The 50 Largest Winemakers in Germany

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Ulrich Allendorf at Weingut Allendorf in Oestrich Winkel. Fore more, see: Lighting and the Flavor of Wine - With Winemaker Ulrich Allendorf in his Aroma Vineyard and Color Room at Weingut Allendorf in Oestrich Winkel, Rheingau, Germany

Reknowned German wine journalist Mario Scheuermann has updated his list of the 50 largest “Weingueter” in Germany. See here: Die 50 grössten Weingüter Deutschlands 2012 http://weinreporter.net/drinktank/2012/11/27/die-50-grossten-weinguter-deutschlands-2012/ for Mario Scheuermann's article (in German).

For more information on the size and the structure of the German wine industry, see:
The Size and the Structure of the German Wine Industry

The 50 Largest Winemakers in Germany

Mario Scheuermann’s list only includes winemakers that do the full cycle: vine-growing, wine-making, aging and bottling, that is: wine makers that grow their own grapes and bottle their wine. The criterion he uses is the vineyard size. An alternative criterion could be the number of cases produced. Obviously, the list does not include negociant-type of winemakers. Nor does it include grape growers who sell their output as grapes or winemakers who do not bottle their wine but sell the fermented wine in bulk. Finally, the list does not include wine-cooperatives. Excluding wine-cooperatives, there are only 10 wineries in Germany with more than 100 hectares of land.

1 hectare equals 2.4 acres.

The numbers in parenthesis are those of the 2010 ranking.

01 (01)

Hessische Staatsweingüter, Eltville (Rheingau/Bergstrasse)

Rebfläche: 247 ha (207 ha)

Pictures: Eberbach Abbey and Steinbergkeller

See:
Steinberger Riesling 1893 from Hattenheim in the Rheingau, Germany to San Francisco in California, USA
In the Steinberg, Eberbach Abbey, Rheingau, Germany

02 (02)

Juliusspital, Würzburg (Franken)

Rebfläche : 172 ha (170 ha)

03 (03)

Weingut Heinz Pfaffmann, Walsheim (Pfalz)

Rebfläche: 150 ha (150 ha)

04 (04)

Weingüter Markgraf von Baden, Salem (Baden)

Rebfläche: 145 ha (140 ha)

Picture: Schloss Salem

See:
Schloss Salem at Lake Constance in Germany: A Museum, a School and a Wine Estate

05 (06)

Staatlicher Hofkeller, Würzburg (Franken)

Rebfläche: 120 ha (120 ha)

06 (05)

Bischöfliche Weingüter, Trier (Mosel)

Rebfläche: 120 ha (130 ha)

07 (10)

Weingut Friedrich Kiefer, Eichstetten am Kaiserstuhl (Baden)

Rebfläche : 120 ha (110 ha)

08 (07)

Weingut Anselmann, Edesheim (Pfalz)

Rebfläche : 118 ha (115 ha)

09 (09)

Weingut Lergenmüller, Hainfeld (Pfalz)

Rebfläche: 110 ha (110 ha)

10 (12)

Heinrich Vollmer, Ellerstadt (Pfalz)

Rebfläche: 105 ha (90 ha)

11 (11)

Sächsisches Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth, Radebeul (Sachsen),

Rebfläche: 104 ha (94 ha)

12 (08)

Bürgerspital z. Hl. Geist, Würzburg (Franken)

Rebfläche: 103 ha (110 ha)

13 (21)

Weingut Schloss Proschwitz, Zadel über Meissen (Sachsen)

Rebfläche: 88 ha (67 ha)

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Prinz zur Lippe, Owner of Weingut Schloss Proschwitz

14 (13)

Weingut Dr. Bürklin-Wolf , Wachenheim (Pfalz)

Rebfläche: : 86 ha (86 ha)

15 (–)

Weingut Heitlinger, Oestringen-Tiefenbach (Baden)

Rebfläche: 85 ha

16 (16)

Weingut Robert Weil, Kiedrich (Rheingau)

Rebfläche: 85 ha (75 ha)

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Wilhelm Weil in Kiedrich

For more:

Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany

Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany

17 (14)

Weingüter Graf von Schönborn, Wiesentheit/Hallgarten (Rheingau/Franken)

Rebfläche 82 (85,1 ha)

18 (24)

Weingut Schloss Vollrads, Oestrich-Winkel (Rheingau)

Rebfläche: 80 ha (63,5 ha)

19 (16)

Weingut Schloss Reinhartshausen, Eltville-Erbach (Rheingau)

Rebfläche: 76 ha (78 ha)

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

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

20 (15)

Weingut Hans Wirsching, Iphofen (Franken)

Rebfläche: 75 ha (81 ha)

21 (38)

Herrengut St. Martin, St. Martin, St. Martin (Pfalz)

Rebfläche: 71 ha (49,7ha)

22 (19)

Fürstlich Castell´sches Domänenamt, Castell (Franken)

Rebfläche: 70 ha (70 ha)

23 (–)

Weingut Bimmerle, Renchen (Baden)

Rebfläche: 70 ha (45 ha)

24 (20)

Weingut Julius Zotz, Heitersheim (Baden)

Rebfläche: 70 ha (69,8 ha)

25 (22)

Weingut G. H. von Mumm, Geisenheim-Johannisberg (Rheingau)

Rebfläche : 65 ha (65 ha)

26 (23)

Weingut Fritz Allendorf, Oestrich-Winkel (Rheingau)

Rebfläche: 63 ha (64 ha)

Picture: Ulrich Allendorf at Weingut Allendorf in Oestrich Winkel

See:
Lighting and the Flavor of Wine - With Winemaker Ulrich Allendorf in his Aroma Vineyard and Color Room at Weingut Allendorf in Oestrich Winkel, Rheingau, Germany

27 (25)

Staatsweingut Meersburg, Meersburg (Baden)

Rebfläche: 63 ha (63 ha)

Picture: Staatsweingut Meersburg

See: 
The Role of Government - Government Owned Wineries in Germany

28 (26)

Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl, Deidesheim (Pfalz)

Rebfläche: 62 ha (62 ha)

Picture: Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl

See:
Winemaker Dinner at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz, Germany

29 (27)

Weingüter Wegeler, Oestrich-Winkel, Bernkastel, Assmannshausen (Rheingau, Mosel)

Rebfläche: 62 ha (60 ha)

30 (32)

Weingut Karl Pfaffmann, Walsheim (Pfalz)

Rebfläche: 60 ha (51 ha)

31 (28)

Weingut Schales, Flörsheim-Dalsheim (Rheinhessen)

Rebfläche: 60 ha (60 ha)

32 (34)

Weingut Schneider, Ellerstadt (Pfalz)

Rebfläche: 60 ha (50 ha)

33 (30)

Weingut Franz Keller/Schwarzer Adler, Vogtsburg-Oberbergen(Baden)

Rebfläche: 57 ha (55 ha)

34 (29)

Weingut Knöll & Vogel, Bad Bergzabern (Pfalz)

Rebfläche: 56 ha (56 ha)

35 (31)

Landesweingut Kloster Pforta, Bad Kösen (Saale-Unstrut) Rebfläche: 53,5 ha (55 ha)

36 (47)

Weingut Knipser, Laumersheim (Pfalz)

Rebfläche: 53 ha (41 ha)

37 (17)

Weingut Fritz Walter, Niederhorbach (Pfalz)

Rebfläche: 52 ha (76 ha)

38 (40)

Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan, Deidesheim (Pfalz)

Rebfläche: 50 (48 ha)

39 (35)

Weingut Keth, Offstein (Rheinhessen)

Rebfläche: 50 ha (50 ha)

40 (36)

Weingut und – kellerei Karl Karle, Ihringen (Baden)

Rebfläche: 48 ha (50 ha)

41 (33)

Weingut Hammel, Kirchheim, (Pfalz):

Rebfläche: 47,5 ha (50,5 ha)

42 (42)

Weingut Georg Apfelbacher, Dettelbach (Franken)

Rebfläche: 46 ha (46 ha)

43 (50)

Weingut von Winning, Deidesheium (Pfalz)

Rebfläche: 46 ha (40 ha)

44 (41)

Weingut Schloss Ortenberg, Ortenberg (Baden)

Rebfläche: 45 ha (46 ha)

45 (43)

Weingut Balthasar Ress, Hattenheim (Rheingau)

Rebfläche: 45 ha (44,7 ha)

Picture: Weingut Balthasar Ress

See:
Hanging out with Rheingau Winemakers: Dirk Wuertz, Desiree Eser, Alexander Jakob Jung, Hansi Bausch and Christian Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany

46 (39)

Weingut Albert Kallfelz, Zell-Merl (Mosel)

Rebfläche: 45 ha (48,3 ha)

47 (46)

Weingut Van Volxem, Wiltingen (Saar)

Rebfläche: 45 ha (42 ha)

48 (50)

Thüringer Weingut Bad Sulza, Bad Sulza (Saale-Unstrut)

Rebfläche: 43 ha (40 ha)

Picture: Thüringer Weingut Bad Sulza

See:
Visiting Winemaker Andreas Clauss and his Thueringer Weingut in Bad Sulza, Saale Unstrut, Germany

49 (48)

Weingut Herzog von Württemberg, Ludwigsburg (Württemberg)

Rebfläche: 42,6 ha (40, 6 ha)

50 (49 / –)

Weingut Markus Molitor, Bernkastel-Wehlen (Mosel)

Rebfläche: 42 (40,5 ha)

Weingut Sonnenhof, Vaihingen-Enz (Württemberg)

Rebfläche. 42 ha (38 ha)

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The Size and the Structure of the German Wine Industry

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Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany

Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany

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Mainlust “Desche Otto” – an Ultra Traditional Apple Wine Tavern, with an Innovative Twist, off the Beaten Track in Schwanheim, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with "die Claudia und de Louie" - Claudia Olinski and Louie Hoelzinger, Partners in Life and Business

I grew up with apple wine in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. 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, Frankfurt am Main is a city of cider.

For Schiller's Favorites, see:
Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

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, in some cases made on the premises.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller at the Bar

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.

Overall, the various apple wine taverns do not differ that much one from another. However, while most of the apple wine taverns pour an apple wine bought from an apple wine producer, there are a few taverns that still make the apple wine they serve on the premises. Zur Buchscheer in Frankfurt Sachsenhausen is one of the apple wine taverns in Frankfurt, where the apple wine you drink is also produced on the premises. Then there are some apple wine taverns, where you meet more tourists and foreigners. These are very good apple wine taverns, which try to be open-minded to foreigners and tourists, while preserving the traditions of a typical apple wine tavern. A prime example is Adolf Wagner in the Schweizer Strasse in Sachsenhausen. Others are less accommodative to foreigners and more rigid in terms of how the place is being run. A prime example is Zu den 3 Steubern, also in Sachsenhausen. Louie likes to stop there for a "Schoppe" on his way home or to Schwanheim.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller, Louie and the Chef

Zur Mainlust “Desche Otto”

Mainlust "Desche-Otto" is a small and cosy apple wine tavern with a lovely garden, run by Claudia and Louie - in walking distance from where I live in Frankfurt am Main. Claudia and Louie's motto is "hard-core Hessian". They strive for the "not so usual", with delicious local fare with a modern touch, over 100 brandies (Louie's passion) and a  concert series during the summer months. In addition to the regular "Haus Schoppen" they have a second, special "Haus Schoppen" that changes when the barrel is drunk up.

The Place

Zur Mainlust “Desche Otto” is a traditional apple wine tavern, with an innovative twist. For many years, it was run and owned by Otto Desch, hence the name. It opened in 1890.

Pictures: "Schankraum"

Zur Mainlust “Desche Otto” is off the beaten track and thus belongs to the category of apple wine taverns in Frankfurt, where the share of tourists and foreigners is very low. Your rarely meet non-Frankfurters in this very charming apple wine tavern.

Picture: Garden Restaurant

In the “Schankstube” (Barroom) there are 7 tables for 8 to 10 people. On the wall, there is a picture of Chancellor Bismarck, which probably has been hanging there since the days when Bismarck was Chancellor. In addition, there is a nice and cosy garden restaurant, which is open during the summer months until 10 p.m. And then there is the “Tresen” (Bar) where people sit on barstools.

The Food

The food is typical apple wine tavern food, with the standards such as Rippchen mit Sauerkraut (grilled pork, sauerkraut and bread) and Handkäs mit Musik - a Frankfurt cheese specialty with “Musik” (oil, vinegar and onions).

There is no English version of the menu – only very few apple wine taverns have an English version of their menu. In fact, there is not even a menu in German! The menu is in “Hessisch” – the local dialect, suggesting to the guests what Louie and Claudia have in mind – back to the local roots.

Deckelcher - Frankfurt Tapas

A house specialty is the Deckelcher - Louie invented them. When you sit outside in the garden restaurant, people sometimes bring little wooden lids for the apple wine glasses to prevent leaves from falling into the glass.

Louie’s Deckelcher has the size of a lid and is something to eat - small sandwiches of the apple wine glass lid size, made from apple wine bread, with butter plus some sausage, pate or cheese:

Deckelchen with Hausmacher Wurst, Mettwurst, Presskopf, Leberwurst, Blutwurst Euro 1,40
Deckelchen with Schmalz Euro 1,20
Deckelchen with Solber, Senf und Gürkchen Euro 1,50
Deckelchen with rohem Schinken Euro 1,50
Deckelchen with Handkäs Euro 1,40

The Apple Wine

Louie and Claudia serve 2 house apple wines. One is always the same, the other one changes regularly, when the barrel is drunk up.

Schnaps (Brandies)

Louie likes Schnaps very much and has assembled an amazing selection of different Schnaps. You can choose from over 100 different brandies. I have seen that many guests like to finish the evening with one – or two or even more – of the Schnaps Louie has to offer.

Picture: Schnaps Selection at Mainlust "Desche Otto"

Music

From time to time, the place rocks and rolls. Claudia and Louie like music and have a concert series there.The program for the first months of 2013 was just put on the web.

Apple Wine Tram Trip

Last year, Claudia and Louie organized an apple wine tram trip, which reportedly was a lot of fun. They leased an old tram, loaded it with apple wine and food and drove around in the Frankfurt city for an afternoon, including a stop at the apple wine tavern Buchscheer.The next trip is planned for end May 2013. Also, a similar trip on a Main Ferry Boat is in the planning.

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The Heidsieck Champagnes – French Champagne Houses with German Roots

Picture: Heidsieck et Cie Monopol

I recently published a posting about French Champagne Houses with German roots, i.e. Champagne producers that were founded by Germans. Carolyne Henry pointed out to me that one name that was definitely missing was Heidsieck Champagne.

See more:
French Champagne Houses and German Roots

Heidsieck & Co

Florens-Louis Heidsieck (1749–1828) was the founder of the Champagne House Heidsieck & Co in 1785. Florens-Louis Heidsieck died in 1828 and the Champagne House Heidsieck & Co was dissolved in 1834. Over the following 20 years, however, three separate Champagne Houses took on the name of Heidsieck, all linked to Florens-Louis Heidsieck by various nephews. Today, they are known as Piper-Heidsieck, Heidsieck et Cie Monopole and Charles Heidsieck.

Florens-Louis was the son of a Lutheran minister from Borgholzhausen in Westphalia in Germany. Shortly after he moved to Reims, he married the daughter of the wealthy cloth merchant Nicolas Perthois. On July 16, 1785, Florens-Louis Heidsieck founded the Champagne House, Heidsieck & Co.

Initially, Florens-Louis Heidsick worked with his son, who, however, unexpectedly died at young age. Subsequently, 3 of Florens-Louis’ nephews – who were still in Germany - joined the company as partners:  Henry-Louis Walbaum-Heidsick and Pierre Auguste Delius Heidsieck in 1814 and Christian Heidsieck in 1820 as well as Henri-Guillaume Piper, a great nephew of Florens-Louis, in 1815. In addition, other family members and friends from Germany joined the company.

When Florens-Louis Heidsieck died in 1828, Ferdinand Walbaum, the son of Henry-Louis Walbaum-Heidsieck took over “comme légataire unique et universel”, as was the will of Florens-Louis Heidsieck. Christian Heidsieck managed Heidsieck & Co, while Henri-Guillaume Piper handled sales. Eventually, Heidsieck & Co was dissolved in 1834.

Piper-Heidsick

In 1834, following the dissolution of Heidsieck & Co, Christian Heidsieck created a new company, keeping the Heidsieck name. His staff comprised 3 employees, including Henri-Guillaume Piper and Henri-Guillaume Piper’s cousin Jacques-Charles Kunkelmann.

At Christian Heidsieck’s death in 1837, his widow continued to run the house for some time under the name Veuve Heidsieck. She then married Henri-Guillaume Piper and the House became H. Piper et Cie, but continued to sell champagne under the name of Heidsieck, and then Piper-Heidsieck in 1845.

Since 1990, Piper-Heidsieck has been part of the Rémy Cointreau wine and spirits group, which belongs to the Groupe Européenne de Participation Industrielle (EPI), a holding of the Descours family.

Champagne Piper-Heidsieck
Turnover 2010 :    104 millions €
Vineyard: 65 ha
Staff : 126

Heidsieck et Cie Monopole

The other 2 partners (and also nephews) of Florens-Louis Heidsick, Henry-Louis Walbaum-Heidsick and Pierre Auguste Delius-Heidsieck,  founded the house of Walbaum, Heidsieck et Cie in 1834 which, after several changes of name, became Heidsieck et Cie Monopole in 1923.

The "Monopole" part of the name was added in 1923. Today, Heidsieck is owned by the Vranken company (located in Épernay), which also has Pommery in the portfolio.

Champagne Heidsieck & C° Monopole
Group: Vranken-Pommery Monopole
Turnover 2011 : 340 millions €
Vineyard: 275 ha

Charles Heidsick 

Finally, in 1851 Charles-Camille Heidsieck founded the house of Charles Heidsieck. Charles-Camille Heidsieck was the son of Charles-Henri Heidsieck, who was a nephew of Florens-Louis Heidsick and who had worked with Florens-Louis Heidsieck.

Charles-Henri Heidsieck worked for his uncle’s Champagne House Heidsieck & Cie between 1805 and 1818. He became famous for riding into Moscow on a white stallion in 1811 just ahead of Napoleon's advancing army. Charles-Henri Heidsieck arrived with cases of his champagne and his order book, ready to celebrate with whichever side would win the upcoming battle. In 1818, he married Émilie Henriot Godinot and took over the textile company of his father-in-law.

Charles-Camille Heidsieck worked for a number of years at Piper-Heidsick, before leaving the company and founding Charles Heidsick in 1851, together with Ernest Henriot.

Charles-Camille Heidsieck is credited with popularizing champagne in the United States and became known as "Champagne Charlie" in the United States. During the American Civil War Charles-Camille Heidsieck was imprisoned under suspicion of being a spy for the French government and the Confederacy. His imprisonment sparked an international incident between France and US.

Champagne Charles Heidsieck
Founded in: 1851
Turnover 2010 : 104 millions €
Vineyard 65 ha

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Germany’s Top 10 Winemakers (with 5 Grapes) - The Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2013

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Wilhelm Weil. Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany and Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany and 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

The Gault Millau WineGuide Deutschland 2013 includes 1080 winemakers of Germany, according to the American-borne Joel B. Payne and his team. This is really the crème de la crème.

The Gault Millau uses a scale of 1 to 5 Grapes. Here are those winemakers who got in the 2013 Gault Millau WineGuide Deutschland the maximum number of 5 grapes, grouped by wine region. This is a small group of 10 winemakers.

As for previous years, see:

Germany’s Top 10 Winemakers (with 5 Grapes) - The Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2012
Germany’s Top 9 Winemakers - the 2010 Gault Millau Wine Guide

Each year, the Gault Millau also selects a winemaker of the year, a discovery of the year, etc. I have already report about these awards:

Best German Wines and Wine Makers – the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2013 Awards
2012: Best German Wines (Awards) – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2012
2011: Gault Millau WeinGuide Germany 2011 – Ratings
Gault Millau Wine Germany 2010

Ahr

None.

Baden

Bernhard Huber

One of the winemakers leading the German red wine revolution. He also produces outstanding white wines. Does not have any sweet or noble-sweet wines in his portfolio. 26.5 hectares.

Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller, Barbara Huber and Peter Lepholt. I visited and wrote about Weingut Huber One of the Fathers of the German Red Wine Revolution: Weingut Huber in Baden

Franken

None.

Hessische Bergstrasse

None.

Mittelrhein

None.

Mosel (Mosel - Saar -Ruwer)

Fritz Haag

Fritz’s son Oliver Haag produces a broad range of styles, from dry to lusciously noble sweet wines. 15 hectares.

Egon Mueller

The legendary Scharzhof lies on the Saar river. Egon Mueller’s fruity sweet and noble sweet, low alcohol wines are a legend. 16 hectares.

Picture: Egon Mueller at the 1. International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau in Germany: 1st International Riesling Symposium, Rheingau, Germany

Joh. Jos. Pruem

For decades now, one of the really exceptional wine makers in Germany. The aging potential of the Weingut J.J. Pruem wines is legendary. 21 hectares.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Manfred Pruem, Weingut JJ Pruem. I met Manfred's daughter Katharina Pruem in Washington DC recently and wrote about Weingut JJ Pruem: JJ Pruem Goes Supermarket: Meeting Katharina Pruem and Tasting the Incredible JJ Pruem Wines at Wegmans

Nahe

Herrmann Doennhoff

Owner and winemaker Helmut Doennhoff is a Grand Seigneur of German wine. 25 hectares.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Helmut Doennhoff, Weingut Hermann Doennhoff, Winner of the 2011 Feinschmecker Riesling Cup

Emrich-Schoenleber

Werner Schoenleber was Gault Millau winemaker of the year 2006. Only white wines, mainly Riesling. 16 hectares.

Pfalz

Knipser

A world class producer of both dry white and red wines. Werner Knipser has been experimenting with international red grape varieties for some years. Virtually all wines are fermented in a dry style. 40 hectares.

Oekonomierat Rebholz

A broad wine portfolio with international grapes, including Chardonnay and 25%  Spaetburgunder. 19 hectares.

Rheingau

Robert Weil

A top producer of Riesling wines, in particular fruity sweet and noble sweet wines, which is well presented in the major wine markets in the world. By far the largest winery among the Feinschmecker top wine makers and one of the largest wineries in Germany. Owned by the Japanese Suntory company and Wilhelm Weil, the fourth generation of the founding family. 80 hectares.

Rheinhessen

Keller

Leader of the Rheinhessen wine renaissance. Has a broad wine portfolio with 60 % accounted for by Riesling and also including the lesser known autochthon Silvaner as well as Spaetburgunder. 15 hectares.

Saale-Unstrut

None.

Sachsen

None.

Wuerttemberg

None.

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Ombiasy Wine Tours: Wine and Culture Tour to Germany Coming up in August 2013

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Clemens Busch, Christian G.E. Schiller and Helmut Doennhoff

Led by Annette Schiller and Christian Schiller, a Wine and Culture Trip to Germany is coming up, August 22 - 30, 2013, organized by Annette Schiller (Ombiasy Wine Tours).

Pictures: The wine taverns Spitzhaeuschen in Bernkastel-Kues and Weinhaus Bluhm in Mainz

See:
Wining in Bernkastel-Kues in the Mosel Valley: Wine Tavern “Spitzhaeuschen”, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany
Weinhaus Bluhm in Mainz: A Cosy and Basic Wine Tavern Serving World Class Wines from Germany

For 9 days, we will explore seven out of the thirteen wine regions and several cultural highlights in Germany: the Saale-Unstrut wine region in the former GDR, Weimar, cradle of German intellectual thinking, the Wartburg where Martin Luther spend his years hiding from the Roman Catholic Church, the Rheingau with its pristine vineyards and quaint medieval villages, the Basilica in Kiedrich where still today Gregorian chants are sung, the romantic Rhine river and its castle-ribboned banks, world-renowned wineries in the Mosel valley with its dizzying steep vineyards, the beautiful, peaceful Nahe valley, the biggest wine barrel in the world, the upcoming young ambitious winemakers in Rheinhessen, the one thousand year old city of Mainz, one of the nine wine capitals of the world.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Christian G.E. Schiller, Ernst Loosen Bernhard Pawis

We will visit 14 wineries, taste fabulous wines, share wine pairing meals with the proprietors of top wine producing estates and will have fantastic meals at great restaurants and historical places.

Germany with its roughly 250,000 acres under vine belongs today to one of the smaller wine producing countries in the world. However viticulture in Germany has a long tradition going back to Roman times 2,000 years ago. In the 15th century the area under vine was four times larger than it is today. Wars, subsequently loss of territory, diseases, overproduction, and competition from beer brewing resulted in land turned over to other agricultural use.

Pictures: Annette and Christian Schiller in the Saale-Unstrut and Mosel Valleys

In the 19th century, technological progress fostered improvement of quality and the prestige of German wines, in particular from the Mosel, Rheingau, and Pfalz region resulted in prices above those for first growth Bordeaux wines. Today, all thirteen wine regions in Germany produce outstanding wines, with Rieslings and Pinot Noirs in the top league.

Join us for an unforgettable journey!

Fees

The price for this 9 day / 8 night trip is $ 2989 / per person, double occupancy. Single occupancy supplement is $ 430. Tour starts and ends in the city of Frankfurt am Main.

In Short

• 8 nights hotel accommodation: 7 nights in 4-star hotels, 1 night in a 3-star hotel.
• 8 breakfast buffets.
• Travel in the wine region by luxury air-conditioned motor coach.
• 7 lunches and dinners at excellent restaurants and historic places.
• 6 wine pairing lunches and dinners at various wine producing estates guided by the owners / winemakers.
• Visits of and tastings at 14 top wineries (10 belong to the VDP, Germany’s elite winemakers association).
• The opportunity to meet with many of the winery owners and winemakers.
• 2 guided city tours and sightseeing tours of spectacular historic and cultural sites.
• 1 cruise on the Rhine river.

Pictures: The 1000 years old Cathedral of Mainz in Rheinhessen and the Abbey of Eberbach in the Rheingau.

The Winemakers we will Visit

Saale-Unstrut

Weingut Pawis (VDP)
Rotkaeppchen-Mumm Sekt Kellerei
Thueringer Weingut Stadt Bad Sulza

Rheingau

Weingut Balthasar Ress (VDP)
Weingut Robert Weil (VDP)
Weingut Peter Jakob Kuehn (VDP)
Weingut Breuer (ex-VDP)

Mosel

Weingut Clemens Busch (VDP)
Weingut Joh. Jos. Christopffel Erben (VDP) and Weingut Moenchof - Robert Eymael
Weingut Dr. Loosen (VDP)

Nahe

Weingut Kruger-Rumpf (VDP)
Weingut H. Doennhoff (VDP)

Pfalz

Weingut Fitz-Ritter (VDP)

Rheinhessen

Winzerhof Thoerle
Weingut Schaetzel

Small Group led by Annette and Christian Schiller

The group will not exceed a total of 22 participants. Wine journalist/blogger Christian Schiller and professional event manager Annette Schiller, both wine connoisseurs, experienced wine region travelers, and former residents of Germany will lead the group.

Detailed information is available at the Ombiasy Wine Tours website:

Ombiasy Wine Tours
www.winetours.ombiasypr.com

Germany 2013

Annette Schiller
Call: (703) 459 7513 or
Email: aschiller@ombiasypr.com

Ombiasy Wine Tours Germany Trip 2013 – Related Postings

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German Spaetlese Wines Can Come in Different Versions. I Have Counted Five.
When Americans Drink German Wine - What They Choose
Approaches to Classifying German Wine: The Standard Approach (the Law of 1971), the VDP Approach and the Zero Classification Approach
Video: How to Pronounce German Wine - Simon Woods' Enhanced Version

VDP
Germany's VDP Wine Estates Celebrate 100th Anniversary in Berlin
The VDP - the Powerful Group of German Elite Winemakers - Refines its Classification System, Germany

Weingut Pawis (VDP)
Weingut Pawis in Saale Unstrut, Germany

Rotkaeppchen-Mumm Sekt Kellerei
Visiting Rotkaeppchen-Mumm - the Second Largest Producer of Sparkling Wine in the World - in Freyburg (Saale-Unstrut), Germany

Thueringer Weingut in Bad Sulza
Visiting Winemaker Andreas Clauss and his Thueringer Weingut in Bad Sulza, Saale Unstrut, Germany

Weingut Balthasar Ress (VDP)
Hanging out with Rheingau Winemakers: Dirk Wuertz, Desiree Eser, Alexander Jakob Jung, Hansi Bausch and Christian Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany

Weingut Robert Weil (VDP)
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
Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany
Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany

Weingut Clemens Busch (VDP)
With Wine Maker Clemens Busch in Puenderich at his Winery in the Mosel Valley, Germany

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

Weingut Kruger-Rumpf (VDP)
Visiting Georg Rumpf and his VDP Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in the Nahe Region, Germany

Winzerhof Thoerle
The Wines of Up and Coming Winzerhof Thoerle, Rheinhessen
Surprising the World with their Pinot Noir: Johannes and Christoph Thoerle, Winzerhof Thoerle, Rheinhessen, Germany

Weingut Schaetzel
A New Fixture in the Reemerging Red Slope of Nierstein - Visiting Kai Schaetzel and his Weingut Schaetzel in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, Germany
Celebrating Riesling and my Birthday at Weingut Schaetzel in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, Germany

With Wine Maker Clemens Busch in Puenderich at his Winery in the Mosel Valley, Germany

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Clemens Busch at Kloster Eberbach

For more, see:
Schiller’s Favorites from the VDP Grosses Gewaechs – Grand Cru – Presentation at Kloster Eberbach, 2012, Germany

Weingut Clemens Busch is one of the top producers in Germany. And not only that. In a region where the humidity and extremely steep vineyards make most wine makers to rely on some level of pesticide, Clemens Busch is 100% organic/biodynamic.

In a region where noticeable residual sugar in the finished wine and low alcohol is the calling card, Clemens Busch’s focus is on dry premium Rieslings that can compete with the best dry whites in the world. But Clemens Busch also produces off-dry wines as well as powerfully complex, nobly sweet wines.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Ombiasy Wine Tours, and Clemens Busch at Kloster Eberbach

Weingut Clemens Busch is in Pünderich in the Mosel Valley, rather far down stream. The Busch family lives near the banks of the Mosel in a restored half- timbered house built in 1663. Because flooding can occur here, the vaulted cellar, built in the 1970s, lies nearby, on higher ground, at Clemens’s parents’ home.

 Picture: Weingut Clemens Busch and Tasting Room

The business has been run by Rita and Clemens Busch since 1986, with son Florian joining the team in 2008. Clemens is the fifth generation winemaker at this estate.

Vineyard area: 10 hectares
Annual production: 55,000 bottles
The winery is since 2007 member of the VDP (Association of German VDP).

Organic/Biodynamic 

Clemens Busch is considered by many to be the master interpreter of the natural winemaking approach in Germany. Clemens Busch began using organic practices in 1984 and more recently moved towards biodynamic. Winemaking is practiced in accordance with the guidelines of the ECOVIN association.

Pündericher Marienburg 

Most of the area under vines is situated in the Pündericher Marienburg vineyard which covers almost the entire hillside on the opposite side of the river from the village of Pünderich.

Pictures: Pündericher Marienburg 

Until the wine law of 1971, the Pündericher Marienburg consisted of several small plots and not without good reason, because the wines grown in the different parts of today’s Marienburg vineyard are still very different. It is not only the different slate soils but also the special microclimates that play an important role here. To emphasize the specific differences that exist within the Pündericher Marienburg, the corresponding wines of Clemens Busch still bear the names of the old plots: Fahrlay and Fahrlay-Terrassen, Falkenlay and Raffes, as well as Rothenpfad and Felsterrasse.

Fahrlay and Fahrlay-Terrassen, directly across the river from the Busch’s house, consist mainly of blue slate, producing a Riesling with a particularly intensive mineral flavor and slightly salty notes in the finish.

Pictures: Clemens Busch

Falkenlay, including the old-vine section called Raffes, is made up of grey slate, producing particularly creamy, fruit-driven Rieslings.

Grey slate dominates in the original Pündericher Marienburg location and this is where the grapes for »Großes Gewächs Marienburg GG« are harvested among others.

Riesling grapes are grown on 95% of the area, along with Müller-Thurgau and Spätburgunder to a lesser extent.

Wine Cellar

In the cellar, it is obvious that Clemens Busch does without high technology. After crushing, the grapes undergo skin contact and ferment spontaneously in both stainless steel and in oak Fuder (wooden casks of 1000 liters), sometimes into the next year’s harvest. In addition to lees contact, Clemens Busch likes to do lees stirring to increase the wines’ fruitiness and richness.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Annette Schiller, Ombiasy Wine Tours, at Weingut Clemens Busch in Pünderich

As an exception, special yeast is used for noble-sweet wines where the sugar levels are sometimes so high that wild yeasts would not even begin to work. The wine ages in the oak fuder.

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