Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Château Troplong-Mondot, Appellation Saint-Émilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Pictures: Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Château Troplong-Mondot, Appellation Saint-Émilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Château Troplong-Mondot is one of the most beautiful properties of the appellation. The handsome castle was built in 1745 and it was once part of a sizeable estate that included what today are the Château Pavie vineyards. Since the late 1920s Château Troplong-Mondot was in the hands of the Valette family. In the 1980s it was Christine Valette who managed the estate and brought the quality up to the Premier-Grand-Cru Classé level.

Christine Valette passed away in 2014 and in 2017 the property was sold to the French Insurance Company SOCR. They hired Aymeric de Gironde – then managing director at Cos d’Estournet – to become managing director and he started a complete change in the vineyards, in harvesting ideology, and in vinification techniques. The château with 92 acres under vine is one of the largest estates in the Saint-Émilion appellation and sits on the highest point -300 feet- of the plateau east of the village of Saint-Émilion. The soil consists of a deep limestone deposit under layers of thick clay soil.

Château Troplong-Mondot is undergoing a major renovation. Thus, we could not visit the winemaking facilities but instead enjoyed a wonderful vineyard walk and tasting.

Pictures: Vineyard Tour

Château Troplong Mondot/ Wine-Searcher

Wine-Searcher: Château Troplong Mondot is a producer located on the hills of Saint-Émilion, on the right bank of the Gironde in Bordeaux. Typically for the region, Merlot is the dominant grape variety. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are also used in smaller proportions.

Troplong Mondot is classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé B in the Saint-Émilion classification. This was most recently updated in 2012.

Under the previous owners, and their consultant winemaker Michel Rolland, the wine was known for its deep color, concentration and full bodied style. However in 2017 the estate was sold.

The new owners, the French Insurance group SOCR, brought in Aymeric de Gironde – formerly of Pichon Baron and Cos d'Estournel – to manage the estate, with new winemaking consultants. Many changes have been implemented.

Two neighboring vineyard parcels have been added. Six hectares (15 acres) were acquired from Clos Labarde and 4ha (10 acres) from Bellisle Mondot. Initially these will contribute to the second wine, Mondot. The pre existing vineyards cover 33 hectares (81.5 acres).

Soils are well draining limestone and clay, interspersed with chalk and flint. Troplong Mondot has a cooler climate, at a higher elevation, than most of Saint-Émillon. Under the previous owners it was one of the last to harvest grapes each year.

The fruit will now be picked earlier, and previous extraction techniques replaced by more traditional processes. The grand vin is matured in 60 percent new oak which is untoasted, to deliver a less overtly oaky style than before. Positive reports of the 2018 suggest the wine will become fresher with more mineral characters, while retaining a silky texture.

Château Troplong Mondot was established in the late 1800s when Raymond-Theodore Troplong bought and expanded the Mondot estate.

Pictures: Tasting

Aymeric de Gironde, Chief Executive Officer:

A few years ago, I came to Troplong Mondot, as a simple visitor.

I felt a unique atmosphere. I perceived this “Sense of Place” feeling, so well formulated by our Anglo-Saxon friends. A vague feeling, a soothing impression, as if this place wasn’t really quite like any other and that it was just THE right place.

Already, at the time, I felt as if I belonged here. Time has gone by. And I have come back.

Today, more than ever, Troplong Mondot reveals itself to me as a chance, a world apart, and its evocation relentlessly brings back a flood of thoughts and emotions.

This emotional dimension is specific to Troplong Mondot. It is both an inward retreat, made up of souvenirs and reflections, and an openness towards others based on sharing and empathy. It is what I would like to find here.

In the crazy era of the ephemeral and the immediate that is ours today, I invite you to take some time.

The time to invoke this “Sense of Place”, unique to Troplong Mondot. To reflect and exchange, like one would over a glass of wine. To stand tall, like Troplong Mondot on its hilltop, overlooking the view and stretching out across the horizon.

To question oneself and one’s surroundings. To challenge one’s ideas against those of others so as to find the truth.

To take a step back so as to alter our point of view and open ourselves to new perspectives.

Over a short break, whilst reading, eyes will cross to give a particular light to Troplong Mondot’s world. Each and every theme and encounter will reflect its spirit and will reveal its unique character, through the thousand facets that make up its personality. Whether deep or ephemeral, it will be a matter of encounters, discussions, interpretations and either intimate or universal reflections.

All in a way that I hope will allow emotions to emerge and that will open the doors of our world to you.

The world of Troplong Mondot.

Pictures: Massive Château Cos d’Estournel Vertical with Aymeric de Gironde, Managing Director of Cos d’Estournel, and Panos Kakaviatos at Restaurant Ripple in Washington DC

Pictures: Tour and Tasting at Château Cos d’Estournel, Appellation Saint-Estèphe, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, with Managing Director Aymeric de Gironde - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Château Troplong Mondot

Twenty-five sub-terroirs, three grape varieties and altimeters that vary over several tens of metres

The highest point of the region, culminating at 110 metres

43 hectares altogether, one of the appellation’s largest vineyards

Merlot 85% – Cabernet Sauvignon 13% – Cabernet Franc 2%

A global environment designed over time

A dozen horses that roam up and down the vineyards between March and November

Sustainable soil valuation analyses by Lydia and Claude Bourguignon, since 2007

Preservation of the biodiversity for more than 20 years thanks to the hedges, the forests and the walls that shelter the fauna

A vineyard created in 1700, a château built in 1745

A surname: that of Raymond-Théodore Troplong who shaped the identity and the configuration of the estate and that of his nephew, Edouard, who added his surname onto the existing one, thus creating Troplong Mondot.

Charismatic figures, such as Christine Valette, embodied the freedom of spirit, the determination and the elegant generosity for which the property is still renowned.

An enduring commitment towards our environment, a respectful vision that has been thoroughly conveyed season after season, to prepare the future.

The Wines

2015 Château Troplong-Mondot Mondot US$35
2011 Château Troplong-Mondot Grand Vin US$97
2006 Château Troplong-Mondot Grand Vin US$83

"The brilliant 2011 Troplong Mondot is one of the superstars of the vintage. The final blend was 89% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, and the wine tips the scales at 14.5% alcohol. Its opaque blue/purple, nearly black color is followed by aromas of blueberry liqueur interwoven with black raspberries, blackberries, licorice, camphor and forest floor. Among the most complete wines of the vintage, with no hollowness, astringency or herbaceousness, this is a tour de force in a challenging vintage. Some tannins are noticeable, but this 2011 is already approachable and should provide delicious, complex drinking over the next two decades. Bravo!" 95 points Robert Parker - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 2006 Troplong-Mondot is deep in color with minimal ageing on the rim. The bouquet is rich and generous with mulberry, Hoi Sin, orange blossom and melted tar aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, generous black pepper and graphite notes cutting through the dense black fruit, leading to an engaging, tensile, graphite and tobacco-driven finish that exerts both body and length. It still has that slight stockiness, but that is something I like. I have always found much to admire in this vintage of Troplong-Mondot and it continues to give so much pleasure. 93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (NM) (2/2017)

Pictures: The Wines

Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France (Published and Forthcoming Postings)

Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Total Immersion in Bordeaux: World Class Wines and Exquisite French Gourmet Cuisine - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics

Bordeaux - En Primeur, Negociants, Courtiers, the Quai de Chartons and the Place de Bordeaux – A Short Introduction

How Does the Negociant System in Bordeaux Work? Tour and Tasting at Millésima - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Pape-Clément, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, with Daley Brennan, Business Development Manager, Eastern USA - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

An Afternoon at Château Pape-Clément (in 2013), Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux

Dinner with a View: At Restaurant L’Estacade in Bordeaux City - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City - An Update

Schiller’s Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France - An Update

Tour and Tasting at Château Canon-La-Gaffelière, Appellation Saint-Émilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, with Proprietor Count Stephan von Neipperg - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

A Morning at Château Canon La Gaffeliere in Saint Emilion with Owner Count Stefan von Neipperg, Bordeaux

Tour and Tasting at Château Belles-Graves, Appellation Lalande de Pomerol, with Sylvain Garoste, Maître de Chai (Cellar Master) - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at Restaurant La Table de Catusseau, Bib Gourmand in the Guide Michelin, in Pomerol - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting at Château La Conseillante, Appellation Pomerol, with Technical Director Marielle Cazaux - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Château Troplong-Mondot, Appellation Saint-Émilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B - Bordeaux Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Appellation Pomerol, with Dany Rolland and General Manager Benoit Prévot

Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland, GM Benoit Prévot and Chef Frédéric Bozzo - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Touring Saint-Emilion

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Gazin, Appellation Pomerol, with Owner Nicolas de Bailliencourts

Tour and Lunch at Château Climens, Appellation Barsac-Sauternes, Première Grand Cru Classé, with Owner and Winemaker Bérénice Lurton

Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Climens, Appellation Barsac-Sauternes, Première Grand Cru Classé, with Owner/ Winemaker Bérénice Lurton and Chef Florence Camaly - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Reynier, Appellation Entre-Deux-Mers, with Owners/ Winemakers Marc Lurton and Agnès Lurton

Lunch at Restaurant La Marina in Blaye

Tour and Tasting at Château Bel-Air La Royère, Appellation Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux, with Owner/ Winemaker Corinne Loriaud

An Afternoon with Owner/Winemaker Corinne Chevrier-Loriaud at Chateau Bel Air La Royere in Blaye, Bordeaux, France

Tour and Tasting at Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm, with Oyster Farmer Ralph Doerfler

Oysters in Bordeaux: Visiting the Oyster Farmer Raphael Doerfler and his Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm in Grand Piquey/ Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France

Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret, Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Schiller's Favorite Seafood Restaurants in Arcachon and Cap Ferret (Bassin d'Arcachon/ Bordeaux)

Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret

Lunch at Pinasse Café, Cap Ferret, Bassin d'Arcachon - Bordeaux Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Blending Workshop at Château La Tour de Bessan, Appellation Margaux, Cru Bourgeois

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Blending Exercise at Château La Tour de Bessan, Margaux, Cru Bourgeois, with Owner/ Winemaker Marie-Laure Lurton - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France  

The 5 Premiers Grands Crus Chateaux en 1855 of Bordeaux, France

What is a Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois? France

Tour and Tasting at Château Lafite-Rothschild, Appellation Pauillac, 1ière Grand Cru Classé

Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet, Appellation Saint-Estèphe, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owners Basile Tesseron and Michel Tesseron

Tour and Tasting (from Barrel and Bottle) at Château Lafon-Rochet, 4ème Grand Cru Classé St-Estèphe, with Owner Basile Tesseron - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2018, France

Tour and Lunch at Château Phélan-Ségur, with General Manager Véronique Dausse and Winemaker Fabrice Bacquey

Tour and Tasting at Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron, Appellation Pauillac, 2ième Grand Cru Classé, with Technical Director Jean-René Matignon

Wine-Pairing Lunch at Château Pichon Longueville Baron in Pauillac - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017 France

Tour at Cooperage Berger & Fils with Simon Grelier, Managing Director

How a Barrel is Made: Visit of the Cooperage Berger & Fils in Vertheuil – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc

Tour and Tasting at Château Sociando Mallet, Appellation Haut-Médoc – Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France

Tour and Dinner at Château Le Reysse, Vignobles Paeffgen, Appellation Médoc, with Stefan and Heike Paeffgen

Tour, Barrel Tasting and Family Dinner with Stefan and Heike Paeffgen, Château Le Reysse and Château Lassus, Vignobles Paeffgen, Appellation Médoc - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Beychevelle, Appellation Saint-Julien, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with Philippe Blanc, Managing Director

Tour and Tasting at Château Beychevelle, Appellation Saint-Julien, 4ième Grand Cru Classé, with General Manager Philippe Blanc - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2017, France

Tour and Lunch at Château Desmirail, Appellation Margaux, 3ième Grand Cru Classé, with Owner Denis Lurton

Tour and Tasting at Château Durfort-Vivens, Appellation Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château Durfort-Vivens, Appellation Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Winery Tour and Dinner at Château Bouscaut, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, with Owner Sophie Cogombles-Lurton and her Husband Laurent Cogombles

Best German Wines and Winemakers – Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2020 Awards, Germany

Pictures: Best German Wines and Winemakers – Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2020 Awards, Germany: At Weingut Salway (Baden), Weingut Jülg (Pfalz), Weingut Bischel (Rheinhessen) and Weingut Meyer-Näkel (Ahr)

The Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2020 - one of the 5 main wine guides in Germany (along with GaultMillau, Vinum, Feinschmecker and Falstaff) - was released in November 2019 in Heidelberg.

Picture: WeinGuides Deutschland 2020 (Photo: Weingut Corvers-Kauter - Facebook)

In the Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2020, Gerhard Eichelmann presents almost 1000 winemakers and reviews more than 11000 wines. For the rating of the winemakers, he employs a system that awards a winery up to five stars, where 5 stars indicate “world class, top international producers”. There are about 2 dozens of German winemakers in this group.

Additionally, in each issue of the Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland a (1) Rising Star of the Year as well as the producers of the best collections of (2) red wines, (3) white wines, (4) noble-sweet and (5) sparkling wines are named. Further, Gerhard Eichelmann presents (6) a “Classic of the Year” Wine and (7) an Honorary Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Picture: Gerhard Eichelmann at the VDP.Grosses Gewaechs Pre-release Tasting in Wiesbaden

Best White Wine Collection: Weingut Bischel, Appenheim (Rheinhessen)

Rheinhessen
19 hectares
20% Riesling, 20% Spätburgunder, 15% Weissburgunder, 15% Grauburgunder

Weingut Bischel from Appenheim in Rheinhessen receives the Best White Wine Collection Award. Christian and Matthias Runkel have accelerated considerably in the last few years; frour years ago they were the Rising Star of the Year. And since then, they have improved further, with a great white wine collection this year, says Gerhard Eichelmann, explaining the choice of editors.

Besides stunning Riesling they produce a gorgeous Pinot-Blanc with an enchanting bouquet of flowers and vanilla, and wonderful, elegant, Pinot-Noirs. Their efforts were awarded with being asked to join the VDP. As of January 1, 2019 they are the newest member of the VDP.

Pictures. At Weingut Bischel. See: Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling

Best Red Wine Collection: Weingut Klopfer, Weinstadt-Großheppach (Württemberg)

Württemberg
11 hectares
25% Riesling, 15% Trollinger, 10% Lemberger, 8% Spätburgunder

Weingut Klopfer from Großheppach in the Remstal receives the Best Red Wine Collection Award. Wolfgang and Christoph Klopfer have steadily improved in recent years, presenting collections at a very high level. This year for the second time in a row a Lemberger of Weingut Klopfer was the highest rated Lemberger, explains Gerhard Eichelmann at the award ceremony.

Best Noble-sweet Collection: Weingut Dr. Corvers-Kauter, Oestrich-Winkel (Rheingau)

Rheingau
29 hectares
75% Riesling, 20% Spätburgunder

Weingut Dr. Corvers-Kauter in Oestrich-Winkel in the Rheingau receives the Best Noble-sweet Collection Award. In the last years, the collections of noble-sweet wines have steadily improved with the vintage 2018 collection reaching a new high, explain the editors.

Best Sekt Collection: Sektkellerei Andres & Mugler, Ruppertsberg (Pfalz)

Sektkellerei Andres & Mugler in Ruppertsberg in the Pfalz receives the Best Sekt Collection Award. Year after year, they present beautifully reliable sparkling wine collections at a very high level, and have been among the top sparkling wine producers in Germany for two decades.

Rising Star of the Year: Weingut Jülg, Schweigen-Rechtenbach (Pfalz)

Pfalz
18 hectares
40% Riesling, 35% Weissburgunder, 35% Grauburgunder

Rising Star of the Year is Weingut Jülg from Schweigen-Rechtenbach in South Palatinate. The Jülg family showed us their strongest collection so far this year, which is led by the wines of the recently introduced top category Opus-Oskar, which is dedicated to winery founder Oskar Jülg, explains the editor Jens Wagner, who is responsible for the Pfalz Region.

Pictures: At Weingut Jülg. See: Lunch, Wine Tasting and Winery Tour at Weingut Jülg in Schweigen, Pfalz with the Jülg Family – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Discovery of the Year: Winzerhof Linder, Endingen (Baden)

The Eichelmann WeinGuide has always invested a lot of time in the search for new wine talents, and this should become even more important in the future. Therefore, for the first time the Eichelmann WeinGuide contains a Discovery of the Year. Ronald Linder is a career changer. The media engineer and aspiring filmmaker took over the winery of the parents in Endingen at the beginning of the 2010s and changed radically to biodynamic farming; he is now Demeter and Ecovin certified. The wines all have a multi-layered texture, they are exciting and at the same time there is silence in the wines, explains Thomas Veigel, Baden's editor.

Klassiker des Jahres/ Classic of the Year: Kirchberg Oberrotweil Spätburgunder GG, Weingut Salwey, Oberrotweil (Baden)

Baden
41 hectares
40% Grauburgunder, 40% Spätburgunder

In addition to the wineries of the year, Gerhard Eichelmann presented the classic wine of the year, which will become part of the "Mondo Classics Library" This is a collection of the great wines of Germany. Every year a wine from a great vineyard is added. For Eichelmann, the classic wine of the year is a wine that offers high quality, shows a clear for every vintage and can be considered a classic, a prototype with regard to the grape variety and the region. This year, the choice fell on the Kirchberg vineyard in Oberrotweil in the Kaiserstuhl with a Spätburgunder Großes Gewächs of von Konrad Salwey: A fascinating wine, complex, clean and sustainable, praises Gerhard Eichelmann.

Pictures: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Salwey in Oberrotweil, Kaiserstuhl, Baden, with Benno Salwey – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Honorary Award for Lifetime Achievement: Werner Näkel, Weingut Meyer-Näkel, Dernau (Ahr)

Ahr
19 hectares
75% Spätburgunder, 15% Frühburgunder

Werner Näkel receives the Honorary Award for Lifetime Achievement this year. Werner Näkel is the most renowned winemaker in the Ahr Region, and is importantly responsible for the boom that the region has experienced over the last twenty years. When he started producing dry wines in the eighties and aging red wines in oak barrels, many people were puzzled. Today wines from the Ahr are mostly dry and aging in barrique has become the rule for top level red wines. Werner Näkel is one of the handful of winemakers to whom German wine today owes its high reputation, explains Gerhard Eichelmann at the award ceremony.

Pictures: Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Weingut Meyer-Näkel in Dernau, Ahr, with Dörte Näkel – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland

For previous years, see:

Germany's 29 Best Winemakers - Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2019
Best German Wines and Winemakers – Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2019 Awards, Germany

Germany's 28 Best Winemakers - Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2018
Best German Wines and Winemakers – Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2018 Awards, Germany

Germany's 27 Best Winemakers - Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2017
Best German Wines and Winemakers – Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2017 Awards, Germany

Germany's 28 Best Winemakers - Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2016
Best German Wines and Winemakers – Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2016 Awards, Germany

Germany's Top 27 Winemakers: 5 out of 5 Grapes - Eichelmann WeinGuide
Deutschland 2015
Best German Wines and Winemakers – Eichelmann Wine Guide Deutschland 2015 Awards, Germany

Germany’s 26 Top Winemakers - Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2014
Best German Winemakers – Eichelmann Wine Guide Deutschland 2014 Awards, Germany

Best German Wines and Winemakers – Eichelmann Wine Guide Deutschland 2013 Awards, Germany

Best German Wines - Eichelmann Wine Guide 2012 Awards, Germany

Wine ratings: German wine --- Eichelmann 2010 (Awards)

schiller-wine: Related Postings

UPCOMING Tours/ Wine Dinners/ Tastings - Annette and Christian Schiller/ ombiasyPR & WineTours/ schiller-wine, Germany, France, USA (Issued: November 1, 2019)

Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA (2019)

Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling

Lunch, Wine Tasting and Winery Tour at Weingut Jülg in Schweigen, Pfalz with the Jülg Family – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Salwey in Oberrotweil, Kaiserstuhl, Baden, with Benno Salwey – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Vineyard Walk and Tasting at Weingut Meyer-Näkel in Dernau, Ahr, with Dörte Näkel – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tour of the Marani, Qvevri Wine Tasting and Shashlik Dinner at Martali Wine, with Owners/ Winemakers Nikoloz Bitskinashvili, Nikheil Bitskinashvili and Thomas Schubaeus - Georgia Wine Tour 2019

Pictures: Tour, Tasting and Shashlik Dinner at Martali Wine, with Owners/ Winemakers Nikoloz Bitskinashvili, Nikheil Bitskinashvili and Thomas Schubaeus - Georgia Wine Tour 2019

The visit of Martali Wine, with Owners/ Winemakers Nikoloz Bitskinashvili, Nikheil Bitskinashvili, and Thomas Schubaeus was by far the most personal of all during the Georgia Wine Tour 2019 of Collegium Vini. This was due to the fact that Klaus Schubaeus, President of the Collegium Vini, is the father of Thomas Schubaeus, one of the 3 co-owners of Martali Wine.

Thomas Schubaeus is a career-changer. He grew up in Germany and finished his university studies with a Master Degree in Political Science. At university, he met his future wife, who is from Georgia. Following their graduation, they moved to Georgia, were she joined the Foreign Service and he founded with Nikoloz (son) and Nikheil (father) Bitskinashvili the Martali Wine. The Bitskinashvilis have always made wine but not at a commercial level.

There are basically 3 types of wineries in Georgia: (1) Large negociant-type producers focussing on mass production for the former Soviet Union and other countries; (2) medium-size producers focussing on what is called European-style wines in Georgia or what I would call main-steam premium wines; and (3) niche-producers that focus on high-end qvevri wines. Martali Wine belongs to the third group. 

We enjoyed a tour and tasting, followed by dinner in the courtyard of Martali Wine. Nikheil Bitskinashvili prepared tradional shashlik for us.

Pictures: Arriving at Martali Wine

Annette and I spent a week in Georgia, the small country that used to be part of the Soviet Union, located between the Black See and the Caspian See. The area is considered to be the birthplace of wine. Research indicates that wine has been made in Georgia for 8000 years. There are over 500 indigenous grape varieties in Georgia. Traditionally, wine in Georgia has been made (fermented and aged) in amphoras burried in the ground.

This was a group-tour of the Collegium Vini, an association of wine lovers in the Frankfurt/ Germany area, of which we are members. The tour was organized by GEORGIENREISEN. Co-owner Tea Totogashvili was our guide. The focus of the tour was on culture and wine.

See here for an overview posting: Georgia Wine Tour 2019: Discovering the Birthplace of Wine

Pictures: Nikoloz Bitskinashvili, Nikheil Bitskinashvili and Thomas Schubaeus

Wine in Georgia

Georgia is located in an area that is considered to be the birthplace of wine. Research indicates that wine has been made in Georgia for 8000 years. There are over 500 indigenous grape varieties in Georgia. Traditionally, wine in Georgia has been made (fermented and aged) in amphoras burried deep in the ground.

Georgia is a small, Christian country with a difficult history. In particular, it was part of the Russian Zsar's Empire. During that period the influence of French winemaking and French cuisine was important. More recently, Georgia was part of the Soviet Union. During the Soviet Union period Georgia was the chief provider of wine for the whole country.This was essentially low-cost mass wine shipped in tanks to all regions of the Soviet Union and bottled there. There was no commercial qvevri winemaking during the Soviet Union period. The commercial sector was dominated by huge stainless steel tanks to produce sweet-style wines.

After the break-up of the Soviet Union and various conflicts between Russia and Georgia, the Georgian wine sector has been adjusting to the new market conditions. The production of inexpensive, often sweet-style wines for Russia and other neighboring countries remains important.

At the same time, the amber wine revolution has discovered Georgia and Georgia has become an important player in the natural wine scene, including in New York, Berlin, London etc. But quevri wines account only for 3% of Georgia's wine exports. Still, they account for 100% of the buzz.

Tradionally, both red and white wine have been fermented and aged in quevris, burried in the ground for temperature control purposes. Basically each family in Georgia has a quevri where they make there wine in this ancient method. Typically, quevri wines are no-sulfur wines with natural yeast only. Whole-bunch fermentation is the rule. 

While the buzz is about the hard-core qvevri winemaking where the grapes are fermented with their skins, pips and stems and aged for an extensive period in a qvevri, you also find winemakers that combine the traditional Georgian approach with modern approaches like aging in barrels or fermenting in qvevris but without skins, pips and stems. In fact, there is a whole range of quevri winemaking. 

Interestingly, not once went a winemaker with us to the vineyard and we did not have one single-vineyard wine in Georgia. In general it seems that vineyard issues are on the backburner in Georgia.

Pictures: Touring the Marani (Wine Cellar)

Qvevri Wines – Different Techniques
Wine Trail Travellor, Terry Sullivan

Qvevri are earthen vessels crafted from clay, fired, coated on the inside with beeswax, often coated on the outside with cement and buried in the ground. Sizes range from one liter to thousands of liters. Compared to other winemaking vessels, qvevri are relatively inexpensive. For example, two qvevri craftsmen in Georgia charge about one dollar per liter. An oak barrel is 225 liters and if it is a French oak barrel can cost $1,000 or more. A 225 liter qvevri would cost $225 plus shipping.

Oak barrels are often used from three to five years. Qvevri are often used for hundreds of years. This ability to reuse a qvevri for centuries makes it the most economical vessel for making wine. We have visited winemakers that are still using qvevri crafted two centuries ago. We discovered that there are different winemaking protocols for making qvevri wine.

Some winemakers place whole grape clusters in the qvevri to ferment and age. The more popular practice is to press the grapes in a wood press using your feet. The grape juice and the chacha (skins, seeds and stems) are placed in the qvevri with the juice to ferment and age. Other winemakers use modern destemmer to destem the grapes and place the juice and chacha into the qvevri. Some producers add all the chacha to the qvevri while others add only a percentage of the chacha to the juice in a qvevri. Then there are a few producers that press the grapes and only add the juice to the qvevri.

Fermentation is done with the native yeasts. We asked if there were enough yeast to ferment the juice if only juice were added to a qvevri. The winemakers using this technique said the always had the juice ferment. After fermentation the techniques also vary. Some winemakers rack the wine into another qvevri without the chacha. While other winemakers seal the original qvevri letting the wine on its chacha. They usually let the wine on the chacha for six months. After which they may rack to another qvevri to help with clarification.

There isn’t one protocol that all winemakers making wine in qvevri follow. As a result, the wines will show different colors as well as aromas, tastes and tannins. A white wine made from only the juice in the qvevri will be a yellow color and probably floral and fruity with no tannins. A white wine fermented and aged on its chacha for six months will be an dark gold or amber color, have more intense aromas and tastes and have mild to bold tannins.

Consumers that want a qvevri made wine for a reason such as a white wine with bold tannins, need to know about the producer and the procedures the winemaker followed.

Pictures: Tasting at Martali Wine

Martali Wine

Thomas Schubaeus: Martali Wine was founded in 2016 by Nikoloz Bitskinashvili, his father Mikheil, and their German friend Thomas Schubaeus with the aim of producing high quality organic wines by adhering to traditional Kakhetian winemaking techniques dating back perhaps several millennia.

The company ́s name is derived from contemplations on the art of winemaking by famous 19th century nobleman, poet and politician Prince Ilia Chavchavadze, the „Father of modern Georgia“.

Pictures: Preparing Shashlik

According to Ilia, a „Martali Wine“ is a wine that is authentic, pure and produced in a traditional fashion. Based in the village of Shashiani, Gurjaani Municipality, Kakheti, our Saperavi grapes are grown on 2,3 hectares in the renowned „Papris Mindori“ microzone in the village of Akhasheni overlooking the Alazani river valley and the snowy peaks of the eastern part of the Greater Caucasus mountain range. At an elevation of 400-500 meters above sea level, this area is characterized by soil made up of loam, gravel, alluvium, a bit of limestone, sandstone, and a hot, dry climate with little to no precipitation during the summer months. Our white grape varieties are grown in Shashiani itself, at about the same elevation and on a similar type of soil.

Pictures: Shashlik Dinner at Martali Wine, with Owners/ Winemakers Nikoloz Bitskinashvili, Nikheil Bitskinashvili and Thomas Schubaeus

In our wine cellar (Marani), we are using traditional clay vessels (Kvevri) for the fermentation process, during which there is as little outside intervention as possible. The wine has full skin contact, and either half or all the branches remain in the kvevri. After fermentation, it is pumped out, and the vessels are thoroughly cleaned, before being refilled and sealed until December, when samples are taken for quality control. All our wines remain in the kvevri for at least six months. As of now we have produced 2017 Saperavi (Alc. 12,5%), 2017 Rkatsiteli (Alc. 13,4%), and 2018 Saperavi (Alc. 15,6%), as well as 2018 Mukuzani (Alc. 12,5%). Aside from degustations in our 120 year old Marani we also offer traditional Kakhetian feasts (Supra) in our family home ́s cozy yard or factory building, as well as master classes for bread baking, churchkhela-making, and preparing shashlik. We are looking forward to hosting you in Shashiani!

Bye-bye

Many thanks for a great tour, tasting and shashlik dinner at Martali Wine.

Pictures: Bye-bye

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