Impressions from the 2011 VDP Rheingau Open at Schloss Johannisberg, Germany

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Johannes Leitz, Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2011 Winemaker of the Year at Schloss Johannisberg. I visited Weingut Leitz about a year ago: Visiting Weingut Josef Leitz in Ruedesheim – Johannes Leitz is Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide 2011

Once a year, after the end of the harvest, the VDP Rheingau – the elite wine producers of the Rheingau region in Germany – invite for a tasting where the VDP members of the Rheingau region do a what they call a Jahrespraesentation (Annual Presentation).

Pictures: At the 2011 Rheingau Open VDP Annual Presentation at Schloss Johannisberg

All VDP producers of the Rheingau – in many cases the owner and/or winemaker herself/himself - were there; in addition VDP producers from Baden, Franken, Mosel and Wuerttemberg were also present. All in all, 50 producers with on average 4 wines each – 200 wines.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Christian Witte, Weingut Schloss Johannisberg. See also: VDP Vineyard Illuminations at Johannisberg Castle

The VDP

The VDP is the oldest association of wine estates in the world. In fact, it is the only one of its kind worldwide. No other country has a national organization of the top wine makers of the entire country.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Manfred Pruem, Weingut JJ Pruem. Weingut JJ Pruem was a guest from the Mosel. I met Katharina Pruem in Washington DC: JJ Pruem Goes Supermarket: Meeting Katharina Pruem and Tasting the Incredible JJ Pruem Wines at Wegmans

In 1910, four regional wine-growers’ associations joined forces to form the Verband Deutscher Naturweinversteigerer (i.e. estates that sold their “natural” [unchaptalized] wines at auction). These organizations – from the Rheingau and Rheinhessen, founded in 1897 and 1900, respectively, and their counterparts in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer and Pfalz regions, both founded in 1908 – were the forerunners of today’s VDP. At this time, fine German wines enjoyed a heyday. They were among the most expensive wines, on the tables of imperial houses as well as leading hotels and restaurants.

Picture: Paul Fuerst, Weingut Rudolf Fuerst, at Schloss Johannisberg, Germany. A guest from Franken. The 2009 Weingut Rudolf Fürst Centgrafenberg Spätburgunder Grosses Gewächs was ranked #4 overall and was #2 of the German wines at the recent Pinot Noir Tasting in London, where German wines performed very strongly: The Tim Atkin Pinot Noir Taste-Off of October 2011: Germany Versus the Rest of the World - German Red Wines Show Stong Performance

Throughout the past century, the quality-driven goals and strict standards of the VDP have played no small part in shaping the viticultural and winemaking practices in Germany. With their stringent statutes and their establishment of a German vineyard classification, the 200 members of the VDP have served as role models and justifiably can be viewed as the vanguard of the nation’s producers of top-quality wines.

Picture: Johannes Eser - Weingut Johannnishof

The Rheingau

It is remarkable: For its entire length of nearly 560 miles, the Rhine flows north with one exception – a 28-mile stretch where the river changes its course. Here, it flows to the west, thereby enabling both the river and the vineyards facing it to bask in the warmth of the sun all day long. This is the Rheingau, one of the medium-size German wine regions. It is a quietly beautiful region, rich in tradition. Queen Victoria's enthusiasm for Hochheim's wines contributed to their popularity in England, where they, and ultimately, Rhine wines in general, were referred to as Hock.

Picture: Map of the Rheingau region

The third President of the USA - and notable bon viveur - Thomas Jefferson visited the Rheingau in 1788 and wrote that the wine of the "Abbaye of Johnsberg is the best made on the Rhine without comparison … That of the year 1775 is the best." He also referred to the Rheingau’s Riesling as the "small and delicate Rhysslin which grows only from Hochheim to Rudesheim". Impressed by the quality of the Rheingau Riesling wines, he bought 100 grapevines to take back to his estate in Virginia.

Picture: Norbert Barth, Weingut Barth in Hattenheim. Weingut Barth is also a leading producer of Sekt: Barth Primus is Germany’s First Sekt Made with an Erstes Gewaechs Wine

Although the Rheingau is one of Germany’s smaller wine-growing regions, its 3,100 ha (7,660 acres) of vineyards are vastly diverse in their geological makeup. The soil varies from stony slate at the western part near the villages of Assmannshausen and Rudesheim to loess, sand and marl in the lower central villages of Geisenheim, Johannisberg, Winkel, Oestrich and Hattenheim. Soil reverts to stony phyllite in the higher central and eastern villages of Hallgarten, Kiedrich and Hochheim. Generally, wines from the lower slopes where the soil is heavier—sandy loam and loess—produce fuller wines, while at the higher slopes where it is more stony and slatey, the wines reflect more minerality, elegance and concentration.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Joachim and Silvia Heger, Weingut Dr. Heger, a guest from Baden. Weingut Dr. Heger is one of Germany's stars from Baden: Germany's Top Winemakers - The 2010 Wein-Plus.de Awards

The Rheingau enjoys a distinctly continental climate with cold winters and warm, but not hot, summers. The Rheingau is dominated by Riesling, accounting for 4/5 of the vineyard area. Pinot Noir accounts for 1/10 and is concentrated around Assmannshausen.

Picture: August Kesseler is the King of Pinot Noir in the Rheingau and one of the leading red wine producers in the whole country: A Pinot Noir Star: Visiting August Kesseler and his Weingut August Kesseler in Assmannshausen, Germany

The 2010 Vintage

The 2010 harvest was marked by low yields, high sugar levels and unprecedented high acidity levels. The main issue was how winemakers dealt with the acidity. Overall, the 2010s wines tend to be heavy, with good concentration.

Picture: Werner Michel from Weingut Domdechant Werner in Hochheim

What the VDP Winemakers Poured

Gunter Kuenstler and Wilhelm Weil are good examples for what the VDP winemakers poured.

Weingut Kuenstler

2010 Hochheimer Herrnberg Riesling trocken – a dry Lagenwein
2010 Hochheimer Hoelle Riesling Erstes Gewaechs – a dry grand cru
2010 Hochheimer Hoelle Riesling Beerenauslese – a noble-sweet white wine
2009 Hochheimer Reichestahl Spaetburgunder Erstes Gewaechs trocken – a red wine.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Gunter Kuenstler, Weingut Kuenstler in Hochheim. Weingut Kuenstler is one of 16 German wine producers that are ranked in the top category (5 F's) of the Feinschmecker Guide: Germany's Top 16 Winemakers - Feinschmecker WeinGuide 2011

Weingut Robert Weil

2010 Weingut Robert Weil Riesling trocken – Weil entry level wine (Gutswein)
2010 Kiedricher Graefenberg Riesling trocken Erstes Gewaechs – a dry grand cru
2010 Kiedricher Graefenberg Riesling Spaetlese – a young fruity sweet wine
2007 Kiedricher Graefenberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel – an aged fruity sweet wine

Picture: Wilhelm Weil, Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich. I visited Wilhelm Weil earlier this year: Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany and tasted with him the 2010 vintage: Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany

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In the Plane: Wining and Lunching on an Airbus 380 from Frankfurt am Main, Germany to Johannesburg, South Africa in Business Class (LH 572)

Pictures: Wining and Dining on an Airbus 380 in Business Class from Frankfurt am Main, Germany to Johannesburg, South Africa (LH 572)

This was supposed to be a night flight, leaving Frankfurt at 10:10 pm and arriving 12 hours later in the morning in Johannesburg in South Africa. But it turned out to be a day flight, leaving Frankfurt in the morning at 10:30 am and arriving in Johannesburg 12 hours later at night. The reason for the change was a combination of 2 things: a technical problem of Lufthansa with the Airbus 380 and the new curfew that has been imposed at Frankfurt International Airport. The Captain told us the next day that there was a slight problem, which however, could not be fixed in time to leave before 11:00 pm. So, the flight had to be rescheduled and my wife Annette and I spent the night at the Sheraton Hotel at Frankfurt Airport instead of in the plane and the following day in the plane instead of in Johannesburg. The lesson I have drawn: With the strict curfew at 11:00 pm at Frankfurt International Airport, it has become very risky to take flights late in the evening; you may end up in a Frankfurt hotel instead of on a flight to the place where you are heading to.

New World Wine Producer South Africa

South Africa is a New World wine country, with a long wine history. With about 100.000 hectares of land under vine, it accounts for 1.5% of the world's grape vineyards. Yearly production is around 10 million hectoliters, which puts the country among the top ten wine producing countries in the world.

I have traveled in South Africa many times in the past 3 decades, in particular during the period 1989 to 1992, when I used to live in Madagascar. The last time I went there, was about a year ago in 2011. When traveling in South Africa today, it quickly becomes evident that apartheid is resting in the dustbin of history. South Africa’s current President is the Zulu Jakob Zuma, who is mired in personal and political controversy. The Txosa Nelson Mandela, who had spent more than 25 years in prison during apartheid, was President in the 1990s and is now a revered elder called "Madiba" ("Papa"). South Africa successfully hosted the Soccer World Cup. The Soccer World Cup was hoped to provide a boost to the tourism industry; but indications are that the expected boost did not materialize, at least not fully. The gap between the haves and have-nots continues to be wide, but is narrowing and a black middle class is emerging. This, however, is not so much evident in the wine region, which continues to be dominated by the whites; Cape Town even has a white mayor. 99% of the vineyard area is in the hands of whites. The AIDS pandemic is taking a huge toll with the HIV infection rate at about 20 percent.

Over the course of the years, I have detected an increasing openness, pride and camaraderie among all the South Africans – white, colored or black, Boers or Brits; Indians, Jews, Zulus, Txosas or Vendas, I met. Nevertheless, this rainbow society with a share of 75% of blacks, has huge challenges to cope with.

The Wines

Lufthansa offered 6 wines in business, the usual mix of interesting wines.

NV Champagne Piper Heidsick Brut, France

The sparkler in Business Class was a Champagne from the renowned Champagne House Piper Heidsick. The NV Piper Heidsick presented itself with delightful aromas of roasted hazelnuts, fresh brioche, aromatic vanilla, a touch of pear and elements of citrus.



2010 Mosel Riesling aus der Steillage, Peter and Peter, Germany

A Mosel wine with a rather restrained sweetness on the palate. Fresh, crisp with a mineral character. Probably most international travelers expect a sweeter wine, when they choose a Mosel Riesling.

2009 Nord Sud Langeduedoc Viognier, Laurent Miquel, France

Long native to the Rhone valley, Viognier is grown all over the world now. Fine floral notes, combined with hints of aromatic oranges and juicy apricots.

2007 Chateau Mazails, Medoc Cru Bourgeois, France

A fine Cru Bourgeois wine with some toasty notes, good depth of flavor and an elegant tannin structure on the palate.



2008 Zweigelt and Cabernet, Freigut Thallern, Thermenregion, Austria

An excellent example of what Austria is now able to produce, a “Super Austrian” juicy New World style red wine.

2008 Syrah, Spier, South Africa

Not on the printed wine list. An extra. A tribute to the destination country. Big, juicy, full-bodied.

The Menu

The lunch was composed by Douce Steiner, owner of and Chef at the Restaurant Hirschen in Sulzburg in the Markgraeflerland region (Baden) in Germany. Douce is the daughter of Michelin starred Chef Hans-Paul Steiner and she herself is a Michelin starred Chef.

Here is what we ate.

Starter

My wife Annette and I both chose the same: Petit Four of salted Herring and Pumpernickel with Cucumber Salad. The other 2 options were (1) Pate Baden Style with Waldorf Salad and Lingonberries and (2) Leaf Salad with Chanterelles, Cherry Tomatoes and Pumkin served with Potato Dressing



Main Course

We had 3 choices and chose the following. We missed Roast Goose with Red Cabbage and Potato Dumplings

Swabian Dumplings and Caramelized Onions



Filet of Halibut in Lime Fond and Fresh Mint



Camembert, Gruyere, Blue Cheese



Mango Tart



Alternatively, we could have chosen Fruit Salad.

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The Up and Coming Premium Sparklers of Franciacorta (#EWBC), Italy

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Franciacorta Producers Maurizio Zanella, founder of the renowned Ca' del Bosco and current President of the Franciacorta Consortium, and il Mosnel's co-owner Lucia Barzano.

The 2011 European Wine Bloggers Conference (EWBC) took place in October 2011 in Brescia, Italy. Just northwest of Brescia, in the heart of Lombardy, lies the greatest sparkling wine zone of Italy and one of the best in the world – Franciacorta. There, Italy's most prestige methode traditionelle sparkling wine is produced, though this is very little known outside of the country.

Pictures: Brescia

EWBC participants had various options for getting acquainted with Franciacorta. First, there was an introductory presentation by Franciacorta producer Riccardo Ricci Curbastro and Maurizio Zanella in Brescia. This was followed by a walk around tasting of Franciacorta producers. On the same day in the evening, we split up and went to 4 different Franciacorta producers for a wine cellar tour and dinner cum tasting. Finally, the Sunday day trips included a shorter and several longer trips to Franciacorta wine producers.

The Noble Sparklers of Franciacorta – Riccardo Ricci Curbastro Presenting

Riccardo Ricci Curbastro from Ricci Curbastro provided us with a very useful introduction to the world of Franciacorta.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Riccardo Ricci Curbastro from Ricci Curbastro

Grape Varieties and Dosage

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc are the 3 grape varieties of Franciacorta. Chardonnay is the most important one, accounting for 85% in terms of plantings. Pinot Noir (10%) and Pinot Blanc (5%) follow with a sizable distance. The designations for dosage are exactly as those of Champagne: Pas dosé, or Dosage zéro, Pas opéré, or nature: maximum 2 g/l of residual sugar; Extra brut: 6 g/l; Brut: 15 g/l; Extra dry: 12–20 g/l; Sec: 17–35 g/l; Demi-sec: 33–50 g/l.

A Short History

Unlike the Champagne region, which can look back to several centuries of fame, Franciacorta’s history is very short. It started only 50 years ago, when Franco Ziliani produced a couple of thousand bottles of a sparkling wine for the Guido Berlucchi winery, which sold very well. It sold so well, that over night, the region of Franciacorta was born and the well-equipped and architecturally varied wineries we know today sprang up within a short period of time to establish the region. Franco Ziliani and Guido Berlucchi are considered to be the fathers of Franciacorta. The name Franciacorta comes from the latin Franchae Curtes, or Monastery-controlled courts that were, thanks to the power of the Church, exempt from the taxes of nearby Brescia.

Types of Franciacorta Sparklers

There are 5 main types of Franciacorta sparklers:

Franciacorta – Chardonnay and/or Pinot Nero and Pinot Bianco up to 50% of the blend. Even this regular non-vintage wines need to be aged on lees for 18 months, and then in bottle for further 7 months. Can come at different dosage levels.

Franciacorta Satén – Must be a Blanc de blancs with only the use of Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco permitted. Possibly the most approachable and unique style in Franciacorta, with lower (4.5 atmospheres of pressure instead of 6) pressure and therefore creamier feeling of bubbles. Must be aged 24 months (almost half as much again as Champagne's requirement). Always brut. Saten is a Chardonnay-dominated, creamy, soft-textured wine with fine mousse and restrained perlage.

Franciacorta Rose – Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Nero (at least 25%). Can come at different dosage levels. A Franciacorta Rose must contain at least 15% Pinot Nero.

Franciacorta Millesimato (Vintage) – At least 85% of the grapes must come from the same vintage. Aging period increases to 35 months. Can come at different dosage levels.

Franciacorta Riserva – This is a Millesimato, although it may also be a Saten or Rose. Needs to be aged on lees for 60 months, and then in bottle for further 7 months. Can come at all dosage levels.

Standards are High in Franciacorta

The Franciacorta regulations are stricter than those of Champagne, for example, in a number of areas. The lees aging is one of them. The average non-vintage Champagne is required to spend 15 months on the lees; in Franciacorta, 18 months is the minimum and 36 to 48 months is quite common. Also in terms of yields, Franciacorta producers are facing lower yield limits than their colleagues in the Champagne region.

Industry

There are about 200 producers in Franciacorta, with a total output of 13 million bottles. The total vineyard area of Franciacorta is 3000 hectares. As opposed to Champagne, there are no big Estates in Franciacorta which buy grapes from other producers. Franciacorta producers own vineyard land and grow the grapes they need for their sparkles themselves. Production of a Franciacorta producer rarely exceeds 400,000 bottles. One exception is Guido Berluccio, the largest producer, accounting for 1.5 million bottles of Franciacorta (in addition, Guido Berluccio produces 2.5 million other sparkling wine). 85% of Franciacorta is sold in the country.

Franciacorta and the Still Wines of Terre di Franciacorta

Franciacorta is not sparklers only. In the same area, still wines are also produced, both white and red, under the appellation Terre di Franciacorta (or Curtefranca). The red Terre di Franciacorta is produced with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Nebbiolo and Barbera grapes.

Meeting Maurizio Zanella

Among the many figures who have contributed to the recent success of Franciacorta's bubblies is Maurizio Zanella, founder of the renowned Ca' del Bosco and current President of the Franciacorta Consortium. I was happy to meet him at the Conference and have a chat with him.

Picture: Maurizio Zanella, founder of the renowned Ca' del Bosco and current President of the Franciacorta Consortium

In 1980, Maurizio Zanella, after having studied at the Station Œnologique de Bourgogne and at the University of Enology in Bordeaux, decided to start his own production of sparklers and soon after Ca' del Bosco's Franciacorta became an important reference point for the whole area.

Walk-around Tasting

37 Franciacorta producers exhibited at the EWBC tasting. Each table was staffed with two or three immaculately uniformed pourers. At some tables, the owners and/or winemakers were also present. Most of the producers were showcasing a brut and the Saten style, specific to the region.

Pictures: Franciacorta walk-around tasting

What was confirmed to me during the walk-around tasting was (1) that the Franciacorta producers have high ambitions and (2) that their sparklers do have what it takes to become one of the world’s leading sparkling wine regions, both in terms of their quality and the way these wines are presented.

Dinners in the Evening

In the evening, we split up and went to 4 different Franciacorta wineries by bus. There, we toured the winery and had a sit-down dinner. At each of the 8 or so tables, one wine producer was present and while we all had the same food, we would have the wines of the wine producer at the table. The dinners did not end before midnight; some of us came back only at 2:00 in the morning.

Il Mosnel

I was put on the bus to il Mosnel. In the heart of Franciacorta, in Camignone, lies the historic villa of il Mosnel with its 16th-century wine cellars and surrounding properties. In 1976 the name of the winery was changed from Azienda Agricola Barzanò Barboglio to the current il Mosnel a local dialect word, of Celtic origin, that means "heap of stones."

Pictures: il Mosnel's Giulio Barzanò (Production and Sales) and Lucia Barzanò (Marketing)

We first toured the winery with il Mosnel owner Lucia Barzano. Il Mosnel cultivates 40 hectares of vineyards, all situated around the winery “to ensure that the grapes arrive quickly in the cellar and go immediately to the presses” said Lucia. The vineyard land is mainly Franciacorta DOCG, with Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir, but also 2 hectares of Terre di Franciacorta DOC with Cabernet (Franc and Sauvignon) and Merlot.

In the cellar, Lucia explained that in 1968, il Mosnel was one of the first to produce DOC Franciacorta sparklers. Il Mosnel was also among the very first producers in the area to adopt stainless steel tanks, refrigeration facilities, and pneumatic presses.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Lucia Barzano

For dinner, I chose the table of Lucia Barzano. Directing il Mosnel today is the fifth generation of winegrowers, the children of Emanuela Barboglio. Giulio Barzanò oversees production and sales, while Lucia Barzanò directs marketing, external relations, and administration.

Chef Stefan Cerveni

At il Mesnil, we were all treated to the superb food of 1 star Michelin Chef Stefano Cerveni from due colombe.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Chef Stefan Cerveni

Franciacorta Producer Consortium's Giovanni Salvioni

I had the pleasure of sitting next to the General Manager of the Franciacorta Producer Consortium, Giovanni Salvioni. Neither the DOCG status nor the 2011 European Wine Bloggers Conference could have happened without the hard work and existence of the ‘Consorzio per la tutela del Franciacorta‘ – the Franciacorta Producer Consortium. Founded in 1980, the Consortium now has a total of 191 members belonging to the three professional categories of growers, winemakers and bottlers. In 1967, the original DOC for the region was established, eventually justifying the elevation to DOCG in 1995 – the first sparkling wine to achieve this in Italy.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with General Manager of the Franciacorta Producer Consortium, Giovanni Salvioni.

Various Tours to Franciacorta on Sunday

There were various tours to the Franciacorta zone on Sunday, which I missed (as I went to the Soave region).

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The Tim Atkin Pinot Noir Taste-Off of October 2011: Germany Versus the Rest of the World - German Red Wines Show Strong Performance

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Christoph (left) and Johannes Thoerle (right) at Winzerhof Thoerle in Saulheim, Rheinhessen, Germany. The 2008 Winzerhof Thörle Spätburgunder Hölle was ranked #3 overall and was the best German wine.

Sponsored by the German Wine Institute (Deutsches Wein Institut), Tim Atkin organized a Pinot Noir tasting in London in October 2011, at which the German wines included in the tasting performed extremely well: 7 of the top 13 wines of the 40 Pinot Noirs from around the world were German Spaetburgunder wines.

This tasting has a good chance of becoming a miles post in the ongoing process of international recognition of Germany as a producer of premium red wines.

The German Red Wine Revolution

There is a red wine revolution going on in Germany and the world increasingly starts to take note of it. Of course, given its location, the red wines of Germany tend to be not like the fruity red wines we know from warmer countries, but lean and more elegant, with a lot of finesse. 30 years ago, the share of red wine in total German wine output was not more than 10 percent; in the international wine scene, people would not talk about German red wine. But this is changing. Germany now produces red wines that can compete with the best of the world; the share of red wines in terms of production has increased to about 35 percent now in Germany and increasingly the international market takes note of what is happening in Germany.

Picture: Gerhard Stodden, Weingut Jean Stodden at the Annual Wine Presentation of the VDP Wine Makers from the Nahe, Ahr and Rheinhessen Regions in 2010 in Mainz, Germany. The 2009 Weingut Jean Stodden Alte Reben Spätburgunder was ranked #9.

Today, Germany is the third biggest producer of Pinot Noir (called Spaetburgunder in Germany), after France and the US, with more planted than Australia and New Zealand combined. However, despite being the world’s third largest producer of Pinot Noir, the country exports just over 1% of its production.

Spaetburgunder in Germany and Pinot Noir in the World

In Germany, the Pinot Noir is to red wine what the Riesling is to white wine: the cream of the crop. In the US, Pinot Noir shows great promise in Oregon and California. The reputation that gets Pinot Noir so much attention, however, is owed to the wines of the Bourgogne in France, where it has probably been cultivated since at least the 4th century (first documented, however, in the 14th century). Regardless of where it’s grown, Pinot Noir is not typically a value wine. That is so because Pinot Noir is such a delicate grape that it is difficult and expensive to grow and make into the spectacular wine it can be. It is sensitive to climate and soil, Pinot Noir needs warmth (but not intense heat) to thrive and does well in chalky soils. As the German name implies, it ripens late (spät).

Tim Atkin’s London Tast-Off of October 2011

The wine tasting, chaired by Tim Atkin, took place in London on October 28, 2011. The tasting panel was comprised of journalists (Jancis Robinson MW, Stephen Brook, Matthew Jukes, Gabriel Savage, Anthony Rose, Stephan Reinhardt and Tim Atkin MW), sommeliers (Ronan Sayburn MS, Gearoid Devaney MS, Hamish Anderson, Xavier Rousset) and wine consultants (Peter McCombie MW and Christine Parkinson).

How this all Came About

After the tasting, Tim Atkin explained in his blog how all this came about: He was in Germany earlier this year with Steffen Schindler of the German Wine Institute, visiting Pinot Noir producers. The question came up who was the third largest Pinot Noir producer in the world. Tim Atkin writes: “The answer, believe it or not, is Germany, behind France and the USA. That wasn’t the only thing that surprised me about German Pinot Noir. The other, more important thing was the impressive quality of the top wines. The words world class are over-used. But these Pinots were just that. Why don’t we see more of them in the UK, I asked the winemakers?“

He describes what followed: “Hamish Anderson, the head sommelier of The Tate and my travelling companion, came up with a suggestion. Why didn’t the German Wine Institute put on a blind tasting of German Pinots in London and pit the best of Germany against some of the world’s top Pinots? To their credit, the Germans agreed. Hamish and I went back to the Rheingau in September to blind taste nearly 400 samples with five German colleagues. After a day of hard tasting, we came up with 20 wines to represent the best of German Pinot.”

Tim Atkin: “Our next job was to come up with a list of international competitors. To reflect the balance of power in the Pinot world, we chose three each from New Zealand, California, Oregon and Australia and one from Chile, Argentina, Austria, Switzerland and South Africa. In most cases I tried to chose wineries with a track record. The exception was Oregon, where I picked one wine (Antica Terra) that really impressed me at IPNC.”

Picture: Paul Fuerst, Weingut Rudolf Fuerst, at Schloss Johannisberg, Germany. The 2009 Weingut Rudolf Fürst Centgrafenberg Spätburgunder Grosses Gewächs was ranked #4 overall and was the runner-up of the German wines.

“This left the three Burgundies. Here, producers and importers were less keen to help. What was in it for them, they wanted to know? There was also the matter of vintage. The 2008s are on the lean side (less likely to show well in a blind tasting), while the vastly superior 2009s are too young. That’s why we picked 2007, a lighter, more approachable vintage. In the end, we were given wines by OW Loeb and Flint Wines and bought a third at cost from Howard Ripley. Our three domains, all excellent, were Dujac, Hudellot-Noëllat and Fourrier.”

The Winners (including Tim Atkin’s Scores from Rounds one and two)

The group tasted the wines in five flights of eight. Based on average scores, 13 wines went through to the final round. The top 13 were then re-tasted and ranked in order of preference:

2009 Antica Terra Pinot Noir (Oregon) 95 (97)
2008 Au Bon Climat, Isabelle (California) 89 (94)
2008 Winzerhof Thörle Spätburgunder Hölle (Ger) 94 (95)
2009 Weingut Rudolf Fürst Centgrafenberg Spätburgunder Grosses Gewächs (Ger) 95 (92)
2007 Weingut Ziereisen Spätburgunder Jaspis Alte Reben (Ger) 95 (92)
2008 Weingut Gutzler Westhofener Morstein Spätburgunder Grosses Gewächs (Ger) 93 (96+)
2008 Weingut Ziereisen Spätburgunder Schulen (Ger) 93 (96)
2009 Felton Road Block 5 (New Zealand) 95 (94+)
2009 Weingut Jean Stodden Alte Reben Spätburgunder (Ger) 88 (93)
2009 Weingut Heitlinger Königsbecher Spätburgunder (Ger) 91 (92)
2007 Domaine Dujac Morey 1er Cru (Burgundy) 93 (93)
2009 Paringa Estate Pinot Noir (Australia) 90 (91)
2009 Markowitsch Reserve Pinot Noir (Austria) 94 (93)

Tim Atkin on the final result: “Germany outscored New Zealand, Australia, Burgundy, Oregon, Austria and California combined. As I’ve said, there were some other wines that deserved to be in the final enclosure, at least in my view, but it wouldn’t have changed the overall result. Many of my favorite (non-shortlisted) wines were German, too. What does this say about German Pinot Noir? Well, it proves what Hamish and I thought when we tasted some top examples earlier this year. They really are world class. If only the Germans didn’t keep most of them to themselves.”

The Other Wines Tasted (Tim Atkin’s Scores in Brackets)

Argentina

2009 Chacra Treinta y Dos (89)

Australia
2008 By Farr Tout Pres Geelong Pinot Noir (96)
2009 10 Minutes by Tractor McCutcheon Pinot Noir (88)

Chile
2008 Viña Leyda Lot 21 Pinot Noir (91)

France (Burgundy)
2007 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey- Chambertin (93)
2007 Hudellot-Noëllat Musigny 1er Cru Charmes (91)

Germany
2009 Weingut Jean Stodden Neuenahrer Sonnenberg Spätburgunder (97)
2008 Weingut Ziereisen Spätburgunder, Jaspis Alte Reben (96)
2009 Weingut Meyer-Näkel Walporzheimer Kräuterberg Spätburgunder (95)
2009 Weingut Meyer-Näkel Dernauer Pfarrwingert Spätburgunder (94)
2009 Weingut Bürgerspital Veitshöchheimer Sonnenschein Spätburgunder (92)
2008 Weingut Bernhard Huber Hecklinger Schlossberg Spätburgunder (92)
2009 Weingut Rings Freinsheim Spätburgunder (91)
2008 Weingut H. Schlumberger Altenberg "Wingerte" Spätburgunder (90)
2009 Weingut Kopp Spätburgunder (90)
2008 Weingut Stefan Meyer Rosengarten Spätburgunder (89)
2009 Kaiserstühler Winzerverein Oberrotweil eG Oberrotweiler Spätburgunder (89)
2009 Weingut Wageck Pfaffmann Spätburgunder Cuvée (88)

New Zealand
2008 Seresin Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Noir (91)
2009 Escarpment Te Rehua Pinot Noir (86)

South Africa
2009 Bouchard Finlayson Tête de Cuvée (86)

Switzerland

2008 Gantenbein Pinot Noir (92)

United States (California)
2009 Hirsch San Andreas Pinot Noir (91)
2008 Saintsbury Brown Ranch (89)

United States (Oregon)
2008 Domaine Drouhin Cuvée Laurene (95)
2008 Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir (89)

The #1 German Pinot Noir: 2008 Winzerhof Thörle Spätburgunder Hölle - Winzerhof Thoerle

The group of German wines that performed so strongly was led by a 2008 Spaetburgunder from Winzerhof Thoerle in Saulheim Rheinhessen. Rheinhessen is not a region especially known for its Pinot Noir. But when I visited Winzerhof Thoerle last year, I was already at that time very impressed by their wines, white and red. I wrote a posting under the heading “The Wines of Up and Coming Winzerhof Thoerle, Rheinhessen”.

Of course, when I heard about their sensational success at the Tim Atkin tasting I was very excited; I felt to be confirmed in my earlier judgement. Being in Frankfurt am Main, just 40 minutes from Saulheim, I paid Winzerhof Thoerle a visit to celebrate with the Thoerle family and to talk about the success.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller Tasting the 2009 Winzerhof Thörle Spätburgunder Hölle with Christoph Thoerle

A posting about this interesting afternoon with Johannes and Christoph Thoerle and their parents Rudolf and Ute is coming up on schiller-wine in due course.

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