Our visit coincided with Weingut Matthias Müller’s annual presentation of the new vintage. We arrived early and were welcomed by Johannes Müller, who gave us a short introduction.
For more than 300 years the Müller family has cultivated vines in the steep vineyards of the famous Bopparder Hamm. The winery currently has 42 acres under vine and 95% is planted with Riesling. Riesling flows through the veins of Matthias Müller. His familiarity with the innate characteristics of his vineyard sites lets him imagine a wine’s possible potential and he follows his instincts during production. His first-class Rieslings are racy, fruit-driven, and very lively. Son Johannes finished his oenology studies at the University of Geisenheim and slowly the torch is passed to the next generation. Johannes already set his mark in 2013 by planting Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) grapes.
Traubenhaus
In the US, the wines of Weingut Matthias Müller are imported by Traubenhaus, a relatively new, Texas-based importer/ distributor/ retailer of German wine. The two key-persons in the company are Germany-based Paul Steinbach and Texas-based Justin Bryan. They met a few years ago in Germany, when Justin was working in Germany, and decided to create a German wine import company in Texas. The company has an interesting and expanding portfolio.
Weingut Matthias Müller (Traubenhaus)
Weingut Matthias Müller is in Spay in the Mittelrhein Region. The Müller family has been farming, including making wine, for 300 years. The concentration on wine happened under Heinrich Müller, the grandfather of Johannes Müller. Today, Weingut Matthias Müller is managed by Matthias Müller and his wife Marianne Müller, with Johannes Müller, who just graduated from Geisenheim University.
The vineyard area totals 18.5 hectares, all in the Bopparder Hamm, with the single vineyards Engelstein, Feuerlay, Mandelstein and Ohlenberg. This compares to 2 hectares when his grandfather took over and 4 hectares, when his father took over.
The Müllers mostly grow Riesling, with a bit of Grauburgunder and Spätburgunder (which however is fermented white). Two thirds of the production of around 150.000 per year is sold at the winery to private customers.
Since 2007, Weingut Matthias Müller has been a member of the VDP, the association of about 200 German elite winemakers.
Traubenhaus: The family of the winery (“weingut”) Matthias Müller has worked the Bopparder Hamm vineyards of the Mittelrhein region for over 300 years. The Bopparder Hamm vineyards are steep slate tracts in the Mittelrhein classified with the highest possible rank of “grand.” Weingut Matthias Müller cultivates its vineyards according to stringent guidelines which require intensive hand work and selective harvesting to produce their Riesling which comprises 92% of Matthias Müller’s total plantings. Weingut Matthias Müller is a member of the exclusive VDP and has earned international recognition through the years including recently when awarded Gault & Millau’s highest honor, “Winery of the Year 2012.”
Weingut Matthias Müller sits amidst beautiful and romantic stretches that are some of the most magnificent in the world. The entire region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site characterized by hills and the wide Rhein River where castles spring from behind every bend of the winding Rhein. Weingut Matthias Müller is an icon in the Mittelrhein region and considered by many, including Gault & Millau, to be the very finest in the Mittelrhein, (best producer in Mittelrhein, Gault & Millau 2013).
See also:
At Weingut Matthias Müller, Mittelrhein, with Traubenhaus, their US-Importer, Germany
German Wine and Food in Texas: A German Wine and Food Dinner in Austin with Justin Bryan, Traubenhaus, USA/ Germany
Bye-bye
Thanks for a great tasting.
Bopparder Hamm
Following the tasting at Weingut Matthias Müller, we drove to the Bopparder Hamm and enjoyed the great weather and views.
Postings: Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir (Posted and Forthcoming)
Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir
Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, with Achim von Oetinger – Germany-North 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch and Tour: Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Bourgogne in Riesling Land: Tasting at Chat Sauvage in Johannisberg, Rheingau, with Winemaker Michael Städter – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour, Tasting and Dinner at Wein- und Sektgut F.B. Schönleber in Östrich-Winkel, Rheingau, with Ralp and Bernd Schönleber - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Leitz in Rüdesheim, with Johannes Leitz – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut August Kesseler in Assmanshausen, with Winemaker Simon Batarseh – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Rhine River Cruise in the Mittelrhein Valley, an UNESCO World Heritage Region - Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Weingut Matthias Müller in Spay, Mittelrhein, with Matthias Müller and son Johannes Müller
Visit and Tasting at Winzergenossenschaft Mayschoss in Mayschoss, Ahr
Tasting Pinot Noir at Weingut Kreuzberg in Dernau, Ahr with Owners/ Winemakers Ludwig Kreuzberg and Frank Josten
Tasting at Weingut Markus Molitor in Haus Klosterberg, Mosel
Tasting at Weingut Jos. Jos. Prüm in Bernkastel-Wehlen, Mosel, with Frau Prüm
The Wines of the Berncasteler Doctor, Bernkastel-Kues in the Mosel Valley, Germany
Wining in Bernkastel-Kues in the Mosel Valley: Wine Tavern “Spitzhaeuschen”, Germany
Tasting at Weingut Schloss Lieser in Lieser, Mosel, with Thomas Haag
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Trier, Germany
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken in Saarburg, Saar with Hanno Zilliken
Lunch at Landgasthof Zur Traube in Meddersheim, Nahe: Remembering Klaus Peter Wodartz' Ente in Wiesbaden
Tasting at Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich in Bockenau, Nahe
Dinner with Wine Pairing at the new Wine Tavern of Weingut Kruger-Rumpf in Bingen, Rheinhessen, with Stefan Rumpf
Tasting at Weingut Tesch in Langenlonsheim, Nahe, with Martin Tesch
Cellar Tour and Wine Pairing Lunch at Weingut Hans Lang in Hattenheim, Rheingau, with Urban Kaufmann and Eva Raps
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