The 13 Top German Dry Rieslings – Feinschmecker German Riesling Cup 2009 (Vintage 2008)

The 13 Top German Dry Rieslings – The Feinschmecker German Riesling Cup 2009

The February 2010 issue of the German Food and Wine Magazine Feinschmecker presented the winners of the "Deutscher Riesling Cup 2009". The price is awarded every year by The Feinschmecker for German dry Rieslings. All wines were from the 2008 vintage. For last year's Riesling Cup, see here.

The Winners

Again, a winemaker from the Nahe region, a smaller wine region, got “Gold”: Tim Fröhlich vom Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich in Bockenau. The Jury felt that his 2008er Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling trocken "Großes Gewächs" is the best German dry Riesling des Jahrgangs 2008.

Already last year, the Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, also from the Nahe, had topped the list, followed by Weingut Hermann Dönnhoff, also from the Nahe.

The tasting took place in November 2009 and 348 wine makers had submitted their wines, ranging from simple QbA wines to Grosse Gewaechs wines. The following 13 wines made to the finals.

Deutscher Riesling Cup 2009

1. 2008 Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling QbA trocken "Großes Gewächs", Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich, Bockenau (Nahe)
2. 2008 Markgräflerland Riesling Spätlese trocken, Weingut Martin Waßmer, Bad Krozingen (Baden)
3. 2008 Dorsheimer Goldloch Riesling trocken, Weingut Joh. Bapt. Schäfer, Rümmelsheim (Nahe)
4. 2008 Meddersheimer Altenberg Riesling trocken "S", Weingut Bamberger, Meddersheim (Nahe)
5. 2008 Lieser Riesling Spätlese trocken, Weingut Schloss Lieser, Lieser (Mosel)
6. 2008 Forster Ungeheuer Riesling Spätlese trocken, Weingut Eugen Müller, Forst an der Weinstraße (Pfalz)
7. 2008 Neuweierer Schlossberg Riesling Spätlese trocken, Baden-Baden (Baden)
8. 2008 Halenberg Riesling "Großes Gewächs", Weingut Emrich- Schönleber, Monzingen (Nahe)
9. 2008 Graacher Riesling trocken, Weingut Willi Schaefer, Graach an der Mosel (Mosel)
10. 2008 Pölicher Held Riesling Spätlese trocken, Weingut Kanzlerhof, Pölich (Mosel)
11. 2008 Hattenheim Hassell Riesling Erstes Gewächs, Weingut Barth, Hattenheim (Rheingau)
12. 2008 Birkweiler Kastanienbusch Riesling "Großes Gewächs", Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz, Siebeldingen (Pfalz)
13. 2008 Lorcher Pfaffenwies Riesling Kabinett trocken, Weingut Graf von Kanitz, Lorch (Rheingau)

Nahe, Rheinhessen, Baden and Mosel

The strong showing of the Nahe region is impressive. The Nahe is a very small wine region between the Mosel in the North and Rheinhessen and the Rheingau in the South.

Rheinhessen is absent from the list this year. Rheinhessen is the largest viticultural region in Germany. Every fourth bottle of German wine comes from Rheinhessen. The high-yielder Mueller-Thurgau accounts for about 1/5 of the vineyards, and Silvaner and Dornfelder both for 1/10. Rheinhessen also has the rather dubious honor of being considered the birthplace of Liebfraumilch. At the same time, Rheinhessen is among Germany’s most interesting wine regions. A lot is happening there. This is not because of the terroir, but because of the people. There is an increasing group of young, ambitious and dynamic winemakers who want to produce and indeed do produce outstanding wine and not wines in large quantities. But none of them made it to the Riesling Cup list this year.

Baden is a surprise. It is famous for its red wines and not a well known for Rieslings. Baden is the most southerly and warmest German wine-growing area in Germany's southwestern corner, across river Rhine from Alsace. It is known for its Pinot wines - both red and white. The Pinot Noir is the most widely grown grape variety in Baden. But the white wines from Baden are also very respectable. The main wine variety grown in the Tauber valley is the Müller-Thurgau, a resilient grape which produces very notable wines with a fine bouquet and an earthy-flowery scent. The Grauburgunder also deserves mention. But this time, Baden did very well in the Riesling Cup with its rarely planted Riesling wines.

Another surprise is the Mosel region. The Mosel region is well known for producing sweet Kabinett and Spaetlese wines that are made sweet and low in alcohol by stopping the fermentation. They are very special and very popular in the American market. They have their followers in the German market. But the Mosels region can also produce excellent dry Rieslings, as this contest shows.

Grosses Gewaechs Wines

Four of the wines are Grosses Gewaechs wines. Grosses Gewaechs is supposed to indicate an exceptional dry wine, like a French Grand Cru. It is a label invented by the exclusive club of VDP winemakers for their best wines and cannot be used by the other 99% of German winemakers, who are not a member of this club. Not only for that reason is the Grosses Gewaechs label a strange animal. By law, they need to have the sugar level in the grape of a Spaetlese wine. Spaetlese wines are not allowed to be chaptalized. At the same time, Grosse Gewaechs wines are by law sold as QbA wines and thus can be chaptalized. The purpose of the chaptalization, however, is not to add sweetness to the wine, but to increase the alcohol level. As a rule, a Grosses Gewaechs wine needs to be a least Spaetlese level at harvest, but is always declassified as a QbA wine. Finally, the concept of Grosses Gewaechs excludes VDP winemakers from the Rheingau region, which went on a separate route and uses the “Erstes Gewaechs” label instead. In the Rheingau, any, and not only VDP winemakers, can produce Erstes Gewaechs wines.

Tim Froehlich from the Nahe

Tim Froehlich from Weingut Schaefer-Froehlich, 1th place, is also year’s Gault Millau winemaker of the year. Tim Frohlich took over Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich in 1995. He has impressed Gault and Millau with his dry, sweet and noble sweet white wines.


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Germany's Best Red Wines: The 2009 VINUM AWARDS

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Wine and International Women Day 2010

Picture: Deborah Brenner and Christian G.E. Schiller

International Women Day 2010 and Wine

At the occasion of the 2010 International Women Day, the Eatonville Restaurant in the U-Street Corner of Washington DC organized a wonderful wine event with wine book author and winery CEO Deborah Brenner and winemaker Lori Corcoran.

International Women Day

March 8 is International Women Day. It started as a socialist political event in the early 1900s and is now celebrated in many countries around the world. In countries with socialist roots, like China and the former Soviet Bloc countries, it is a national holiday.



Picture: A 1932 Soviet poster dedicated to the 8th of March holiday (Wikipedia). The text reads: "8th of March is the day of rebellion of the working women against kitchen slavery" and "Down with the oppression and narrow-mindedness of household work!” Originally in the USSR the holiday had a clear political character, emphasizing the role of the Soviet state in the liberation of women from their second-class-citizen status.

Eatonville Restaurant in Washington DC

Eatonville is a very important town for African-Americans in Florida, as it became the first African-American town in the US in 1887.

The Restaurant Eatonville is located in the historic U Street Corridor, where Zora Neale Hurston and fellow writer/poet Langston Hughes, both famous African-Americans, enjoyed a lively social and cultural life during the early 1920s. Zora Neale Hurston, a writer and anthropologist, was one of the brightest lights of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1930s. Hurston was considered by many to be the pre-eminent black female writer in the country.


Pictures: Eatonville Owner Andy Shallal and Guests

The Restaurant Eatonville pays homage to Hurston’s Washington DC’s connections. It is named for her childhood hometown in Florida, the setting of her most famous novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God”.

Deborah Brenner, her Winery and her Wine Book

The evening was organized around Deborah Brenner. She is the author of the book “Women of the Vine” and she is the CEO of the “Women of the Wine Cellars” winery, featuring hand-crafted, limited production wines, all made by female winemakers.

It all started with a trip to the Napa Valley and a lunch with Karen Cakebread, from Cakebread Cellars. Curiosity and her journalism education prompted Deborah Brenner to do more research on women in the winemaking business.

The idea for the book “Women of the Vine” was born, and Brenner was soon trekking to California to interview passionate winemaking women entrepreneurs. In the book, Brenner presents wide-ranging interviews with 21 women involved in the wine industry, including award-winning winemakers like Heidi Peterson Barrett and Kristin Bedair.

In the process, Brenner realized that along with the book, she could champion women in wine more directly by going into the wine business herself, so the “Women of the Vine Cellars” label was born. Women of the Vine Cellars currently comprises the following group of female winemakers: Heidi Barrett, Alison Crowe, Marketta Fourmeaux, Dorothy Schuler, Carol Shelton, and Signe Zoller.

Understandably, the excellent wines we taste were somewhat on the back-burner this evening, with the Restaurant Eatonville becoming a new intellectual center of the African-American community in the City and with so much focus on feminism with Deborah Brenner’s presence.

Here are some of “Women of the Vine Cellars” wines.

2007 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc by Marketta Fourmeaux

Tasting notes: Single Vineyard from Marketta’s mountain Estate Vineyard. Wonderful with food – fresh, floral, citrusy yet round and mouth filling. $19.00. 300 Cases Produced.

2007 Santa Barbara Chardonnay by Signe Zoller

Tasting notes: The intensity of tropical fruit, delicate oak, and citrus with a soft, succulent taste and lengthy finish is stunning due to the marine climate that keeps the vineyards cool, preserving the aromatic depth of the wine. This wine was fermented and aged in oak barrels for 10 months. $22.00. 500 Cases Produced.

Picture: Wines served at the Eatonville event

2006 Napa Valley Syrah by Heidi Peterson Barrett

Tasting notes: Deep black ruby in color with enticing aromas of rose petal, ripe plum, black cherry, and spice. Big, lush, and round in the mouth with flavors matching the aromas. Layers of earth and toast integrate. The balance is very good with good length and persistent flavors. $65.00. 224 Cases Produced.

2006 Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon by Marketta Fourmeaux

Tasting notes: This wine is a blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Malbec from Marketta’s mountain Estate Vineyard. It is elegant and flavorful. Compares to the best from Bordeaux or Napa Valley. $52.00. 224 Cases Produced.

Lori Corcoran and Her Seyval Blanc

Unrelated to the Women of the Winecellars is female Virginia winemaker Lori Corcoran of Corcoran Vineyards, who also presented a wine. Lori Corcoran is the winemaker and proprietor of Corcoran Vineyards located in Loudoun County, VA. Corcoran is boutique winery which produces around 2000 cases of wines.

Lori graduated from San Jose State University back in 1989 with a degree in Administration of Justice. Her intent was to join the FBI. Butshe got sidetracked and decided to open a winery and become a winemaker instead. When not making wine, Lori is busy raising four kids on the farm and also volunteers whatever other free time she has to numerous worthy causes.

2007 Seyval Blanc, Corcoran Vineyards, Virginia

Alcohol Content: 13%; residual sugar: 40 grams per liter; Seyval Blanc is a French hybrid grape.

Tasting notes: straw-yellow in the glass, citrus flavors and herbal characteristics on the nose, a sweet, but not overly sweet wine, flavors of fresh lemons and limes, the grape’s firm acidity balances well with the residual sugar for a tart, satisfying finish.

Corcoran Vineyards, Virginia
http://www.corcoranvineyards.com/index.htm

Hillary Clinton serves Women of the Vine Cellars Wine

The day before, a State Department reception hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton – with First Lady Michelle Obama as special guest – had featured a Merlot from Women of the Vine Cellars. The Merlot and the winery's Chardonnay were also served that evening at a Kennedy Center gala benefiting Clinton's Vital Voices Global Partnership non-profit organization.

Ntsiki Biyela is First Female Black Winemaker in South Africa

Finally, a jump over to South Africa to Ntsiki Biyela. She is the first black female winemaker in South Africa. She grew up in the small village of Ulundi, in KwaZulu-Natal, without any contact to wine. Ntsiki went to Stellenbosch University to study viticulture and enology and graduated 2 years ago. She now is in charge of the wine cellar at Stellekaya, a small winery specializing in premium red wines. In 2009, she received the South Africa Women Winemaker of the Year Award.

The Stellekaya winery is situated in the famous town of Stellenbosch. Stellekaya produces a collection of red wines that typify the Stellenbosch terroir and also meet international super-premium quality standards.

Picture: Ntsiki Biyela receiving the South Africa Women Winemaker of the Year 2009 Award

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In the Glass: Pinot Noir from France, Germany and California

When Americans Drink German Wine - What they Choose

Pictures: Piesporter Goldtroepfchen, Mosel and White House, Washington DC.

Drinking German Wine in America – The American Preferences

Phil Bernstein from Addy Bassin's MacArthur Beverages, one the great Wine Stores in Washington DC, presented his new portfolio to the Capital Chapter of the German Wine Society of America. So, you had a combination of two, American consumers who are really into German Wine and one of the best retailers in the American market.

What did we taste? The following review sheds some light on the American Taste for German wine.

Well Established Winemakers

All wines were from very well established winemakers, from the cream of the crop. All the winemakers have at least 3 Grapes Gault Millau, many had 4 and some 5 Grapes. There are about 60.000 winemakers with more than 0.5 hectares and 6.000 winemakers with more than 5 hectares of land, of which about 250 have 3 or more Grapes Gault Millau. So, we were in the 0.5% top echelon.

No Red Wines

There were no red wines on the list, although there is a red wine boom in Germany. The share of red wines in terms of production has increased from 10 percent in the 1980s to about 35 percent now in Germany. Of course, given its location, the German red wines 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, in the international scene, people would not talk about German red wine. But this has changed. Germany now produces red wines that can compete with the best of the world. The red wine boom has not yet reached the US and it is very difficult to find these wines in the US.

I tasted the other day with one of my fellow Board members Washington State wines which reminded me of the lean, elegant German red wines. He prefers, he says, the lush juice red wines from warmer regions. So I would dare to say that American lovers of white German wine will not be fans of German red wine.

Almost all Wines Were Sweet

Almost all wines were sweet wines. The structure of the portfolio of MacArthur or any other American retail wine store is very different of the structure of the portfolio of wine store in Germany. In Germany, dry wines dominate. In the US, sweet wines dominate.

No Noble-Sweet Wines

There were no noble sweet wines. What you can find a lot in the US are the German flagship wines, the noble sweet Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein, made from botrytized or frozen grapes. There is nothing you can do to prevent these wines from becoming noble-sweet. As a result of the noble rot or the freezing of the grapes, the grapes have such high sugar content at harvest, that it is impossible to make dry wines from them. They are very popular in the US and American demand is high. They account for a large share of award winning wines in the US, but do not at all play that prominent role in Germany. They are well known and appreciated, but they are not the wines, people are talking about. Of course, they are expensive and this explains why they were not included in the tasting, although they would have been much appreciated.

Kabinett and Spaetlese

All the sweet wines were at the Kabinett and Spaetlese level. At the Kabinett and Spaetlese level (as well as at the Auslese level), the sugar content of the grapes at harvest are such that if left to mother nature only, these wines would be bone dry. To produce sweet wines at these levels of sugar at the point of harvest requires an additional effort by the winemaker. There are principally two ways for making wine sweet that do not have enough sugar. First, you do not let the fermentation run its course and stop it. As a result, you get delicious sweet and low level alcohol wines. Second, you let the wine fully ferment to a normal alcohol level and then add “Suessreserve” which is sterilized juice to achieve the desired level of sweetness.

Grosses Gewaechs Wines

There were no Grosse Gewaechs Wines. These are at a minimum Spaetlese and mostly Auslese wines, bone dry, expensive, of course, and they don’t have many followers among the German Wine Society membership.

Driven by the objective to restore the prestige of Germany’s significant vineyards and to help the consumer in terms of distinguishing dry from sweet wines, the wineries that are members of the Verband der Praedikatsweingueter (VDP) introduced the concepts of Erste Lage and Grosses Gewaechs a few years ago. In a first step, all vineyards were rated and the best parcels of them were identified as Erste Lage (First Site). Second, the Grosse Gewaechs concept was introduced. A Grossese Gewaechse wine is always fully fermented and dry. Andin terms of the sugar content of the grape at harvest, it has to be at the Auslese level, although the label always just indicates QbA. This gives the winemaker the possibility to chaptalize in order to increase the alcohol content in the wine, if desirable. The Grosse Gewaechs label is thought to resemble the Grand/Premier Cru designation in neighboring France. Here and there, these wines are dry. Grosses Gewaechs refers to a top dry wine from a top vineyard. Finally, the Rheingau does not use this concept, but the concept of Erstes Gewaechs, which basically means the same.

Riesling

All the wine were Rieslings. Of course, Riesling is the king of German wine. But there are other grapes, which are popular in Germany, like Silvaner or Grauburgunder. These other white grape varieties are largely absent from the American market. American lovers of German wine go mainly for Riesling, sweet Riesling.

Mosel

The large majority of wine was from the Mosel. Mosel is well known for producing light and sweet Kabinett and Spaetlese wines that are made sweet and low in alcohol by stopping the fermentation. They are very special and very popular in the American market. They have their followers in the German market.

The Wines Tasted

This event provided an opportunity to taste the new German vintage, 2008. In the words of Terry Theise, "What's often most impressive in 2008 is the eerie perfection shown by several of the lightest wines. It's as if they're saying: We may not have gotten a lot of sugar but we got a ton of everything else." Here are the wines.

AJ Adam Riesling Kabinett, Mosel 2008 3 Grapes Gault Millau

Christmann Riesling Gimmeldingen Pfalz 2008 3 Grapes Gault Millau

Fritz Haag Braunenberger Juffer Sonnenur Mosel Spatlese 2008 5 Grapes Gault Millau

Helmut Hexamer Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Nahe Quartzit 2008 3 Grapes GM

Helmut Hexamer Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Nahe Spatlese 2008 3 Grapes Gault Millau

J Leitz Rudesheimer Klosterlay Rheingau Kabinett 2008 4 Grapes Gault Millau

JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Mosel Kabinett 2008 5 Grapes Gault Millau

Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Mosel Kabinett #2 2008 4 Grapes Gault Millau

Schafer Frohlich Bockenauer Felseneck Nahe Spatlese 2008 4 Grapes Gault Millau

Selbach Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Spatlese Mosel "Schmitt" 2008 4 Grapes Gault Millau

If you are interested in the German Wine Society, please drop me a line at: cgeschiller@gmail.com

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German Wines - The 2009 Vintage: Top Quality and Lower Quantity

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller in front of the Friedrich Schiller Statue in Mainz, Rheinhessen, Germany, in December 2009

The Managing Director of the German Wine Institute in Mainz, Monika Reule, expects exceptionally fruit-driven and full-bodied white wines that are well-balanced and powerful, and deep-colored and velvety red wines in 2009. Ms. Reule is certain that Germany's 2009 vintage will also achieve international acclaim.

Volume is down

In terms of volume, the 2009 harvest was down by 10 to 15 percent compared with 2008 and with the previous five year average. In some regions, such as the Rheingau, Mittelrhein or Nahe, the shortfall is estimated to be more than 20%. The size of the crop in Franken, though, was normal, and in the Pfalz, only relatively smaller than usual. The shortfall is due to uneven blossoming as well as the sunny, but dry, late summer weather. Severe winter frost was an additional factor in the easternmost regions, Saale-Unstrut and Sachsen, where this year's crop was only about half of that of 2008.

Wine Growing Regions

Germany’s winegrowing regions are among the most northerly in the world. That is what makes German wines so distinctive: the grapes enjoy long periods of growth in moderate summer heat, which gives the wines their renowned lightness and fruity aroma. Except for two regions in eastern Germany, all the country’s winegrowing areas are in the south and south-west, where they are subject to the mild Gulf Stream climate from the west and the dry continental climate from the east.

Red Wine Revolution

There is a red wine revolution going on in Germany. The share of red wines in terms of production has increased from 10 percent in the 1980s to about 35 percent now in Germany. Of course, given its location, the German red wines 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, in the international scene, people would not talk about German red wine. But this has changed. Germany now produces red wines that can compete with the best of the world. The red wine boom has not yet reached the US and it is very difficult to find these wines in the US.

"In addition to fabulous Rieslings and Pinot Blancs, many wine critics or enthusiasts will be surprised by the extraordinary quality of our red wines. In foreign circles, it is still a relatively well-kept secret that about one third of Germany's vineyard area is planted with red wine varietals and that Germany is the world's third largest producer of Pinot Noir," explained the German Wine Institute's managing director.

Picture: Germany's Wine Regions

Germany's Flagship Wines

The flagships of German wines are of course the noble sweet Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Icewine. There is nothing you can do to prevent these wines from becoming noble-sweet. As a result of the noble rot or the freezing of the grapes, the grapes have such high sugar content at harvest, that it is impossible to make dry wines from them.

These noble-sweet wines are produced either from botrytised grapes or grapes that were harvested during frost, more specifically, first, the fog in the autumn mornings at German river banks produces a fungal infection, botrytis cineria (noble rot), which removes the water in the grapes and adds a unique flavor to the grape; and second, the frost late in the year, which also removes the water in the grapes when the temperatures fall (but does not produce the botrytis taste).

Picture: Dr. Loosen Estate overlooking the Mosel river

In both cases, the sugar content of the grape is exceptionally high at the time of the harvest and mother nature is unable to ferment all the sugar. Thus, natural sugar remains in the wine and makes the wine sweet. These are the famous sweet dessert wines in Germany: Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Eiswein.

German Wines: Sweet and Dry

With most German wines, however, it is different. Germany being located at the northern border of wine making, the grapes are harvested with sugar content that they can be alternatively fermented in a dry, off-dry or sweet style. It is the winemaker who decides in the cellar if he or she wants to make a dry, off-dry or sweet wine, not mother nature in the vineyard. Thus, all wines ranging from Tafelwein to Auslese can be alternatively fermented as dry, off-dry or sweet wines.

There are principally two ways for making German wine sweet that does not have enough sugar. First, you do not let the fermentation run its course and stop it. As a result, you get delicious sweet and low level alcohol wines. Second, you let the wine fully ferment to a normal alcohol level and then add “Suessreserve” which is sterilized juice to achieve the desired level of sweetness.

The vintage 2009 was crowned with the rarity Eiswein, harvested in the middle of December. See a report here. And many Estates were able to harvest noble-sweet botrytised wines. See a report here.

Detailed Crop Reports by Region

Detailed crop reports for the 13 German wine regions are here.





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Austria's 17 Best Zweigelt Wines – The 2010 wein.pur List

Picture: Wine.Pur Print Issue

Austria's 17 Best Zweigelt Wines – The 2010 wein.pur List

Wein.pur is an Austrian wine journal that is published 6 times a year. The 1/2010 wein.pur issue contains an interesting list with Austria’s top Zweigelts.

Zweigelt

Zweigelt was developed in 1922, in Austria, by Fritz Zweigelt. It is a crossing of Blaufraenkisch and St. Laurent. It is now the most widely-grown red grape variety in Austria, accounting for about 6500 hectares of land. Zweigelt is said to combine some of the best qualities of its parents: winter hardiness (resistance to frost), late bud-break, and early ripening. It combines the bite and fruity character of the Blaufränkisch grape and the body of the St. Laurent. It does have a tendency to over-crop, leading to low quality if not corrected. When the crop load is high, however, the wine can be too dilute. Zweigelt is also planted in Canada and Hungary.

Red Wine Boom in Austria

At first thought one might think of Austria’s climate as being quite cool for red wine. In the Alps and the western and northern reaches of the country this tends to be true. The eastern plains that border Hungary and Slovenia, however, are a different story. Right in the heart of this region is Mittelburgenland, and this is Austria’s red wine country, with 95-percent of the vineyards planted to red wine varietals. And there is global warming changing the wine map. Yes, Austria has an international reputation for its white wines, but there has been a revolution going on in terms of red wines in recent years. In Austria, red wine now accounts for about 1/3 of the wine production.

Last year, for the first time, a red wine from Austria has earned 95 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. Moric, Blaufränkisch, Neckenmarkter Alte Reben, 2006 scooped the high ranking. This success of the Burgenland red echoed a bit the triumph of the Pinot Noir of Weingut Meyer-Näkel Dernauer Pfarrwingert Spätburgunder Grosses Gewächs 2005, from the Ahr region in Germany that won the 2008 the International Pinot Noir Trophy (Over £10) of the Decanter World Wine Awards.

Four Key Austrian Red Varieties

There are four key Austrian red varieties, although others are grown, including some ‘international’ grapes.

Zwiegelt: The most abundant red grape; makes good wines ranging from simple cherry fruit gluggers to more substantial reds destined for ageing.

Blaufränkisch: Common in Burgenland this makes spicy, sturdy, berry fruited reds which can have some tannic structure. Probably Austria’s best red grape.

Blauer Portugieser: This red grape makes soft, approachable, juicy wines mainly for early consumption. The most widely planted red grape but not for top quality wines.

St Laurent: Makes soft, slight herby, expressive reds; it’s a bit like Pinot Noir.

Wein.pur Classification

Wein.pur uses a scale of 1 to 5 Glasses to assess a wine. None of the Zweigelts were in the top 5 glasses category. Some, however, were in the 4 Glasses category, which you find below. Wein.pur grouped the wines according to regions and then distinguished, if the wine was traditionally aged in a large wood cask or stainless steel tank or if it was aged in a (small) barrique barrel.

Picture: Map of Austria with Wine Regions

The Websites of all winners can be found here.
www.weinpur.at/adressen

Austria's 17 Best Zweigelt Wines

The prices are in Euro, ex winery. The current exchange rates are
0.88BP = 1Euro = 1.35US$ = 121JPY.

Neusiedlersee , 1788 hectares, 19% Zweigelt

Traditional Aging

2005 Reserve Privatkellerei Christian and Raimond Burda, Gols, Euro 6

2008 Edelgrund, Andreas und Christine Wendelin, Gols, Euro 9

Barrique Aging

2006 Bonum Alte Reben, Berntahler and Bernthaler, Gols, Euro 9,90

2008 Zweigelt Classic, Muenzenrieder, Apetlon, Euro 5.80

Neusiedlersee – Huegelland, 377 hectares, 9% Zweigelt

Traditional Aging

2007 Foelligberg, Wein und Schnaps Mariell, Grosshoeflein, Euro 7,90

Barrique Aging

2007 Zweigelt and More, Feiler-Artinger, Rust, Euro 19

Mittel- und Suedburgenland
Mittelburgenland, 430 hectares, 19% Zweigelt
Suedburgenland, 33 hectares, 6% Zweigelt

Traditional Aging

2008 Satz, J. und M. Reumann, Deutschkreutz, Euro 7

Barrique Aging

2006 Zweigelt Barrique, Familie Hundsdorfer, Neckenmarkt, Euro 12

Carnuntum and Thermenregion
Carnuntum, 218 hectares, 21% Zweigelt
Thermenregion, 258 hectares, 10% Zweigelt

Traditional Aging

2008 Zweigelt/Carbenet, Weingut Aumann, Trbuswinkel, Euro 7,40

2006 Zweigelt Grimling, Robert Grill, Gumpoldskirchen, Euro 19

Barrique Aging

2007 Best of Zweigelt, Landauer-Gisperg, Tattendorf, Euro 15

2008 Rubin Carnuntum Kraeften, Franz Taferner, Goettebrunn, Euro 10,50

Donauregion
Wachau, 102 hectares, 7% Zweigelt
Kremstal, 278 hectares, 12% Zweigelt
Kamptal, 514 hectares, 13% Zweigelt
Traisental, 59 hectares, 8% Zweigelt
Wagram, 319 hectares, 11% Zweigelt
Wien, 44 hectares, 6% Zweigelt

Traditonal Aging

Barrique Aging

2006 Zweigelt Privat, Thomas Leithner, Langenlois, Euro 12,90

Weinviertel, 1986 hectares, 10% Zweigelt

Traditional Aging

Barrique Aging

2007 Reserve, Christoph Bauer, Jetzelsdorf, Euro 9,50

2006 Reserve, Christoph Bauer, Jetzelsdorf, Euro 9,50

Steierland
Suedsteiermark, 199 hectares, 11% Zweigelt
Suedoststeiermark, 210 hectares, 16 % Zeigelt
Weststeiermark, 18 hectares, 4% Zweigelt

Traditonal Aging

Barrique Aging

2006 Eruption Rot, Ploder–Rosenberg, St. Peter am Ottersbach, Euro 15

2007 Olivin, Winkler-Hermaden, Karpfenstein, Euro 15,60





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Pio Boffa and the Wines of Pio Cesare, Piedmont, Italy

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Pio Boffa in Washington DC


Pio Boffa and the Wines of Pio Cesare, Piedmont, Italy

Pio Boffa, owner of the famous Pio Cesare Estate in the Piedmont region, came to Washington DC to introduce us to his outstanding wines.

Piedmont

The province of Piedmont is in the northwestern corner of Italy, located in the foothills of the Alps forming its border with France and Switzerland. The most well known wines from the region are Barolo and Barbaresco. They are made from the Nebbiolo grape. While Turin is the capital of the Piedmont, Alba and Asti are at the heart of the region's wine industry.

Although the winemaking regions of the Piedmont and Bordeaux are very close in latitude, only the summertime temperatures are similar: the Piedmont wine region has a colder, continental winter climate, and significantly lower rainfall due to the rain shadow effect of the Alps. Vineyards are typically planted on hillsides. The warmer south facing slopes are mainly used for Nebbiolo or Barbera while the cooler sites are planted with Dolcetto or Moscato.

In the past, Barolos used to be very tannic, and they needed a lot of time to soften up. This was so because fermenting wine sat on the grape skins for at least three weeks, extracting huge amounts of tannins; then it was aged in large, wooden casks for years. In order to meet the international taste, which preferred fruitier, more accessible styles, the "modernists" cut fermentation times to a maximum of ten days and put the wine in new French barriques. The results, said “traditionalists", were wines that weren't even recognizable as Barolo and tasted more of new oak than of wine. The controversies between traditionalists and modernists have been called the "Barolo wars".

The standard grape used in Barolo is Nebbiolo. Yield is regulated – there are limits for the yield per hectar. The Barbera grape is the most widely planted variety in all of the Piedmont and makes a juicy, muscular red wine that is not as tannic as the Nebbiolo-based Barolo and Barbaresco. The wines have a sense of spiciness to them with little acid and tannins. They are able to be drunk relatively young and tend to be the every day drinking wines of the Piedmontese.

Pio Cesare

For five generations, the Pio Cesare family has now been producing Piemontese wines in its ancient cellars, located in the center of the town of Alba. The cellars walls date back to the Roman Empire period. Recently, significant investments have been made to rebuild and restructure the cellars and the winery's facilities.

Pio Cesare ownes more than 50 hectares of vineyards. In addition, Pio Cesare has fostered long term relationships with growers and manages all aspects of viticultures in these vineyards. These growers have been selling grapes to the family for generations.

The name of this estate is derived from the name of its founder, Cesare Pio, who set up this now long established family business in 1881. It remains in the family, with Pio Boffa, the great grandson of the founder and our host at the tasting, at the helm.

The Wines

We tasted

2008 Arneis

Grape variety: 100% Arneis
Vineyards: Sourced from very select vineyards in the hills of Barolo and Barbaresco.
Vinification: Fermentation takes place at low temperature in stainless steel with extensive lees contact.
Ageing: In stainless steel until bottling in March after the harvest.
Tasting Notes: light yellow in the glass, spices on the nose with hints of licorice and stony minerals, slightly aromatic with notes of pears and apricots on the palate, a round wine.

2008 Chardonnay Piodilei

Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Vineyards: A single vineyard barrel fermented Chardonnay from the very first Pio Cesare Chardonnay vineyard, planted in 1980, at the "Il Bricco" Estate in Treiso, in the Barbaresco area.
Vinification: Low yields. Fully ripened grapes, late harvested. Fermentation on the lees in new French oak barrels.
Ageing: 10 months on the lees in French oak barrels. Six months of bottle age prior to release.
Tasting Notes: light yellow in the glass, buttery-lemony oak-influenced nose with a wave of spices, continuing on the palate, coupled with warm and ripe fruit, long finish, an out-of-the box Italian wine.

2006 Barbera Fides

Grape variety: 100% Barbera
Vineyards: A single vineyard Barbera from the Pio Cesare’s "Colombaro" vineyard near the famous Ornato Estate in Serralunga d'Alba. Fides is the Latin word for trust and faith. A true act of faith and trust was made by the Pio Family when, instead of Nebbiolo, Barbera was planted in a vineyard, where a great Barolo could have been produced instead.
Vinification: Fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Skin contact for about 10 days.
Ageing: Right after the drawing off, the wine rests 20 months in medium toasted French oak casks: 80% in barriques and 20% in 20hl casks.
Tasting Notes: ruby red in the glass, thick legs, black cherry and cinnamon on the nose with floral and chalky notes, full bodied wine with structure depth and full concentration, a sumptuous wine.

2008 Dolcetto d’Alba

Grape variety: 100% Dolcetto
Vineyards: Sourced from family-owned vineyards in Serralunga d’Alba (The Ornato Estate), in Grinzane Cavour (Cascina Gustava) in Treiso (Il Bricco Estate) and from vineyards belonging to historical suppliers.
Vinification: Stainless steel fermentation at rather cool temperature.
Ageing: In stainless steel tanks until bottling, which is usually in March following the harvest.
Tasting Notes: purple-red in the glass, a bit like a Beaujolais, the nose offers aromas of rose petal tobacco and roasted fruits, lovely balance on the palate, which has spicy fruit, with a leathery edge, firm, tingling acidity keeps the wine fresh, a round wine.

2005 Barolo

Grape variety: 100% Nebbiolo
Vineyards: There are two Pio Cesare Barolo cuvees: a single vineyard wine, Barolo Ornato, from a family-owned site near Serralunga d’Alba. First produced in 1985, this cuvée is only released when the quality of the harvest is exceptionally high. This site is also a source of fruit for the straight Barolo cuvée, together with Castigion Falletto and Monforte.
Vinification: In stainless steel tanks. Skin contact for about 20 days.
Ageing: In mid toasted French oak for 3 years: 70% in 20 to 50 hectoliters casks; 30% in barriques.
Tasting Notes: A classic Barolo, ruby red in the glass with thick legs, eucalyptus, leather and mint with plum on the nose, full bodied wine with exotic aromas with tar, roses and white truffles on the palate, the tannins of the wine add texture and serve to balance, a wine with a long aging potential.

2004 Barbaresco Il Bricco

Grape variety: 100% Nebbiolo
Vineyards: There are two Barbaresco cuvées; a single vineyard wine Il Bricco, from a site near Treiso. Like the Barolo Ornato this wine is released only in the better vintages, with the first release being 1990. Fruit not used for Il Bricco is blended in the straight Barbaresco, together with that from near Barbaresco itself and San Rocco Sen d’Elvio.
Vinification: Fermented in stainless steel tanks; 15 days of skin contact.
Ageing: This wine ages in French oak for 30 months. 70% of it in new barriques and 30% in a 20 hectoliters casks.
Tasting Notes: ruby red in the glass, black cherry, strawberry and raspberry notes on the nose, powerful and structured, opulent and spice, a full-bodied wine, lots of tannin on the palate, with a leathery edge, mouth drying, will clearly improve with aging, drink again in 10 years

The tasting took place at the Teatro Goldoni on K-Street in Washington DC. Exceptional cuisine is the underlying theme that drives this restaurant, and Executive Chef, Enza Fargionae, had indeed prepared an outstanding dinner to go with the Pio Cesare wines. This extremely innovative dinner was in my view at the 3 star Michelin level.

Teatro Goldoni
Washington DC

Pio Cesare Aziendo Agricola, 12051 Alba
Telephone: +39 0173 440 386
Fax: +39 0173 363680
Internet: www.piocesare.it

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Germany's 15 Top Winemakers - The Feinschmecker WeinGuide 2010

Picture: Gunter Kuenstler with Christian G.E. and Annette Schiller

The Feinschmecker Wine Guide includes the 800 top winemakers of Germany. To put the Feinschmecker selection of the top 800 winemakers of Germany into perspective, the German wine industry consists of many small wine producers, totaling about 70.000. If you exclude the about 40.000 operators of less than 0.5 hectare who should probably be classified as hobby winemakers, you are down to 30.000 wine makers.

Then, it gets a bit complicated. Many smaller winemakers do not pursue wine making as a full-time occupation, but rather as a supplement to other agriculture or to hospitality. It is not uncommon that a small family-owned tavern or restaurant has its own wine. If we move up to a minimum of 5 hectares, we get down to about 6.000 wineries, accounting for about 60 percent of Germany's total vineyard surface, and it is in this category that the full-time winemakers are primarily found. However, truly large wineries, in terms of their own vineyard holdings, are rare in Germany. Hardly any German wineries reach the size of New World wine making companies.

The Feinschmecker uses a scale of 1 to 5 F’s. The Feinschmecker Wine Guide has the reputation of being very conservative. It takes a while, until new comers are recognized and it takes a while until well established and highly rated wine makers that slow down are downgraded. Eichelmann and Gault Millau Wine Guide are much more flexible.

Here are those winemakers that got in the 2010 Feinschmecker's Wine Guide the maximum number of 5 F’s, grouped by wine region. I have indicated their size in terms of hectares, the rating in the Gault Millau 2010 Wine Guide (ranging from 1 to 5 Grapes) and their web site.

Ahr

None

Baden

None (In the Gault Millau, Bernhard Huber is a 5 Grapes winemaker; in the Feinschmecker ranking, he is not in the top category and has 4 F’s).

Franken

Rudolf Fuerst

4 Grapes Gault Millau (Gault Millau has no 5 Grapes winemaker in Franken)

17.6 hectares

www.weingut-rudolf-fuerst.de

Rudolf Fuerst has reputation of being a specialist for red wines, Spaetburgunder and Fruehburgunder, but about half of the production is white wine.

Horst Sauer

4 Grapes Gault Millau

15.1 hectares

www.weingut-horst-sauer.de

Horst Sauer is well known for his noble-sweet wines, but he also produces top dry wines. His 2008 Grosses Gewaechs Silvaner and Grosses Gewaechs Riesling wines are outstanding.

Hessische Bergstrasse

None

Mittelrhein

None

Picture: Germany's Wine Regions

Mosel

Fritz Haag

5 Grapes Gault Millau (the other 2 winemakers in the Mosel region in the 5 Grapes category are Egon Mueller and J.J. Pruem)

14 hectares

www.weingut-fritz-haag.de

Fritz’s son Oliver Haag is producing world class wines in the dry, sweet and noble-sweet categories.

Kartaeuserhof

3 Grapes Gault Millau (downgraded from 4 Grapes to 3 Grapes in 2010)

19 hectares

www.kartaeuserhof.com

A wine estate in the Ruwer valley, with a long tradition and an exciting history. Has been downgraded to 3 Grapes by Gault and Millau.

Dr. Loosen

18 hectares

4 Grapes Gault Millau (lost one Grape in 2010)

www.drloosen.de

Run and owned by one of the most entrepreneurial German winemakers, Ernst Loosen, who is very active in the world wine industry; he makes the famous Eroica in Washington State and imports the hugely popular Dr. L into the American market, a wine completely unheard of in Germany.

Egon Mueller

12 hectares

5 Grapes Gault Millau

www.scharzhof.de

Egon Mueller’s sweet and noble sweet low alcohol wines are a legend.

Joh. Jos. Pruem

22 hectares

5 Grapes Gault Millau

For decades now, one of the really exceptional wine makers in Germany.

Sankt Urbans Hof

32 hectares

4 Grapes Gault Millau

www.urbanshof.com

A rather young wine estate that was established about 50 years ago. It is now owned and run by Nik Weis.

C.v. Schubert’sche Schlosskellerei

31 hectares

3 Grapes Gault and Millau

www.vonSchubert.de

One of the wine makers where there is a significant discrepancy between the Feinschmecker and Gault Millau. A rather large wine estate in the Ruwer valley.

Nahe

Herrmann Doenhoff

20 hectares

Along with Emrich-Schoenleber, one of the two 5 Grapes Gault and Millau winemaker in the Nahe region.

20 hectares

www.doenhoff.com

A leading producer of Riesling wines, including noble-sweet wines. A Grand Seigneur of German wine.

Pfalz

Knipser

A world class producer of both dry white and red wines. Knipser has been experimenting with international red grape varieties for some years. For the Gault and Millau, however, Oekonomierat Rebholz is the leading producer in the Pfalz with 5 Grapes; Knipser is only in the 4 Grapes group.

40 hectares

www.weingut-knipser.de


Rheingau

Franz Kuenstler

Robert Weil is the only 5 Gault Millau Grapes wine maker in the Rheingau. Franz Kuenstler is among the several 3 Gault Millau Grapes winemakers.

30 hectares

www.weingut-kuenstler.de

Another winemaker, where the Feinschmecker and Gault Millau can not agree. The estate is currently run by Gunter Kuenstler and was founded by Franz Kuenstler after the Second World War.

Robert Weil

5 Gault Millau Grapes

75 hectares, by far the largest winery among the Feinschmecker top wine makers

www.weingut-robert-weil.de

A winery with a long tradition, now owned by Wilhelm Weil and the Japanese Suntory company. A top producer of Riesling wines, which is well presented in the major wine markets in the world.

Rheinhessen

Keller

5 Grapes Gault and Millau

15 hectares

www.keller-wein.de

With Wittmann, leader of the Rheinhessen renaissance. Has a broad wine portfolio with 60 % accounted for by Riesling and also including the lesser known autochthon Silvaner as well as Spaetburgunder

Wittmann

4 Grapes Gault and Millau

25 hectares

www.wittmannweingut.de

Since 2003 only biodynamic wine growing. A broad portfolio with 60% Riesling and also Silvaner and Spaetburgunder. Known for his outstanding dry wines. With Dr. Loosen on the 2009 Wine Spectator Top 100 List.

Saale-Unstrut

None

Sachsen

None

Wuerttemberg

None


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The Wines Served at the Oscar Awards 2010

Picture: Winners of the 2010 Oscar Awards, Catherine Bigolow, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Bridges and Christoph Waltz (Photo - Bild Zeitung)

The 82nd Academy Awards were held on March 7, 2010 at the Kodak Theater in Los Angelos. The event was hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.

The first Oscar went to Christoph Waltz who took home the award for best supporting actor for his portrayal of a sociable Nazi friend in Inglourious Basterds. The Oscar for supporting actress went to the well deserved Mo'Nique for her amazing job as an abusive welfare mom in Precious. Sandra Bullock picked up the Oscar for Best Actress in a leading role for Blind Side. Catherine Bigolow was the first women ever to win the Oscar as best director. Here are all the winners.

1. Best Picture –Hurt Locker
2. Best Director – Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
3. Best Actor – Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
4. Best Actress – Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
5. Best Supporting Actor – Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)
6. Best Supporting Actress – Mo’Nique “Precious”
7. Best Original Screenplay – Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker)
8. Best Adapted Screenplay – Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious
9. Best Animated Feature – Up
10. Best Foreign Language Film – El Secreto do Sus Ojos (Argentina)
11. Best Documentary Feature – The Cove
12. Best Score – Up
13. Best Original Song – “The Weary Kind” (Crazy Heart) – Ryan Bingham and T-Bone Burnett
14. Best Film Editing – The Hurt Locker
15. Best Cinematography – Avatar
16. Best Costume Design – The Young Victoria
17. Best Art Direction – Avatar
18. Best Makeup – Star Trek
19. Best Visual Effects – Avatar
20. Best Documentary (Short Subject) – Music by Prudence
21. Best Short Film (Animated) – Logorama
22. Best Short Film (Live Action) – The New Tenants
23. Best Sound Editing – The Hurt Locker
24. Best Sound Mixing – The Hurt Locker

Following the ceremony, the nominees and the 1500 guests were invited to the Annual Academy Awards Governors Ball. Here is - in short - what they drank and ate.

Red and White Wine

As in the years before, Sterling Vineyards, the reliable producer from Napa Valley, had crafted two wines exclusively for Oscar night festivities. A few hundred cases of the Gold Standard Reserve Chardonnay and Red Carpet Reserve Cabernet are produced for this party only.

Sparkling Wine

Founded in 1812, Laurent-Perrier is one of the finest Champagne Houses in France. Over 500 bottles of the Grand Siecle Champagne were consumed last night.

Food

The wines were poured to pair with a menu created by Austrian Super-Chef Wolfgang Puck, as in the years before.



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New Red Grape Variety in Germany - 2009 Best Regent Award

Picture: 2009 Best Regent Award, Berlin, with State Secretary Kloeckner and the Winners

Best Regent Award

Ever drunk a Regent? Probably not, at least not outside of Germany. Regent is a new, red grape variety which is making a lot of noise. This is so because it is highly resistant against the most significant fungal diseases which affect grapes. Chemical plant protection treatments can be cut back considerably. Regent now accounts for 2 percent of Germany wine production.

Reflecting the increased importance of Regent, a Best Regent Award has been created in Germany. The 2009 Best Regent Wine Producer Awards went to the following winemakers.

Best Regent Producers 2009

Small Estates (less than 20 hectares)

Weingut Bungert-Mauer, Bergstr. 24, 55437 Ockenheim
www.bu-ma.de
Ockenheimer Laberstall 2003 (Barrique), QbA trocken
Ockenheimer Laberstall 2008, QbA trocken

Large Estates (more than 20 hectares)

Weingut Ernst Bretz, Langgasse 35, 55234 Bechtolsheim
www.weingutbretz.de
Jahrgang 2005, QbA trocken
Jahrgang 2007, QbA trocken

Wine Co-operatives

Winzergemeinschaft Franken eG (GWF), Alte Reichssstr. 70, 97318 Kitzingen
www.gwf-frankenwein.de
Wertheimer Tauberklinge 2007, QbA trocken, Barrique
Wertheimer Tauberklinge 2006, QbA trocken
Der Weinschmecker Regent 2006, QbA halbtrocken

The Regent Grape

Regent is a dark-skinned inter-specific hybrid grape variety. It has both European (Vitis vinifera) and American vine species in its pedigree and a broad resistance against the most significant fungal diseases which affect grapes, such as downy mildew.

Regent was created in 1967 by Professor Gerhardt Alleweldt at the Geilweilerhof Institute for Grape Breeding by crossing Diana, a Silvaner x Müller-Thurgau cross and thus a Vitis vinifera variety, with the interspecific hybrid Chambourcin. Experimental plantings followed in 1985, and it received varietal protection in 1994 and was released for cultivation in the first German region in 1996. It is at present among the most important new fungal-resistant quality grape variety world-wide, especially in German wine regions.

Regent wines are colour intensive red wines with moderate acidity, can have rather much tannin and show aromas of cherries or blackcurrants. The wines often reaches high alcohol levels since Regent tends to reach high must weights that exceed even that of Pinot Noir. It is an early maturing grape variety. Regent grapes have very interesting quality characteristics like high amounts of anthocyanin in the berry skin and fruity aroma compounds combined with tannins. This predestines to produce excellent full bodied wines reminiscent of red wines of Mediterranean origin.

The cultivated area in Germany was 2,183 hectares (5,390 acres) in 2006, with an increasing trend. This made it Germany's 12th most cultivated variety, and the most cultivated hybrid grape variety. Thus just over 2 percent of Germany's vineyards are planted with Regent. The growing focus in Rheinhessen, the Pfalz and Baden. Regent is also grown in the United Kingdom with some success.




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Wine Tavern Beichtstuhl in Mainz, Rheinhessen, Germany

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller in Wine Tavern Beichtstuhl in Mainz, Germany

Mainz in the wine region Rheinhessen is, along with Bilbao in Spain, Bordeayx in France, Cape Town in South Africa, Christchurch in New Zealand, Firenza in Italy, Mendoza in Argentina, Porto in Portugal and San Francisco in the US, one of the 9 wine capitals in the world.

But there is not a single wine bar in Mainz, as I know them from London, New York City or Berlin. However, there are a large number of wine taverns in Mainz.

Wine taverns do not have an elaborated list of wines, nor do they serve fancy and sophisticated food. They serve local wines, at very reasonable prices, typically from a handful of local winemakers that you do not find in the wine guides such as the Gault Millau.

The German wine industry consists of many small wine producers, totaling about 70.000. If you exclude the about 40.000 operators of less than 0.5 hectare who should probably be classified as hobby winemakers, you are down to 30.000 winemakers. If we move up to a minimum of 5 hectares, we get down to about 6.000 wineries, accounting for about 60 percent of Germany's total vineyard surface, and it is in this category that the full-time winemakers are primarily found.

The food is local. Well appreciated by the customers are Mainzer Wurst (Sausage) Salad, Spundekaes (a kind of cheese dip), or various kinds of sausages (I like the “Nackische”, a kind of pork steak tartar)

Often, in the wine taverns, there are two shifts. From 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm it is crowded with the older generation and later in the evening, you have students and the middle age generation.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller in front of Wine Tavern Zum Spiegel in Mainz, Germany

My favorite wine taverns in Mainz are:

Spiegel – has mainly wines from Weingut Ernst in Eltville, Rheingau on its menu and I in particular like their “Nackische” and Spundekaes with Brezel;

Loesch – known for its excellent steak;

Augustinerkeller – in the basement , with a bit of a wine cellar atmosphere;

Hottum – I used to love their egg and ham sandwich with mayonnaise, but I am not sure it is still on the menu;

Bluhm – a favorite student place

Last time, I was in Mainz, I had a couple of glasses of wine at the Beichtstuhl.

The wine list contains 30 wines by the bottle or the glass, of which 6 are red wines. About half of the wines were at the QbA level, which accounts for about half of German wine production. This are typically very decent entry level wines, ideal for a couple of glasses in a wine tavern with some good hearty food. There were no noble sweet wines on the list, which are so popular in the US. Almost all wines are dry and from Rheinhessen from a handful of winemakers.

Picture: Wine Tavern Beichtstuhl in Mainz, Germany

I had the Silvaner Weingut Strubel Roos for Euro 2.90 per 0.2 liter glass and a Mainzer Spundekaes with Brezels.

Beichtstuhl means “confession cabinet” and the story is that the Kuester (Manager of the Chuch) from the church down the street had run up a sizable tap and did not know how to pay. So, he brought over the confession cabinet and the wood was used for the interior decoration of the wine tavern. It started to be a wine tavern in 1870, when a wine maker bought the house and established a wine tavern in the first and in the second floor.

Weinhaus zum Beichtstuhl
Mainz, Germany
Kapuzinerstrasse 30

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