Thursday, January 16, 2025

Ahr: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2025

 

 
The Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2025 was released recently, presenting Vinum's choice of Germany’s best 1,000 wine producers and reviewing more than 10,500 wines on 1,080 pages. 
 
5 out of 5 stars („world class“) was awarded to 26 estates. In addition, there are 36 estates with 4.5 stars, and 77 estates with 4 stars.
 

Top Winemakers in the Ahr 

In the Ahr region, there is no producer in the 5/5 star group of the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024, 2 producers are in the 4.5/5 star group and 4 in the 4/5 star group. 

Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, and I have met both of the producers in the 4.5/5 winemakers group and one producer of the 4/5 winemakers group at various occasions over the past years, often at their estate during a Germany wine tour by ombiasy WineTours, which is owned and run by Annette Schiller and based in Washington DC, USA.

Ahr

(London Wine Competition)

Located in the valley of the river Ahr (a tributary of the Rhine river), Ahr is one of the smallest of Germany’s 13 wine regions. It is located within the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate and is the world’s northernmost wine region with red wine grape production. The region is known particularly for its Pinot Noir (known in Germany as Spatburgunder) wines, as well as its Portugieser and Riesling wines.

Compared to the Pinot Noir wines of Burgundy, Ahr’s red wines are much paler in color and have a much higher oak-dominated flavor. Until the 1980s, wines from Ahr were lighter in color (almost resembling a Rosé) and were sweeter.

While these Pinot Noir wines might not be as dark and rich-bodied as those from France, they are very much in demand within Germany. This is because Germany has a very limited production of red wine grapes such as Pinot Noir, and there is a high domestic demand for them, leaving little availability for export.

Ahr is unique among German wine regions for its red wine production. In fact, red grape varietals account for 86 percent of all wines produced in Ahr. The region’s unique micro-climate, which is warm and Mediterranean in nature, accounts for the ability of red wine grapes to thrive.

The history of winemaking in Ahr traces back to the ancient Roman period when the narrow Ahr river valley became a place to grow red wine grapes. Despite its northern location, the relatively warm micro-climate encouraged wine production.

Visiting Ahr Producers

Meyer-Näkel (4.5 Stars)

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

Jean Stodden (4.5 Stars)

Pictures: Tasting with Alexander Stodden, Weingut Jean Stodden, Ahr. See: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Jean Stodden, Ahr, with Alexander Stodden - Germany-North Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours

Adeneuer (4 stars)

Picture: Annette Schiller and Marc Adeneuer, Weingut Adeneuer. See: Wine Tasting at Weingut J.J. Adeneuer in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Ahr, with Marc Adeneuer - Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Kreuzberg (3.5 Stars) 

Picture: Tasting at Weingut H.J. Kreuzberg in Dernau, Ahr, with Ludwig Kreuzberg and Frank Josten – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016

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