistro (Weinrestaurant) in Frankfurt’s Sachsenhausen district, whenever I was in Frankfurt. There is perhaps a handful of brasserie/bistro type restaurants with a strong wine menu in Frankfurt am Main. Kai Buhrfeindt’s Grand Cru is one of them.

Pictures: Kai Buhrfeindt and Christian G.E. Schiller at Grand Cru Weinrestaurant: Chat Sauvage Versus Peter Querbach – An Impromptu Pinot Noir Wine Tasting with Kai Buhrfeind at His Grand Cru Wine Bar in Frankfurt, Germany

The excellent food, the large, well chosen and ever changing wine list – with about 300 wines by the bottle and by the glass - and the French brasserie/bistro atmosphere of Grand Cru always bring back fond memories of the 3 years which I spent in Paris. The expertise and the passion for wine and food of owner Kai Buhrfeindt – a Staatlich gepruefte Weinnase (a government certified wine nose) - shows clearly and everywhere at Grand Cru.

Wilhelm Weil and his Weingut Robert Weil in the Rheingau

Founded in 1875, Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich is the Rheingau’s #1 estate and one of Germany’s best. Four generations and over a century ago Dr. Robert Weil, who was a Professor of German at the Sorbonne, was forced to leave Paris because of the Franco-Prussian War (1870/1871). He subsequently joined his brother August in Kiedrich in the Rheingau and established the Robert Weil winery.

Dr. Robert Weil purchased his first vineyards in Kiedrich and moved there in 1875, when he bought the estate manor from the heirs of Sir John Sutton, an English baronet. A man of vision, he built up the estate by purchasing 2 local wine estates and the vineyards of Count von Fürstenberg. Contacts throughout the world and the production of great wines brought rapid growth to the Weingut Robert Weil.

Pictures: Wilhelm Weil and Christian G.E. Schiller at Weingut Wilhelm Weil. I visited Weingut Wilhelm Weil last year and posted about my visit: Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany and Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany

Today, Weingut Robert Weil is managed by Wilhelm Weil, who owns the winery jointly with Suntory from Japan. 75 hectares under vine, it is one of the largest estates in the Rheingau. The historical manor house, the ultra-modern cellars and the vinothek stand side by side in a beautiful park – the same synthesis of old and new that is reflected in the estate’s philosophy of winemaking. While I visited Weingut Weil in the summer of 2011, major extension works were going on.

Picture: Wilhelm Weil at Grand Cru Weinrestaurant

In 1988, the estate was sold by Robert Weil to the Japanese beverage group Suntory, and his son Wilhelm appointed as estate director. The vineyard area was doubled, and an ultra-modern cellar built. I did not ask Wilhelm, but he is reportedly in the process of repurchasing shares from Suntory.

While we visited Weingut Robert Weil, there was construction work going. “We want to double the surface of the winery’s underground cellar” Wilhelm said.

The Rheingau

It is remarkable: For its entire length of nearly 560 miles, the Rhine flows north with one exception – a 28-mile stretch where the river changes its course. Here, it flows to the west, thereby enabling both the river and the vineyards facing it to bask in the warmth of the sun all day long. This is the Rheingau, one of the medium-size German wine regions. It is a quietly beautiful region, rich in tradition. Queen Victoria's enthusiasm for Hochheim's wines contributed to their popularity in England, where they, and ultimately, Rhine wines in general, were referred to as Hock.

The third President of the USA - and notable bon viveur - Thomas Jefferson visited the Rheingau in 1788 and wrote that the wine of the "Abbaye of Johnsberg is the best made on the Rhine without comparison … That of the year 1775 is the best." He also referred to the Rheingau’s Riesling as the "small and delicate Rhysslin which grows only from Hochheim to Rudesheim". Impressed by the quality of the Rheingau Riesling wines, he bought 100 grapevines to take back to his estate in Virginia.

Although the Rheingau is one of Germany’s smaller wine-growing regions, its 3,100 ha (7,660 acres) of vineyards are vastly diverse in their geological makeup. They can be divided into four zones: vineyards in the Rhine, vineyards in proximity to the Rhine, vineyards on the higher reaches of the middle plateau, and vineyards on the heights at the foothills of the Taunus Hills. The Rheingau is dominated by Riesling, accounting for 4/5 of the vineyard area. Pinot Noir accounts for 1/10 and is concentrated around Assmannshausen.

Weingut Robert Weil and Riesling

The vineyards are planted 100% with Riesling. The estate’s dedication to Riesling since 1875 has led numerous observers of the international wine world to regard Weingut Robert Weil as a worldwide symbol of German Riesling culture. A Riesling wine of the 1893 vintage, grown on the Gräfenberg site, made the estate famous. The imperial Habsburg court in Vienna purchased 800 bottles of this wine at a price of 16 gold Marks per bottle in 1900. The 1920 vintage of the Kiedricher Gräfenberg Trockenbeerenauslese is described as a Zeppelin wine, as it was served on board the LZ 127 „Graf Zeppelin” dirigible on its circumnavigation of the world in 1929.

The Top Weil Vineyards: Kiedricher Klosterberg, Kiedricher Turmberg and Kiedricher Gräfenberg

Weingut Robert Weil’s top vineyards all belong to the group of the highlying sites of the Rheingau: Kiedricher Klosterberg, Kiedricher Turmberg and Kiedricher Gräfenberg. Inclination (up to 60 %), exposure (southwest) and the ability of the barren stony soils to absorb heat are the factors that make for three perfect Riesling sites. These conditions, as well as ideal circulation, enable the grapes to remain on the vine for a long time, ripening well into November.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Wilhelm Weil looking at the Weil vineyards

Kiedrich Gräfenberg: Kiedrich Graefenberg is situated on a southwest-facing ridge and a steep cliff with inclines of up to 60 percent. The soil consist of deep and medium-deep stony, fragmented phyllite partially mixed with loess and loam. This combination of barren stony soils, an ideal microclimate, steep inclination and southwestern exposure allows the grapes to hang on the vine for a very long time.

At the end of the 12th century, the renowned site was first documented as “mons rhingravii” (literally, the hill of the Rhine counts) and in 1258, was named “Grevenberg.” To this day, Gräfenberg has remained a focal point. The record prices it fetches at auctions bear witness to the site’s renown.

Kiedrich Klosterberg: The name Klosterberg (literally, monastery hill) derives from “Closterweg,” the old path that ran through this vineyard in Kiedrich en route between the monastery Kloster Eberbach and its mill near Eltville. The shallow to deep stony-gritty soils of the southwest facing site are of Devonian (colored slate) and pre-Devonian (phyllite and sericite gneiss) origin, and are mixed with gravelly loess.

Kiedrich Turmberg: Since the founding of Weingut Robert Weil, the Turmberg site was always considered one of the estate’s top sites, second only to Gräfenberg. The name Turmberg (literally, tower hill) derives from the surviving keep (central tower) of the former castle Burg Scharfenstein. The archbishops of Mainz had the fortress built on the steep crag northeast of Kiedrich in 1160. With it, the Rheingau sovereigns hoped to secure the eastern flank of the Rheingau as well as the important trade route that ran from Eltville to Limburg and Cologne. Turmberg lies on the slopes of a steep, slaty crag. Its stony-gritty soils consist primarily of phyllite mixed with small portions of loess and loam.

With the wine law of 1971 and its amendment of the vineyard register, numerous traditional vineyards, like Turmberg, were incorporated into other sides. In 2005, the Turmberg parcel was reinstated as an individual vineyard site consisting of 3.8 ha (9.4 acres). It is solely owned by Weingut Robert Weil.

Markus Schneider and his Weingut Markus Schneider in the Pfalz

Weingut Markus Schneider is in Ellerstadt in the Pfalz. Markus Schneider learned how to make wine at Weingut Dr. Buerklin-Wolf in the Pfalz from 1991 to 1994. His father - Klaus Schneider – had grown grapes for many years as a member of the local wine cooperative, before leaving the wine co-operative and founding his own winery in 1990, with the view of setting up a winery for his son Markus. For years later, Markus took over and 1994 was the first vintage made by and bottled under the name of Markus Schneider. In the following years, Markus Schneider increasingly shifted to making blends, based on international grape varities, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Merlot, that were a novelty for Germany.

Innovative Wine Labels and Wine Names

At the same time, the wines were marketed with non-traditional, modern labels and wine names; these wines became increasingly appealing for young and hipp wine consumers. Markus Schneider markets all his wines as QbA, without any reference to the predicate level (that have been dominating German wine classification for decades) and without any reference to the vineyard(s) were the grapes come from (moving away from the terroir principle that has become increasingly important for trational German wine producers). Here are some of Markus Schneider’s wines: Blackprint, Rotwein Alte Reben, M Spaetburgunder, Tohuwabohu, Chardonnay, Riesling and Kaitui.

A Shooting Star

In 2003, Markus Schneider was voted Newcomer of the Year by the Feinschmecker and in 2006, Discovery of the Year. Within only a few years, Markus Schneider had shot to the top echelons of the German wine industry and established a solid position. Since 2007, Weingut Markus Schneider is in the 3 (out of 5) grapes category of Gault Millau.

Pictures: Markus Schneider

The Vineyards

Markus Schneider owns and leases vineyards. In addition to warmer vineyards in the valley around Ellerstadt, Weingut Markus Schneider also owns/leases vineyards in higher and cooler regions on the edge of the Haardt Mountains. The approximately 50 hectares of vineyards spread over the following varieties: Weiße Rebsorten: 30 % Riesling, 8 % Weißer Burgunder, 5 % Grauburgunder, 5 % Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Rote Rebsorten: 12 % Spätburgunder, 12 % Blauer Portugieser, 10 % St. Laurent, 5 % Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Mitos.

In the Wine Cellar

Markus talked a bit about how he makes his wines. He likes concentrated, fruity wines with intense aromas. Markus told us that he achieves this through strict yield limitation, late harvest and vineyard work focused on the physiological maturity of the grapes.

Markus Schneider: „In the wine cellar, natural must concentration with traditional methods is important. For rosé and red wines, this is achieved through juice reduction of up to 40%, using the saignée method. In addition, red wines are very slowly fermented using traditional mash fermentation, which last for premium wines up to 3 months. The maturation takes place in traditional wooden casks and barrique barrels.“

„White wines are vinified with long maceration times (up to 48 hours). The maturation takes place until up to the bottling in the spring in stainless steel tanks, oak barrels and barriques. My white wines remain in contact with the fine yeast until shortly before bottling in order to achieve a complex aroma spectrum.”

Weingut Markus Schneider Wine Portfolio

Here is an overview of the wine portfolio of Weingut Markus Schneider:

Rosé Cuvée Saigner Medium Dry Rosé St. Laurent, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

Rot/Red

Ursprung Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Portugieser, Cabernet Mitos

Blackprint Merlot, St. Laurent, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Mitos, Cabernet Dorsa

Rotwein Alte Reben 100% Portugieser

M Spaetburgunder

tohuwabohu Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

Syrah

Weissburgunder

Grauburgunder

Chardonnay

Riesling

Kaitui 100% Sauvignon Blanc.

Takatuka 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Chardonnay

Vet Rooi Olifant South African wine; joint venture with South African wine maker

Wining and Dining with Kai Buhrfeindt at Grand Cru

This was a spectacular evening with the outstanding food of Chef Michael Amerswald and the spectacular wines of Wilhelm Weil and Markus Schneider, all very well orchestrated by Kai Buhrfeindt.

Pictures: Chef Michael Amerswald and Kai Buhrfeindt

Steinbutt/ Kalbskopf/ Nüsse

Markus Schneider, Kaitui 2011, Sauvignon Blanc, QbA

The Markus Schneider Kaitui is a tribute to New Zealand which is well known for its Sauvignon Blanc. Kaitui means Schneider in the language of the Maori. Markus Schneider: “This is a very early bottling. The wine was fermented in stainless steel and also (starting with this vintage) also on large oak barrels.” A very fruity, lush, very much new world style Sauvignon Blanc.

Rote Beete/ Rauchschinken

Weil, Kiedricher Turmberg 2007, Riesling QbA

A Lagenwein (premier cru) – dry; the Turmberg consists primarily of phyllite mixed with small portions of loess and loam, which accounts for the pure minerality in the wine. The 2009 Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Trocken made it to the Wine Spectator Top 100 wines for 2010 (2009 vintage). Wilhelm Weil: “The wine was fermented in stainless steel and large oak barrels. A perfect food wine.”

Skrei/ Schwarzwurzel/ Blutwurst/ Ravioli/ Beure Blanc

Weil, Kiedricher Graefenberg 2002, Riesling 1. Gewaechs

Weil, Kiedricher Graefenberg 2007, Riesling 1. Gewaechs

Graefenberg is the top vineyard of Weingut Wilhelm Weil. Wilhelm Weil: “Gräfenberg is the only site in the world in which grapes of every quality category – including Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese – have been harvested every year without exception since the 1989 vintage.”

Wilhelm Weil: “2002 was an average year, a bit on the cool side. By contrast, 2007 is view as a vintage of the century.” The 2002 showed a lot of minerality and was very fresh. Intense peach notes in the finish. The 2007 was lush, oily and ripe, but already showing some hints of aging.

Kalb/ Kohlrabi/ Kartoffel/ Trüffel

Markus Schneider, Merlot 2009, QbA trocken

Markus Schneider, Syrah 2009, QbA trocken

The Merlot and the Syrah: Both very concentrated, fruity, new-world-style wines, with intense aromas.

Stuart Piggot included the Syrah 2009 in his List of 2011 Favorites under the category innovation of the year:

Innovation des Jahres: 2009er Syrah "Made in Germany" vom Weingut Markus Schneider.

"Die Rebsorte Syrah ist ein neuer Import aus dem französischen Teil des Rhônetals, der nur dank der Klimaerwärmung bei uns Einzug halten konnte. In Übersee wird er meist als "Shiraz" vermarktet, und der erste Rotwein aus dieser Sorte des Pfälzer Jungwinzer-Phänomens Markus Schneider hat eher die Üppigkeit eines Überseeweins. Hier geht es jedoch selbstbewusst um "made in Germany". Der Duft des Weins (29,50 Euro ab Hof, Telefon 06237/7288) verbindet warme Aromen wie reife Brombeeren, Bitterschokolade und Gewürze mit kühler Kräuterfrische. Trotz des Riesenkörpers schmeckt man den Alkohol kaum, und die Gerbstoffe wirken fast wie Kakaopulver auf der Zunge. So etwas gab es noch nicht "made in Germany"."

Weißer Canache/ Tonka/ Ingwer/ Orange

Weil, Kiedricher Graefenberg 2005, Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel

A sweet-style Riesling Auslese. While 70% of Weingut Robert Weil’s wines are fermented dry, the reputation Weil wines have in the world are due are to a large extent to the world class fruity-sweet and noble-sweet Rieslings. Robert Weil’s top botrytis wines are sold today at extremely high prices - they are among the most expensive in the world. The current world record (in 2006) is held by a 1999 Weil Trockenbeerenauslese, at DM 5.000 (EUR 2500).

This is a prime example for what kind of fruity-sweet and noble-sweet Rieslings Wilhelm Weil is able to produce. Intense and rich, long finish.

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Rhine Wine – The Weingut Schloss Rheinhartshausen Wines of the Mariannenaue Island in the Rhine River, Germany

2012-01-27T01:17:00.004-05:00

Christian G.E. Schiller and the former General Manager of Weingut Schloss Reinhartshausen, Dr. Karl-Heinz Zerbe

Rhinewine is a popular term in the wine world. In its broadest interpretation it means a wine from a wine region in the Rhine valley – Alsace in France or Baden, Pfalz, Rheinhessen, Rheingau, Mittelrhein in Germany. Using a narrower concept, it is a wine from one of the 3 German wine regions that include the world Rhine in their name – Rheinhessen, Rheingau, Mittelrhein. In its most narrow concept, it means a wine from an island in the Rhine river.

The Rhine River and its Wines

The wines of Mariannenaue – an island in the middle of the Rhine river in the Rheingau area – are the only wines – as far as I know – that meet the criterion of the most narrow definition: wine from an island in the Rhine river. I visited Mariannenaue with the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim.

Insel Wein from Mariannenaue Island

The Mariannenaue island is owned and operated by the Weingut Schloss Rheinhartshausen.

The Rheingau

It is remarkable: For its entire length of nearly 560 miles, the Rhine flows north with one exception – a 28-mile stretch where the river changes its course. Here, it flows to the west, thereby enabling both the river and the vineyards facing it to bask in the warmth of the sun all day long. This is the Rheingau, one of the medium-size German wine regions. It is a quietly beautiful region, rich in tradition. Queen Victoria's enthusiasm for Hochheim's wines contributed to their popularity in England, where they, and ultimately, Rhine wines in general, were referred to as Hock.

The third President of the USA - and notable bon viveur - Thomas Jefferson visited the Rheingau in 1788 and wrote that the wine of the "Abbaye of Johnsberg is the best made on the Rhine without comparison … That of the year 1775 is the best." He also referred to the Rheingau’s Riesling as the "small and delicate Rhysslin which grows only from Hochheim to Rudesheim". Impressed by the quality of the Rheingau Riesling wines, he bought 100 grapevines to take back to his estate in Virginia.

Dr. Karl-Heinz Zerbe

Although the Rheingau is one of Germany’s smaller wine-growing regions, its 3,100 ha (7,660 acres) of vineyards are vastly diverse in their geological makeup. The soil varies from stony slate at the western part near the villages of Assmannshausen and Rudesheim to loess, sand and marl in the lower central villages of Geisenheim, Johannisberg, Winkel, Oestrich and Hattenheim. Soil reverts to stony phyllite in the higher central and eastern villages of Hallgarten, Kiedrich and Hochheim. Generally, wines from the lower slopes where the soil is heavier—sandy loam and loess—produce fuller wines, while at the higher slopes where it is more stony and slatey, the wines reflect more minerality, elegance and concentration.

The Rheingau enjoys a distinctly continental climate with cold winters and warm, but not hot, summers. The Rheingau – unlike any other region of the world – is associated with Riesling and nearly 80% of the Rheingau’s cultivated vineyards are planted with Riesling. The Rheingau is home to about 7% of the world’s Riesling vineyards. Pinot Noir accounts for 1/10 and is concentrated around Assmannshausen.

Weingut Schloss Reinhartshausen

The full name of the Weingut is „Administration Friedrich Prinz von Preussen Schloss Reinhartshausen”. It is located in Erbach in the Rheingau. A 5-star hotel is also operated on the premises. Wine has been produced at Weingut Schloss Reinhartshausen since medieval times.

At Schloss Reinhartshausen, over the following centuries, various aristocratic owners came and went. There, were today is Schloss Reinhartshausen, was in the 12th century the Castle of the Ritter von Erbach. For many centuries, Schloss Reinhartshausen belonged to the Knight of Allendorf. In 1800, the counts of Westphalia purchased the property from Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern and built the „Alte Schloss” (old palace). In 1855, Princess Marianne von Preussen, of the house of Nassau-Orange, purchased the property, and added a museum building, used to make her collection of art accessible to the public. Her son Albrecht von Preussen inherited the palace and wine estate in 1883, and it continued to be passed on to the next generation in the Prussian royal house. In 1957, ownership passed to Prince Friedrich von Preussen, son of the last German crown prince. The palace was re-created as a hotel, and expanded until 1991. In 1998, Willi Leibrand, founder of the large REWE supermarket chain, bought the run-down Schloss Rheinhartshausen with the vision to bring it back to previous hights. August Kesseler, one of the fathers of the German red wine revolution – with Chef Joachim Wissler – was hired to implement his vision. Under August Kesseler’s leadership, Schloss Reinhartshausen was transformed into an enchanting 5-star-hotel. When Willi Leibrand died, in 1999, entrepreneur Dieter Bock, together with a group called the „Freunde von Reinhartshausen” (Friends of Reinhartshausen) purchased Schloss Reinhartshausen from the Leibbrand estate.

The vineyard area totals 100 hectares, with holdings in: Erbach (Hohenrain, Marcobrunn, Rheinhell, Schlossberg = monopole, Siegelsberg sites), Hattenheim (Nussbrunnen, Rheingarten, Wisselbrunnen), Kiedrich (Sandgrub), Rauenthal (Wülfen) and Rüdesheim (Bischofsberg). Schloss Rheinhartshausen is the largest privately owned winery in the Rheingau.

More than 80% of the vineyard area is planted with Riesling. The remainder is planted with Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Sauvignon Blanc, Silvaner, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc.

The estate is a member of the VDP association.

The Wines of the Mariannenaue Island

The Mariannenaue island in the middle of the Rhine river, with its two vineyard sites Erbacher Rheinhell and Hattenheimer Rheingarten, is located right in front of Schloss Reinhartshausen, and stretches out to the west as far as the neighboring village of Hattenheim. With an area of 89 hectares it is the largest island in the Rhine river.

Touring Mariannenaue Island with Dr. Karl-Heinz Zerbe

We were welcomed by the former General Manager of Weingut Schloss Reinhartshausen, Dr. Karl-Heinz Zerbe, in the courtyard of Schloss Reinhartshausen with a Secco sparkler from the Mariannenaue. We then went over by boat - "Prussia's Gloria," the last of the Prussian gunboat fleet – to the island and toured the island.

The vineyard area totals 23 hectares. With 8.5, the pH value is high on the island (normal is 7). “Because of the high ph values, coupled with the specific micro-climate, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc do very well here” said Dr. Karl-Heinz Zerbe.

The Weingut Schloss Reinhartshausen Portfolio

The wines of Schloss Reinhartshausen are offered in 7 groups.

(1) Trockene Weine – Dry Wines: About 12 wines. The entry level wine costs Euro 8.90.

(2) Erstes Gewaechs – Premier Growth: 2 Erstes Gewaechs wines for Euro 25 and Euro 33.

(3) Feinherbe Weine – Off-dry Wines: 4 wines.

(4) Weine mit dezenter Suesse – Sweet-style Wines: 4 sweet-style Kabinett and Spaetlese wines.

(5) Rotwein & Weissherbst – Red Wine and Rose – 4 Spaetburgunder wines, with one aged in barrique, for Euro 14,50.

(6) Sekt – 4 Sparkers including a Secco from the Mariannenaue island for Euro 7.50.

(7) Edelsuesse Raritaeten – Noble-sweet specialties: 12 noble sweet wines from the 2001 to 2009 vintages. The 2003 Erbacher Schlossberg Trockenbeerenauslese in the 0.375 liter bottle for Euro 192 is the most expensive one.

The Wine Tasting

The afternoon ended with a wine tasting.

2010 Von der Insel Mariannenaue, Weissburgunder & Chardonnay Qualitaetswein trocken

2010 Hattenheimer Nussbrunnen, Riesling, Qualitaetswein trocken

2010 Schloss Reinhartshausen, Riesling Classic feinherb (13.3 g. remaining sugar)

2007 Erbacher Schlossberg, Riesling Erstes Gewaechs

2005 Erbacher Schlossberg Riesling Auslese fruchtig (65.4 g. remaining sugar)

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Zum Schwarzen Kameel - The Ultimate Classic of Viennese Wine Bars, Vienna, Austria

2012-01-26T04:02:00.002-05:00

Picture: Zum Schwarzen Kameel

This historic establishment was founded originally by a spice merchant in 1619. It has been one of the city's best places to enjoy a glass of wine for the last century.

Outdoor seating and the bar area are casual while a more formal sit-down atmosphere can be enjoyed in the restaurant.

Picture: Zum Schwarzen Kameel

The wine list is broad, and includes also excellent examples from all the major wine growing regions of the world.

Pictures: The Bar Area

This is the ultimate classic of Viennese wine bars, where you can enjoy modern versions of local classics at very reasonable prices.

Pictures: What we ate at Zum Schwarzen Kameel: Saibling (Euro 29), Gulasch (Euro 22) and Nachtisch (Euro12)

For more wine bars in Vienna go to: Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria on schiller-wine.

Picture: Vienna

Bognergasse 5 (U-Bahn Herrengasse).

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Tasting Washington State Wines at the Tasting Room in Seattle, USA

2012-01-25T10:44:00.004-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller in the Tasting Room in Seattle

Unlike in other parts of the world, tasting rooms are very popular and widespread in the United States. Typically, they are open from 9 am to 5 pm (and not in the evening), you do not have to make an appointment, they charge for the tasting, they do not serve food and you can buy the wines there. Often, the tasting rooms are dissociated from the winery and in a close-by town or on a main road. In Germany, France or Italy, for example, these kind of easy tasting opportunities are rare to find.

The Tasting Room in Seattle is a blend of a typical American tasting room and a wine bar.

The Tasting Room in Seattle

There are 2 "Tasting Rooms" in Washington State, one in Yakima and one in Saettle.

The Place

The Tasting Room in Seattle is a typical wine bar, open at night, where you can hang around with a glass of wine and eat some food, right in the heart of Pike Place Market, at the copper topped tasting bar or outside at a table on quaint Post Alley or inside at a table.

The Wines

It has some elements of a tasting room insofar as the Tasting Room only serves the wines of a group of Washington State winemaker. Wines are served by the ounze, half glass, full glass, carafe, bottle and to go.

The Tasting Room Winemakers

Camaraderie Cellars: Owned by Don and Vicki Corson who have made the Olympic Peninsula their home since 1990. Whenever we are at a wine festival we are often asked "Why Port Angeles?" Making wine in Port Angeles does seem a bit out of the ordinary since it is located on the "wet" west side of the Cascade Mountains and the grapes are from vineyards on the "dry" east side. But our answer is that although the winery is some distance from the grapes, ocean breezes from the Strait of Juan de Fuca make the Olympic Peninsula an ideal place for making wine. Besides Camaraderie Cellar's location, it's wines are distinctive for their pedigree. We are fortunate to have long-term relationships with Fred Artz at Artz Vineyards on Red Mountain, and Paul Champoux at Mercer Ranch. These vineyards are regularly mentioned as among Washington's best, a tribute to Fred and Paul's passion for excellence, a passion Camaraderie Cellars happens to share.

Picture: Seattle

Harlequin was founded in 1999 by Robert Goodfriend. The small, family owned winery located in Touchet (Walla Walla Valley), works with the best vineyards and growers in Washington and Oregon State to designate individual vineyard rows which are specifically assigned to Harlequin. Robert maintains complete control over yield, canopy management, irrigation and picking decisions. Winemaking at Harlequin is very hands-on and intensive. Reds are fermented in small, one-ton fermentors and punched down by hand. Ageing occurs in the best oak from the best coopers.

Picture: The First Starbuck's in the World, close to the Tasting Room in Seattle

Latitude 46° North falls just south of the town of Walla Walla, Washington, and runs through the great viticultural regions of our state. The blending of wine from great sites, coupled with meticulous winemaking, creates wines of added complexity and nuance. We produce wine in the purest expression of Washington State winegrowing. Latitude 46° N Winery is a small winery owned by four families. Old World methods combined with New World fruit are the ideals of winemaking that we have based our foundation on. We currently produce a dry Gewurztraminer from the Columbia River Gorge, Syrah and Grenache blends from various Columbia Valley Vineyards, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and our Flagship blend of Washington State Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah: The Vindication. The Vineyards used to create the wines of Latitude 46º N are grown, under our supervision, through long-term contracts with managers we consider friends. There may be grapes from 8-10 different Vineyards in one season. We prefer to buy fruit by the actual row of vines, than by the ton. This method provides extensive opportunities to adapt the microclimate of the fruit to our desired endpoint. We will harvest at the optimum level of flavor, not sugar. Our Vineyard Managers give amazing amounts of tolerance to our requests and desires. The harvest time at the winery is an exciting period. Each lot of grapes is fermented separately. Reds are fermented in small ¾ ton fermenters and punched down by hand. These wines are pressed gently with a membrane press at the peak of flavor and tannin maturation. Barrels are selected for specifically complementing varieties and Vineyards. White wines are fermented in neutral barrels to promote slight oxidative fermentation, without oak flavor addition. Blending is an exercise taken very seriously. Complexity, seamlessness and sheer intensity are the intentions behind the blended wines of Latitude 46º N. pride that we put into our winegrowing is echoed in the bottle, and in your glass.

Picture: The Tasting Room Seattle

Mountain Dome Winery is truly a family owned and operated winery. The Manz family started their winery in September of 1984 and have built their geodesic dome and 15,500 square foot winery by themselves. After spending a few years developing the desired style of sparkling wine, the family decided the 1988 vintage would be the first commercial release. A friend suggest that the winery, built on snowy, tree covered mountain top, reminded him of a gnome village and created the Gnome label for Mountain Dome's Non-Vintage. Mountain Dome has grown from a family obsession into an award winning winery, producing more than 3,000 cases a year. The winery is located on an 85 acre forest in the foothills of Mount Spokane. The three Manz children have grown up working in the winery. The oldest son, Erik, is now the winemaker.

Picture: The Tasting Room in Seattle

Naches Heights Vineyard is perched on the southwest plateau high above the beautiful Naches Valley. This area was formed one million years ago when a lava flow poured in from the Goat Rocks Wilderness area to the west. Soils then formed on this plateau, consisting of wind blown loess known as Tieton loam. Our elevation at NHV - up at 1780 Feet - places us as one of the highest elevated vineyards in the state. The high elevation (closer to the sun) combined with the rich volcanic soil creates unique growing conditions for our wine grapes. With farming in the Cline family's blood for 68 years, the NHV site has been in Cline stewardship for 44 years. Our love for the land and our environment translated a past orchard life of plums, apricots and apples into a happy, healthy vineyard – your palate will approve of our attention to detail in the growing of wine grapes on this sunny, volcanic site. Naches Heights Vineyard currently produces five grape varietals: Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Tempranillo and Syrah.

Picture: The Tasting Room in Seattle

Seattle's "Micro" Winery Founded in 1988 by husband and wife duo, Paul Beveridge and Lysle Wilhelmi, Wirlidge Winery specializes in hand-crafted wines made from select single vineyard sites in Washington State. This family-owned winery is located in the historic Madrona neighborhood of Seattle. The company's goal is to find the best vineyard sites in Washington State and hand-make the wines to bring out the unique characteristic of each vineyard's terroir. Grapes are picked in the Yakima, Red Mountian, and Walla Walla appellations and are crushed, pressed and aged in new French oak barrels at the Seattle neighborhood winery. Visit the newly planted biodynamic vineyard in Yakima, WA - just 2 short hours from Seattle. Over 20 grape varieties are planted from the famous wine regions in Europe including France, Spain, Italy and Portugal. Wilridge is a small, family winery run in the European tradition. Owners Lysle Wilhelmi and Paul Beveridge live near the winery in the Madrona neighborhood of Seattle with their two sons, Mack and Liam. Paul's parents , Bob and Berta Beveridge, live in the apartment above the winery. Wine making at Wilridge is a family and neighborhood affair, with relatives and friends pitching in. Paul is winemaker, Lysle is in charge of sales, Mack and Liam handle barrel washing and grampa provides "quality control sampling". The plan is to stay small and focused on quality, like many of the small wineries in Europe. There are no employees and volunteers that want to "get their feet wet" are welcome to help during harvest and bottling.

Picture: The Tasting Room in Seattle

Wineglass Cellars was founded in 1994 by David and Linda Lowe. Our first crush was 1994 and the following May we opened for sales and tasting. David grew up in a small town in Eastern Oregon and Linda grew up in the Yakima Valley. We both wanted the small town life for our two sons Steven and Patrick. We also enjoyed a love of wine from touring the Oregon wine country over many years and, starting in the mid ‘80s, touring the Yakima Valley wine country. Our desire for country life when combined with our love of wine made for a perfect "escape from the big city (Seattle)" plan. In the winter of 1993 we moved onto the three acres we presently live on. The following year we purchased a horse barn from a neighbor which is now Wineglass Cellars Winery and Tasting Room. The philosophy of wine making at Wineglass Cellars is hands on. We keep production small and quality very high. This enables us to closely control the quality from vintage crush to labeling of the bottles. Wineglass Cellars only buys the highest quality grapes from the Yakima Valley, and California to produce its wines. When we talk of hand crafted wines we mean it! This is also cause for lots of tired days during crush and press. The emphasis at Wineglass Cellars is on red wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay from the Yakima Valley rounds out our current offerings. Wineglass Cellars is a small winery producing 2500 cases per year. The winery is located in the Yakima Valley. Our cozy tasting room has a lovely view of the surrounding apple orchards of Zillah, Washington.

Picture: The Tasting Room in Seattle

The Food

The Tasting Room offers some Tapas type food, including a Cheese Sampler and a Salumi Cured Meat Sampler, both for US$ 9.

Tasting Room Hours

Sunday - Thuraday : Noon - 8pmFriday & Saturday : Noon - 10pm

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The Premium Sparklers of il Mosnel, Franciacorta, Italy

2012-01-24T01:28:00.008-05:00

Christian G.E. Schiller with Lucia Barzanò, il Mosnel

The 4th European Wine Bloggers’ Conference was held in Brescia with Consortium of Franciacorta, the local sparkling wine, as the main sponsor. During the conference, I participated in an evening visit of il Mosnel di Emanuela Barboglio e Figli in Camignone di Passirano, which included a gorgeous dinner prepared by1 star Michelin Chef Stefano Cerveni from due colombe. I will report on the food aspects of the evening in a separate posting.

Franciacorta: Grape Varieties

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc are the 3 grape varieties of Franciacorta. Chardonnay is the most important one, accounting for 85% in terms of plantings. Pinot Noir (10%) and Pinot Blanc (5%) follow with a sizable distance. The designations for dosage are exactly as those of Champagne.

A Short History

Unlike the Champagne region, which can look back to several centuries of fame, Franciacorta’s history is very short. It started only 50 years ago, when Franco Ziliani produced a couple of thousand bottles of a sparkling wine for the Guido Berlucchi winery, which sold very well. It sold so well, that over night, the region of Franciacorta was born and the well-equipped and architecturally varied wineries we know today sprang up within a short period of time to establish the region.

Christian G.E. Schiller with the General Manager of the Franciacorta Producer Consortium, Giovanni Salvioni

Types of Franciacorta Sparklers

There are 5 main types of Franciacorta sparklers:

Franciacorta – Chardonnay and/or Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco up to 50% of the blend. Even this regular non-vintage wines need to be aged on lees for 18 months, and then in bottle for further 7 months. Can come at different dosage levels.

Franciacorta Satén – Must be a Blanc de blancs with only the use of Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco permitted. Possibly the most approachable and unique style in Franciacorta, with lower (4.5 atmospheres of pressure instead of 6) pressure and therefore creamier feeling of bubbles. Must be aged 24 months (almost half as much again as Champagne's requirement). Always brut. Saten is a Chardonnay-dominated, creamy, soft-textured wine with fine mousse and restrained perlage.

Franciacorta Rose – Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Nero (at least 25%). Can come at different dosage levels. A Franciacorta Rose must contain at least 15% Pinot Nero.

Franciacorta Millesimato (Vintage) – At least 85% of the grapes must come from the same vintage. Aging period increases to 35 months. Can come at different dosage levels.

Franciacorta Riserva – This is a Millesimato, although it may also be a Saten or Rose. Needs to be aged on lees for 60 months, and then in bottle for further 7 months. Can come at all dosage levels.

Industry

There are about 200 producers in Franciacorta, with a total output of 13 million bottles. The total vineyard area of Franciacorta is 3000 hectares. As opposed to Champagne, there are no big Estates in Franciacorta, which buy grapes from other producers. Franciacorta producers own vineyard land and grow the grapes they need for their sparkles themselves. Production of a Franciacorta producer rarely exceeds 400,000 bottles. One exception is Guido Berluccio, the largest producer, accounting for 1.5 million bottles of Franciacorta (in addition, Guido Berluccio produces 2.5 million other sparkling wine). 85% of Franciacorta is sold in the country.

The Still Wines of Terre di Franciacorta

Franciacorta is not sparklers only. In the same area, still wines are also produced, both white and red, under the appellation Terre di Franciacorta (or Curtefranca). The red Terre di Franciacorta is produced with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Nebbiolo and Barbera grapes.

An Evening at il Mosnel with Lucia Barzano

In the heart of Franciacorta, in Camignone di Passirano, lies the historic villa of il Mosnel with its 16th-century wine cellars and surrounding properties that the Barboglio family inherited in 1836. Directing il Mosnel di Emanuela Barboglio e Filgli today is the fifth generation of winegrowers, the children of Emanuela Barboglio. Giulio Barzanò oversees production and sales, while Lucia Barzanò directs marketing, external relations, and administration. Emanuela Barboglio was in 1968 one of the first to produce DOC Franciacorta sparklers. She passed away in 2007.

Giulio Barzanò and Lucia Barzanò

In 1976 the name of the winery was changed from Azienda Agricola Barzanò Barboglio to the current il Mosnel, a local dialect word, of Celtic origin, that means "heap of stones." Il Mosnel produces 250,000 bottles a year with Franciacorta accounting for 90%.

Grape Varieties and Vineyards

We saw a little bit of the vineyards, when we arrived at il Mosnel. Il Mosnel has 40 hectares of vineyard area, of which 38 hectares under the Franciacorta DOCG. 35 hectares of the Franciacorta DOCG are planted with Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay; the rest with Pinot Noir. The (remaining) DOC vineyards are planted with Cabernet (Franc and Sauvignon) and Merlot for the production of red wine. The vineyards are all around the winery. Everything is hand-picked using a team of 60-70 pickers.

In the il Mosnel Winecellar

After a welcome drink and an introduction by Lucia Barzanò, we toured the winery. The cellars are located in historic structures from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, providing good conditions for ageing Franciacorta wine. Lucia explained: “il Mosnel was among the very first producers in the area to adopt stainless steel fermenters, refrigeration facilities, and pneumatic presses.”

Lucia Barzano on how il Mosnel Franciacorta is made: “The grapes, all from our estate vineyards, are harvested into shallow boxes and are quickly brought to the cellar, where they go through a painstaking quality examination. The clusters are then gently pressed in several cycles, which yields three fractions of must, each of different quality. These lots are then fermented separately, at controlled temperatures, either in small oak barrels or in steel fermenters, depending on each lot's ageing potential.”

“During maturation, the wines, all subdivided according the grape variety, vineyard, and press fraction, remain in contact with their own spent yeast, or fine lees. In the spring, the wines undergo a lengthy series of careful tastings and are then blended, in varying proportions, into the various stylistic versions of Franciacorta. They will then be given a second fermentation in the bottle, a procedure known here as the Metodo Franciacorta.”

The Wines that were Poured by Lucia Barzano

During the fabulous dinner prepared by 1 star Michelin Chef Stefano Cerveni from due colombe, on which I will report in a separate posting, Lucia poured the following wines.

Chef Stefano Cerveni from due colombe

Il Mosnel Franciacorta Pas Dose

We started with the Il Mosnel pas dose, a blend of 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Bianco and 10% Pinot Noir. This cuvée spends 30 months on the lees. It has subtle full bouquet, crisp and dry on the palate, elegant texture, long-lasting mousse with extremely tiny bubbles.

Il Mosnel Franciacorta Brut Saten 2007

Produced exclusively from Chardonnay, partly fermented in stainless steel and in small oak barrels, the Brut Satèn has a dosage of 8 gm per liter and a little less pressure than the other Franciacorta sparklers. At least 30 months on the lees. A rich bouquet with some hints of vanilla, the leisurely mousse caresses the palate with great finesse.

Il Mosnel Franciacorta Rose Brut

A very attractive Rosé Brut, made from 20% Chardonnay fermented in small oak barrels, 20% Chardonnay fermented in stainless steel, 20% Pinot Blanc fermented in steel and 40% Pinot Noir fermented in steel after a brief maceration on the skins, which gives the typical pink colour.

Prettily pink with lots of red fruit flavors and enough acidity in the finish to be refreshing, quite elegantly toasty and spicy.

Il Mosnel IGT Sebino Passito Sulif 2009

In addition to its Franciacorta ultra-premium sparklers, il Mosnel also makes (1) Curtefranca Bianco DOC, a wine made of 60% Pinot Blanc and 40% Chardonnay, (2) Curtefranca Rosso DOC, a red wine composed of 25% Cabernet Franc, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Nebbiolo and 10% Barbera and the IGT Sebino Passito Sulif.

The latter is produced solely from Chardonnay grapes that were dried for several months before fermentation. The grapes loose over 50% of their moisture during the drying period; this is then followed by a long, slow fermentation, in small barrels. Straw wines are typically sweet wines, capable of long life, but do not have to be sweet.

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DiVino – A New Wine Bar in Budapest, Hungary

2012-01-23T01:26:00.001-05:00

DiVino in Budapest

DiVino, right next to the Basilica is the latest addition to the small, but growing wine bar scene in Budapest. The other 2 wine bars in Budapest that I would recommend are Drop Shop Wine Bar and Doblo Wine Bar. I have also written about the Wine Bar by the Bazilika, but this wine bar has moved a few blocks down the road and its future seemed uncertain, when I was there the last time.

I have written about Drop Shop and Doblo Wine Bar on schiller-wine: Doblo Wine Bar in Budapest, Hungary and Drop Shop Wine Bar in Budapest, Hungary

The Wines

DiVino only serves wines of Junibor, the association of young Hungarian winemakers, by the glass and bottle, as well as to go. DiVino does not serve any imported wines.

The Place

DiVino is a modern, trendy and young place. The design is minimalist.

The Food

I have not eaten there, but I heard that the Hamburger was a must-try and that the food in general was very good.

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Wine Maker Martin Tesch: Riesling People Vol. 2, Germany

2012-01-20T01:08:00.000-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Martin Tesch at the Riesling + Co World Tour 2010 in New York, USA

Martin Tesch is a German avant-garde wine maker and he has now published a second avant-garde book about his world of Riesling wine and Rock and Roll music: Riesling People Vol. 2.

Riesling People Vol. 2

With the 2010 vintage, the Riesling Unplugged, the signature wine of Martin Tesch, Weingut Tesch in Langenlonsheim (Nahe) in Germany, celebrated its 10th anniversary. At this occasion, Martin produced the audio book Riesling People Vol. 2. It is a medley of diverse contributions of a group of friends of Martin Tesch - sommeliers, customers, journalists, writers, chefs and musicians. The sommeliers Natalie Lumpp, Jürgen Fendt, Billy Wagner and others comment on Riesling Unplugged of each of the 10 vintages; Stuart Pigott talks about hunting sharks on the Nahe river. The Rock and Roll Band Die Toten Hosen – Martin Tesch produced the wine Weisses Rauschen with them (see below) – contributed a song to the Riesling People Vol. 2, as did Koester + Hocker and the Group Les Sauvignons. All in all, a highly entertaining and informative audio book about Martin Tesch’s Riesling Unplugged.

Pictures: Riesling People Vol. 2

Unplugged in Music and Wine

Unplugged stands in the pop and rock scene for performances with small audiences without reinforcement and other technical manipulations of the music; what you get is a maximum of authenticity and individuality. Unplugged stands in the German wine scene for a Riesling made by Martin Tesch according to the same principles; again, what you get is a maximum of authenticity and individuality.

See: In the Glass: Unplugged - Eric Clapton and Martin Tesch

Martin Tesch’s Riesling Unplugged

Martin Tesch is a young and ambitious winemaker from the Nahe region. He is one of the rising stars among Germany's new generation of winemakers. When he took over the family's winery a few years ago, he made the decision to focus exclusively on the production of dry wine. His goal was to return to the basics of authenticity, balance, and complexity.

Picture: Tesch Riesling Unplugged 2010 and FAVOriten, see: Tesch Riesling Unplugged 2010 and Duo Favo FAVOriten

Towards that end, he created a wine that has become an international favorite: Riesling Unplugged. The wine is as natural as you can get, with tremendous value placed on environmental-friendly viticulture. The wine is untreated, meaning no must concentration or chaptalisation.

Tesch's Riesling Unplugged is a bone-dry, light wine with intense minerals and concentrated fruit on the nose, and a long palate with refreshing acidity.

Weingut Tesch

Martin Tesch owns and runs Weingut Tesch in the Nahe valley. The Weingut has been family-owned and run since 1723 and is a member of the prestigious VDP, the century-old association of Germany’s top winemakers.

Picture: Martin Tesch in Mainz, Germany

In his mid-thirties, Dr. Martin Tesch is a Ph.D. microbiologist by training. He took over Weingut Tesch in 1996 and has presided over fundamental changes both in the vineyard and the wine cellar as well as in the marketing of the Tesch wines. Martin stopped producing sweet-style wines; all Tesch wines are now dry, except, it seems, for the occasional Eiswein when conditions allow. Further, he has moved to natural and non-interventionist winemaking and strict yield control of between 20-30 hl/ha. The harvest is manual and he picks the grapes at full ripeness, but avoids botrytis. Also, he changed and simplified the label design. There are no long words anymore on the label. Finally, Martin Tesch now generally uses the Stelvin glass closure. It is a ultra-modern and expensive technical fitting.

Riesling People Vol. 1

Obviously, Martin Tesch is very much into Rock and Roll. He has documented his passion for wine and Rock and Roll in a book entitled Riesling People, Vol. 1.

This is an unusual book. It explains in a straightforward way, without words, what makes Martin Tesch tick and the wines he produces so special. As a picture-book and travelogue, Riesling People Vol. 1 differs dramatically from the usual wine books. Almost without words, the book tells the story of Martin Tesch and his love for Riesling and Rock and Roll music. It is narrated by black and white photography, printed on glossy paper, and showcases the ecclectic mix of wine and music in Martin's world.

Picture: Riesling People Vol. 1 and Vol. 2

The central theme of the book is the Rolling Riesling Show, which was jointly organized by Martin Tesch and the guitar manufacturer Gibson. Martin Tesch took an audience that was not necessary knowledgeable about wine through six different dry Rieslings and their soil-specific differences. In addition to the Rolling Riesling Show events, the book includes pictures from London wine bars, from Hong Kong, New York, Jancis Robinson and Stuart Pigott, proud Australian importers with the first container of Tesch wines, Martin Tesch at the concert of the Tote Hosen in Trier and backstage with the Düsseldorfer Punk Rockers at Rock am Ring.

See: The Avantgarde Wine World of Dr. Martin Tesch

Die Toten Hosen and Weisses Rauschen

Martin Tesch made a wine with Die Toten Hosen (The Dead Pants, but more elliptically: Nothing Going On), Germany’s leading punk rock group. Both teamed up to produce Weisses Rauschen (White Noise). The members of Die Toten Hosen are Campino (Andreas Frege), Kuddel (Andreas von Holst), Vom (Stephen 'Vom' Ritchie), Andi (Andreas Meurer) and Breiti (Michael Breitkopf).

Picture: Die Toten Hosen

After the band's first wine Machmalriesling was quickly sold out, Die Toten Hosen and Martin Tesch agreed to produce another wine together, Weisses Rauschen. Of course, Martin is in the lead, but Martin told me that the band played an active role in the selection of wine, the name of the wine and the design of the bottle. The wine was named after a song of Die Toten Hosen from the album Zurueck zum Glueck (Back to Happiness).

The wine is a typical Tesch Riesling: No frills, crisp with fine grape flavor reminiscent of apple and apricot. It was environmentally-friendly grown in the vineyard, and naturally fermented and aged in the cellar.

See: In the Glass: 2009 Weisses Rauschen – A Joint Venture of Winemaker Martin Tesch and Punk-Rock Band Die Toten Hosen

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Wine Maker Dinner with Stefan Rumpf at Weinstube Kruger-Rumpf in Muenster-Sarmsheim, Germany

2012-01-19T02:18:00.006-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Stefan Rumpf at the Wine Maker Dinner

Weingut Kruger-Rumpf was in the press again recently, when their dry Riesling finished as second runner-up in the prestigious Feinschmecker Riesling Cup 2011. I visited Weingut Kruger-Rumpf 3 times last year, the last time for a Kruger-Rumpf wine maker dinner at Weinstube Kruger-Rumpf in Muenster-Sarmsheim.

The first time, Georg Rumpf – the young wine maker of Weingut Kruger-Rumpf - had to reschedule because of an American client. But since I had scheduled a visit of Schlossgut Diel, which is just a stone throw away from Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, for the same day, we went there anyway and had a wonderful dinner at the lovely Kruger-Rumpf country restaurant. Georg and Stefan Rumpf, Georg’s father, were sitting next to us with the American client and were so kind to share with us some of the noble-sweet wines they were tasting. The lovely Kruger-Rumpf country restaurant, which is part of the Kruger-Rumpf Estate, is run by Georg's mother Cornelia.

Picture: Stefan and Georg Rumpf with an American Wine Buyer

The second time - after a tasting with German Pinot Noir Star August Kesseler in Assmannshausen - was for our official appointment, where Georg rolled out the red carpet for me. Here is my posting Visiting Georg Rumpf and his VDP Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in the Nahe Region, Germany

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Georg Rumpf Tasting

The third time was at the end of last year, when Stefan and Cornelia Rumpf had invited for a wine maker dinner at their Weinstube. This posting is about the wine maker dinner.

Weingut Kruger-Rumpf

“In our family, viniculture has been tradition since 1708 - a tradition that we have been cultivating in our vineyards as well as in our manor house which was built back in 1830” said Georg Rumpf, when I visited Weingut Kruger-Rumpf last year and George showed me around. Stefan Rumpf, Georg’s father, brought Weingut Kruger-Rumpf up to where it is today: After completing his studies in agricultural sciences, including stints in Californian wineries, and conducting research at the Geisenheim research institute, Stefan Rumpf took over the estate from his parents in 1984. Up until then, the wines were sold almost entirely in bulk. Stefan Rumpf changed this and started to bottle his wines and to market the bottles himself. Less than 10 years later, in 1992, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf was invited to join the VDP, the about 200 German elite winemakers, a clear sign of what Stefan Rumpf had achieved over the course of just 8 years.

Pictures: Weingut Kruger-Rumpf

Today, the vineyard area totals 22 hectares and the annual production is 14.000 cases. Georg Rumpf has taken over the winemaking aspect of Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, while his father is now more focusing on sales and general management.

The top sites are: Münsterer Dautenpflänzer (slate with sandy loam); Münsterer Pittersberg (slate); Münsterer Rheinberg (weathered quartzite and sandy loam); Binger Scharlachberg Rheinhessen (Rotliegend and porphyry).

Grape varieties: 65% Riesling, 10% each of Silvaner and Weissburgunder, 5% each of Chardonnay, Grauburgunder and Spätburgunder. In fact, Kruger-Rumpf was the first estate in the Nahe region to plant Chardonnay.

Weingut Kruger-Rumpf has 3 (of) 5 grapes in the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland. It took 1st place in the DER FEINSCHMECKER Deutscher Riesling Cup 2008. In the US, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf is imported by Terry Theise.

In the Vineyard with Georg

Last year, I also had a chance to visit the Kruger-Rumpf vineyards with Georg. “Our vineyards are steep. They are located in a narrow side valley of the Nahe and in Rheinhessen, safe from wind and rain. In a small area, the steep slopes of our vineyards offer a wide range of different soil types. Deeply rooting vines get their minerals from the lower soil layers and bin them within their grapes” Georg explained in the car.

At some point of the tour, where the Nahe river flows into the Rhine river, we had an extraordinary view of the Rhine valley with the vineyards of Ruedesheim on the other side of the Rhine river (including the vineyards of J. Leitz), the vineyards of the Mittelrhein area in some distance, the Rheinhessen region beginning on the other side of the Nahe river and we in a Kurger-Rumpf vineyard in the Nahe region. It was a gorgeous day. I will never forget this magic moment with Georg Rumpf.

Pictures: In the Vineyard with Georg Rumpf

We visited all the vineyards of Kurger-Rumpf, or at least saw them from a distance, like the Binger Scharlachberg on the other side of the Nahe river:

Münsterer Pittersberg - Großes Gewächs, 5.5 ha, largest site of the winery, Soil: Devon-slate, wine: Riesling with citric like aroma and well balanced acidity.

Münsterer Dautenpflänzer - Großes Gewächs, 1.7 ha, heart of Kapellenberg, highest-class site of the winery, Soil: quartzite alteration with loess clay, Grape variety: Riesling, Scheurebe, Wine: fruity, consistent wine.

Münsterer Rheinberg - 1.9 ha, Soil: predominantly quartzite and slate, Grape variety: Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Wine: diverse wines.

Münsterer Kapellenberg - 4 ha, all around Dautenpflänzer site; most diverse site of the winery, Soil: quartzite alteration with loess clay, Grape variety: Riesling, Pinot Blanc.

Dorsheimer Burgberg - 0.8 ha, particularly good microclimate through site in form of an amphitheatre, Soil: clay soil with slate and quartzite, Grape variety: Riesling, Wine: delicately balanced Riesling wine with discreet fruit aroma.

Binger Scharlachberg (Rheinhessen) - 1 ha, only site located in Rheinhessen; the name of the site arose from a high ferrous oxide part within the stone which colors the soil red, Soil: quartzite alteration with slate, Grape variety: Riesling, Wine: fruity, very complex wine.

“White wine is our specialty as Riesling grows on 70 % of our steep slopes by the Nahe. We are especially proud of our 50 year old Riesling vines at our sites Münsterer Pittersberg and Münsterer Dautenpflänzer. Silvaner and Pinot Blanc take up 10% of our vineyards each. The different Pinot varieties (Pinot Gris, Pinot Madeleine and Pinot Noir) as well as Chardonnay, Scheurebe, and Gewürztraminer complete our assortment” said Georg.

In terms of farming, the guiding principle is sustainable vineyard practices. “You can’t improve wine in the cellar, only make it worse,” Georg’s father Stefan said later. “At least ninety percent of the quality of a wine comes from the raw material you harvest.” And “Our grapes ripen in sunny, steep hillsides safe from wind within the Nahetal and Rheinhessen region. What we care about is a strong crop reduction in the vineyard as well as a gentle treatment of the grapes. In order to guarantee best quality, we harvest our grapes by thorough hand picking. Afterwards, we grant our wine sufficient time and rest in the cellar.”

Weinstube Kruger-Rumpf

One of the (many) assets of Weingut Kruger Rumpf is the lovely country restaurant, which is part of the winery. It opened its doors in 1994. They call it a wine tavern, but for me it is a country restaurant. Whatever you call it, it is a lovely place, where you can have a great time with traditional, upscale cuisine and Kruger-Rumpf wines in the cozy atmosphere of a family-run country restaurant .

The rooms are decorated with appropriate accessories depending on the season. Painted stucco ceilings, historic tiled stoves, wooden floors, warm wall paint as well as furniture in country-house style provide for a comfortable living room atmosphere. The bright rooms are located on the ground floor of the manor house.

In addition, there is an idyllic garden. Especially during the summer, the garden restaurant of the winery provides you with the opportunity to enjoy the evening in a cozy al fresco atmosphere with a hearty meal and a good glass of wine. In fact, we did the tasting with Georg in the garden restaurant.

For special events, there also is a Gewölberaum for 90 people and a Tafelraum for 20 people. Finally, the courtyard provides space for up to 200 people.

The Kruger-Rumpf Portfolio

The Kruger-Rumpf Portfolio comprises about 40 different wines. About 20 of them are Rieslings, ranging from a simple “Literwein” to (dry) Grosses Gewaechs wines and (noble-sweet) icewines. Then, there are less than 10 other white grape varities, with the focus on Burgundy grapes. The remainder is comprised of red wines (Pinot Noir) and bubblies.

Weingut Krueger-Rumpf sells 70% of its production in Germany and exports the remaining 30%. Accordingly, “80% of the wines we produce are dry wines” said Georg “ and 20% are fruity-sweet and noble-sweet wines.”

The Portfolio of Terry Theise, the US importer of Weingut Kruger-Rumpf , comprises 9 wines. His selection reflects very well the American market: there is no red wine and only one of the 9 wines is a dry wine, all others are fruity- sweet and noble sweet.

Wining and Dining with Stefan and Cornelia Rumpf

This was a lovely and lively evening. We were about 100 wine enthusiasts. Stefan Rumpf guided us through the evening. Cornelia Rumpf was orchestrating the evening from the kitchen. Georg Rumpf was out of town, conducting another wine tasting.

Amuese Guele: Kalbsfleischtartare mit Trueffeln – Blinis mit Ziegenkaese und sautéed Rote Paprika - Lachstartare

Winzersekt

Praline und Parfait von der Gaenseleber

2002 Pittersberg Riesling Auslese

A 10 years old wine, still very fresh, rich but not blatantly sweet; a bit salty.

2002 Scheurebe Spaetlese

A gracefully aged wine. We drank the last 24 bottles.

Steckruebensuppe mit Burgunder-Trueffeln

2008 Kapellenberg Riesling Grosses Gewaechs

A grand cru wine that has already aged a bit.

2010 Dautenpflaenzer Riesling feinherb

Very fruity, with lots of apricot notes.

Steinbutt in Safrancrepes im Bouillabaisse-Sud

2010 Weisser Burgunder, trocken

Fresh, clean and crisp, mostly fermented and aged in stainless steel.

2010 Pittersberger Riesling, trocken

With bright aromas of peach and chalk and slate minerality, quite lush on the palate, fruity.

Ruecken vom Hirsch mit Topinambur und Gorgonzola-Nocken

2010 Spaetburgunder, trocken

A lean and elegant Pinot Noir; too young.

2009 Spaetburgunder “M” trocken

Aged for 2 to 3 years in barrique, nice (others felt too much) vanilla notes.

Rohmilch Taleggio mit Walnusskrokant und schwarzen Nuessen

2010 Dautenpflaenzer Riesling Grosses Gewaechs

Crisp green apple aromas with undertones of herbs, refreshing on the palate, super.

2009 Kapellenberg Riesling Kabinett

Notes of quince, a tangy palate with a pleasing sourness. Produced mainly for Terry Theise and the American market.

Apfel-Quittensueppchen mit Maronenparfait

2001 Pittersberg Auslese Goldkapsel

Already a senior citizen, who, however is still in good health.

2006 Dautenpflaenzer Auslese

Light yellow in the glass, very fresh, lots of honey and tropical fruit aromas on the palate.

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The Wine Maker Couple H.O. Spanier and Carolin Spanier-Gillot, with Roland Gillot, Lead Wine Tasting of Kuehling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines at Weingut Kuehling-Gillot, Germany

2012-01-18T01:17:00.008-05:00

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with H. O. Spanier, Caroline Spanier-Gillot and Roland Gillot at the Tasting in Bodenheim.

The wine maker couple Hans Oliver Spanier and Carolin Spanier-Gillot, with Carolin’s father wine maker Roland Gillot, had invited for a guided tasting of the 2010 wines of Weingut Kuehling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier at Weingut Kuehling-Gillot in Bodenheim, Rheinhessen, Germany. Along with the wines, H.O. and Carolin served a dinner of 6 small, fine courses. The cost was Euro 30 per person.

Both Weingut Kuehling-Gillot and Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier belong to the 100 top Estates of Germany: Germany’s Top 100 Winemakers – Handelsblatt online and Vinum 2011

I recently arranged a wine tasting in Washington DC, which included the wines of Weingut Kuehling-Gillot. See: The Focus on Dry German Riesling – Daniel Hubbard Presents the German DSWE Portfolio to the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter)

Pictures: At the Tasting in Bodenheim at Weingut Kuehling-Gillot

H.O. Spanier, Carolin Spanier-Gillot and Roland Gillot

The three of them - H.O. Spanier, Carolin Spanier-Gillot and Roland Gillot – are gifted wine makers. Roland was the head winemaker of Weingut Kuehling-Gillot between 1970 and 2002. Weingut Kuehling-Gillot came about by marriage in 1970 of Roland Gillot and Gabi Kuehling. Roland (photo) is in particular famous for his noble-sweet wines.

Picture: Roland Gillot

Carolin took over from her father in 2003. She is a graduate of the famous Geisenheim College wine maker school, a co-founder of the Message in a Bottle association of young winegrowers and a member of the Vinissima. She is sometimes referred to the whirlwind among the young, women winegrowers in Germany. In 2006, after 4 years at the helm of Weingut Kuehling-Gillot, Carolin (photos) married H. O. Spanier of Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier, joining two successful and tradition-rich estates of Rheinhessen.

Pictures: Caroline Spanier-Gillot

H.O. Spanier took over Weingut Spanier in Hohen Suelzen in the South of Rheinhessen from his parents in 1993. Weingut Spanier was in 1997 merged with the neighboring Weingut Battenfeld to become Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier. Over the following years, H.O. (photo) singlehandedly transformed Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier into one of the most preeminent wone producers in Germany.

Picture: H.O. Spanier

Carolin and H.O have two children, who they hope will carry on the tradition of producing great wines. The family lives in Hohen-Suelzen.

Although both estates continue to produce wine under their respective names – Weingut Kuehling-Gillot and Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier - certain functions have been pooled. The tasting room and sales office for both estates is in Bodenheim at Weingut Kuehling-Gillot. As wine makers, both have stamped their wines with a unique signature, but Carolin and H.O. confirmed to me during the evening what I had heard from other sources that H.O. is taking the lead in in terms of winemaking at both estates, while Carolin will be more active in terms of marketing and sales. Essentially, when it comes to the wines of Weingut Kuehling-Gillot and Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier, they carry the signature of H.O. Spanier.

Rheinhessen

Rheinhessen is an area that used to be known for winemakers often focusing on quantity and not quality. Rheinhessen is the largest viticultural region in Germany. Every fourth bottle of German wine comes from Rheinhessen. The high-yielder Mueller-Thurgau accounts for about 1/5 of the vineyards. Unlike in other German wine regions, where monoculture of the vine is the norm, here the many rolling hills are host to a wide variety of crops grown alongside the grape. Rheinhessen also has the rather dubious honor of being considered the birthplace of Liebfraumilch. At the same time, Rheinhessen is among Germany’s most interesting wine regions. A lot is happening there. This is not because of the terroir, but because of the people. There is an increasing group of mostly young and ambitious winemakers who want to produce and indeed do produce outstanding wine and not wines in large quantities. Carolin Spanier Gillot and H.O. Spanier are two of them.

Rheinterrasse and Roter Hang

One region of Rheinhessen, the Rheinterrasse, had always been in a somewhat different league, the stretch of vineyards which runs from Bodenheim, south of Mainz, in the north to Mettenheim in the south, often referred to as the Rheinterrasse. The Weingut Kuehling-Gillot vineyards are in this part of Rheinhessen. The vineyards of the Rheinterrasse have a favored mesoclimate in comparison with others in the region. The Rheinterrasse accounts for one-third of the region's Riesling wines. The wines from the Rheinterrasse were at some point even more expensive than Bordeaux wines. The Roter Hang (Red Slope) is at the center of the Rheinterrasse. This steep slope extends for some five kilometers (three miles) with a total of 180 ha (445 acres) around Nierstein on the left bank of the Rhine.

Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier

The Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier is in Hohen-Sülzen (Wonnegau area) close to the city of Worms in Southern Rheinhessen. The Spanier family has been making wine for generations. The vineyard area totals 18 hectares, with holdings in: Kirchenstück, Rosengarten und Sonnenberg (Hohen-Sülzen), as well as Frauenberg (Flörsheim). More than 50% of the area is planted with Riesling, as well as with Pinot Noir (20%), Pinot Blanc (8%), Silvaner, Chardonnay and other varieties.

Annual production is around 70.000 bottles of wine. The estate is a member of the VDP association. H. O. Spanier has been a member of the ECOVIN organic growers association since 1996. Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier is now fully biodynamic.

Weingut Kuehling-Gillot

Weingut Kuehling-Gillot (photos) is in Bodenheim (Nierstein area) in Rheinhessen in Germany. In its present form, it came about by marriage in 1970 of Caroline Spanier-Gillot’s parents. It has over 200 years of history behind it through the Kühling and Gillot families.

Over the years, the estate has acquired some of the best sites in Germany on the Rhine Terrace and added an architectural gem: its unique park and Art Deco pavilion, and stylish reception hall, tasting room, and vinothek. These have proved popular for a wide variety of events, including the guided tasting in which my wife Annette and I participated.

Pictures: Weingut Kuehling-Gillot in Bodenheim

The vineyard area of Weingut Kuehling-Gillot totals 11 hectares, with holdings in: Burgweg (Bodenheim), Kreuz and Sackträger (Oppenheim), Ölberg and Pettental (Nierstein) and Rothenberg (Nackenheim). Grape varieties planted are Riesling (4,3 ha), Pinot Noir (0,9 ha), Pinot Gris (0,8 ha), Portugieser (0,8 ha), Chardonnay (0,5 ha) and Scheurebe (0,4 ha).

Annual production is around 70.000 bottles of wine. The estate is a member of the VDP association. Caroline Spanier-Gillot is a member of Message in a Bottle and Vinissima. Weingut Kuehling-Gillot is now fully biodynamic.

Weingut Kuehling-Gillot owns five Erste Lagen (Grand Cru) sites. Theses are: Spätburgunder Bodenheim Burgweg, grown on sandy marl limestone; Riesling Nackenheim Rothenberg, grown on red slate; Riesling Nierstein Pettenthal, grown on red slate; Riesling Nierstein Ölberg, grown on red slate; and Spätburgunder Oppenheim Kreuz, grown on shell limestone/loess.

Biodynamic Wine Making

Carolin and H.O. are very much into “green winemaking”. They share a comitment to leaving a legacy of healthy soil and great wines. To that end, when it comes to the vineyard, they employ biodynamic methods and constantly strive to maintain healthy soils with the capacity to sustain vines. As for making the wine in the cellar, they share the philosophy of what H. O. calls “controlled laissez faire”. “Great wines need time, and this is guaranteed by traditional fermentation and maturation processes in large, wooden barrels.” said H.O. “Wine is a mythical product," said H.O. "it is not only ancient, but highly charged with spiritual meaning. As a winegrower, one always tills both on earth and on heaven.”

The Guided Tasting with Small Plats (“Kleine Koestlichkeiten”)

2010 QVinterra Riesling feinherb Kuehling-Gillot

A Gutswein – All Kuehling-Gillot Estate Wines (Gutswein) carry the QUINTERRA trademark. “This Latin term was inspired by the five Rhine Terrace villages—Bodenheim, Oppenheim, Nierstein, Nackenheim, Laubenheim—where we own sites and the respective vineyards’ five soil types” explained Carolin. White wines are sealed with the Stelvin screw cap; red wines have a natural cork.

2010 Riesling Eisback trocken BattenfeldSpanier

A Gutswein – Notes of peach, green apple and grapefruit on the nose, good structure, stimulating acidity, fresh.

2010 QVinterra Riesling trocken Kuehling-Gillot

A Gutswein - The dry Qvinterra Riesling shines with clean fruit which reminds of nectarines and apples, good structure, a shot of minerality, fresh.

Feiner Kaesedip mit Brezelchen und Brot

2010 Hohen-Suelzen Sylvaner BattenfeldSpanier

An Ortswein – a Silvaner fermented and aged in large, old, wooden barrels (Stueckfass), notes of herbs and overripe pears on the nose, Burgundian finesse and elegance.

2010 Hohen-Suelzen Weissburgunder BattenfeldSpanier

An Ortswein – notes of pear on the nose, a fresh, dry and mineral Pinot Blanc from loess, marl lime and chalk soil in Hohen-Sülzen, long finish.

Tafelspitz mit Gruener Sosse

2010 Hohen-Suelzen Riesling BattenfeldSpanier

An Ortswein – notes of peach, lime and passion fruit on the nose, good structure, linerging finish with some hints of herbs.

2010 Oppenheim Riesling Kuehling-Gillot

An Ortswein - The village location on the Rhine Terrace suggests the soil type and resulting wine. Nierstein’s red slate soil delivers a ripe, creamy Riesling; while Oppenheim Riesling is known for its fruity elegance and vivid acidity, thanks to the limestone in which the grapes grow.

Quiche Lorraine

2010 Kirchenstueck Riesling Grosses Gewaechs Battenfeld Spanier

A Grosses Gewaechs – Lemon and pear notes on the nose, very intense, very mineral on the palate, the vibrant acidity tightens the finish.

2010 Oelberg Riesling Grosses Gewaechs Kuehling-Gillot

A Grosse Gewaechs - Soil type: Red slate. Good balance between the elegant aromas of ripe fruits and the spicy aromas of the red slate, dense, long and strong finish.

Gebratene Blutwurst auf Kartoffelpuree mit Apfelchutney

2010 Frauenberg Riesling Grosses Gewaechs Battenfeld Spanier

A Grosses Gewaechs - Finesse, minerality, fruit, length: a world-class Riesling

2010 Pettenthal Riesling Grosses Gewaechs Kuehling-Gillot

Grosses Gewaechs – A ripe, creamy, dense grand-cru Riesling with a long, intense finish.

Vesperplatte – Wildknacker und Hirschschinken aus eigener Jagd und Herstellung

2008 Kirchenstueck Spaetburgunder Grosses Gewaechs BattenfeldSpanier

A Pinot Noir Grosses Gewaechs - blueberry and cherry notes on the nose, complex structure, dense flavours on the palate, elegant.

2008 Kreuz Spaetburgunder Grosses Gewaechs Kuehling-Gillot

A Pinot Noir Grosses Gewaechs - Soil type: Chalk and limestone. Aged in new and used barriques, dark berries and a hint of spiciness in combination with an elegant and long finish.

Kaeseplatte

2008 Oppenheimer Sacktraeger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese Kuehling-Gillot

A noble-sweet wine at its best, made by Roland Gillot.

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Wine Maker Arndt Koebelin at K+M Gutsweine in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

2012-01-17T01:04:00.009-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Arndt Koebelin and Bernd Klingenbrunn

Wine Maker Arndt Koebelin came to Frankfurt am Main, Germany, to present his wines at K+M Gutsweine.

K+M Gutsweine

Frankfurt am Main in Germany has a number of very good wine stores. Among them are the 2 K+M Gutsweine wine stores, both owned by Bernd Klingenbrunn and Armin Mauer, at Hamburger Allee 37 and Gluckstrasse 20. Stuart Pigott: “"Bernd Klingenbrunn und Armin Maurer sind ehrgeizige Weinhändler, die ihrem eigenen Geschmack und ihrer Vorstellung von gutem Wein trauen und ein eigenständiges D-, A- und F-Sortiment aufgebaut haben. Meine wichtigste Weinhändler-Entdeckung des letzten Jahres in Deutschland!" (Stuart Pigott, kleiner genialer Weinführer 2009). Bernd and Armin have a very personal selection of wines from only winemakers they have a personal relation with. One of them is Eva Vollmer, last year’s Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland Discovery of the Year, Weingut Eva Vollmer. Another one is Arndt Koebelin, Weingut Koebelin, who they discovered in 2006. Arndt Koebelin visits K+M Gutsweine in Frankfurt on a regular basis to present his new wines. I was lucky to participate in his last presentation.

Pictures: Bernd Klingenbrunn and Armin Mauer during the Weingut Arndt Koebelin Tasting.

Baden

Baden is Germany’s most southerly and - with 16,000 hectares (39,300 acres) under vine – third largest wine region. Despite its size and the quality of its wines, it is not well known outside of Germany, because it exports very little.

From north to south, Baden spans approximately 200 kilometers, and is primarily situated on the right bank of the Rhein river. On the left bank is Alsace in France. Lying primarily in the Rhine rift with the protection of Vosges Mountains to the west and the Black Forrest to the east, Baden’s climate is the warmest in Germany Baden is divided into nine districts.

Baden is known for its Pinot wines, both white and red, which account for more than half of Baden’s wine output. Riesling plays only a minor role. By far the most commonly cultivated single variety is Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) with nearly forty percent of the total vineyard area. Muller-Thurgau, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, and Chasselas are the main white varieties cultivated, but none more widely than Muller-Thurgau.

In Baden - like in Wuerttemberg - the wine industry is dominated by wine co-operatives; they account for 85% of the region's production. This explains the low export share. Private winemakers are the exception.

Weingut Arndt Koebelin

Arndt Koeblin started his own winery in 2005, when he took over his parents’ estate in the Kaiserstuhl region of Baden. Before that, he was the head winemaker of the Winzergenossenschaft (wine co-operative) Durbach. He also did internships in New Zealand and in Burgundy. 2005 was Arndt’s first vintage. Since the 2006 vintage, he has been an essential part of the K+M Gutsweine portfolio.

Pictures: Arndt Koebelin and Bernd Mauer

When Arndt took over from his parents, he knew he had to change quite a bit. Importantly, he built a new winery. Today, Weingut Arndt Koebelin is based just outside of Eichstetten. It is a modern, state-of the art operation. Arndt also switched to organic farming in the vineyard. The vines are up to 40 years old.

The Wines Arndt Poured

The Weingut Arndt Koeblin wine portfolio is dominated by Pinot varities – as Gris, Noir and Blanc: Grauburgunder, Spaetburginder and Weisser Burgunder. But Arndt also makes some Riesling and Rivaner. Here are the wines Arndt poured in Frankfurt.

2010 Rivaner Kabinett trocken 6.20 Euro

2008 Gutensberg SR trocken (K+M Exklusiv)

2009 Spaetburgunder QbA trocken im Holzfass gereift 10.20 Euro

The special microclimate of the vineyard (at night cool temperatures and quick drying off of the grapes by the morning sun), bordering a forest, contributes to fresh, highly aromatic Pinot Noirs with a good structure.

2008 Spaetburgunder trocken S *** im Barrique gereift 15.30 Euro

2007 Spaetburgunder MAGNUM trocken S *** im Barrique gereift, 1.5 ltr. 31.90 Euro

2010 Grauer Burgunder Kabinett trocken 8.90 Euro

2010 Grauer Burgunder *** Selection Spaetlese trocken 13.50 Euro

Arndt’s white wines are all harvested in very small containers. The most is moved via gravity and without pumping. Arndt also lets the most sit for 24 hours at 3 degrees Celsius with the objective of stabilizing and harmonizing the flavors in the grapes before fermentation. After the most is pressed, it spends another night at 3 degrees Celsius. Only then the fermentation starts with natural yeasts. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks and for the Pinot Gris "S" in barrels.

N.V Pinot Sekt brut Privat Cuvee 13.50 Euro

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Wine Maker Count of Bentzel-Sturmfeder in Frankfurt am Main Presenting his Wines from Wuerttemberg, Germany

2012-01-16T01:45:00.000-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Wine Maker Count of Bentzel-Sturmfeder

Wuerttemberg is one of the wine regions in Germany that sells a relatively low share of its output outside the region in other parts of Germany or even exports its wines. So, I was very happy when I heard that Count of Bentzel-Sturmfeder, Weingut Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder came to Frankfurt am Main to present his wines at Claudia Vechiatto’s Number one wine.

Number one wine

Number one wine is a wine store, owned and run by Claudia Vechiatto, in Sachsenhausen, Mörfelder Landstrasse 116. I like very much the very personal selection of the wines of Number one wine. Claudia is also always able to generate a very welcoming atmosphere at her store when she organizes little events, like the wine tasting with Count Bentzel-Sturmfeder.

Picture: Claudia Vechiatto with Count Bentzel-Sturmfeder.

History

The winery was founded in 1396, when Count Eberhard von Wuerttemberg gave Knight Friedrich Sturmfeder a piece of land for his services to him. For many centuries, the winery was owned by the Sturmfeder family. The Sturmfeder family is of German origin and is mentioned for the first time in 987 at the Neudenau Abbey in Wuerttemberg.

Until the mid-19th Century, wine was only made for family consumption. When the Sturmfeder family decided to buy the remaining parts of the Schozacher Roter Berg, it laid the foundations for commecial winemaking. Through a marriage of the Sturmfeder with the Bentzel families, the name Bentzel-Sturmfeder-Horneck came about.

The history of the Counts of Bentzel started in Sweden in the middle of the first millenium. They entered Germany in the context of the 30 Years War.

Kilian Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder

Kilian Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder is a winemaker by training. Between 1889 and 1991, he did an apprenticeship at the winery. Since 1995, he has been the General Manager of Weingut Graf von Bentzel Sturmfeder and since 2001 also its owner. Today, he runs the operation jointly with Holger Matz who is responsible for the wine cellar.

Pictures: Kilian Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder

Weingut Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder

Weingut Graf von Bentzel Sturmfeder is in Schozach, which is part of the town of Ilsfeld in Württemberg. The winery is a member of VDP.

Pictures: Kilian Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder

Weingut Graf von Bentzel Sturmfeder is the sole owner of the Einzellage (single vineyard) Schozacher Roter Berg (15 Hektar). The Red Mountain is a south-facing slope with a gradient of 45 percent. It is situated at an altitude of 280 meters above sea level. The soil consists of limestone and Keuper and has a reddish colour, which gave it its name.

The following varieties are grown there: 26 percent Pinot Noir, 25 percent Riesling, 17 percent Samtrot, 17 percent Lemberger. The rest are other varieties such as Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Meunier, St. Laurent, Dornfelder, Cabernet Dorsa and Acolon.

Wine Portfolio

Weingut Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder has almost 50 wines in its portfolio. In terms of prices, the wines start at a bit above Euro 5 per liter for entry-level wine in the liter bottle. Most wines are in the Euro 6 to Euro 11 range.

Picture: Weingut Graf von Bentzel-Sturmfeder Wines

There are 3 Erste Lage wines in the wine list – a Spaetburgunder, a Lemberger and a Riesling – for around Euro 20.

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Italy’s Top Wines and Wine Makers – The 2012 Gambero Rosso Vini d’Italia

2012-01-12T01:01:00.004-05:00

Christian G.E. Schiller with Barone Ricasoli at Castello di Brolio. I toured the Chianti Classico region last year and wrote about it on schiller-wine: Wining, Dining and Blogging in Chianti Classico (#EWBC), Tuscany, Italy

The best Italian wine guide is Gambero Rosso’s Vini d’Italia. The top winemakers of Italy are awarded glasses, from 1 glass to 3 glasses - Tre Bicchieri. Individual wines are also awarded glasses, from 1 to 3 glass(es).

This is the 25th edition of Vini d’Italia, which was first published in late 1987 in newsletter format with reviews of a limited number of wines. It has grown in size and coverage each year since then. The latest edition is over 1,000 pages big and contains reviews of about 20,000 wines from about 2,300 wineries.

The Gambero Rosso Vini d’Italia 2012 was issued in October 2011. The German and English versions are scheduled to be released in February 2012.

See here for the Gambero Rosso Vini d’Italia 2011.

Italian Wine

Italy is home of some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world. Etruscans and Greek settlers produced wine in the country long before the Romans started developing their own vineyards. Two thousand years later, Italy is world leader in wine, accounting for about 20% of world wine production. Italians also lead the world in wine consumption by volume, 59 liters per capita, compared with 8 liters per capita in the US. Wine is grown in almost every region of the country.

The Classification System

Italy's classification system has 4 groups of wine. The 4 classes are:

(1) Vino da Tavola (VDT): A very basic wine, made for local consumption; the bottle label does not indicate the region or grape variety. This is the wine you typically get served in a Pizzeria or Trattoria in Italy, when you ask for the “house wine”. Simple, cheap and decent. Sitting late in the evening at a Piazza in Italy and eating Pizza with a Vino da Tavola, served in a 1 liter jug, is just great.


Christian G.E. Schiller with Giovanni Folonari from Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari Tenute at Kobrand’s Tour d’Italia 2011 in

(2) Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT): Wines that are considered to be of higher quality than simple table wines, but which do not conform to DOC and DOCG regulations. Sometimes, these are premium wines of winemakers who dropped the DOC/DOCG designation and instead carry the broader IGT designation, allowing them to try to improve quality by using nontraditional grapes, blends, viticultural practices or vinification techniques that are not allowed under the DOC and DOCG standards. A typical IGT wine is the so-called Super Tuscan.

(3) Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC). Soave is currently the largest DOC appellation in Italy, with 15,500 acres of vines.

(4) Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). DOCG wines are a tick higher in terms of quality requirements than DOC wines (maximum yield for example), which is the highest category in Italy's wine-classification system. About 13,000 acres of vine of the 15,500 acres of the DOC appellation also qualify for DOCG. Presently, there are about 120 IGT zones, 310 DOC and 30 DOCG appellations.

Wine Regions

There is wine everywhere in Italy, from the Alps in the North to Sicilia in the South, clustered into 20 wine regions, which correspond to the 20 administrative regions. The about 30 DOCG wines are located in 13 different administrative regions but most of them are concentrated in Piedmont and Tuscany.

Wine Map of Italy

The Piedmont area of northwestern Italy is further divided into the two popular regions of Barbaresco and Barolo. The predominant grape there is the Nebbiolo. Northeastern Italy has the Veneto area. Soave and Valpolicella are two important regions that produce many local varieties.

Christian G.E. Schiller with Franciacorta Producer Maurizio Zanella,founder of the renowned Ca' del Bosco and current President of the Franciacorta Consortium. I visited Franciacorta last year and wrote about it on schiller-wine: The Up and Coming Premium Sparklers of Franciacorta (#EWBC), Italy

The large area in central Italy is Tuscany and is known for Chianti. The Sangiovese is the predominant red grape in Tuscany. The Chianti area of Tuscany is a large geographic area that is divided into eight zones. Each zone has a Chianti DOCG that regulates the Chianti made in that zone.

In Italy’s South are Puglia and the island of Sicily. The Negroamaro grape is widely grown in this area.

Italy’s Grapes

There are several hundreds of indigenous grapes in Italy. The following is a list of the most common and important ones.

Rosso

Sangiovese - Italy's claim to fame, the pride of Tuscany. It produces Chianti, Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile de Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino.

Christian G.E. Schiller with Roberto Stucchi at the Badia a Coltibuono in Chianti Classico. I toured the Chianti Classico region last year and wrote about it on schiller-wine: Wining, Dining and Blogging in Chianti Classico (#EWBC), Tuscany, Italy

Nebbiolo - The most noble of Italy's varietals. Nebbiolo is difficult to master, but produces the renowned Barolo and Barbaresco.

Montepulciano - The grape of this name is not to be confused with the Tuscan town of Montepulciano; it is most widely planted on the opposite coast in Abruzzo. Its wines develop silky plum-like fruit, friendly acidity, and light tannin.

Barbera - The most widely grown red wine grape of Piedmont and Southern Lombardy, most famously around the towns of Asti and Alba, and Pavia. Barbera wines were once considered as the lighter versions of Barolos. But this has changed. They are now sometimes aged in French barrique, intended for the international market.

Corvina - Along with the varietals Rondinella and Molinara, this is the principal grape which makes the famous wines of the Veneto: Valpolicella and Amarone.

Nero d'Avola - Nearly unheard of in the international market until recent years, this native varietal of Sicily is gaining attention for its plummy fruit and sweet tannins. The quality of Nero d'Avola has surged in recent years.

Dolcetto - A grape that grows alongside Barbera and Nebbiolo in Piedmont; a wine for everyday drinking.

Bianco

Trebbiano - Behind Cataratto (which is made for industrial jug wine), this is the most widely planted white varietal in Italy. It is grown throughout the country, with a special focus on the wines from Abruzzo and from Lazio, including Frascati. Mostly easy drinking wines.

Moscato - Grown mainly in Piedmont, it is mainly used in the slightly-sparkling (frizzante), semi-sweet Moscato d'Asti.

Pinot Grigio - A hugely successful commercial grape, known as Pinot Gris in France and Grauburgunder in Germany. Produces crisp and clean wines. Typically mass-produced wine in Italy.

Christian G.E. Schiller at the Palazzo Vescovile in Monteforte d’Alpone with the SoaveCru Winemaker Allessandro Danese from Corte Moschina. I visited the Soave region last year and wrote Wining and Blogging in the Soave Region, Italy

Arneis - A crisp and floral varietal from Piedmont, which has been grown there since the 15th century.

Garganega - The main grape varietal for wines labeled Soave, this is a crisp, dry white wine from the Veneto wine region.

The 2012 Gambero Rosso Tre Bichieri Wines

This year, 375 wines got the top award of Tre Bichieri, down from 402 wines last year and 392 and 339 wines in the years before, respectively. The top four regions continue to be Piedmont, Tuscany, Veneto and Friuli, accounting for a combined 184 awards, slightly less than half of the total number.

Wines from the Piedmont region again received the largest number of awards – 72, with Barolo and Barbaresco wines dominating. With 62 awards, Tuscany received the second-highest number of Tre Bicchieri awards. Brunello di Montalcino wines account for the largest part of the award winners from Tuscany. The number of award-winning Chianti Classico wines declined from 13 last year to 9 this year. A sizable number of super-Tuscan wines received Tre Bicchieri awards. The Veneto area got 34 Tre Bicchieri awards. 12 wines are Amarone della Valpolicella wines and 5 Soave Classico wines.

The 2012 Gambero Rosso Vini d’Italia Awards

Red Wine of the Year - Sardus Pater, Carignano del Sulcis Superiore “Arruga” 2007: Sardus Pater is a cooperative on the island of San’Antioco, southwest of Sardinia.

White Wine of the Year - Umani Ronchi, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Superiore “Vecchie Vigne” 2009 : Umani Ronchi is a famous winery in the Marche region in central Italy.

Sparkling Wine of the Year - Ferghettina, Franciacorta Extra Brut 2005: Franciacorta sparklers are the “Champagnes” of Italy, close to Brescia. I recently visited Brescia and Franciacorta and wrote: The Up and Coming Premium Sparklers of Franciacorta (#EWBC), Italy

Sweet Wine of the Year - Roeno, Cristina V.T.(Vendemmia Tardiva) 2008: A late harvest wine from the Roeno Winery in Brentino Belluno in the Veneto region.

Winery of the Year - Tasca d'Almerita: A Sicilian winery that is a driving force behind the recent surge in popularity of the native Nero d’Avola grape.

Best Ratio of Price to Quality (Best Buy) - Gianfranco Paltrinieri, Lambrusco di Sorbara Leclisse 2010: A red sparkler made from Lambrusco di Sorbara grapes, using the Charmat method.

Grape Growers of the Year - Sergio Mottura: Sergio Mottura owns and runs the Mottura estate in the Lazio region. The vineyard area totals some 120 hectares, organically farmed.

Grape Growers of the Year - Giuseppe Russo: Giuseppe Russo, a trained pianist with a degree in Italian literature, manages the certified organic family estate on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily.

Up and Coming Winery - Mattia Barzaghi: Mattia Barzaghi is a niche winery in Tuscany, following a biodynamic approach.

Award for Sustainable Viticulture - Alois Lageder: A wine giant from the German speaking part of Italy. The name Alois Lageder is synonymous for the highest standard of quality. Alois Lageder follows biodynamic principles on his 60 hectares of vineyard land.

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Visiting Andrea and Stephan Herzer at their Weingut Herzer in Saale Unstrut, Germany

2012-01-11T01:17:00.000-05:00

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Andrea and Stephan Herzer, Weingut Herzer, Saale-Unstrut, Germany

During the summer of 2011, my wife Annette and I visited with the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim the Saale Unstrut wine region in the eastern part of Germany. We visited 7 wineries during a period of 4 days. I am infrequently reporting about these visits.

I have already reported about Weingut Pawis, Weingut Luetzkendorf, Weingut Gussek and Weingut Klaus Boehme.

Weingut Pawis in Saale Unstrut, Germany

Weingut Lützkendorf in Saale Unstrut in Germany

Visiting Andre Gussek and his Weingut Winzerhof Gussek in Saale Unstrut, Germany

Weingut Klaus Boehme in Saale Unstrut in Germany

This posting is about our visit of Weingut Herzer, where had a very enjoyable wine tasting led by Andrea Herzer.

The Saale Unstrut Wine Region

The Saale Unstrut wine region is Germany’s most northern wine region, in the valleys of the Saale and Unstrut rivers, around Freyburg and Naumburg. With 730 hectares of vineyard area, it is one of the smaller wine regions in Germany. The oldest record of viticulture dates back to the year 998 during the reign of Emperor Otto III.

Located in the area of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), Saale-Unstrut has become a thriving emerging wine region after the Berlin Wall came down in 1989 (as Sachsen, the other wine region in the area of the former GDR; Sachsen is half of the size of Saale Unstrut).

Pictures: Andrea Herzer

Basically, all of the wineries we visited have experienced rapid growth and large investments over the past years, following 50 years of communism that did not allow for private initiative. In a way, Saale Unstrut is an emerging wine region in an old world wine country. It is pretty much an emerging market situation there, but without any foreign investors.

Picture: Map of German Wine Regions including Saale Unbstrut

Most of the region's vineyards are situated in the State of Saxony-Anhalt, with the remainder in the State of Thuringia and in the State of Brandenburg (the "Werderaner Wachtelberg" near Potsdam). The vineyards are located on the hillsides lining the Saale and Unstrut rivers. It all looks very attractive, with steep terraces, dry stone walls and century-old vineyard cottages, interspersed with meadows, floodplains. High above, are defiant castles and palaces. Saale Unstrut is located in a region that was the intellectual and cultural center of Germany (Heiliges Roemisches Reich Deutscher Nationen) for many centuries. The second German university (after Prague) was the University of Leipzig, which is just 50 km away from Saale Unstrut. Schiller and Goethe, to name just 2, lived here. Culture, history, nature and wine are combined here perfectly.

Saale-Unstrut exports almost no wine and sells very little in the western part of Germany. Most of it is consumed in East Germany. The quality price ratio is not very favorable, so Saale Unstrut wines have a hard time to compete with the wines in West Germany. But the Saale Unstrut wine makers have no problems at all to sell their wine, as the Saale Unstrut wine is very popular with the locals and the tourists visiting East Germany, including the Baltic Sea. Of course, when you visit Weimar, Erfurth or Leipzig, to name a few of the many very historic towns of the eastern part of Germany, you want to drink local – either Saale Unstrut or Sachsen wines.

Pictures: Stephan Herzer

Saale-Unstrut is the northernmost of Germany's wine regions, and is therefore one of Europe's northernmost traditional wine regions. It lies to the north of the 51st degree of latitude, which was considered to be the limit for viticulture before global warming. Also, the weather is more variable than in the regions to the west. All the winemakers we met were concerned about the danger of late and winter frosts.

White grape varieties make up 75% of Saale-Unstrut's vineyards. The most common grape varieties are the white varieties Müller-Thurgau and Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc). The wines tend to be vinified dry and have a refreshing acidity. In addition to the white classics of the region, we also had one fantastic tasting with red wines only (at Winzerhof Gussek) and got the chance to taste varieties like Holder and Andre that were new to me.

Weingut Herzer

Weingut Herzer is in Rossbach, close to Naumburg. It was founded in 1992 by Andrea and Stephan Herzer. Andrea is a winemaker daughter from the Saale Unstrut region, who studied business economics. Stephan is a winemaker (Diplomingenieur für Weinbau und Kellerwirtschaft, Viticulture and Enology) from the Pflaz; he studied at Geisenheim College. “Stephan kam hier wegen des Weines, er ist hier geblieben wegen des Weibs” (Stephan came here because of the wine, he stayed here because of the woman) said Andrea. The two of them acquired in 2000 a historic farm in the village of Rossbach, restored it and turned it into a winery. They have 3 children.

Pictures: Weingut Herzer

The vineyard area totals 21 hectares, planted mainly (80%) with the white wine varieties Pinot Blanc, Müller-Thurgau, Riesling, Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Chasselas, Kerner and Bacchus, and the rest with the red varieties Dornfelder, Portuguese, Blauer Zweigelt and André. "Pinot Blanc is our most important grape variety" said Andrea. The wines are mainly sold through restaurants in the region and the Berlin area. Weingut Herzer also produces base wine for Rotkaeppchen, the Saale Unstrut Sekt giant.

The Tasting

We did not see much of the winery or the vineyards, but enjoyed a wonderful tasting of Herzer wines in the cosy tasting room of Weingut Herzer, led by the charming Andrea Herzer; she was towards the end of the tasting joined by her husband and winemaker Stephan. We covered most of the Weingut Herzer Portfolio.

Pictures: The Wines we Tasted

The Weingut Herzer wine portfolio contains about 30 wines, grouped under the 4 headings: Weisswein, Rosewein, Rotwein and Specialties.

The white wines were all in the Euro 6 to 8.50 range, with the 2010 Grossjenaer Bluetengrund, Riesling Kabinett trocken for Euro 8.50 among the top wines.

Rose – only one wine: an off-dry Andre Rose QbA

Red wines: 6 wines with the 2009 Zweigelt in the 0.5 liter bottle for Euro 12.00 being the most expensive wine.

The specialty wines were wines aged in wood, noble sweet wines, a Sekt (for Euro 12.50) and 3 homemade brandies/liquors.

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Apple Wine Tavern Zur Buchscheer in Frankfurt am Main, Germany – The Traditional Way: Apple Wine Made on the Premises

2012-01-10T01:52:00.191-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Robert Theobald

I grew up with apple wine (Apfelwein) in Frankfurt am Main. Although there are 3 beer breweries in Frankfurt and the world renowned Rheingau and Rheinhessen wine regions just 30 minutes away from Frankfurt by S-Bahn or car, I would say that Frankfurt am Main is a city of cider. Frankfurt has a large number of traditional apple wine taverns, where you sit on communal benches, eat hearty local food and drink sour and tart German apple wine. Typically, there is only one apple wine – the house apple wine – available.

Zur Buchscheer in Sachsenhausen belongs to the small group of apple wine taverns that make their own apple wine and pour it in their apple wine tavern. 100 years back, this was the rule. Today, it has unfortunately become the exception in Frankfurt am Main.

I have compiled my private list of favorite apple wine taverns in Frankfurt: Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Cider in the World

Cider is made all over the world. The French cidre is produced in Normandy and Brittany. It comes as cidre doux, cidre demi-sec and cidre brut, but most French cidre is sweet. Typically, French ciders are sparkling. Higher quality French cider is sold in champagne-style bottles (cidre bouché). German cider has a tart, sour taste. In the UK, cider is available in sweet, medium and dry varieties. In the US during colonial times, apple cider was the main beverage, but after prohibition the word cider came to mean unfiltered apple juice. Alcoholic cider is called hard cider in the US.

Pictures: Zur Buchscheer

Cider was already known to the ancient Greeks and Romans. In the 11th century it was introduced into Spain and was used there as a medicine for scurvy. It was introduced into England in 1066 when William the Great brought some from France into England.

Apple Wine in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Apple wine is a German variant of cider. It has an alcohol content of 4%–9% and a tart, sour taste. Traditionally, it is not bubbly.

Much of the apple wine is consumed at the wooden, communal tables in the local apple wine taverns with hearty local food, like Green Sauce (made from 7 herbs and yogurt accompanied by boiled eggs and boiled potatoes), Rippchen mit Kraut und Brot (grilled pork, sauerkraut and bread). It is served in a Geripptes, a glass with a lozenge cut that refracts light. A filled Geripptes is called a Schoppen. If you drink more than a glass or are in a group, you typically order a Bembel (a specific Apfelwein jug). The different sizes of a Bembel are designated after their contents in glasses from 4-er to 10-er Bembel.

The apple wine tavern (Apfelweinwirtschaft) is as distinctive a Frankfurt institution as the Bierkeller is of Munich or the Weinstube of Mainz. Many of the best-known establishments are concentrated in Sachsenhausen, but others are dotted all over the city. They are strongly traditional. They offer hearty local cuisine, usually at moderate prices.

Zur Buchscheer

Zur Buchscheer in Sachsenhausen was founded in 1876 by Adam Theobald. Now in the fifth generation, it is owned and managed by Robert Theobald and Christian Theobald.

The name Zur Buchscheer goes back to the 16./17. Century and signifies an area in the forest where the peasants would take their pigs and the sheppards their sheep so that the animals could find nutritious food like nuts.

Then as today, the apple wine served at Zur Buchscheer is made on the premises. When you go to the Zur Buchscheer in the September/October period, you can observe it yourself.

Making Apple Wine at Zur Buchscheer

Robert Theobald took a group of apple wine lovers, which included me, through the process of making apple wine at Zur Buchscheer: “For our cider, we use carefully selected orchards of the Wetterau, the Taunus, the Odenwald, the Spessart as well as from the surrounding area. For the fermentation, we do not need cultured yeasts, as the yeast that sits on the apples is sufficient to get the fermentation going. In addition, the cider is clarified only by the tannins and acids of the apple orchard. We do not need to filter our apple wine, which would take aromas away.”

Pictures: Making Apple Wine at Zur Buchscheer and Aplle Wine Maker Robert Theobald

The Place

As in all apple wine taverns, you sit on communal benches, eat hearty local food and drink apple wine. At Zur Buchscheer, there is in addition to the regular restaurant a very nice and cosy garden restaurant.

Pictures: Zur Buchscheer

The Food

The food served is hearty local food, like Green Sauce (made from 7 herbs and yogurt accompanied by boiled eggs and boiled potatoes), Rippchen mit Kraut und Brot (grilled pork, sauerkraut and bread). Robert Theobald: “In our kitchen, the meals are always freshly prepared. So, our mashed potatoes as well as baked potatoes made from fresh potatoes and seasoned with "good" butter."

Pictures: House Apple Wine and Single Variety Apple Wine

Zur Buchscheer Menu

Here are a few items from the Zur Buchscheer menu.

Rippchen Rib – boiled or grilled - with „Sauerkraut“ and bread € 7,50

Schlachtplatte Butcher’s Platter – boiled – with “Sauerkraut” and bread € 7,50

„Gref – Völsing’s“ Rindswurst Beef sausage – boiled with „Sauerkraut“ and bread € 4,20

Gegrilltes Schäufelchen Grilled cut of shoulder of pork with “Sauerkraut” and bread; by weight: between € 9,00 and € 16,20

Frankfurter Grüne Soße The famous Frankfurt cream-sauce speciality with seven green herbs! “Grüne Soße” served with 4 boiled egg halves and boiled potatoes € 8,00

Homemade sausages from the “Vogelsberg” (an area north – east from Frankfurt) - all served with bread an butter

Portion of “Preßkopf” (a terrine of pork) € 4,50
Portion of “Leberwurst” (a liver sausage) € 4,00
Portion of “Blutwurst” (a black pudding sausage) € 4,00

Handkäse mit Musik - a must for everyone visiting Frankfurt – very tasty
A Frankfurt cheese speciality with “Musik” (oil, vinegar and onions) € 2,60

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Germany’s Top 100 Winemakers – Handelsblatt online and Vinum 2011

2012-01-09T01:10:00.011-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Armin and Caroline Diel. Schlossgut Diel is one of the 12 estates that has been continuously on the list. Visiting Armin and Caroline Diel and their Schlossgut Diel in Burg Layen in Germany

Every year, towards the end, Handelsblatt online and Vinum release a list of the 100 Top Winemakers in Germany, this year for the 26th time. This is a pretty good list of Germany’s Top 100 Wine Estates. Overall, I would say, right on the dot, although there are always wineries where you wonder why they are on the list and other where you wonder why they are not on the list. Handelsblatt is the German equivalant of the Financial Times and Vinum is a wine journal.

Here is a link to the new list of Germany’s Top 100 Wine Estates.

Here is a posting on schiller-wine on the previous year's list.

Out

Here are the winemakers that did were dropped from the list this year.

Weingut Schloss Proschwitz (Sachsen)
Karthäuserhof (Mosel)
Weingut Rosch (Pfalz)
Weingut Clüsserath (Pfalz)
Weingut Biffar (sold) (Pfalz)
Weingut Darting
Weingut Faubel
Weingut Duijn (Baden)

In

Here are the newcomers and returners.

Weingut Gebrüder Bercher (Baden)
Juliusspital (Franken)
Weingut Siegrist (Pfalz)
Weingut Graf von Kanitz (Rhein¬gau)
Weingut Freiherr von Gleichenstein (Baden)
Weingut Klaus Zimmerling (Sachsen)
Weingut Kranz (Pfalz)

Continued Presence for 26 Years

A dozen winemakers have been continuously on the list for 26 years. I find this very impressive. It is indicated by the number 26 next to their name. Here is the list.

Salwey
Dr. Heger
Rudolf Fuerst
Toni Jost
Schloss Saarstein
JJ Pruem
Egon Mueller
Schlossgut Diel
Oekonomierat Rebholz
Mueller-Catoir
Fuhrmann-Eymael
Dr. Buerklin-Wolf

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Joachim and Silvia Heger, Weingut Dr. Heger, one of the producers that has been on the list since it first appeared 26 years ago.

Organic and Biodynamic Wine Making

About 20 of the top 100 winemakers follow organic or biodynamic principles in the vineyard, indicated in a separate column. Weingut Battenfeld Spanier and Weingut Kuehling Gillot in Rheinhessen, both owned and run by H.O. Spanier and are two of them.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with H.O. Spanier

Dry versus Sweet

The table also gives the share of dry wines in total production for each winery. There are obvious regional differences, with the Mosel region clearly standing out in terms of a large share of sweet wines in total output. For most of the Mosel estates, sweet wines account for 50 % or more of the production, while it is the opposite in all other German wine regions.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Manfred Pruem, Weingut Pruem in the Mosel valley. I met Katharina Pruem recently in the United States. JJ Pruem Goes Supermarket: Meeting Katharina Pruem and Tasting the Incredible JJ Pruem Wines at Wegmans

Size

In terms of size, none of the wineries is large by international standards. About 20 have less than 10 hectares and about 20 have more than 30 hectares. The largest is newcomer Juliusspital with 172 hectar, followed by Dr. Buerklin Wolf with 90 hectares. The remaining 60 percent of the wineries are in the 10 to 30 hectares range.

http://www.weinkenner.de/2011/neues-handelsblatt-ranking-deutscher-weingueter-die-100-besten-19233/2/

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Weingut Chat Sauvage – Bourgogne in the Middle of the Rheingau: Meeting Chat Sauvage’s Winemaker and General Manager Michael Staedter, Germany

2012-01-06T01:09:00.010-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Michael Staedter

Following the recent impromptu tasting of 2 red wines from the Rheingau (Querbach and Chat Sauvage) at Kai Buhrfeindt’s Grand Cru Wine Bistro in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, I was contacted by Michael Staedter, who is General Manager and Winemaker at Chat Sauvage. He invited me over to the winery for a tasting. I gladly accepted and asked my fellow wine blogger Alex Haller, also from Frankfurt, if he would be interested to join in; he was. He has already posted on his blog Blind Tasting Club a very nice report, in German: Besuch im Weingut “Chat-Sauvage” – Eine Burgund-Enklave im Riesling-Land

Weingut Chat Sauvage, founded in 2001, is the baby of Günter Schulz, who has made his money and still is making his money outside of the wine industry. Wine, in particular Bourgogne varieties, is his passion. The winery is run by Michael Städter, who is assisted in the vineyard by Mathias Scheidweiler.

The history of Weingut Chat Sauvage began in 1992, when Guenther Schulz started to make regular visits from Hamburg, where he lives, to the Rheingau in order to visit his daughter. He quickly fell in love with the region and began to think about making wine himself in the Rheingau. His first wines – couple of barrels - were made at Weingut Schamari-Mühle in Johannisberg, in cooperation with Erik Andersson.

Pictures: Chat Sauvage Winery

Right from the beginning, the Chat Sauvage wines were sought after by wine lovers in Germany, which encouraged Guenter Schulz to push ahead with his passion. The next important step was the construction of a winery. He auctioned off his collection of fine wines at Christie’s in London and used the proceeds to buy more vineyard land and to construct a winery in Johannisberg in the Rheingau. Weingut Chat Sauvage moved into the new winery in August 2010.

Michael Staedter

While Guenter Schulz is the owner and the brain behind Weingut Chat Sauvage, the man on the ground is Michael Staedler, who is in his early 30s. He is the Managing Director and the Cellar Master of Weingut Chat Sauvage. He has been with Guenter Schulz from early on in the Chat Sauvage undertaking. His mother is from Oestrich Winkel in the Rheingau.

Pictures: Michael Staedter

Michael started his career in the wine industry at Schloss Johannisberg, where he did a 3 years apprenticeship in winemaking. This was followed by studies in viticulture and oenology at the famous Geisenheim College. During his studies, Michael worked at the Weingut Schamari-Mühle, were Guenter Schulz started his Chat Sauvage journey in 2001. Thus, right from the beginning, Michael was part of the project. When Guenter Schulz decided to have his own winery, he asked Michael if he would be interested in joining him as Managing Director and Winemaker. Michael accepted. This was 4 years ago. Before that, Michael had spent a year in the Bourgogne and ½ a year in Australia.

Pinot Noir/Spaetburgunder in the World, in Germany and in the Rheingau

In Germany, the Pinot Noir is called Spätburgunder. It is to red wine what the Riesling is to white wine: the cream of the crop. In the US, Pinot Noir shows great promise in Oregon and California. The reputation that gets Pinot Noir so much attention, however, is owed to the wines of the Bourgogne in France, where it has probably been cultivated since at least the 4th century (first documented, however, in the 14th century). Regardless of where it’s grown, Pinot Noir is not typically a value wine. That is so because Pinot Noir is such a delicate grape that it is difficult and expensive to grow and make into the spectacular wine it can be. It is sensitive to climate and soil, Pinot Noir needs warmth (but not intense heat) to thrive and does well in chalky soils. As the German name implies, it ripens late (spät).

The Spaetburgunder’s success story in the Rheingau started with the Cistercians who created a net of monasteries across medieval Europe and with Eberbach Monastery founded their branch in the Rheingau. Present at all times: Spätburgunder, not only the economic basis for many monasteries but also symbol of the Christian mythology of the Last Supper with the blood of Christ. For a long time the Spätburgunder has appeared in many Rheingau vineyards from Hochheim to Lorchhausen but its traditional home in the Riesling country of the Rheingau is the steep slate vineyards behind the roofs of the small wine village of Assmannshausen. Set up by Eberbach Cistercians a hell of a good Spätburgunder grows in the world renowned Assmannshäuser Höllenberg. First mentioned more than 500 years ago the red Rheingau wines continue to be discussed until today. A large part of the hill is cultivated by the State Wineries of Hesse Domain Assmannshausen (“Hessische Staatsweingüter Domaine Assmannshausen”).

However, it was August Kesseler who profoundly shaped the style of the Rheingau Spätburgunder in the last 20 years, with the help of harvest reductions, longer mash times and skilful wine processing in big wooden cask or in small barrique barrels and who pushed the Rheingau Spätburgunder into the ranking list of the best German red wines.

In the Vineyard

The vineyard area of Chat Sauvage totals 7 hectares. 4/5 of the production is Pinot Noir and 1/5 is Chardonnay. 2/3 of the vineyards are steep slopes.

The Chat Sauvage vineyards are scattered around in the western part of the Rheingau. We did not go to the vineyards, but we talked a bit about them standing in front of the winery.

All work in Chat Sauvage’s vineyards is manual work. Considerable attention is paid to keeping the yields low, with first pruning after flowering, a green harvest, as well as selective hand-picking.

In the Wine Cellar

We toured the wine cellar. Michael explained that traditional maceration, 18 months aging in barrique and no filtration are among the guiding principles for making Chat Sauvage wines. In terms of oak, Michael told us that they had experimented with Hungarian wood, but have settled non on French oak. Spontaneous fermentation? Michael expressed skepticism.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Michael Staedter

The Chat Sauvage Wine Portfolio

The Chat Sauvage wine portfolio currently comprises 15 wines, from the 2006 to 2009 vintages, of which 11 are red wines:

Picture: Chat Sauvage Tasting Room

2007 and 2008 Rheingau Pinot Noir, entry level red wine, for Euro 16
2007 Johannisberger Hoelle, Pinot Noir, for Euro 23
2007 Johannisberger Hoelle, Pinot Noir, Erstes Gewaechs, for Euro 35
2007 Lorcher Kapellenberg, Pinot Noir, for Euro 23
2007 Ruedesheimer Drachenstein, Pinot Noir, for 42 Euro, currently the most expensive wine on the list
2008 Johannisberger Hoelle, Pinot Noir, for Euro 23
2008 Johannisberger Hoelle, Pinot Noir, Erstes Gewaechs, for Euro 35
2008 Lorcher Kapellenberg, Pinot Noir, for Euro 23
2008 Ruedesheimer Drachenstein, Pinot Noir, for Euro 23
2008 Assmannshaeuser Hoellenberg, Pinor Noir, Erstes Gewaechs, for Euro 35
2009 Clos de Schulz, Chardonny, fermented in French oak, for Euro 26.
2006 Rheingau Pinot Noir Brut Vintage Sekt Rose, for Euro 16
2008 Rheingau Pinot Noir Rose Trocken for Euro 9
2009 Rheingau Pinot Noir Rose Trocken for Euro 9

What Michael Staedter Poured and Alex Haller's Write-Ups

We then moved to the trendy and modern tasting room and tasted a series of 2007 and 2009 Pinot Noirs. All bottles had been open for 2 days already.

Picture: Michael Staedter

My fellow blogger Alex Haller has already extensively written about the wines we tasted and I have decided to just quote him, although his comments are in German.

Picture: Alex Haller

2007 Johannisberger Hölle Erstes Gewächs – Ein trinkiger Wein mit innerer Spannung. Zuerst die Süße Burgundernase mit eleganter Frucht und leichtem Marzipan-touch. Hier wird schon klar, dass der Holzeinsatz punktgenau dosiert wurde – es waren in diesem Fall ca. 30% Erstbelegung der Barriques. Dann am Gaumen die etwas frischer erscheinende Frucht, einer jahrgangsbedingt animierenden Säure geschuldet. Der Wein erhält dadurch eine schöne Saftigkeit, die den Trinkfluß fördert. Ein Pinot der Spaß macht ohne aber dabei die Eleganz eines Burgunders vermissen zu lassen. Denn schon bei diesem ersten Wein wird klar, dass hier ein deutlich französischer Stil erreicht wurde. “Auf Wiedersehen Spätburgunder, bonjour Pinot!”

Picture: The 2007's

2007 Rüdesheimer Drachenstein Pinot Noir - Der voluminösere und kräftigere Wein. Etwas opulenter am Gaumen und noch mit präsentem Tannin, das sich aber überaus feinkörnig zeigt. Auch hier wirkt ein saftiges Säuregerüst. Ein wahrhaftiger Burgunder aus dem Rheingau den man jetzt schon geniessen kann, aber vielleicht noch ein Weilchen weglegen sollte.

2009 Rheingau Pinot Noir – Der Einstiegswein, und was für ein sensationeller Wert! Michel Städter hat absolut recht, wenn er diesen Wein als PL-Hammer bezeichnet. Dieser Pinot entspricht einer erstklassigen Village-Qualität aus dem Burgund. So ist er am Gaumen von einem schönen mittlerem Gewicht aber gleichzeitig auch von einer bestechenden Eleganz. Hier erlebt man wahrlich in Seide gehüllte Frucht. In der Nase zeichnet sich schon die pure fruchtige Eleganz ab welche quasi ohne Unterbrechung am Gaumen fortgesetzt wird. Dort zeichnet sich der Wein durch eine unwiderstehliche Harmonie aus, wobei er sich gleichzeitig auch sehr lebendig und präsent zeigt: Ein “mittelgewichtiges Konzentrat”, um es kurz zu sagen. 16 Euro sind bei diesem Wein mehr als gut angelegt. Schnell kaufen bevor er weg ist!

2009 Lorcher Kappellenberg Pinot Noir - Eine Nase mit feinen erdigen Zügen die sich aber auch mit einer sehr präzisen Frucht vermengt. Am Gaumen fällt gleich das höhere Volumen und Gewicht auf, dennoch vermittelt der Wein aber niemals den Eindruck “fett” (und schon gar nicht alkoholisch) zu sein. Im Gegenteil: die Harmonie scheint wie in Stein gemeisselt. Das Tannin zeigt sich etwas präsenter, noch leicht rauh, aber von einer schönen feinkörnigen art, quasi zum genüßlichen Kauen - und auch hier ist es in dieses elegante seidige Mundgefühl eingebettet. Überhaupt scheint sich dieses schmeichleriche Textur wie ein roter Faden durch die gesamte 2009er Kollektion zu ziehen. Die etwas rauheren Tannine sind übrigens dem Taunus-Quarzit-geprägtem Boden verschuldet . Das Finish ist ebenfalls wie aus dem Bilderbuch mit einer dezenten aber überaus präzise definiertern Fruchtnote und einer guten Länge. Coup de Coeur! Mein geheimer Favorit.

2009 Johannisberger Hölle Pinot Noir Erstes Gewächs – Nun wiederum eine Nase die mehr fruchtig als erdig erscheint, auf elegante und graziöse Weise, natürlich wieder völlig auf übertriebenen Holzeinsatz verzichtend. Am Gaumen extrem feines, diesmal etwas süßeres Tannin. Viel Charme durch generöse Frucht kommt hiermit ins Glas. Der Wein hat Körper und Volumen aber wirkt trotz 13,5% Alkohol nie überdeht! Über die seidige Textur brauch ich jetzt bestimmt nicht nochmal Wörter zu verlieren. Und auch hier wird man wieder mit einem überzeugendem Finish belohnt. Mit jedem neuen Wein den wir probieren, zeichnet sich immer mehr die Qual der Wahl ab, die uns dieses Weingut beschert.

Picture: The 2009's

2009 Asmannshäuser Frankenthal Pinot Noir - eine Lage die zum ersten mal gesondert ausgebaut wurde bei Chat Sauvage – üblicherweise wurde sie immer mit der Hölle zusammen gelesen und vergoren. Die Nase scheint hier etwas dezenter, ist eventuell leicht verschlossen. Der Wein vereint eine gewisse Leichtigkeit mit herzhaft würzigem Biss. Das Tannin ist etwas fester und auch die Säure ein Tick höher, ohne aber das dies jetzt besonders auffallend sei. Der Wein zeigt eine dezente Kräuterwürze die Ihm schon in diesem jungen Stadium eine aussergwöhnliche Tiefe verleiht. Wie den vorhergehenden Weinen kann man auch diesem ein sehr gutes Alterungspotenzial bescheinigen!

2009 Assmannshäuser Hölle Pinot Noir – die wohl bekannteste Rotweinlage des Rheingaus kommt als Krönung der Probe ins Glas. Die Nase zeigt sich auch hier im verschlossenen Baby-Stadium: Beerig-erdig mit nur dezenten Holznoten. Am Gaumen dann ein kraftvoll zupackender Wein der aber wieder mal gleichzeitig zu schmeicheln vermag. Mehr feinkörniges Tannin trifft dunkle Frucht die fast mit Zartbitter-Schokoladennoten einher kommt. Das richtige Säuregerüst ist aber auch dabei und so stimmt wieder mal die Balance. Ein Wein der offensichtlich noch altern muss, wobei er sein enormes Potential nicht verleugnen kann. Kaufen und weglegen!

Ach ja, ausserdem wurde vom Jahrgang 2009 noch eine alles-krönende Partie aus der Hölle gefüllt die als Erstes Gewächs tituliert wird. Verständlicherweise blieb diese kostbare Flasche bei unserer Verkostung geschlossen, und wir können nur erahnen welch tolles Elixier sich da wohl verbergen mag. Das Chat Sauvage Team scheint sich auf jeden Fall ziemlich sicher über dessen aussergewöhnliche Qualität und hat den selbsbewussten Preis von 120 Euro ausgeschrieben. Dieser Wein bewegt sich somit preislich auf allerhöchster deutscher Pinot-Ebene, wie manche Abfüllungen von Kesseler, Fürst oder Becker.. Sammler, aufgepasst!

Weingut Chat Sauvage
Hohlweg 23
65366 Geisenheim/Johannisberg

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German Rieslings – Favorites of German Wine Bloggers: A Survey by Baccantus

2012-01-05T01:02:00.003-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Stefan Schwytz in Baden, Germany

My fellow German Wine Blogger Stefan Schwytz who runs the popular wine blog Baccantus asked a number of German wine bloggers the question: What are your favorite 3 German Riesling wines (under Euro 12)? Here are the answers. Stefan did not ask me, but I added at the end my 3 favorites. If you are interested in the reasoning of the wine bloggers behind their choice (and if you can read a German text) go to Baccantus for more information. For links to the producers that made it to the list go to Baccantus.

Andreas Durst, Winzer & Fotograf, Durst-wein.de

St. Goarer Frohwingert trocken Philippsmühle/ Mittelrhein 2007, 2008, 2009, 11,50 €
2010 Jacobus trocken Peter Jacob Kühn/ Rheingau, 9,20 €
Wachenheimer Gerümpel, Weingut Karl Schaefer/Pfalz, 2009, 2010, 9,00 €

Marco Giovanni Zanetti, aka der WinePunk

2010 Riesling C.A.I. von Immich Batterieberg, Mosel, ca. 11 €
Riesling Kalkstein 2010 Winzerhof Thörle, Saulheim, Rheinhessen, 9,90 €
2010 Jacobus trocken Peter Jacob Kühn/ Rheingau, ca. 10 €

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Johannes and Christoph Thoerle in Saulheim. schiller-wine: Surprising the World with their Pinot Noir: Johannes and Christoph Thoerle, Winzerhof Thoerle, Rheinhessen, Germany

Thommy Witteck, Weinwelt Rheingau

2010 Weingut Prinz (Hallgarten) ‘Vom bunten Schiefer’ Riesling QbA feinherb, 7,20 €
2010 Riesling Spätlese trocken ‘Alte Reben’, Heinz Günter Hauck, Bermersheim, Rheinhessen, 6,95 €
2009 Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett fruchtig, Max Ferdinand Richter, Mosel

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Fred Prinz in Berlin. schiller-wine: The Sauvignon Blanc Trophy 2010 - The Top 20 German Sauvignon Blancs

Martin Zwick, BerlinKitchen

2010 Schäfer-Fröhlich “Bockenauer” Riesling trocken, Nahe ab 11,50 €
2010 Fritz Ekkehard Huff “vom Rotliegenden” Riesling trocken, Rheinhessen, 6,50 €
2010 KarlHeinz Schneider, Riesling trocken, Nahe, 4,90 €

Dominik Vombach, Ecowein.com

2010 Ökonomierat Rebholz Riesling „vom Buntsandstein” Kabinett trocken, Siebeldingen, Pfalz, ca. 9,90 €
2010 Riesling Terra Rossa Hirschhof, Rheinhessen, 6,95 €

Oliver Haag – Haag-Weinkultur

2010 Weingut Wittmann – Gutsriesling trocken Rheinhessen, 11,-€
2010 Weingut Emrich Schönleber – Riesling trocken, 11,-€
2010 Weingut Fritz Haag – Riesling QBA trocken, Brauneberg, Mosel,10,-€
Weingut Knab – Riesling 2010 Kabinett trocken, 8,-€

Stephanie Döring, Someliere, TVino.de

2010er Gutsriesling Battenfeld Spanier, Rheinhessen 8,90 €
2010er Kühling-Gillot Qvinterra Riesling QbA trocken, Rheinhessen 8,90 €
2010er Riesling trocken, St.Urbanshof, Mosel 9,90

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Nik Weis, Weingut St. Urbanshof in Berlin. schiller-wine: Germany's Top 16 Winemakers - Feinschmecker WeinGuide 2011

Thomas Günther, Weinverkostungen.de

2010 Schätzel KabiNett Nierstein Riesling
2009 Knipser Laubersheimer Kapellenberg Riesling Kabinett trocken 8,60 €
2009 Riesling feinherb Weingut Johann Peter Mertes, Mosel/ Saar 6,50 €
2010 Alfred Merkelbach, Ürziger Würzgarten Spätlese Fuder, Mosel, 6,50 Euro

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Kai Schaetzel in Nierstein. schiller-wine: A New Fixture in the Reemerging Red Slope of Nierstein - Visiting Kai Schaetzel and his Weingut Schaetzel in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, Germany

Jan Buhrmann, Sommelier und Sherry-Educator

2010 Riesling trocken Dorst & Naab, 8,90 €
2010 Hochheimer Hofmeister Riesling „Alte Reben“ Spätlese trocken, Weingut Im Weinegg, Rheingau, 9 €
2010 Weg & Wiese Riesling trocken, Weingut Bürgermeister Carl Koch Erben, Oppenheim, Rheinhessen, 5,50 €

Hendrik Thoma, Mastersommelier & TVino-Mann

2010 Riesling, Battenfeld Spanier, Rheinhessen, 8,90 €
2010er Emrich Schönleber Riesling Mineral QbA trocken
2010er Riesling Drache QbA trocken, Weingut Von Winning Deidesheim/ Pfalz, 8,50 €

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Hendrik Thoma in Hamburg. schiller-wine: A Master Sommelier became a Web 2.0 Digital Sommelier- An interview with Germany's Hendrik Thoma (Part 2)

Stephan Lappas

2010er Emrich Schönleber Riesling Lenz QbA, Nahe
2010er Emrich-Schönleber Riesling QbA trocken
2009 C.A.I. Riesling Kabinett, Weingut Immich-Batterieberg, Mosel

Ralf Kaiser, der Weinkaiser.de

2010 Okfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett, Weingut von Othegraven, Kanzem (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer) 12,50 €
2010 Hochheimer Domdechaney Riesling Spätlese, Weingut W. J. Schäfer, Rheingau, 10,50 €
2010 Gut Mannwerk – St. Aldegunder Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese alte Reben, 10,90 €

Picture: The Schaefers in Hochheim. schiller-wine: Meeting J. Schaefer from Weingut J. Schaefer, Hochheim, Rheingau, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Peter Jakob, Weinhistoriker & MarcoDatinis Weinwelt

2009 Steillagenriesling Weingut Sebastian Schneider, Mittelrhein
2010 C.A.I. Weingut Immich-Batterieberg, 9,75 €
2009 Kröv Letterlay Riesling Kabinett Weingut Staffelter Hof, Mosel, 8,90 €

Harald Steffens, Winzer vom Weingut Steffens-Keß

2009 Reiler Goldlay Spätlese trocken, Steffens-Kess, Mosel, (Bio) 9,70 €
2009er Alte Reben Riesling Spätlese trocken, Weingut Brohl, Pünderich, Mosel, 11,50 €

Stefan Schwytz, Baccantus.de

2009 Pündericher Marienburg Riesling Spätlese** trocken, Frank Brohl, Pünderich, Mosel, 11,50 €
2008 Riesling ‘Schieferboden’ trocken, Weingut von Racknitz, Odernheim, Nahe, 11,50 €
2009 Stettener Pulvermächer Riesling trocken – Kieselsandstein – Weingut Beurer Kernen im Remstal, Württemberg, 9,80 €

Christian G.E. Schiller, schiller-wine

Riesling Kalkstein 2010 Winzerhof Thörle, Saulheim, Rheinhessen, 9,90 €
2010 Fritz Ekkehard Huff “vom Rotliegenden” Riesling trocken, Rheinhessen, 6,50 €
2010 Schätzel KabiNett Nierstein Riesling

schiller-wine - Related Postings

German and Austrian Wines in the Wine Spectator Top 100 2010

German Spaetlese Wines Can Come in Different Versions. I Have Counted Five.

Phil Bernstein’s Third Annual German Riesling Tasting with the German Wine Society, Washington DC Chapter - Rieslings With a Touch of Sweetness

Visiting Agnes and Fritz Hasselbach at their Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim, Rheinhessen, Germany

Visiting Weingut Josef Leitz in Ruedesheim – Johannes Leitz is Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide 2011

1.International Riesling Symposium

When Americans Drink German Wine - What They Choose

Terry Theise's Top German Wines of the 2009 Vintage

Impressions from the Riesling & Co World Tour 2010 in New York

German Wine Basics: Sugar in the Grape - Alcohol and Sweetness in the Wine

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

1st International Riesling Symposium, Rheingau, Germany

The Wines of the Roter Hang (Red Slope) in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, Germany

Best German Dry Riesling - Weinwelt German Riesling Awards 2011 (2010 Vintage)

5 Top Wine Makers at Premier Cru Wein Bistro in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Best German Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2012

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA

2011-12-30T11:02:00.009-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at Terroir

During the summer of 2011, I spent a couple of weeks in the San Francisco Bay Area with my wife Annette. It was the end of a trip that had started in the north, in Seattle. From San Francisco, we went as far south as Paso Robles. As my daughter Katharina used to live in Berkeley until recently, I was a regular in the Bay area for many years. This list is the outgrowth of it. It also contains a number of places where I do not go for the wine, but the oysters.

Barrel Room

A San Francisco wine bar featuring carefully selected small production wines from all over the world.

620 Post St.

Bar Tartine

Not one of the 60 or so wines could be called a major brand.

561 Valencia (at 16th St.)

District Wine Bar

Gorgeous space – an old brick building opening into a lounge of a room with table, bar and sofa seating.

4- 6 Happy Hour Mo – Fr, 5-7 Happy Hour Sat
1 $ Oysters during Happy Hour
216 Townsend Street (at 3rd)
Telephone: (415) 896-2120

Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant

Mainly a wine store. The wine list and selection of flights rotates regularly. Small bites like cheese and bread are also on the menu.

San Francisco Ferry Building, Embarcadero

Hog Island Oyster Bar

I got there for the oysters: The Hog Island Oyster Bar offers indoor and outdoor tables with spectacular views of the bay. The oysters arrive fresh daily from Hog Island's oyster farm on Tomales Bay.

San Francisco Ferry Building, Embarcadero

Hotel Biron

Hotel Biron isn't actually a hotel; a small space on Rose Street, behind Zuni Café, with the ambiance of a well-appointed wine cellar. Biron serves up a nice list of wines and a short menu that includes a cheese plate and an olive mix.

45 Rose Street
Telephone: (415) 703-0403

Nopasf

A gathering place north of the Panhandle, serving urban rustic food and specializing in organic wood-fired cuisine. With a large community table and bar.

560 Divisadero at Hayes

Pause

A second wine bar by the owner of Yield, just next to the Zuni Café. Like Yield, the focus is on “green” wine.

1666 Market Street

RN 74/Michael Minna

RN74 is a San Francisco urban wine bar and restaurant featuring modern interpretations of refined American and regional French cuisine with an extensive wine list highlighting the Burgundy region of France.

Happy Hour to 6 and after 10
301 Mission St

Slanted Door

The Slanted Door is a Vietnamese restaurant that blends Vietnamese cooking technique with local ingredients. Relaxed atmosphere; Riesling-driven wine list.

San Francisco Ferry Building, Embarcadero

Spruce

A fine dining restaurant. As a German and lover of German Riesling, of particular note is the outstanding selection of over 160 German Rieslings. They pair beautifully with Chef Sullivan’s house made charcuterie. As a minus, I am a fan of the dry Rieslings; Spruce offers not more than a handful of those. The wine list is dominated by sweet German Rieslings.

I have referred to Spruce in a posting on schiller-wine: The Focus on Dry German Riesling – Daniel Hubbard Presents the German DSWE Portfolio to the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter)

3640 Sacramento Street

Swan's Oyster Depot

Opened in 1912, Swan's is essentially a fish market with a long marble bar and 20 stools. You'll have to wait in line for a while to get in, but it's worth it.

Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
1517 Polk (at California)

Terroir

A wine bar that serves only Old World “natural” wines, mainly French and Italian. I have written about Terroir on schiller-wine: The Natural Wines of Terroir in San Francisco

1116 Folsom Street

Yield

Yield is a small, intimate wine bar located in the heart of San Francisco's historic Dogpatch Neighborhood serving only “green” wines.

2490 Third Street (between 20th and 22nd)
Telephone: (415) 401-8984

Zuni Cafe

Zuni Cafe always has a large selection of oysters. An oyster menu lists the species and the place name of each oyster in meticulous detail.

Tuesday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-midnight, Sunday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
1658 Market (at Franklin)

schiller-wine: Related Postings

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The Natural Wines of Terroir in San Francisco

New York Manhattan Wine Bars -- Bar Boulud, The Ten Bells, Terroir and Clo.

Terroir(s) Wine Bars in London, New York and San Francisco – Wines with a Sense of Place versus Natural Wines

The Focus on Dry German Riesling – Daniel Hubbard Presents the German DSWE Portfolio to the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter)

Visiting Patrick Reuter and his Dominio IV Winery in McMinnville, Oregon, US

2011-12-28T11:46:00.000-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Patrick Reuter in McMinnville

With a production of about 5000 cases, Dominio IV is one of the smaller wineries in Oregon. It is family run by: Leigh Bartholomew - vineyard manager and owner; husband Patrick Reuter – winemaker and owner; and parents Liz and Glenn Bartholomew - vineyard owners. The winery is based in McMinnville, south of Portland, while the estate vineyard is in the Columbia Gorge, east of Portland, near The Dalles.

Earlier this year, on my California, Oregon and Washington State tour, we started out in the morning in Walla Walla in Washington State, drove by – but unfortunately did not have the time to stop – Dominio IV’s blab la vineyard in the Gorge and arrived just in time for a winery tour and tasting in McMinnville, south of Portland, Oregon.

I had met Liz and Glenn Bartholomew earlier this year in Washington DC, where they poured Dominio IV wines: Meeting Glenn and Liz Bartholomew from Oregon and Tasting Their Dominio IV Wines

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Liz and Glenn Bartholomew in Washington DC

Oregon

About two-thirds of Oregon’s wineries and vineyards are in the Willamette Valley. Buffered from Pacific storms on the west by the Coast Range, the valley follows the Willamette River north to south for more than a hundred miles from the Columbia River near Portland to just south of Eugene. But Oregon is not only about Willamette Valley. Oregon’s vineyards span the whole State, rising up and falling over the rolling hills and gentle valleys of more than 12,000 acres (4,858 hectares) of wine grapes. Oregon’s major wine regions are the Willamette Valley, Rogue Valley, Umpqua Valley, and the Columbia Gorge. Some regions straddle the border between Oregon and the States of Washington and Idaho.

Picture: The Wine Regions of Oregon

Wine was made in Oregon in the 19th century already, when Italian and Swiss immigrants planted wine grapes and started bottling wine. Oregon's wine industry was suppressed during Prohibition. It wasn’t until1961, when Richard Sommer set up shop in southern Oregon and planted Riesling, that the modern Oregon wine industry was borne. Other pioneers include David Adelsheim, Dick Ponzi and Bill Sokol-Blosser. Then the French also came with Domaine Drouhin bringing European sophistication to Oregon. In the past 40 years, Oregon has become one of the country’s top three wine States, with 350 wineries producing an average of 5,000 cases each a year. Most of it is Pinot Noir, but there’s also Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and modest amounts of Riesling and Merlot.

Oregon produces wine on a much smaller scale than its southern neighbor California. Oregon's biggest producer ships only 125,000 cases per year and most produce under 35,000 cases. The State features many small wineries which produce less than 5,000 cases per year. In contrast, E & J Gallo Winery, the US’ largest winery, produces about 70 million cases annually. The majority of wineries in Oregon operate their own vineyards, although some purchase grapes on the market.

Dominio IV

The husband and wife team Leigh and Patrick are the driving forces behind the winery, supported by Leigh’s parents Liz and Glenn. Leigh is in charge of the Dominio IV vineyards, but her main job is to be vineyard manager and co - general manager for Archery Summit, a producer of ultra-premium Pinot Noirs in Oregon. Leigh studied viticulture at the University of California at Davis and joined the team at Archery Summit in 2000. Patrick also studied at the University of California at Davis and is the winemaker of Dominio IV.

Pictures: Patrick Reuter

The estate vineyard is owned by Leigh’s parents Liz and Glenn; Glenn is retired from the US army. The winery is based in McMinnville, south of Portland, while the estate vineyard is in the Columbia Gorge, east of Portland, near The Dalles.

Three Sleeps Vineyard

“We grow most of our grapes ourselves in Mosier, Oregon to ensure that they are cultivated with biodynamic techniques that don't just sustain, but strengthen, the land. What we don't grow, we contract from sustainable wine growers in Oregon who share our farming values” said Patrick.

Picture: Columbia Valley

Biodynamic Farming

Dominio IV started farming biodynamically in 2001. “Biodynamic farming meets the organic standard including the prohibition of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, but goes much further. The integration of animals and animal feeds, perennial plants, flowers and trees, water features, and composting is emphasized. Three Sleeps Vineyard is one of a handful of Oregon sites to attain Biodynamic certification by Demeter” explained Patrick. The vineyard is planted to Tempranillo, Syrah, and Viognier. Dominio IV also makes Pinot Noir from fruit purchased from the Willamette Valley of Oregon.

McMinnville Winery

The Dominio IV winery resides in the thriving Granary District of McMinnville, Oregon. What was once a dilapidated, agricultural storage building has since been renovated into the perfect home for creating and enjoying wines.

They tore away the interior facades from previous remodels to reveal original walls composed of beautiful, local lumbers. Stacked, rough-cut two-by-eights glow with a natural warmth that makes the tasting room cozy and intimate: the ideal space to share stories and learn from Patrick or other pourers.

Pictures: Winery and Tasting Room

Beyond aesthetics, the winery's old woods provide insulation for the actual production of the Dominio IV wines. “Steady conditions ensure that in our processing, pressing, and storing rooms, we can accurately develop the best wines possible. Even the 250 oak casks, stacked like looming monuments, in our barrel room benefit from such constancy” said Patrick.

The Wines

Dominio is Latin for a feast or banquet, and power or strength. It is also Spanish for territory or dominion. “The IV refers to four people, four wines, four seasons and four vineyards of Dominio Wines” said Patrick.

The 4 wines from Dominio Wines are Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Syrah and Viognier. “Like our every changing moods, we present four wines for your pleasure. Each one entangles you in its own character. Tempranillo is often like the mathematician who sits in his forest lair, contemplative, complicated, and rich in conjecture. Syrah is the spice; she is the dance, and an evening of dangerous possibilities. Viognier is the evangelist announcing the benefits of a diet based solely on fruit and flower. And Pinot Noir is the amazement of a card trick, it is the feeling of a bath, it is magic at the ends of the fingertips” Patrick explained.

The Wines Patrick Poured

2008 Dominio IV Tempranillo/Syrah Blend “the technicolor bat"

The back label says: “By day, the Technicolor Bat waits while hawks and eagles take flight over the vineyard by day. With wings of licorice and brown sugar and eyes that glow spiced cinnamon and chocolate, this Bat is made to fly by night. Grown on a gentle east facing slope: Tempranillo (80%) Syrah (20%)”.

Picture: Dominio IV Wines

2007 Dominio IV Syrah/Tempranillo Blend "Spellbound"

Syrah 58% and Temprenillo 42%.

The back label says: “ You’re so pretty you’d make any mountain quiver. You’d make fire fly from the crater. If you walk across my camera I will flash the world your story. I will pay you more than money, not by pennies, dimes, nor quarters but with happy sons and daughter. To Leigh from Patrick via Woody Guthrie and Ingrid Bergman.”

2006 Dominio IV Tempranillo "Sketches of Spain"

The back label says: “The summer winds blow like Miles’ across the vineyard’s face. In the beat of the long days, you can find the sun buried within the vineyard’s skin. It grows fresh and green. Rolling in the breeze, it grows Tempranillo. Beneath the soil the roots drum up jazz notes staccato and velvet while whispering memories of Spain.”

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A Riesling Guru and a Killer Guitarist cum Cult Winemaker: Ernst Loosen and Jay Somers and their J. Christopher Winery in Newberg, Oregon

One of Oregon's Pioneering Winemakers - Myron Redford - with his Amity Vineyard Wines in Washington DC

Wine tasting: Soter Wines from Oregon at Out-of-Sight Wines in Vienna, US

Wine Tasting: The Pinot Noirs of Patricia Green, Oregon, US

The Excellent Wines of Ken Wright Cellars, Oregon

The Jay Somers Wines of Bill Holloran,Oregon

Meeting Winemaker Dianna Lee and Tasting Her Siduri Wines and Her Novi Family Wines

Meeting Bill Holloran from Oregon and Tasting His Holloran and Stafford Hill Wines

The Doctor Made a House Call - A Tasting with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC

Oregon Pinot Gris Symposium at Oak Knoll Winery in Hillsboro

Visit: Oak Knoll Winery in Hillsboro, Oregon

Meeting Glenn and Liz Bartholomew from Oregon and Tasting Their Dominio IV Wines

Rapturous Reds - Tasting German Red Wines Available in the Washington DC Market, USA

2011-12-26T08:23:00.002-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Riesling Star Ernst Loosen, who also makes red wine in the Pfalz at Villa Wolf

There is a red wine revolution going on in Germany. Of course, given its location, the red wines of Germany tend to be not like the fruity red wines we know from warmer countries, but lean and more elegant, with a lot of finesse. 30 years ago, in the international scene, people would not talk about German red wine. But this has changed. Germany now produces red wines that can compete with the best of the world. The share of red wines in terms of production has increased from 10 percent in the 1980s to about 35 percent now in Germany.

Against this background, the German Wine Society (DC Chapter) organized a red wine tasting earlier this year. I could not make it for the tasting but was very much involved in the preparation of it.

The Tim Atkin Tasting of October 2011

Interestingly, the German Wine Society Tasting in Washington DC took place at about the same time as the now famous Tim Atkin Tasting in London, where German red wines put on an extremely strong performance.

Sponsored by the German Wine Institute (Deutsches Wein Institut), Tim Atkin organized a Pinot Noir tasting in London in October 2011, at 7 of the top 13 wines of the 40 Pinot Noirs from around the world were German Spaetburgunder wines. This tasting has a good chance of becoming a miles post in the ongoing process of international recognition of Germany as a producer of premium red wines.

Rapturous Reds Tasting in Washington DC

The tasting in Washington DC was organized and led by German Wine Society member by Michael Fritze, who gave the tasting the title “Rapturous Reds”. Mike and I spent some time during the summer meticulously researching candidates for this tasting. To come up with a sensible list of wines was not easy. Many wine stores in Washington do not carry any German red wine. Who drinks German red wine? Others do carry German red wines, but these were the red wines that did not meet our standards in the pre-tastings. Finally, we had to be budget conscious. All in all, there were perhaps another 6 wines available in the Washington DC market that were not in included in the tasting for one of the two reasons above.

Here are the wines presented at the tasting.

Trollinger

This very old red variety probably originated in, and derives its name from, Tirol, where it is known as Schiava (Italy) and Vernatsch (Austria). A large yielder that ripens very late, it produces fragrant, fruity, light wines with a pronounced acidity.

We were very proud to be able to include a Trollinger in the tasting; it was the only Trollinger we came across in our research. And it was a NV wine. But not bad, easy drinking, light.

NV Winzergenossenschaft Württemberg, Trollinger

Spaetburgunder

In Germany, the Spätburgunder is to red wine what the Riesling is to white wine: the cream of the crop. In fact, Germany is the world's third largest producer of Pinot Noir. The German name for the grape is Spätburgunder - late (spät) ripening pinot (burgunder). Today, Germany is the third biggest producer of Pinot Noir (called Spaetburgunder in Germany), after France and the US, with more planted than Australia and New Zealand combined. However, despite being the world’s third largest producer of Pinot Noir, the country exports just over 1% of its production.

2008 August Kessler Spätburgunder Trocken, Rheingau (Assmanshausen)
2010 Vier Jahreszeiten Pinot Noir, Pfalz (Bad Dürkheim)
2008 Meyer-Näkel Blauschiefer Pinot Noir Trocken, Ahr
2008 Knipser Blauer Spätburgunder Trocken, Pfalz (Laumersheim)
2008 Becker Estate Pinot Noir Qualitätswein, Pfalz (Schweigen)
2008 Villa Wolf Pinot Noir, Pfalz (Ernst Loosen owned)

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with August Kesseler in Assmannshausen, one of Germany's Pinot Noir stars.

Picture: Christian Schiller with Helena Becker from Weingut Friedrich Becker in the Pfalz

Frankly, I think this was quite an impressive collection of German Spaetburgunder wines, which included a number of big names when it comes to German red wine.

Dornfelder

A prolific, relatively early ripener, Dornfelder produces wine far deeper in color than is typical of German reds.

2008 Georg Albrecht Schneider Dornfelder Trocken, Rheinhessen (Nierstein)
2007 Weingut Binz Dornfelder Trocken, Rheinhessen (Nackenheim)
2008 Weingut Walter Merk Dornfelder Trocken, Pfalz

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Georg Albrecht Schneider from Rheinhessen

Three reasonably priced Dornfelder wines which showed very well what Dornfelder is able to achieve.

Dornfelder (Virginia)

Finally, Michael Fritze, at the suggestion of the German Wine Society (DC Chapter) Board, included a Dornfelder from Virginia in the tasting.

2009 Windsong Dornfelder Virginia

Michael Fritze’s Power Point Presentation

Mike prepared a very nice Power Point Presentation for the evening. In addition to a lot of background information on German red wine, he prepared for each wine a separate sheet.

schiller-wine - Related Postings

Phil Bernstein’s Third Annual German Riesling Tasting with the German Wine Society, Washington DC Chapter - Rieslings With a Touch of Sweetness

The 2011 Pinot Days in San Francisco

In the Glass: A 2007 Pinot Noir from the Gault Millau Shooting Star of the Year - Estate Baron Gleichenstein, Germany

California Pinot Noir Pioneer Walter Schug: From the Rheingau in Germany to Carneros in California

Visiting Walter Schug and his Schug Carneros Estate Winery in Carneros, California

Meeting Winemaker Dianna Lee and Tasting Her Siduri Wines and Her Novi Family Wines

Visiting Anne Moller-Racke and her Donum Estate in California: Old World, Terroir-driven Winemaking in the New World

August Kesseler’s Pinot Noir and Richard Wagner’s Ring der Nibelungen in San Francisco, USA

A Pinot Noir Star: Visiting August Kesseler and his Weingut August Kesseler in Assmannshausen, Germany

Chat Sauvage Versus Peter Querbach – An Impromptu Pinot Noir Wine Tasting with Kai Buhrfeind at His Grand Cru Wine Bar in Frankfurt, Germany

The Wines of Up and Coming Winzerhof Thoerle, Rheinhessen

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

German Pinot Noirs are increasingly coming to the US Market

The Tim Atkin Pinot Noir Taste-Off of October 2011: Germany Versus the Rest of the World - German Red Wines Show Strong Performance

The Doctor Made a House Call - A Tasting with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC, USA

Visit: Weingut Georg Albrecht Schneider in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, Germany - for Upcoming German Wine Society Tasting in Washington DC, USA

Pacific Rim Riesling #1 of Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Best Buy List 2011 - Meeting Founder Randall Grahm and Winemakers Nicolas Quille and Steven Sealock

2011-12-22T11:24:00.003-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Pacific Rim Winemaker Nicolas Quille in Oregon

The Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Top 100 List just came out. Pacific Rim is #1 - “Over the past 12 months, our tasting panelists reviewed more than 16,000 wines, granting the coveted Best Buy designation to only 1,224 (7.6%). From there, we whittled the numbers down to the Top 100 listed here, based on the relationship between score and price and factoring in availability and buzz. We also tried to balance the list in terms of wine style, variety and origin. The result is one of the finest and most eclectic collections of Best Buys we’ve ever come up with, testament to the efforts of the wine industry to offer ever-improving wines at realistic prices, and—dare we toot our own horn a little—our reviewers’ efforts to find the wine world’s best values.”

3 names came to mind, when I heard this - Randall Grahm, Nicolas Quille and Steven Sealock. I met all three of them earlier this year, at different places and different times. Randall Grahm created Pacific Rim in the 1990s and recently sold it. Nicolas Quille has been the head winemaker of Pacific Rim Riesling for a decade or so. He is based in Postland Oregon, while the winery is in South East Washington State, near Walla Walla. Finally, Steven is the resident winemaker at Pacific Rim; he showed me around and introduced me to the new wines, when I visited Pacific Rim during the summer of 2011.

Pacific Rim

Pacific Rim produces 160,000 cases of wine now, almost all of which is Riesling made from Washington grapes (Grahm stopped using German grapes in 2008). That means only Chateau Ste. Michelle and Hogue Cellars make more Riesling in Washington. Pacific Rim produces 190,000 cases of wine now, almost all of which is Riesling. That means only Chateau Ste. Michelle and Hogue Cellars make more Riesling in Washington. Today, Pacific Rim makes 10 different Rieslings, as well as a Chenin Blanc, Gewürztraminer, raspberry dessert wine and two blends. It is owned by the Banfi family from New York.

Pictures: Pacific Rim Winery in Washington State and pacific Rim Wines

First released by Randall Grahm in 1992, Pacific Rim Dry Riesling quickly gained a loyal following among Riesling lovers. Known for its fresh and bright characteristics, the wine was a welcome alternative to other wines available in the American market. Today, Pacific Rim makes 10 different Rieslings, as well as a Chenin Blanc, Gewürztraminer, raspberry dessert wine and two blends.

Randall Grahm

One of the wine world’s true iconoclasts, Randall Grahm, founded Pacific Rim. The owner of famed Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz in California started his Pacific Rim project in 1992. Unusually, he used grapes from Washington State and from Germany.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Randall Grahm in San Francisco

By 2006, Randall Grahm’s decided to downsize and reorganize. Randall sold his popular Cardinal Zin and Big House brands and started to spin off his Pacific Rim wines as a standalone winery in Washington State, where the US Riesling grapes came from. He worked with the Den Hoed family, longtime grape growers in the Yakima Valley, to create a winemaking facility in the shadow of Red Mountain. The Den Hoeds built the building, which they own and lease to Pacific Rim. This year, Pacific Rim has been purchased by the Banfi family, which owns an important wine import company in New York and a famous winery and vineyard in Italy.

One of the wine world’s true iconoclasts, Randall Grahm, founded Pacific Rim. The owner of famed Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz in California started his Pacific Rim project in 1992. Unusually, he used grapes from Washington State and from Germany.

By 2006, Randall Grahm’s decided to downsize and reorganize. Randall sold his popular Cardinal Zin and Big House brands and started to spin off his Pacific Rim wines as a standalone winery in Washington State, where the US Riesling grapes came from. He worked with the Den Hoed family, longtime grape growers in the Yakima Valley, to create a winemaking facility in the shadow of Red Mountain. The DenHoeds built the building, which they own and lease to Pacific Rim. This year, Pacific Rim has been purchased by the Banfi family, which owns an important wine import company in New York and a famous winery and vineyard in Italy.

I met Randall recently in San Francisco while I was there to see Richard Wagner’s Ring der Nibelungen at the San Francisco Opera. Randall was accompanied by his wife and his daughter. His wife is Japanese and this explains there is a Geisha on the Pacific Rim label.

Nicolas Quille

Nicolas joined Randall Grahm’s Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz as General Manager in 2004 and initially managed the whole company, including Pacific Rim, but then focused on coordinating the spin-off of Pacific Rim and eventual sale to the Banfi family in 2010. He is now the General Manager and Winemaker for Pacific Rim winery.

Nicolas came to the United States in 1997 and worked for J. Lohr and The Hogue Cellars. During his time at Hogue Cellars, he went back to school and earned a MBA from the University of Washington. Nicolas Quille was born in Lyon, France, from a family in the wine business for three generations. He holds a Master degree in Winemaking from the University of Dijon, Burgundy and a Master in Wine Business from the University of Reims, Champagne. Prior to coming to the United States in 1997, he worked in Burgundy and the Rhone Valley as a winemaker.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Nicolas Quille in Oregon

I met Nicolas at the 1. Oregon Pinot Gris Symposium in Hillsboro near Portland (OR), where the headquarters of Pacific Rim is. We had lunch together and talked a lot about Pacific Rim.

Steven Sealock

Steven Sealock is the resident winemaker at Pacific Rim in Washington State. Steven told me that “as an Air Force brat, I lived in Germany for several years. Combine this with a German mother and you can begin to understand why Riesling has a special place in my heart. To me, Riesling and German beer is a normal accompaniment to a filling meal. So I jumped at the chance to work here at Pacific Rim, a great company dedicated to making world class Riesling.” Steven started his career in the wine industry at Columbia Winery.

Pictures: Christian Schiller with Steven Sealock at the Pacific Rim Winery

I toured with Steven Sealock the winery and we did quite a bit of barrel tasting of the 2010 vintage. Steven said: “2010 has been coolest season in many years. We had to go through a cold early spring and very cool end of season. A cool season like 2010 brings its load of challenges in the vineyard especially late ripening, low maturity, low yields and potential for rot. In challenging vintages, such as 2010, the trick is to accept that there will be compromises and to choose them carefully.”

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German American Wines: (1) Pacific Rim Dry Riesling, (2) Eroica, (3) Woelffer and his Schiller Wine

Wine ratings: Two American/German wines - Eroica and Poet's Leap - on Top 100 Wines from Washington State list for 2009

The Wines of Hightower Cellars in Washington State, US

The Wines of Abeja, Washington State

German American Wines: (1) NV Two Worlds Pinot Noir, (2) Poet's Leap Riesling and (3) Herrmann Wiemer's Finger Lakes Rieslings

The Excellent Wines of Ken Wright Cellars, Oregon

Meeting Joel Waite, Winemaker and Owner of CAVU Cellars in Walla Walla, Washington State

Visiting Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla, Washington State - Where Armin Diel’s Poet’s Leap Riesling is Made

Visiting Winemaker Steven Sealock at Pacific Rim Winemakers in Washington State, USA

August Kesseler’s Pinot Noir and Richard Wagner’s Ring der Nibelungen in San Francisco, USA

Oregon Pinot Gris Symposium at Oak Knoll Winery in Hillsboro

Sea, Sand, Soul and Sakafo, and Whales and Wine – At Princesse Bora Lodge on Ile Sainte Marie in the Indian Ocean

2011-12-21T01:42:00.008-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Johary Rakotoson, Chef and Food & Beverages Manager, Princesse Bora in the Wine Cellar of Princesse Bora

On the magic Island of Madagascar there is now a growing number of fine lodges, which offer lodging in the paradise with world class food. One of them is Princesse Bora Lodge on Ile Sainte Marie off the east coast of the Grand Ile de Madagascar. There are 2 things that are very particular about Princesse Bora Lodge, as far as I am concerned. First, it is a good place for whale watching during July to September, when the whales migrate from the Antarctica and arrive in Malagasy waters to give birth and to mate. Second, Princesse Bora Lodge has a good selection of wines, but does not have a wine card; you go - with or without the Sommelier - into the wine cellar and you select your bottle(s) of wine there.

Il Sainte Marie – Sea, Sand, Soul

Il Sainte Marie is a beautiful, unspoiled island that lies in the lee of Madagascar’s east coast. Protected by coral reefs from the sharks that patrol these waters, the long narrow island is a haven of pristine beaches and has seen little in way of development. Ile Sainte Marie is just paradise. You can go there by boat or by plane. Ile Sainte Marie is about a 50 minute flight from Antananarivo.

Pictures: Unspoiled Beaches and Little Development

Pictures: Ile Sainte Marie Impressions

Princesse Bora Lodge

Princesse Bora Lodge is owned and run by the Swiss/Malagasy Francoise-Xavier Mayer, whose ancestors arrived in Madagascar in 1825. Francoise-Xavier was born in Madagascar, but left the country with his parents during the period of the “Socialism Malagasy” (in the 1960s and 1970s), when the enterprise of his parents was nationalized. His family was a big player in the rice sector.

Built in the Sainte-Marienne tradition of local stone, wood and thatch, the beautiful villas lie at the edge of a lagoon. Each villa has a wide veranda with chairs and hammock, and direct access to the beach. The beds are king sized with Mosquito nets so you can open the windows for air and light.

Pictures: Princesse Bora

The gardens are immaculately maintained and still keep that wild exotic feeling. The main building is a series of wooden houses interconnected with walkways.

Pictures: The Garden and Art

There are lots of things to do...or you can do nothing at all. I recommend a day or afternoon trip to Ile aux Nattes on your own: grab a bike from the hotel (free), then cycle to the little beach where guys will take you into their pirogues with the bike in their boat to Ile aux Nattes and then discover the inside of that tiny island and its beautiful shores.

Picture: Biking on the Landing Strip of the Ile Sainte Marie Airport

Pictures: The Boats to Ile aux Nattes

Princesse Bora Lodge also has a spa - the jungle spa. There are various relaxing spa treatments available from well trained therapists. There is a beautiful infinity pool with a large deck with very comfortable beach chairs and umbrellas. On the beach, there are palapas with back rests and cushions. There is also a sea swimming pool off the long pier. The resort has all kinds of water gear for use for free.

Pictures: Princesse Bora Pool and Spa

Whale Watching at Princesse Bora

July to September is a very busy period for Princesse Bora, when people from all over the world come here to watch the whales. The whales migrate from the Antarctica and arrive in Malagasy waters between July and September. They come here to give birth and to mate, and remain in the protected channel for four months until their calves have grown big enough to return to the waters of the South Pole.

Guests can whale-watch from the lodge or from boats (to get closer to the whales). Francois-Xavier is the founder of Megaptera, an international association for whale protection. I have never seen the whales in Madagascar, but in Hermanus in South Africa; it is breathtaking.

Sakafo - Princesse Bora

Sakafo is the Malagsy word for food. Generally, the Sakafo in Madagascar is very good. You can dine in its capital Antananarivo and other Malagasy towns like in France, but at much, much lower prices. Before becoming a sovereign country again in 1960, Madagascar was a French colony for over 60 years. The food in Madagascar is thus French-Malagasy. French food in Madagascar ranges from basic bistro food to one star Michelin food.

I have written on Malagasy food and restaurants: Wining and Dining in Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar – Schiller’s Private List of Restaurants in Antananarivo, Madagascar and Schiller’s List of Restaurants in Antananarivo that Serve Malagasy Wine - Madagascar on schiller-wine.

At Princesse Bora, for dinner, you sit in one of the open wooden houses of the main building, close to the beach and eat a set 3 course menu, with 2 choices for each course. I was very impressed by the Sakafo at Princesse Bora Lodge and would put it at a par with the restaurants in Tana that I have given four stars. Here is an example:

Salade folle a la Sainte marienne ou Terrine de foie gras; my wife Annette and I both chose the foie gras.

Cuisse de canard confite aux thyms frais de l’ile ou La grillade du jour: Brochette de merou a la papaya verte, Riz safrane, fondant de poireaux; we both chose the brochette.

Chaud-froid a la banana ou Ananas rotie au caramel

Pictures: The Menu

Wine - the Princesse Bora Wine Cellar

When it came to ordering the wine, the sommelier informed us that there was no written wine card at the Princesse Bora restaurant. But there is a very interesting wine cellar adjacent to the restaurant and the sommelier invited us down there and instructed us how to proceed.

The wine cellar - underground, temperature-controlled and totaling about 40 wines - consists of 5 sections. Unusual for a top restaurant in Madagascar, the selection is very broad and not so much focused on French wines. First, there are about 10 different wines from South Africa, with an average price of Ariary 55.000. Second, there is the same number of Latin American wines, on average a little bit more expensive. Third, there are about 10 different wines from France on average at Ariary 150.000. Forth, Princesse Bora does not carry any traditional Malagasy wine, but the new star on the Malagasy wine scene, Clos Nomena, rouge, blanc, rose, for Ariary 60.000. I have recently benefited from a tasting at the house of the owner of Clos Nomena in Antanananarivo and have posted about it: Clos Nomena: Taking the Wine of Madagascar to New Heights Finally, the wine cellar is complemented by a range of Champagnes.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Sommelier Randrianaivo Mandimbisoa

Here is how it works: Whenever you are up to, you just go down to the cellar and look at the wines available. When you have made your choice, you put the bottle on the table in the center of the cellar. The Sommelier keeps an eye on the table and brings the bottle to your table and serves the wine.

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Wining and Dining in Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar – Christian G.E. Schiller’s Private List of Restaurants in Antananarivo

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Christian G.E.Schiller’s Private List of Restaurants in Antananarivo That Serve Malagasy Wine

Clos Nomena: Taking the Wine of Madagascar to New Heights

Fine Wine and Fine Oysters in Madagascar: Oysters from Fort Dauphin and Wine from Clos Nomena

Restaurant and Hotel AKOA – An Oasis of Tranquility in the Buzzing Third World City Antananarivo in Madagascar

Tsiky – Charming Restaurant in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Serving Good Food and Malagasy Wines

Dining and Wining where the Royals Eat: Dario Cecchini’s Solo Cicca Restaurant in Panzano – the Butcher of Chianti Classico

2011-12-20T01:57:00.003-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Dario Cecchini

Following the 2011 European Wine Bloggers Conference in Brescia, I spent three days in a beautiful and exciting location – in the Chianti Classico zone in Tuscany, at the invitation of the Chianti Classico Consortium. We visited several wineries and tasted perhaps as many as 70 different wines from Chianti Classico producers, both big and small.

While in Tuscany, I dined and wined (1) with the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium at the Santa Maria Al Prato Convent in Radda in Chianti, at (2) Badia al Coltibuono, at (3) Castillo di Brolio, where Bettino Ricasoli came up with the original Chianti Classico blend, at (4) Castillo di Ama, where we saw an amazing Contemporary Art Collection, at (5) Vignemaggio, where Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was borne, at (6) Dario Cecchini’s Solo Cicca Restaurant in Panzano and (7) at Caparasa, with Chianti Classico niche wine producer Paolo Cianferoni.

This posting focuses on the dinner at Dario Cecchini’s Solo Cicca Restaurant in Panzano. Also dining at the restaurant that night was the Queen of Holland, who chatted with some of our group who shared a table on the ground floor with her four bodyguards.

Picture: The Queen's table after she left

This is the third in a series of postings. I have already posted

Blogging, Wining and Dining at the European Wine Bloggers Conference (#EWBC) October 2011 in Brescia, Italy – A Tour D’ Horizont and

Wining, Dining and Blogging in Chianti Classico (#EWBC), Tuscany, Italy

Sienna, Florence and Chianti Classico

The Chianti Classico region covers an area of approximate 100 square miles between the city of Florence to the north and the city of Siena to the south. Historically, the Chianti Classico zone is where the production of Chianti started.

Picture: Radda in Chianti

In 1716, Cosimo III de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, issued an edict legislating that the three villages of the Lega del Chianti as well as the village of Greve and a 2 mile hillside north of Greve as the only officially recognized producers of Chianti. This delineation existed until the 1930s when the Italian government expanded the zone. Subsequent expansions throughout the twentieth century would eventually bring the Chianti zone to cover almost all of Tuscany. The original zone of the edict of Cosimo III de' Medici would eventually be considered the heart of the Chianti Classico region.

The Chianti Classico zone is a truly unending source of culture, scenery, architecture, gastronomy and wines. Here lie the lines of defense of the two Republics, Siena and Florence, which have scowled at each other through its woods and vineyards for centuries. Interspersed with the countryside are castles: some are still occupied by the noble families whose ancestors built them in the feudal middle ages; others - ruined, perhaps in battle centuries ago, and abandoned - still dominate their hilltops with proud arrogance. There are numerous hill towns and hamlets, villas and farmhouses, guarded by sentinel cypresses, by people who may make their living tending the vineyards, or have already made more than a living and have retired to beautiful old houses.

Sangiovese - the Soul of Chianti

Sangiovese is the signature grape of Chianti. It is the soul of Chianti wine. The Sangiovese grape, like the Pino Noir, is not an easy grape variety, but has the potential of producing world class wines.

Since 2006, the use of white grape varieties such as Malvasia and Trebbiano has been prohibited in Chianti Classico. The share of Sangiovese can range from 80% to up to 100%, with the remainder either other native red grapes, like Canaiolo and Colorino, or international varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Wines that do not comply with these rules – of which we tasted a number during the trip - cannot be sold as Chianti Classico.

Dinner and Chianti Classico at Dario Cecchini’s Solo Cicca in Panzano

The evening at the butcher-poet Dario Cecchini’s famous Solo Cicca restaurant in Panzano, the small village between Radda in Chianti and Greve in Chianti, was quite an event.

First, some of us walked into Dario’s butcher shop, Antica Macceleria, directly across from the Solo Cicca restaurant. Apparently, Dario was expecting us: A variety of appetizers were there to sample, with his jug Chianti wine. Suddenly, Dario appeared in the butcher shop and shouted out: “To beef or not to beef, that is the question!”

Pictures: Impressions from the impromtu party; Christian G.E. Schiller with Onne Wan

The music was turned up and people began to dance. This was an impromptu party like no other, as this video of a fellow blogger clearly documents.

We then moved over to the restaurant for the “Whole Steer” menu, which consisted of ten different items for 30 Euros per person:

Muzzle and Broth
Spicy meat ragu on toast
Batter fried meats and vegetables
Rosemary up your bum
Fresh, raw garden vegetables
Garbanzo and white beans
Beef roasts
Boiled beef and vegetable salad
Braised meats

Homemade focaccia and Tuscan bread
Water with and without bubbles
Coffee, olive oil cake
Grappa and Italian Military spirits

Pictures: Some Courses of the “Whole Steer” Menu

Over the course of the evening, Dario made several appearances at the restaurant for a toast, to sing songs and to talk to us about his philosophy as a butcher.

Pictures: Impressions from the Dinner and Dario Cecchini with Silvia Fiorentini from the Chianti Classico Consortium

Not only the food was a feast, but the wines as well; the Chianti Classico Consortium people had brought along a huge selection of Chianti Classico wines, from all 4 corners of the Chianti Classico zone.

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A Wedding and a Wine Tasting at Schloss Halbturn in Austria

2011-12-19T01:09:00.005-05:00

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Markus Sieben, General Manager of Weingut Schloss Halbturn

When I heard that my daughter’s best friend, the Austrian Marie would marry her Australian partner Caleb at Schloss Halbturn in Austria, about an hour east of Vienna, very close to the Hungarian border, I got very excited, because I knew that Schloss Halbturn included a winery, which was producing world class wines.

Picture: Map of the Neusiedler See Wine Region

At Schloss Halbturn, I had the wines of Weingut Schloss Halbturn during the wedding party; I also was able to have a wine tasting with Weingut Schloss Halbturn Managing Director Markus Sieben and a quick winery tour with Torsten Aumueller, who is in charge of Marketing and Export.

During this trip, I also visited and wrote about four other wineries in the area:

Visiting Christine, Christina and Franz Netzl in their Weingut Netzl in Carnuntum, Austria

Visiting Leo Hillinger, Michael Hoeffken and Edgar Brutler at the Leo Hillinger Winery in Jois, Austria

At the Forefront of Biodynamic Winemaking: Visiting Werner and Angela Michlits and their Weingut Meinklang in Austria

The Wines of Istvan Stephan Spiegelberg in Somlo, Hungary

Schloss Halbturn

Schloss Halbturn is the most important baroque building in the Burgenland. It once served as summer residence to the Austrian imperial family. The castle as it stands today was built in 1711 by the famous Baroque architect Lucas von Hildebrandt (1668-1745). It was purchased in 1746 by Stefan, the husband of Maria Theresia (1717-1780), and thus became part of the private property of the Habsburg-Lothringen family. Since then, Schloss Halbturn has remained in the hands of this family.

Pictures: Schloss Halbturn

Today, Schloss Halbturn, which comprises 3000 hectares of land, is owned by the families of Markus Graf zu Koenigsegg-Aulendorf and Max Erbgraf zu Koenigsegg-Aulendorf.

Weingut Schloss Halbturn

Weingut Schloss Halbturn has a long tradition. The beginning of Weingut Schloss Halbturn was in 1214, when Count Poth established the first vineyards in Jois. Another milestone was the planting of 40 hectares of vineyard land around Weingut Schloss Halbturn in 1960 by the then owner Baron Paul Waldbott-Bassenheim. Today, the Weingut Schloss Halbutn vineyard area totals 48 hectares, of which 40 hectares are located in the commune of Halbturn and 8 hectares in the commune of Jois.

90% of the area is planted with the red varieties Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, St. Laurent, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Pinot Noir, the remaining 10% is planted with the white varieties Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.

In addition, a wine estate with 17 hectares of vineyards has been leased in the commune of Kleinhöflein. Annual production is around 120.000 bottles of wine. Weingut Schloss Halbturn is owned today by the families of Markus Graf zu Koenigsegg-Aulendorf, Max Erbgraf zu Koenigsegg-Aulendorf and Dieter Hoffmann-Unzog.

Restructuring Efforts

In 2001, Markus Graf zu Kœnigsegg initiated a radical restructuring of Weingut Schloss Halbturn. No cost or effort was spared to make Weingut Schloss Halbturn again one of the leading wine producers of the country. Altogether 2/3 of the vineyard land was cleared and replanted. The cellar, too, was rebuilt, and equipped with state-of-the-art technology. A new, international winemaker team was formed that now comprises the French Francois-Xavier Gaboriaud as Winemaker (red varieties) and the German Markus Sieben as Managing Director and Winemaker (white varieties). Torsten Aumueller is in charge of marketing and sales.

The Weingut Schloss Halbturn Wine Portfolio

The wines of Schloss Halbturn are marketed in 3 ranges:

(1) Schloss Halbturn – premium single vineyard wines from single vineyards; the top wines of Schloss Halbturn.

(2) Imperial - below Schloss Halbturn, you find the blends Imperial Weiß (white, Chardonnay with some Sauvignon Blanc), Imperial Rot (red, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Blaufränkisch) and Imperial Cuvée Merietheres (Welschriesling, Riesling).

(3) Koenigsegg - the third range includes a number of varietal red and white wines. These are Weingut Schloss Halbturn’s entry-level wines. Vinificated is either in high-grade-steel ("Classic") or second-filled oak casks ("Premium").

Wining, Dining and Lodging at Schloss Halbturn

We stayed at Hotel Knappenstöckl, which used to be Schloss Halbturn’s residential wing. Each room has a historic décor and a modern bathroom. Some rooms have solid oak floors and a separate living room and bedroom. Restaurant Knappenstöckl offers regional cuisine such as deer and fish.

The Wedding Wines

The wedding ceremony took place at the near-by church and the wedding party at Schloss Halbturn.

Picture: The Wedding Ceremony

Here are the wines we had.

Koenigsegg Brut Rose
Koenigsegg Classic Grüner Veltliner 2010
Koenigsegg Classic Zweigelt 2010

What Markus Sieben Poured

At the day of the wedding in the early afternoon, I was able to have a wine tasting with Schloss Halbturn General Manager Markus Sieben. Markus is also the Schloss Halbturn winemaker for the white wines, which account for 10% of the total production, as stated above.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller Tasting with Markus Sieben

Imperial Weiss 2008

Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, medium yellow-green, oak spice, stone fruits on the nose, fresh and juicy on the palate, with a lively acidity, coupled with mineral tones.

Imperial Rot 2008

Dark ruby-garnet, purple reflexes, mildly spicy, tobacco on the nose, good structure, fine tannins and hints of dark chocolate on the palate, good finish.

Schloss Halbturn Pinot Noir 2008

Ruby garnet, attack of ripe cherries and strawberries on the nose, elegant texture, nicely integrated oak spices on the palate, long finish.

Touring Weingut Schloss Halbturn with Torsten Aumueller
On the Monday morning following the wedding, before going to Somlo in Hungary to meet Istvan Stephan Spiegelberg, Torsten Aumueller provided me with a quick tour of Weingut Schloss Halbturn. He went again into the major restructuring efforts that started in 2001. Torsten emphasized over and over again the high quality standards that have been applied since then, including, inter alia the manual and very selective harvest in the vineyard and the rigorous double sorting of the grapes in the wine cellar before vinification.

Pictures: Touring Weingut Schloss Halbturn with Torsten Aumueller

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Doblo Wine Bar in Budapest, Hungary

2011-12-15T01:49:00.005-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at Doblo Wine Bar in Budapest

For a country which boasts centuries of wine tradition, Hungary does not have so much of a wine-bar culture. Doblo is one of the few wine bars in Budapest; but it is a very nice one. Another nice wine bar in Budapest, although with a much more international orientation in terms of their wines is Drop Shop: Drop Shop Wine Bar in Budapest, Hungary

Hungary has a Long History of Winemaking

Wine was introduced to Hungary by the Romans. During the Turkish occupation beginning in the early 16th century, displaced Serbs brought the red Kadarka grape to Eger, which was the basis for the red wine blend that later became known as Bull's Blood. It was also during the Turkish occupation that the Tokaji region became known for dessert wines, harvested late to encourage noble rot. After the Ottoman Empire ceded Hungary to the Austrians in 1699, the Germanic influence was felt with the introduction of grape varieties such as Blauer Portugieser. Under Communism, quality was neglected in favor of overcropping and industrial production. Since 1989, when the Berlin wall came down, there has been an impressive rebound.

Hungary’s Wine Regions

Hungary has 22 designated wine regions, in all 4 corners of the country. Some people consider the red wines from Szekszárd and Villány in southern Hungary, where the Heumann wines come from, to be the cream of the crop. Around Lake Balaton, you will find the Balatonfelvidék, Balatonfüred-Csopak, Balatonboglár, and Badacsony regions. Further to the North, the Somló hills and Sopron region also offer fine wine. I have reported about the wines of Franz Reinhard Weninger in Balf here.

Picture: Map of Hungary

The vineyards of the Tokaji region were classified long before Bordeaux, already in the 1700s, with vineyards grouped into 3 categories depending on the soil, sun exposure and potential to develop noble rot. Noble-sweet Tokaji has been Hungary’s crowning glory for hundreds of years. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, noble-sweet Tokaji was a cherished wine enjoyed by the European Courts. Winemakers in Tokaji are struggling now to adjust to new market conditions. See here.

The Place

Doblo is located in the middle of Budapest’s Jewish quarter. The interior design is appealing and intimate: the small brick cellar on the ground level has been kept as it was with some tasteful additions such as new-old style furniture. Doblo occasionally hosts exhibitions.

Pictures: Doblo Wine Bar in Budapest

The Wines

Doblo clearly focuses on Hungarian wine. It offers 70 to 80 Hungarian wines by the glass and 200 Hungarian wines by the bottle. These include winemakers like Kvassay - Villány, Janus - Villány, Tokaj Nobilis - Tokaj, Cezar - Pécs, Pálffy - Köveskál, Oszvald - Somló, Spiegelberg - Somló, Rai Vini - Eger, Eszterbauer - Szekszárd, Merfelsz - Szekszárd, Szeleshát - Szekszárd, Andrássy – Tokaj, Bezerics-Zala, Báró Harruckern - Gyulai pálinka and Katona Wine House – Balatonboglár.

Pictures: Wine Tasting at Doblo Wine Bar

Doblo is also a wine-shop; you can buy all wines to go.

The Food

When I went to Doblo Wine Bar, I did not really focus on the food, but I remember that I had a very nice plate with cheese and charcuterie.

Doblo Wine Bar
Dob utca 20 | Central Pest | +36203988863
Tue – Wed 17:00 – 01:00, Thu – Sun 17:00 – 03:00

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Best German Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2012

2011-12-14T01:20:00.005-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller and Helena Becker from Weingut Friedrich Becker, Pfalz - Best Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) of the Year

Gault Millau published its new wine guide for Germany - Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2012 - in November 2011. It reviews on 914 pages 1029 wineries, with about 7700 wines. Its rating symbol is a grape and Germany’s best winemakers are awarded one to five grapes, a bit like the forks in the Gault Millau food guide.

Ever since 1994, the Gault Millau WeinGuide Germany has honored outstanding personalities of the German wine world and special wines. This year, the outstanding personalities are:

Wine Maker of the Year: Matthias Mueller

Matthias Mueller is a winemaker from Boppard in the Mittlerhein region. He is arguably the best winemaker from this region. Both the wine region – Mittlerhein – and the winemaker – Matthias Mueller – are not well known outside of Germany.

Shooting Star of the Year: Stephen Attmann

The Shooting Star of the Year come from the Pfalz and is General Manager of the Weingut von Winning – Dr. Deinhard in Deidesheim.

Discovery of the Year: Weingaertner Cleebronn-Gueglingen

The Discovery of the Year is a wine co-operative in Württemberg: Weingärtner Cleebronn-Güglingen eG. It has 600 members and manages a vineyard area of 290 hectares. It sells its wines largely in the region. I have known the Weingärtner Cleebronn-Güglingen eG for many years. When I got married, we served a Schillerwein from the Weingärtner Cleebronn-Güglingen eG.

Best Wine Collection of the Year: Egon Mueller (Mosel)

Picture: Egon Mueller in Hattenheim

Best Sekt of the Year: 2001 MonRose Brut Raumland (Rheinhessen)

Best Weisser Burgunder (Pinot Blanc) of the Year: 2010 Birkweiler Mandelberg, Grosses Gewaechs, Dr. Wehrheim (Pfalz)

Best Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) of the Year: 2009 Pinot Noir Trocken Friedrich Becker (Pfalz)

Best Riesling trocken of the Year: 2010 Westhofener Morstein, GG, Keller (Rheinhessen)

Best Riesling “feinherb” 2010 Scharzhofberger Spaetlese von Hoevel (Saar)

Best Riesling Kabinett of the Year: 2010 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr, Markus Molitor (Mosel)

Best Riesling Spätlese of the Year: 2010 Scharzhofberger -4- Egon Mueller (Saar)

Best Riesling Auslese of the Year: 2010 Scharzhofberger -6- Egon Mueller (Saar)

Best Riesling Edelsüss of the Year: 2010 Abtserde Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese Goldkapsel Keller (Rheinhessen)

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Surprising the World with their Pinot Noir: Johannes and Christoph Thoerle, Winzerhof Thoerle, Rheinhessen, Germany

2011-12-13T01:25:00.000-05:00

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Johannes and Christoph Thoerle in Saulheim, Rheinhessen

Sponsored by the German Wine Institute (Deutsches Wein Institut), Tim Atkin organized a Pinot Noir “Germany Versus Rest of World” Tasting in London in October 2011, at which the German wines performed extremely well: 7 of the top 13 wines of the 40 Pinot Noirs from around the world were German Spaetburgunder wines.

This tasting has a good chance of becoming a miles post in the ongoing process of international recognition of Germany as a producer of premium red wines. I have written about the tasting: The Tim Atkin Pinot Noir Taste-Off of October 2011: Germany Versus the Rest of the World - German Red Wines Show Strong Performance.

The best ranked German Pinot Noir was the 2008 Winzerhof Thörle Spätburgunder Hölle; it was ranked #3 overall and #1 of the German Pinot Noirs.

I have known the Thoerle family and the Winzerhof Thoerle wines for some time. When I heard about the sensational success of the 2008 Winzerhof Thörle Spätburgunder Hölle in London, I was very excited. Being in Frankfurt am Main, just 40 minutes from Saulheim, where the Winzerhof Thoerle is located, I decided to pay the Thoerle family a visit. Christoph Thoerle took the lead in guiding me through the afternoon.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Johannes and Ute Thoerle during the Earlier Visit

The German Red Wine Revolution

There is a red wine revolution going on in Germany and the world increasingly starts to take note of it. Of course, given its location, the red wines of Germany tend to be not like the fruity red wines we know from warmer countries, but lean and more elegant, with a lot of finesse. 30 years ago, the share of red wine in total German wine output was not more than 10 percent; in the international wine scene, people would not talk about German red wine. But this is changing. Germany now produces red wines that can compete with the best of the world; the share of red wines in terms of production has increased to about 35 percent now in Germany and increasingly the international market takes note of what is happening in Germany.

Today, Germany is the third biggest producer of Pinot Noir (called Spaetburgunder in Germany), after France and the US, with more planted than Australia and New Zealand combined. However, despite being the world’s third largest producer of Pinot Noir, the country exports just over 1% of its production.

Spaetburgunder in Germany and Pinot Noir in the World

In Germany, the Pinot Noir is to red wine what the Riesling is to white wine: the cream of the crop. In the US, Pinot Noir shows great promise in Oregon and California. The reputation that gets Pinot Noir so much attention, however, is owed to the wines of the Bourgogne in France, where it has probably been cultivated since at least the 4th century (first documented, however, in the 14th century).

Regardless of where it’s grown, Pinot Noir is not typically a value wine. That is so because Pinot Noir is such a delicate grape that it is difficult and expensive to grow and make into the spectacular wine it can be. It is sensitive to climate and soil, Pinot Noir needs warmth (but not intense heat) to thrive and does well in chalky soils. As the German name implies, it ripens late (spät).

Tim Atkin’s London Tast-Off of October 2011

The wine tasting, chaired by Tim Atkin, took place in London on October 28, 2011. The tasting panel was comprised of journalists (Jancis Robinson MW, Stephen Brook, Matthew Jukes, Gabriel Savage, Anthony Rose, Stephan Reinhardt and Tim Atkin MW), sommeliers (Ronan Sayburn MS, Gearoid Devaney MS, Hamish Anderson, Xavier Rousset) and wine consultants (Peter McCombie MW and Christine Parkinson).

Tim Atkin on the final result: “Germany outscored New Zealand, Australia, Burgundy, Oregon, Austria and California combined. As I’ve said, there were some other wines that deserved to be in the final enclosure, at least in my view, but it wouldn’t have changed the overall result. Many of my favorite (non-shortlisted) wines were German, too. What does this say about German Pinot Noir? Well, it proves what Hamish and I thought when we tasted some top examples earlier this year. They really are world class. If only the Germans didn’t keep most of them to themselves.”

Winzerhof Thoerle

Winzerhof Thoerle is a family owned and operated winery in Rheinhessen in the town of Saulheim, with Johannes Thoerle in the driver seat, when it comes to wine making and brother Christoph, who is still studying, getting ready to take the lead in the marketing and sale side. Parents Rudolf and Ute continue to be very much involved, father Rudolph in the wine cellar and mother Ute in sales and marketing. Johannes joined the winery a few years ago after an apprenticeship, inter alia, with star winemaker Wittmann. The family owns 15 hectares in the Hoelle, Schlossberg and Probstey vineyards in the Saulheim wine region, where the Thoerles grow mainly Riesling, Silvaner and Burgundy grapes.

Pictures: Winzerhof Thoerle in Saulheim

An Up and Coming Winemaker

I visited Winzerhof Thoerle last year and wrote a posting about Winzerhof Thoerle under the title: The Wines of Up and Coming Winzerhof Thoerle, Rheinhessen. Indeed, Winzerhof Thoerle is a rapidly rising winemaker. Take, as an example, the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland, Germany’s leading wine guide. In the 2011 guide, they were awarded the third grape; in the year before, they had received the second grape. 4 years earlier they had not even been mentioned in the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland. In an extremely short period of time, Winzerhof Thoerle went from nowhere to 3 grapes.

In the Wine Cellar with Christoph and Father Rudolph

We started the afternoon in the impressive wine cellar, where father Rudolph was working. “We have old “Stueckfaesser” and “Halbstueckfaesser” as well as 90 barrique barrels” said Christoph. I noticed a high level of humidity in the cellar. “The wine cellar is quite humid all year around” said Rudolph. Apart from the Gutsweine, all Winzerhof Thoerle wines are spontaneously fermented.

Pictures: In the Wine Cellar with Christoph and Father Rudolph

Talking about the Vineyards and the 2008 Winzerhof Thörle Spätburgunder Hölle with Johannes and Christoph

Then, Christoph and I walked to the other side of the property from where you can see the Thoerle vineyards. On the way there, we bumped into Johannes.

We looked at the vineyards from a distance. “Most people think that the vineyards of Saulheim are flat and dull. This is wrong. Between our vineyards there is a Hoehenunterschied of up to 100 meters and we also have different soil types.” said Johannes.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Johannes and Christoph Thoerle

I then asked him about the star performance at the Tim Atkins tasting: “I wanted to make a Pinot Noir that expresses the climating conditions of Germany – not a thick, juicy wine, but an elegant, Burgundian cool climate Pinot Noir” said Johannes. “The grapes come from the “Hoelle” a vineyard parcel we bought a few years ago. The vineyard was planted 35 years ago. “Christoph added.

Christoph: “The grapes were harvested a sugar content of 95 to 98 Oechsle. We tried to let the grapes not become overly ripe.”

Tasting with Christoph and Mother Ute

We then moved to the historical inn, the “Altes Kelterhaus”. It is a cosy setting. Here, we tasted a few wines, including the 2009 Winzerhof Thörle Spätburgunder Hölle , which is the successor wine of the Pinot Noir that was ranked #3 overall and was ranked #1 of the German Pinot Noirs at the Tim Atkin tasting.

Pictures: Tasting with Christoph and Mother Ute

The overwhelming majority of the Winzerhof Thoerle wine portfolio is dry, with both red and white wines on the wine list. Like other winemakers, Winzerhof Thoerle has introduced its own wine classification, with different approaches for dry and sweet wines. It follows the new VDP system. Basically, all dry wines are labeled as QbA (Qualitaetswein besonderer Anbaugebiete) wines. The level of quality is then expressed by the terroir principle; the narrower the specification, the higher the quality of the wine is. There are 3 quality levels for dry wines:

Lagenweine – the best wines from one of the three vineyards of Thoerle: Hoelle, Schlossberg and Probstley, with the winemaker, village, vineyard and grape variety indicated on the label.

Ortsweine - the quality level below Lagenwein, with the winemaker, village and the grape variety indicated on the label; there is no vineyard indicated.

Gutsweine – the quality level below Ortsweine, with only the winemaker and the grape variety indicated on the label; this would also include the so-called Literwein, the reasonably priced wine for daily consumption, the kind of house wine.

For sweet wines, the traditional wine classification of Kabinet, Spaetlese and Auslese is followed, and of course, also for the noble sweet wines.

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