Government Owned and Run Wineries in Germany - Staatsweingut Weinsberg in Wuerttemberg

Picture: At Staatsweingut Weinsberg

In Germany, the Government owns and runs a number of wineries, including several very large wineries. Germany is a federal state with 3 levels of government: federal, state and local. At the federal level, there is no government ownership in the wine industry, but there is extensive involvement at the state level. In addition, there is government ownership at the local level.

At the state level, there are 2 kinds of involvements. First, there are wine estates that are government owned, but operate like private wineries. There are five such wine estates in Germany and all of them are large. Second, there are government wine estates that produce and sell wine, but also fulfill other functions, notably research and education. The second group I understand is treated like government departments and is accounted for in the national accounts in the government sector.

This posting profiles Staatsweingut Weinsberg. In an earlier posting, I provided an overview about the role of government in the wine industry in Germany; I will quickly summarize my main findings here.

See:
The Role of Government - Government Owned Wineries in Germany

Weinrallye # 67: Politik und Wein - Politics and Wine

This posting is being published as part of the Weinrallye, a monthly blog event in Germany. Participating wine bloggers - mainly in Germany - are all releasing postings today under the same heading – Politik und Wein (Politics and Wine). Weinrallye is the brainchild of Thomas Lippert, a winemaker and wine blogger based in Heidelberg, Germany. Weinrallye #67 is organised by food blogger Astrid Paul from Arthurs Tochter Kocht (Arthur's Daughter Cooks).

Picture: Weinrallye

I am profiling a government owned and run winery in Germany - Staatsweingut Weinsberg, including a short description of the five largest government run and owned wineries in Germany. I recently visited Staatsweingut Weinsberg.

See:
Touring (and Visiting 4 Wineries in) the Württemberg Wine Region (Zabergäu), Germany

The Big Five

Here are the "big five".

Hessische Staatsweingueter Kloster Eberbach (Rheingau and Hessische Bergstrasse)

The Hessische Staatsweingueter Kloster Eberbach, owned by the State Hessen, is Germany's largest wine estate. It serves as an umbrella organization for seven individual wine estates, including 3 wine producing facilities and cellars. The total vineyard area of the 7 estates comes to more than 200 hectares, of which 85% are planted with Riesling, 10% with Pinot Noir and 5% with other varieties.

Most of the vineyard holdings of the Hessische Staatsweingueter date back to the 12th centuries, when Cistercian monks founded the famous Eberbach Abbey.

See:
In the Steinberg, Eberbach Abbey, Rheingau, Germany 

Landesweingut Kloster Pforta (Saale Unstrut)

The Landesweingut Kloster Pforta is located in Saalhäuser in the Saale-Unstrut wine-growing region and owned by the State of Sachsen-Anhalt. Its origins date back to the Pforta Abbey, founded in 1137 also by Cistercian monks. The vineyard area totals 51 hectares.

Saechsisches Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth (Sachsen)

The Saechsisches Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth is located in Radebeul in Sachsen and owned by the Federal State of Sachsen. The vineyard area totals 94 hectares. Some of the vineyards are terraced and on steep slopes, along the Elbe river.

Staatliche Hofkellerei Wuerzburg (Franken)

The Staatliche Hofkellerei Wuerzburg is located in Würzburg in the Franken wine-growing region and owned by the State of Bavaria. The Staatliche Hofkellerei Wuerzburg can look back to a long tradition. Founded in 1128, it is Germany’s oldest wine estate. Initially, it was owned by the Prince-Bishops of Wuerzburg, who were simultaneously bishops of Wuerzburg and dukes of Franken. The vineyard area totals 120 hectares. These holdings are spread over many communes.

Staatsweingut Meersburg (Baden)

The Staatsweingut Meersburg is located in Meersburg at Lake Constance and owned by the State Baden-Württemberg. From its construction in the 1750s until the bishopric was dissolved in 1803 it was the seat of the Prince-Bishop of Constance. In 1802, it passed – along with the Salem Abbey - into the hands of the Margrave von Baden during Napoleon’s secularization. The vineyard area totals 62 hectares, planted with Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Traminer and Regent.

Wine Estates as Government Departments

There are a handful or so wine estates that operate as a government department. These are wine estates that produce and sell wine, but also fulfill government functions, notably research and education. The following 4 of them are even members of the VDP association, Germany’s association of elite winemakers. Staatsweingut Weinsberg, Staatliche Weinbaudomaene Oppenheim, Forschungsanstalt Geisenheim and Staatsweingut Freiburg und Blankenhornsberg.

Staatsweingut Weinsberg

Staatsweingut Weinsberg is a department of the Government of Baden-Wuerttemberg. It is part of a school and research institute, which was initiated and planned by Immanuel August Ludwig Dornfeld (1796-1869), the father of the well known Dornfelder grape variety, and built in 1868 as the "Royal School of Viticulture" under King Charles I of Württemberg (1823-1891), the first viticultural school of Germany.

Picture: Staatsweingut Weinsberg

Today, between 30 to 50 students are at the school with the aim to become a Weinbautechniker (vocational winemaker training). This is a winemaker degree below the bachelor level. The school also trains coopers.

As for research, new grape varieties developed here include Acolon, Cabernet Dorio, Cabernet Dorsa, Cabernet Mitos, Dornfelder, Kerner, and Silcher.

Picture: The Wines of Staatsweingut Weinsberg

Staatsweingut Weinsberg has 40 hectares of vines, some of which are planted in the estate’s solely owned Weinsberger Schemelsberg and Abstatter Burg Wildeck. Riesling, Lemberger and Pinots dominate.

Pictures: In the Cellar

Managing Director of the Staatsweingut Weinsberg is Günter Bäder. Gerhard Wächter is the Winemaker. Annual production amounts to 20.000 cases. The Staatsweingut also produces sparkling wine and spirits. The Staatsweingut Weinsberg is a member of the VDP, the association of German elite winemakers.

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4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle: International Tasting Beyond Dry Riesling, USA

Picture: International Tasting - Beyond Dry Riesling, led by Tim Atkin

The world of Riesling returned to Seattle in Washington State. The attraction was the 4th Riesling Rendezvous, a gathering of Riesling producers and enthusiasts from around the world.

Riesling Rendezvous is sponsored by Chateau Ste. Michelle, the Washington State giant wine producer and Weingut Dr. Loosen, one of Germany’s top Riesling producers from the Mosel Valley. The famous Eroica Riesling from Washington State is a joint venture of Ste. Michelle and Dr. Loosen. Riesling Rendezvous is the largest international gathering of Riesling producers and enthusiasts in the world. It features three days of tasting, discussing and learning about Riesling.

The 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle featured 3 major tastings: First, the walk-around tasting at Chateau Stee Michelle in Woodinville with about 70 Riesling producers from all around the world pouring 4 to 6 wines each. See: The 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle: Impressions from the Grand Tasting at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Washington State, USA Second, the seated international blind tasting with 20 wines falling into the dry category. See: International Tasting at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA - Dry Riesling Third, the seated international blind tasting with 20 wines falling into the beyond dry category. The postings provides an account of the blind tasting of 20 beyond dry wines.

This posting is part of a series of a dozen or so postings on the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle. I have posted so far:

Austria at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA
International Tasting at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA - Dry Riesling
The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA
Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany
Photo Album: 4th Riesling Rendezvous (2013) in Seattle, Washington State, USA
The 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle: Impressions from the Grand Tasting at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Washington State, USA
The World of Riesling in Seattle - Fourth Riesling Rendezvous in Washington State, USA

Coming Up in July: 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Washington State, USA
The German Winemakers at the Forthcoming 4. Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Washington State, USA

Pictures: Picture: Helmut and Mrs. Doennhoff and others at the International Tasting - Riesling Beyond Dry

Weinrallye # 66: Raetsel im Wein/Wein im Raetsel - Mystery in a Wine/Wine in a Mystery

This posting is being published as part of the Weinrallye, a monthly blog event in Germany. Participating wine bloggers - mainly in Germany - are all releasing postings today under the heading "Raetsel im Wein/Wein im Raetsel - Mystery in a Wine/Wine in a Mystery". Weinrallye is the brainchild of Thomas Lippert, a winemaker and wine blogger based in Heidelberg, Germany. This month's wine rally is organized by Peter Zuehig (sammlerfreak).

Picture: Weinrallye

This posting provides an overview of one of the 2 major blind tastings at 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle.Blind tasting means identifying a mystery wine. Well, we all knew that we had a Riesling in the glass, but our knowledge ended there. Was it a new World Wine or an Old World Wine that we had in the glass? Oregon, Finger Lakes, Australia or Austria, Mosel, Rheinhessen? It was surprising to see how lost and wrong the panelists and all the other tasters (including myself) often where.

The Panelists

On Tuesday, July 16, the day began with another fascinating blind tasting of 20 Rieslings, this time off-dry and sweet Rieslings from around the world, moderated by London-based wine journalist Tim Atkin, a Master of Wine.

Here is how the tasting went. The tasting was orchestrated by US Wine Journalist. For each wine, he would first ask one of 6 panel members to say something about the wine. In particular, the panel expert was expected to guess where the wine might come from. Fir some wines, other panel experts also provided their opinion. Then he might turn to the tasters and ask for a show of hands, if, mostly, the wine was new world or old world. Then, the identity of the wine was revelealed and the winemaker or owner was asked to provide some comments.

In general, it was a mazing how off the panel experts sometimes were in terms of their assessment. Also, the how of hands often revealed a stark division among the 300 tasters. Overall, the new world wines held up very well with the heavy weights from Germany and Austria.

Pictures: The Panelists

International Tasting Beyond Dry Riesling

Maximin Gruenhaus (Mosel)

2011 Gruenhaeuser Abtsberg Riesling Superior
13.9 g/L RS

Bob Bertheau: white peach, orange on the nose, lots of layers, New World wine, possibly Washington State.

Carl von Schubert: fermented with natural yeast, hands-off winemaking approach, we accepted the result when the fermentation stopped.

See also:
Carl von Schubert from the Maximin Gruenhaus Estate Returned a Favor: With his Wines in Washington DC (and in Seattle), USA

Frankland Estate (Australia)

2011 SmithCullam Riesling
18 g/L RS

Marnie Old: I enjoyed the wine, acidity is the dominant factor, a bit aged, sharp herbal notes, leads me to New Zealand or Canada, but low level of alcohol leads me to the Saar.

Hunter Smith: we let it ferment wild and we stop the fermentation by cooling it down.

Flat Rock Cellars (Canada)

2012 Riesling
22 g/L RS

Bob Pailinski: Impressed by the clarity, the fruit is very good, high level of acidity, put it in the New World, perhaps Michigan.

Jay Johnston: Flat Rock Cellars farms 27 hectares of vineyard on the Niagara Peninsula region.

Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt (Mosel)

Angelo Pavan: Excellent wine, lots of complexity, very long finish, all in proportions, must be a Mosel, only Mosel can do that.

Annegret Reh-Gartner: Wine has great aging potential.

See also:
The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA 

Elesko Winery (Slovakia)

2011 Riesling "2" Semi-sweet Malorkarpatsky Region
19.5 g/L RS

Carl von Schubert: A very refreshing wine, get some raisin notes on the nose, not a European wine.

Cave Spring Cellars (Canada)

2011 Riesling CSV Estate Bottled VQA Beamsville Bench

Hunter Smith: Lovely wine, citrus notes, good acidity/sweetness balance, inclined to think that it comes from Australia or New Zealand.

Angelo Pavan: 2009 was the coldest vintage on record in Canada, definitely a wine with aging potential.

Chehalem (Oregon)

2011 Corral Creek Vineyard
21 g/L RS

Bob Bertheau: Very fruity, lovely tension of acidity and sugar, driven by acidity, crisp, Finger Lakes.

Trisaetum (Oregon)

2012 Ribbon Ridge Medium Dry Riesling
25 g/L RS

Angelo Pavan: This wine puzzles me, I got some botrytis, wine has changed over the past 30 minutes, shorter finsih now, I think it is New World, but I cannot place it, perhaps Northeast US.

Pacific Rim (Washington State)

2010 Wallula Vineyard Riesling
15 g/L RS

Bob Pauliski: Slight amount of botrytis, rather light, moderate acidity, New World, could be Finger Lakes.

Nicolas Quille, GM and Head Winemaker of Pacifc Rim, also commented.

See also:
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Oregon Pinot Gris Symposium at Oak Knoll Winery in Hillsboro

Shady Lane Cellars (Michigan)

2011 Semi-dry Riesling
24 g/L

Carl von Schubert: Very fresh wine, young, finihes quite dry, North American wine.

Anthony Road Wine Company (Finger Lakes)

2009 Martini-Rheinhardt Selection
57.15 g/L

Marnie Old: This is a party in the glass, tropical elements, pushes on and on, stylistically I would think it is a German wine, but my guess is: New Zealand.

See also:
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Ste. Chapelle Winery (Idaho)

2011 Ste. Chapelle Winery Winemaker Riesling
33.7 g/L RS

Bob Bertheau: very fresh, vers clean, some minerality, nice long finish, my guess: Mosel.

Framingham Wines (New Zealand)

2012 F-Series Riesling Spaetlese
54 g/L RS

Hunter Smith: An amzing wine, complex, a lot of exotic characteristics, could be from the Mosel/Saar.

Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Loosen

2012 Eroica Gold Riesling
75.4 g/L RS

Carl von Schubert: I feel very much at home with this wine, very elegant, very pleasant wine, a perfectly made Mosel Spaetlese.

See also:
Wine ratings: Two American/German wines - Eroica and Poet's Leap - on Top 100 Wines from Washington State list for 2009
German American Wines: (1) Pacific Rim Riesling (2) Eroica and (3) Woelffer's Schillerwein

Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan

2011 Deidesheimer Leinhoehle Riesling Spaetlese (Pfalz)
66.2 g/L

Marnie Old: Rich, opulent on the palate, so many possibilities where this wine could be from, perhaps from the Rheingau.

Gunther Hauck.

See also:
The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA 

Leitz (Rheingau)

2004 Ruedesheimer Berg Roseneck Spaetlese
82,5 g/L RS

Bob Bertheau: Wonderful texture, I enjoyed the wine very much, may be 10 years old, New World effort, not much botrytis.

See also:
Visiting Weingut Josef Leitz in Ruedesheim – Johannes Leitz is Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide 2011

Doennhoff (Nahe)

2003 Niederhaeuser Herrmannshoehle Riesling Spaetlese
75 g/L

Hunter Smith: Nicely balanced, fresh, a great wine.

Helmut Doennhoff: 2003 was the hottest vintage in my life - without botrytis.

Top 10 Riesling Producers in the World – Snooth 2012 

Fritz Haag (Mosel)

2003 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese

Angelo: Not as expressive on the nose as the prvious wine, on the palate: oh my good, good balance, this has to be an Auslese from the Mosel, will live forever.

See also:
The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA 

Chateau Ste. Michelle (Washington State)

2011 Ethos Late Harvest Riesling
238 g/L

Marnie Old: Significant jump in terms of sweetness, so decadent, we have botrytis, lovely wine, I think it is an Old World wine, maybe Austria

Sheldrake Point Winery (Finger Lakes)

2010 Riesling Icewine
283 g/L

Bob Bertheau: Stunning, honey, has some age, a wine that can last forever, has some minerality to it, guess: Rheingau

Dave Breeden.

The 20 Wines

At the end, a summary table of the 20 wines we tasted blind, was provided.

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