Lunch
Last time, we had a long luncheon at the legendary 1 star Michelin Restaurant Schwarzer Adler of Fritz Keller in Oberbergen. See: Wine Paring Lunch at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler (1 Star Michelin) in Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Dinner
This time, we had dinner at the Schwarzer Adler and stayed there overnight.
The Keller Family
With the Keller family, which can trace its roots as winemakers and hoteliers back to the Thirty Year War in the early 17-hundreds, everything started with producing and offering outstanding food. Franz and his wife Irma, parents of the current owner, were among the first generation of chefs to start the German revolution in the kitchen more than forty years ago. Well beyond the immediate post WWII era, the urge to simply have enough food on the table – quantity over quality- lingered on.
In 1969 Franz and Irma Keller and their restaurant Schwarze Adler were awarded one Michelin star, which the restaurant defends until today. For Franz Keller, the central idea of winemaking was to produce top quality wines that perfectly accompanied the creations in the kitchen. The current generation, Fritz and Bettina Keller have brought the winery to a new level. They just finished construction of a brand new winery that is an architectural landmark, beautifully integrated in the landscape. Their efforts to produce top wines, among them stunning Pinot Noirs, were acknowledged by their selection as new member of the VDP in 2013.
The Fritz Keller Empire
The founder of the Keller Empire is the late Franz Keller. Franz Keller (1927 – 2007) probably was Germany’s most important early proponent of fully-fermented, dry wines and the use of barriques. He had 2 sons. One of them – Franz Keller - was initially the Chef of Restaurant Schwarzer Adler, but eventually moved to Hattenheim in the Rheingau, where he is the owner and chef at the Adlerwirtschaft. The other one – Fritz Keller – took over from his father in the 1980s and expanded the empire further.
Today, the Keller empire comprises a luxury hotel (Hotel Schwarzer Adler in Oberbergen), 3 restaurants (the Michelin starred Schwarzer Adler, the more basic Rebstock, just across the street, and the KellerWirtschaft, which is part of the new winery), a fine wine trading company, focusing on Bordeaux and Bourgogne, Weingut Franz Keller (recently joined the VDP, the association of about 200 elite winemakers in Germany) and the Edition Fritz Keller project, a very successful trademark wine project with the discount chain Aldi.
Fritz Keller, in addition to his activity as winemaker, wine trader and restaurateur, is also president of the German football club SC Freiburg.
Restaurant Schwarzer Adler
Schwarzer Adler is a truly iconic restaurant that has been founded by Franz Keller. In the 1 star Michelin category, this traditional restaurant offers a harmonious mix of Baden country charm and elegance. The menu is a successful marriage of French and German cuisine reflecting the frontier on the nearby Rhine River, which is the border between Germany and France. The impressive wine list boasts 2 600 different wines, including a good selection of bottles from both Baden and France.
Fritz Keller: Elegance, style and hospitality with a perceptible French influence create an unmistakable ambiance at our Restaurant Schwarzer Adler. In the kitchens of master chef Anibal Strubinger and Hubert Pfingstag nearby France is as present as the much-lauded local Baden cuisine. The combination of both these influences at the very highest level forms the culinary character of the house.
When I got interested in “fine dining” in the 1970s, Franz Keller’s Schwarzer Adler in Oberbergen was certainly a place one had to go and eat there. Indeed, we did this many times over the years.
Other Restaurants and Hotel Schwarzer Adler
Rebstock is a more basic restaurant, just across the street of the Schwarzer Adler, which has of course different food, but the same wine list as the Schwarzer Adler. The KellerWirtschaft, which is part of the new winery, half a mile down the road from the Schwarzer Adler.
Hotel Schwarzer Adler belongs to the group “Small Luxory Hotels in the World”. It is in the main building, where the restaurant Schwarzer Adler is and also has some rooms in a separate building.
Dinner at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler
The Menu
Greetings from the Chef
Carpaccio von Lachs und Langostinos mit Olivenöl-Trüffel-Marinade und französischem Prunier-Caviar
Gedämpfter Heilbutt mit Roter Zwiebel-bouillon und Belper Knolle
Tranche vom Filet der Fleckvieh Färse und geschmorte Kalbsbäckchen mit Portweinsauce, Wirsing und Rahmpolenta
Delice de Bourgogne mit Gurken-Dill-Salat & Schwarzem Knoblauch
Damenspiel: Sorbet & Gelee von Birne und der Val
Petits Fours
The Wines
The wine list contains 2700 items. It is particularly strong in terms of wines from Germany and Bordeaux.The four of us had 3 bottles and a Schnaps at the end.
schiller-wine: All Postings (Published and Forthcoming): Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen
Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: Baden, Alsace, Pfalz and Rheinhessen
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour (and Lunch) with Robert Schätzle, Owner/ Winemaker, Weingut Schloss Neuweier in Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
La Cucina della Passione and Weingut Schloss Neuweier Wines: Wine Pairing Lunch at Röttele’s Restaurant (1 Star Michelin) at Schloss Neuweier, with Owner and Winemaker Robert Schätzle, Weingut Schloss Neuweier - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
The Music of the A Cappella Ensemble "Männer und Tenöre" and the Wines of Weingut Aufricht, Lake Constance, Baden, with Manfred Aufricht - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
The Evolving Structure of the Wine Industry in Germany – The Case of the Lake Constance Region
Schloss Salem at Lake Constance in Germany: A Museum, a School and a Wine Estate
Visit of Schloss Salem, Kirche Birnau and Weingut Markgraf von Baden - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
The Wines of the Markgräflerland (Baden): Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Löffler - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Stigler, Baden, with Andreas, Regina and Max Stigler - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler (1 Star Michelin) in Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden.
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and Wine Taverns in Freiburg, Baden, Germany
The World Class Wines of Alsace
In the world class white wine region Alsace
Tasting at Domaine Marcel Deiss in Bergheim, Alsace
Lunch in Alsace: Wistub du Sommelier in Bergheim and Bistro L’Epicurien in Colmar
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Dirler-Cadé in Bergholtz, Alsace, with Jean Pierre Dirler and Ludevine Dirler-Cadé
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Schlumberger in Guebwiller, Alsace
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Hugel & Fils in Riquewhir, Alsace, with Jean Frédéric Hugel
Dinner at the 1 Michelin Star Restaurant L’Achémille in Kaysersberg, with Owner/ Chef Jérome Jaegle
Wine Lunch at Weingut Jülg with Johannes Jülg – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Schiller's Favorite (Wine-) Restaurants in Deidesheim in the Pfalz, Germany
Tasting at Maison Jülg in Seebach, Alsace, with Peter Jülg
Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz, with Valentin Rebholz and Stephanie Wagner
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Münzberg – Lothar Kesseler & Söhne in Landau-Godramstein, Pfalz, with Friedrich and Gunter Kesseler
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Rings in Freinsheim, Pfalz, with Andi Rings
Tasting at Weingut Krebs in Freinsheim, Pfalz, with Jürgen Krebs
Tasting at Sekthaus Raumland in Flörsheim-Dalsheim, Rheinhessen, with Heide-Rose and Volker Raumland
Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Philipp Wittmann and Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann at Weingut Wittmann in Westhofen – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Cellar Tourvisit and Tasting at Weingut Gröbe in Westhofen, Rheinhessen, with Fritz Gröbe
Cellar Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Weingut Louis Guntrum in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, with Konstantin and Stephanie Guntrum
