Thursday, November 30, 2017

Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Stigler, Baden, with Andreas, Regina and Max Stigler - Germany-South and Alsace 2017 Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Picture:  Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Stigler, Baden, with Andreas, Regina and Max Stigler

The Monday we visited Weingut Stigler in the center of Ihringen, just next to Weingut Dr. Heger, was the last day of a long "Open Cellar" weekend of Weingut Stigler, for retailers, wholesalers, importers and restaurants. An immense number of wines was open for tasting. Andreas and Regina Stigler along with their son Max took care of their guests. We got a cellar tour with a Chinese importer from Andreas Stigler. Max Stigler showed us the wines. Regina Stigler offered us a delicious Gugelhupf cake.

Pictures: Weingut Stigler

Weingut Stigler

Weingut Stigler was founded in Ihringen in 1881. Today, it is run by the fourth generation of the founding family, Andreas and Regina Stigler. Their 12 hectares are situated primarily in the sites Ihringer Winklerberg, Freiburger Schlossberg, and Oberrotweiler Eichberg. From the 18th century to the end of the second world war, the Stiglers were also restaurateurs in the old post house as well as the large restaurant in the Freiburg train station.

Pictures: Welcome

Andreas and Regina Stigler still share this passion and regularly offer culinary wine tastings with top chefs de cuisine. Careful winemaking brings forth wines full of character, with great aging potential. Pinot Noir is their most important varietal and accounts for 30% of their vines. It is strongly marked by the mineral-rich, stony soils, as are the red and white Pinots as well as typically for Stiglers, the Riesling.

Owner: Andreas und Regina Stigler
Winemaker: Andreas Stigler
Outside Manager: Andreas Stigler
VDP member since 1986
Bottle production 90 000
Grape varieties 30% Spätburgunder, 17% Grauburgunder, 15% Weissburgunder, 14% Riesling sowie Chardonnay, Silvaner, Traminer, Sauvignon und Chenin Blanc
Geology: Vulkanverwitterungsgesteinsböden, Gneisverwitterung
Growing area: Baden

Pictures: Cellar Tour at Weingut Stigler with Andreas Stigler

Interview with Weinkrake

Weinkrake interviewed the Stiglers recently. Here is an excerpt of the interview. For the full interview go here.

Before we start talking about your exposed locations with melodious names we should maybe define what types of wines you make exactly?

Concise, characterful. No mainstream.

Ihringen is a Burgundy domain. Yet you have the Riesling grape in your range as well. What is special about the Riesling from Kaiserstuhl?

The Riesling is Stigler’s flagship and we will continue to hew to it in the future because the Riesling thrives excellently here. Of course there are bad years too as we unfortunately experienced in 2014. 2013 was a better year – we could save the grapes into the sweet sector. But 2015 is without a doubt a gigantic year for the Riesling. This lets us sustain the Riesling. What I want to emphasise though is that Kaiserstuhl – and especially Ihringen – is a region where you can find a big diversity of different types of grapes with a good ripeness.

Thanks to you two, there is Chenin Blanc at Kaiserstuhl. Why did you decide on this grape variety?

As far as I know we were the first to start cultivating the Chenin Blanc at Kaiserstuhl in 2003. Two years later we had the first yield which was still very frail. The decision for this type of grape is closely related to the climate change. And my husband is so fascinated by this grape! It offers a similar range like the Riesling. From the base to the Trockenbeerenauslese.

Where do you want to class this wine among your portfolio?

Unfortunately, these wines cannot become Großes Gewächs since they are not classified in the VDP. We will class our Chenin Blanc among the high-class Spätlese-dry-sector and also sweet and maybe cuvée sometime.

Picture: Home-made Stigler Gugelhupf

The Ihringer Winklerberg stirs lots of wine fans’ blood. What is the secret of this location?

It is a very exposed location in Baden. The Kaiserstuhl as a volcanic mountain range juts out. It is the only obstacle in the Rhine plain. The warm wind from Burgundy meets the mountains. An exceptional climate arises. The Winklerberg itself is occupies an area of 120 hectares.The frontal peak of the mountain consists of weathered volcanic rocks of voids. That is why tilage is only possible to a limited extent. The only thing we can do is to remove the rocks from the vineyard after winter.

The bold Freiburger Schlossberg surely is a special challenge with its 70 degrees. What transports location and alignment into the wines?

Just like at Winklerberg wines appear which possess freshness, elegance and profundity, albeit have different minerals since gneiss is dominating here and not the volcanic rocks. The wines from Winklerberg are daintier. The wines from Schlossberg are straight. Because of the bold location we have a marvelous sun exposure. Moreover the grapes are ventilated by a special down draught. The industrial canal at the foot of the mountain brings a good huminity.

Pictures: Tasting at Weingut Stigler with Max Stigler

Concerning the design, the labels always show an excerpt of a vine in differing variations. What kind of concept is behind it?

We wanted to bring the VDP ranking systematics on our labels. Grape and vine leaf have been a permanent feature of our cooperate designs for many years. We play with the idea that the higher the quality the more we zoom into the image of grape and vine leaf. In the base wine area you see both. Erste Lage shows only the big leaf and at the Grosses Gewächs label you see only the stern of the grape. We have different colours for the capsules, too. Red is for estate and local wines and gold for Erste Lage and Grosses Gewächs.

There are two wines that have the names of your two sons. What do these two do in their lives?

Our eldest son Max studies winegrowing in Geisenheim. In a few years he will enter the firm. The younger one studied pharmacy, studies business at the moment and will also work in the agricultural section later. Both are wine enthusiasts.

And that is why the wines bear their names?

It was a spontaneous idea really. Our eldest son has his own vineyard already. So the idea of naming a wine after him was not very far. It was a little more curious with the second one though. Actually the name of our second son is Frederik but at university they call him Fritz. We found that really funny and that is why we decided to name the other wine Fritz (laughs). Our dog’s name is Sissi. Maybe we up the ante. How about rosé?

The Wines we Tasted

Grauburgunder

2016 Weingut Stigler Grauburgunder trocken VDP.Gutswein

2016 Weingut Stigler Oberrotweil Grauburgunder F 1 trocken VDP.Ortswein

2015 Weingut Stigler Ihringer Winkelberg Grauburgunder trocken VDP.Erste Lage

2015 Weingut Stigler Fohrenberg Grauburgunder M(maischevergoren) trocken VDP.Erste Lage

2015 Weingut Stigler Ihringer Winkelberg Grauburgunder GG Pagode VDP.Grosse Lage

Picture: Grauburgunder Selection

2017 Weingut Stigler Fohrenberg Grauburgunder M(maischevergoren) trocken VDP.Erste Lage

Pictures: 2017 Weingut Stigler Fohrenberg Grauburgunder (maischevergoren) trocken VDP.Erste Lage

Weissburgunder

2015 Weingut Stigler Freiburger Schlossberg Weissburgunder trocken Kammer VDP.Erste Lage

2015 Weingut Stigler Ihringer Winkelberg Weissburgunder GG Pagode VDP.Grosse Lage

2010 Weingut Stigler Ihringer Winkelberg Weissburgunder GG VDP.Grosse Lage

Picture: Weissburgunder Selection

Chardonnay

2015 Weingut Stigler Fohrenberg Chardonnay trocken VDP.Erste Lage

2015 Weingut Stigler Ihringer Winkelberg Chardonnay GG Pagode VDP.Grosse Lage

Picture: Chardonnay Pair

Chenin Blanc

2016 Weingut Stigler Chenin Blanc trocken VDP.Gutswein

2015 Weingut Stigler Chenin Blanc trocken VDP.Gutswein

Picture: Chenin Blanc Pair

Spätburgunder

2013 Weingut Stigler Freiburger Schlossberg Spätburgunder GG VDP.Grosse Lage

2011 Weingut Stigler Freiburger Schlossberg Spätburgunder GG VDP.Grosse Lage

2010 Weingut Stigler Ihringer Winkelberg Spätburgunder GG Backöfele VDP.Grosse Lage

2008 Weingut Stigler Ihringer Winkelberg Spätburgunder GG Backöfele VDP.Grosse Lage

2013 Weingut Stigler Ihringer Winkelberg Spätburgunder GG Pagode VDP.Grosse Lage

2011 Weingut Stigler Ihringer Winkelberg Spätburgunder GG Roter Boden VDP.Grosse Lage

2009 Weingut Stigler Ihringer Winkelberg Spätburgunder GG Roter Boden VDP.Grosse Lage

Picture: Spätburgunder Selection

Edelsüss

2013 Weingut Stigler Chenin Blanc Beerenauslese

Picture: 2013 Weingut Stigler Chenin Blanc Beerenauslese

Bye-bye

Thanks Andreas, Regina and Max for a wonderful afternoon.

Pictures: Bye-bye

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

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Stigler in Ihringen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden, with Andreas and Maximilian Stigler

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)

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Jülg in Schweigen, Pfalz, with Johannes Jülg

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 Tasting at Weingut Wittmann in Westhofen, Rheinhessen, with Philipp Wittmann

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



Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards: The Award Ceremony in Mainz, Germany

Picture: The Winners - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards: The Award Ceremony in Mainz, Germany Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland

The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 was released on Friday, November 24, 2017. I participated in the presentation of the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 in Mainz, Germany. The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 is at the same time a new and an old German wine guide.

Picture: Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018

2 days after the publication of the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018, on Monday, November 27,  the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 was released. The Gault Millau WeinGuide 2018 was published by Zabert + Sandmann, which had aquired the license for the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland in June 2017 from the Christian Verlag. The latter had published the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland for many years.

The Gault MillauWeinGuide Deutschland 2018 was put togather by a newly established team of tasters, all of them highly regarded, led by Editor-in-Chief Britta Wiegelmann. Previously, she was Editor-in-Chief of the Vinum Wine Journal. She took over the position from Joel B. Payne, who had been the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland Editor-in-Chief (earlier with Armin Diel) since it was first published in 1994.

Joel B. Payne - along with his Deputy Carsten S. Henn - stayed with the Christian Verlag, managed to bring on board the Vinum Journal and decided to continue publishing a wine guide under a new name: The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland was borne.

The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 was put togather Joel B. Payne, Editor-in-Chief, and Carsten Henn, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, with the same team that put togather and rated the wines and winemakers of the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017, published 12 months ago. The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 looks very much like the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017 except for the color of the cover, which is red and no longer green. Also, the winemakers do not receive 1 to 5 grapes anymore but 1 to 5 stars.

Joel B. Payne made clear that he sees the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 as an update of the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017 and in a row with the previous 24 issues of the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland, the production of which he led as Editor-in-Chief. Red is now the new Green, said Joel B. Payne at the presentation of the Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2018 (which is red), while the cover of the Gault Millau Millau WeinGuide Deutschland has been green during the past 24 years and continues to be green.

Picture: Joel B. Payne Being Interviewed

The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland  2018 reviews on about 1000 pages more than 12.000 wines of 1000 wineries. Its rating symbol is a star and Germany’s best winemakers are awarded one to five stars. The wines are rated on the 1 to 100 scale.

Pictures: Hansjörg and Matthias Aldinger with Christian Schiller

Picture: Tobias Knewitz and Christian Schiller

Picture: Jochen Becker-Köhn, Weingut Robert Weil, Steffen Christmann, Weingut A. Christmann and Dirk Würtz, Weingut Balthasar Ress

Picture: Stephan Knipser, Sebastian Fürst and Christian Schiller

Picture: Friedrich Becker and Carsten S. Henn

In addition to this posting, I will also post about the following:

Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards: The Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland
Germany’s Top Winemakers (With 5/5 Stars) - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018
Promotions to 5/5 Stars in the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018: Weingut Bürklin-Wolf and Weingut Wittmann
Winemaker of the Year (Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018): Carolin Spanier-Gillot and Hans Oliver Spanier, Weingut Kühling-Gillot and Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier, Rheinhessen

Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Award Ceremony

The award ceremony started with a reception. This was followed by a presentation of the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards by Joel B. Payne. After the presentation, the winners poured their winning wines. Lunch was served and there was time to take pictures of the proud winners.

Pictures: Awards Ceremony with Joel B. Payne, the Kühn Family and Stephan Knipser, Sebastian Fürst, Daniel and Rainer Sauer

Awards

The Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 honored outstanding personalities of the German wine world and special wines.

Wine Personalities

Wine Maker of the Year: Carolin Spanier-Gillot and Hans Oliver Spanier, Weingut Kühling-Gillot and Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier, Rheinhessen

See: Wine Tasting at Weingut Kühling-Gillot in Bodenheim: Kühling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)


Rising Star of the Year: Achim von Oetinger, Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau

See also: Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, with Achim von Oetinger – Germany-North 2016 by ombiasy WineTours


Discovery of the Year: Weingut Weber Brüder, Saar


Best Wines

Bester Winzersekt: Weingut Aldinger 2010 Pinot Crémant Brut nature(Württemberg)


Bester Spätburgunder: Weingut Knipser, RdP 2015 (Pfalz)



10 Years Later: Bester Spätburgunder: Weingut Fritz Becker Pinot Noir 2007 (Pfalz)

See also: Wine Tasting at Weingut Friedrich Becker – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)


Bester Weißer Burgunder: Weingut Tobias Knewitz, Chardonnay Reserve 2016 (Rheinhessen)


5 Years Later: Bester Weisser Burgunder: Weingut Fürst Centgrafenberg Weisburgunder 2012 (Franken)

See also: Tasting and Tour with the Pinot Noir Legend Paul Fürst, Weingut Rudolf Fürst in Bürgstadt, Franken – Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)


Bester Silvaner: Weingut Rainer Sauer Am Lumpen Grosses Gewächs 2016 (Franken)


Bester (trockener) Riesling: Weingut van Volxem Schartzhofberg Grosses Gewächs 2016 (Saar)

See also: Lunch, Tasting and Vineyard Walk at Weingut Van Volxem with Owner Roman Niewodniczanski – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)


Bester Riesling Kabinett: Weingut van Volxem Ockfener Bockstein 2017 (Saar)

See also: Lunch, Tasting and Vineyard Walk at Weingut Van Volxem with Owner Roman Niewodniczanski – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)


10 Years Later: Bester Trockener Riesling: Weingut Bürklin-Wolf Forster Kirchenstück 2007 (Pfalz)


5 Years Later: Bester Trockener Riesling: Weingut Bürklin-Wolf Pechstein 2012 (Pfalz)


Bester feinherber Riesling: Hofgut Falkenstein Herrenberg Spätlese -3- 2016


Beste Riesling Spätlese: Weingut Peter Lauer Schodener Saarfeilser -24- 2016 (Saar)


10 Years Later: Beste Riesling Spätlese: Weingut Johannes Leitz Berg Roseneck 2007  

See also: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Leitz in Rüdesheim, with Johannes Leitz – Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours


Beste Riesling Auslese: Weingut Robert Weil Turmberg 2016 (Rheingau)

See also: Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)


20 Years Later: Beste Riesling Auslese: Weingut Joh. Christoffel jr. 1997 (Mosel)  


Bester edelsüßer Riesling: Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn Lenchen Beerenauslese 2016 (Rheingau) 

See also:  One of the Bio-dynamic Stars in Germany: Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn in Östrich, Winkel – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)


Bester Literwein: Weingut Günther Steinmetz Riesling trocken 2016 (Mosel)


Best White Wine below Euro10: Weingut Carl Ehrhard Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Kabinett 2016


Best Red Wine below Euro10: Weingut Martin Wassmer Spätburgunder 2015 (Baden)


Photo Sessions, Wine Pouring and Lunch

After the presentation, the winners poured their winning wines. Lunch was served and there was time to take pictures of the proud winners.

Picture: The Winners - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards: The Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland

Picture: The Winners from the Saar Region - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards: The Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland

Pictures: Wine Maker of the Year: Carolin Spanier-Gillot and Hans Oliver Spanier, Weingut Kühling-Gillot and Weingut Battenfeld-Spanier, Rheinhessen

Picture: Bettina Bürklin-von Guradze

Picture: Tobias Knewitz

Picture: Florian Lauer

Picture: Achim von Oethinger and Christian Schiller

Picture: H.O. Spanier and Tim Fröhlich

Picture: Hansjörg and Matthias Aldinger with Joel B. Payne

Earlier Years

Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2017 Awards
Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2016 Awards: The Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany
Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015 Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany
Best German Wines and Winemakers: Gault Millau Awards – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2014
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

schiller-wine: Related Postings

One of the Bio-dynamic Stars in Germany: Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn in Östrich, Winkel – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wine Tasting at Weingut Kühling-Gillot in Bodenheim: Kühling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Tour and Tasting at Weingut von Oetinger, Rheingau, with Achim von Oetinger – Germany-North 2016 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine Tasting at Weingut Friedrich Becker – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Tasting and Tour with the Pinot Noir Legend Paul Fürst, Weingut Rudolf Fürst in Bürgstadt, Franken – Germany-East Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Lunch, Tasting and Vineyard Walk at Weingut Van Volxem with Owner Roman Niewodniczanski – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)