Best German Winemakers – Eichelmann Wine Guide Deutschland 2014 Awards, Germany

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Oliver Haag, Weingut Fritz Haag, in Seattle at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous

There are 3/4 influential wine guides in Germany: the Eichelmann and the GaultMillau, followed by the Feinschmecker. Just a few days ago, a new wine guide joined the trio with their first release: Falstaff Weinguide Deutschland.

The 2014 Eichelmann Wine Guide Deutschland was released in November 2013. The Eichelmann uses a scale of 1 to 5 stars. In the 2014 Guide, Eichelmann presents 940 wineries and 8850 wines. 2 of the 5 star winemakers lost their 5th star in the 2014 edition; I will report about the group of 5 star winemakers in a separate posting.

Here are the special awards of the Eichelmann Wine Guide Deutschland 2014.

Best White Wine Collection of the Year: Weingut Keller, Flörsheim-Dalsheim in Rheinhessen. 

"Great Riesling has to be demanding, can be stressful, estate wines should be fun. Klaus-Peter Keller’s wines do this” said Gerhard Eichelmann. Klaus Peter Keller received this award for the second time, after 2006.

See:
Germany’s Top 10 Winemakers (with 5 Grapes) - The Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2013

Best Red Wine Collection of the Year: Weingut Friedrich Becker, Schweigen, Pfalz.

“The Pinot Noir Collection is once again very impressive - from „B“ to “Heydenreich“ all wines show pure fruit, structure, and herbs and spices. Great cinema" Gerhard Eichelmann said.

See:
5 Top Wine Makers at Premier Cru Wein Bistro in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller and Helena Becker, Weingut Friedrich Becker

Best Collection of Noble-Sweet Wines of the Year: Oliver Haag, Weingut Fritz Haag in Brauneberg, Mosel.

“Faszination Mosel-Riesling“summarized Gerhard Eichelmann in his speech. "All wines possess freshness and fruit, elegance and finesse, purity and complexity."

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

Picture: Oliver Haag, Weingut Fritz Haag, at the International Tasting - Beyond Dry Riesling in Seattle

Rising Star of the Year: Weingut Klumpp, Bruchsal. Kraichgau (Baden) 

“Everything is all right and on track at this winery” said Gerhard Eichelmann. Weingut Klumpp, which is an organic winemaker, steadily improved in recent years. "The Klumpp family has everything under control, which is demonstrated by its excellent entry-level wines (Gutswein) as well as powerful single vineyard wines, with substance and structure” said Gerhard Eichelmann.

See:
The Top Wine Makers of the Kraichgau - The Northern Part of the Baden Wine Region in Germany

Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller with Werner Klumpp, Weingut Klumpp

Wine Classic: Riesling Doosberg, Weingut Peter Jakob Kuehn, and Riesling „Milestone“ Doosberg, Weingut Querbach

In addition to the four winemakers, Gerhard Eichelmann presented a wine that he would call a German Grand Cru. This year, he selected two wines from the same vineyard, the Doosberg in Oestrich: Riesling Doosberg of Peter Jakob Kühn, Weingut Peter Jakob Kuehn, and Riesling „Milestone“ Doosberg of Peter Querbach, Weingut Querbach.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Peter Querbach, Weingut Querbach, at Premier Cru in Frankfurt, Germany

See:
Chat Sauvage Versus Peter Querbach – An Impromptu Pinot Noir Wine Tasting with Kai Buhrfeind at His Grand Cru Wine Bar in Frankfurt, Germany

Picture: Annette Schiller and Peter Jakob Kühn, Weingut Peter Jakob Kuehn, at the 2013 Rheingau Riesling Open at Schloss Johannisberg, Germany. Weingut Peter Jakob Kuehn was one of the 16 wineries included in the 2013 German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy PR and WineTours, organized by Annette Schiller

See:
German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Previous Years’ Eichelmann Wine Guide Deutschland

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

Best German Wines - Eichelmann Wine Guide 2012 Awards, Germany

Wine ratings: German wine --- Eichelmann 2010

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Germany’s Top 10 Winemakers (with 5 Grapes) - The Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2013 

5 Top Wine Makers at Premier Cru Wein Bistro in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

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

The Top Wine Makers of the Kraichgau - The Northern Part of the Baden Wine Region in Germany

Chat Sauvage Versus Peter Querbach – An Impromptu Pinot Noir Wine Tasting with Kai Buhrfeind at His Grand Cru Wine Bar in Frankfurt, Germany

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013 

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

Best German Wines - Eichelmann Wine Guide 2012 Awards, Germany

Wine ratings: German wine --- Eichelmann 2010

German (Rheingau) Riesling and American (Bourbon) Whiskey: Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris and Rheingau Riesling Winemaker Désirée Eser, Weingut August Eser, Rheingau, Germany

Pictures: Chris Morris, Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve, Désirée Eser, Weingut August Eser, Frank Morgan, Senior Vice-President Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S.

Chris Morris is the Master Distiller of Brown-Foreman, including Woodford Reserve, the ultra-premium Bourbon Whiskey from Kentucky in the US. He recently spent a couple of days in Germany to promote his Whiskey and American Whiskey in general, including at a Whiskey tasting and dinner at the Grand Cru Bistro in Frankfurt and at the “Im Schiffchen” in Duesseldorf as well as the Bar Convent in Berlin.

See:
American Whiskey Producers in Germany
Amerikanische Whiskey Hersteller in Deutschland
18 US Distillers at Bar Convent Berlin 2013, Germany
With Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris on a Whiskey Tour in Frankfurt, Duesseldorf and Berlin, Germany
An American Whiskey Tasting and a Dinner with Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris at “Im Schiffchen” (2 Stars Michelin) in Duesseldorf, Germany

A less official event was a visit of a Rheingau winemaker, Désirée Eser, Weingut August Eser, in Oestrich Winkel (Rheingau). There are many winemakers that we could have visited on the route from Frankfurt to Duesseldorf, but I called Désirée Eser because I remembered that she had studied in California. It was a short visit, but both the visiters and the hosts enjoyed it very much. Désirée Eser started to import her wine to the US and Chris Morris, after tasting the wines, is very eager to have the Weingut August Eser wines distributed in Kentucky, where he lives.

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: The Rheingau

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.

Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve is the smallest of the about 20 distilleries in Kentucky. It is unique in using a triple distillation method. This employs three copper pot stills, built in Scotland. Woodford Reserve is operated by the Louisville-based Brown-Forman Distiller Corporation, which also owns Jack Daniels.

Pictures: Chris Morris, Désirée Eser and Frank Morgan

Woodford Reserve traces its origins back to 1797, when Elijah Pepper moved from Virginia to Versailles, where he distilled corn whiskey in a small distillery behind the county courthouse. In 1812 he moved his operation to the present site on Glenn's Creek. In 1941 Brown-Forman bought the distillery used it to produce their Early Times whiskey. By the 1960s Bourbon sales were falling and Brown- Forman sold the distillery to a local farmer. The buyer proceeded to make the car fuel substitute 'gasohol' in the distillery for a short period, but when that venture failed, the distillery lay silent for 23 years. Then, in 1994, with interest in 'small batch' Bourbon rising, Brown-Forman bought back the semi-derelict site and restored it to showpiece condition. In 2003, the present Woodford Reserve name was adopted for both the distillery and its whiskey.

Between 40 and 50 barrels a day are filled at Woodford Reserve distillery. The resultant whiskey is bottled at six to seven years of age. The mashbill comprises 72 per cent corn, 18 per cent rye and 12 per cent malted barley. Bourbon whiskey must be at least 51% corn, and many bourbons are as high as 80%. A bourbon mashbill with 18% Rye is fairly high and helps distinguish Woodford Reserve’s slightly spicy character.

Pictures: Chris Morris, Désirée Eser, Christian Schiller and Frank Morgan

In the Brown-Forman family, a lot of time and attention is paid to Jack Daniels, the whiskey from Tennessee, and for good reason: it’s one of the best selling spirits in America. Although Jack Daniels gets lots of attention, it’s Woodford Reserve that is the crown jewel in Brown-Forman portfolio. Run by master distiller Chris Morris, Woodford Reserve focuses on producing small batch premium bourbon.

Chris Morris

Chris Morris is seventh Master Distiller for Brown-Forman, since the company began in 1870. A Louisville native, Chris Morris has grown up around bourbon his whole life. His dad was a production manager, and his mother worked in the art department at Brown-Forman. His career with Brown-Forman began in 1976, as a trainee. Chris Morris holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bellarmine College in Louisville, a master’s degree in liberal arts from Texas Christian University, and a master’s degree in marketing from Webster University.

Pictures: Chris Morris, Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve, Désirée Eser, Weingut August Eser, Frank Morgan, Senior Vice-President Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S.

At Weingut August Eser in Oestrich Winkel

Weingut August Eser is a small, family owned winery in Oestrich in the Rheingau, producing 6000 cases of first class Riesling and Spaetburgunder annually.

The first time I tasted the wines of Weingut August Eser was many years ago in Duesseldorf; my cousin was a big fan of the wines of Weingut August Eser and always served them when he invited.

Désirée Eser Eser: “Our family-winery in the heart of the German wine growing region Rheingau has 10 hectares of 90% Riesling and 10% Pinot Noir grapes. Our cellar dates back to 1650 and it is here that our wines mature and develop their lively aromatic character which is fruity and floral. Our wines are made in both dry and balanced sweet styles. As a member of the VDP, our goal is to produce top quality, distinctive wines. 95% of our production is sold in Germany. I have justed started to export to the US – through “The Varietal” in California and AP Wines in New York.”

See:
Hanging out with Rheingau Winemakers: Dirk Wuertz, Desiree Eser, Alexander Jakob Jung, Hansi Bausch and Christian Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany
Meeting Winemaker/Owner Desiree Eser, Weingut August Eser, at the Banks of the Rhein River in the Rheingau in Germany

Désirée Eser

Désirée Eser is the granddaughter of August Eser (she is the youngest of his grandchildren), after whom the winery is named. Desiree took over from her parents Joachim and Renee Eser, who remain very active in the winery, in 2007. She is the first Eser woman at the helm of Weingut August Eser, in the 10th generation.

Désirée Eser has a distinguished educational background. She got the “Abitur” (the highest high school degree in Germany), did a 3 years apprenticeship at Weingut Dr. Bürklin-Wolf /Pfalz, spent a year at UC Davis in California and finished with a Masters Degree from the University of Geisenheim (Diplom Ingenieurin für Weinbau und Önologie).

Pictures: Désirée Eser, Christian Schiller and Annette Schiller

Dirk Wuertz, one of Germany’s leading wine bloggers and himself a distinguished winemaker, says: “Desirée Eser is a figurehead of the new winemaker generation in the Rheingau. With a distinguished education and international experience, she very successfully leads this traditional winery in the heart of Oestrich in the Rheingau. Her wines are true Rheingau classics, true and honest expressions of the terroir they come from. The vineyard portfolio of Weingut Eser is amazing, including the best sites all over the Rheingau.”

The Weingut August Eser Grand Cru Vineyards

Désirée Eser: “Our vineyards are spread over 17different single sites in eight different villages along the Rheingau region. This is quite unusual, however it offers you the opportunity to enjoy the Rheingau region in its whole diversity. Seven of the vineyards belong to the group of Germany’s absolute finest vineyards. This top level category of vineyards has just been renamed to Grosse Lage (Grand Cru in Bourgogne): Oestricher Lenchen, Oestrich Doosberg, Erbacher Siegelsberg, Winkeler Jesuitengarten, Hattenheimer Nußbrunnen, Hattenheimer Wisselbrunnen, Rauenthaler Rothenberg and Winkel Hasensprung."

Pictues: In the Cellar of Weingut August Eser

The Weingut August Eser Wine Portfolio

Désirée Eser took us through the Weingut August Eser wine portfolio. She started out by the essentials in terms of their winemaking philosophy:

“- selective harvesting by hand
- several selections of the grapes on the vine
- limited yield
- sensitive crushing and processing of the grapes
- slow and controlled fermentation for a better flavour development
- fermentation in wood barrels in combination with stainless steel tanks
- red wines in traditional wood barrels and barriques."

The Weingut August Eser wine portfolio consists of 4 different groups:

Trockene Rieslinge und Blanc de Noir- Dry Riesling and Blanc de Noir wines: A large range of dry wines, from an Estate Wine for Euro 6.10 to the ultra-premium VDP.Grosses Gewaechs wines for Euro 19.80.

Feinherbe Rieslinge - Feinherbe Rieslinge – Off-dry Rieslings: About a dozen Kabinett and Spaetlese Rieslings fermented in an off-dry style. It includes: 2011 Riesling 10. Generation "My way" Riesling Kabinett, which is a very personal wine of Désirée Eser.

Vollmundige und edelsüße Rieslinge – Fruity-sweet and noble-sweet Riesling wines: 14 wines, mostly in the Auslese level, including a 2010 Oestricher Lenchen Riesling Auslese for Euro 33.

Spätburgunder – Pinot Noir: 5 red wines.

Hier ist der Schaum ein Traum... - Sparklers: 2 wines, a “Perlwein” and a Sekt, brut.

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An American Whiskey Tasting and a Dinner with Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris at “Im Schiffchen” (2 Stars Michelin) in Duesseldorf, Germany

Hanging out with Rheingau Winemakers: Dirk Wuertz, Desiree Eser, Alexander Jakob Jung, Hansi Bausch and Christian Ress in Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany

Meeting Winemaker/Owner Desiree Eser, Weingut August Eser, at the Banks of the Rhein River in the Rheingau in Germany

French Artist Guy de Rougement Designs Château Mouton Rothschild 2011 Label

Picture: Guy de Rougemont (left) and the label of château Mouton Rothschild for the vintage 2011 (right) (Copyright Philippe Pannetier Courtesy Mouton-Rothschild)

Each year, the esteemed French wine producer chooses a master artist to create a label. French painter and sculptor Guy de Rougemont designed the 2011 label.

See also:
The Label of 2010 Château Mouton-Rothschild Designed by Jeff Koons from New York City, Bordeaux
The label of 2007 Chateau Mouton Rothschild designed by Bernar Venet 

Château Mouton Rothschild in Pauillac

The Château Mouton-Rothschild vineyard totals 84 hectares. In terms of red grapes, 80% is Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. There is also Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle, for the estate's white wine. The wine is fermented in oak vats (they are one of the last châteaux in the Médoc to use them) and then aged in new barrique barrels.

Pictures: Château Mouton-Rothschild in Pauillac

Baron Philippe de Rothschild

The birth of Château Mouton-Rothschild took place in 1853, when Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild - from the English line of the Rothschild family - purchased the estate - which was called Château Brane-Mouton - and renamed it using his name. The estate was in English hands in the 15th century but returned to French hands after the 100 Years War.

It was under Baron Philippe de Rothschild - who was only 20 years old, when he gained control of the property - that winemaking and wineselling at Château Mouton-Rothschild – and in general in Bordeaux – changed drastically.

The Baron was the first Bordeaux winemaker to insist on bottling all his wine at the estate. This new practice created a need for more storage at the property. In 1926, the Baron constructed the famous Grand Chai, the majestic 100-meter first year cellar, which has become a major attraction for visitors to Mouton.

The now famous series of labels designed by artists started in 1945.

In the 1930s, long before the idea of second wines had become standard practice, the Baron created a second wine for Mouton, Cadet de Mouton. It quickly became Mouton Cadet, first a blended wine, then a branded wine (again the first of its kind in Bordeaux) and is today the largest selling French branded wine in the world.

Finally, in 1973, Mouton was elevated to premier grand cru en 1855. The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 was largely based market prices. It was established by the negociants of Bordeaux. Despite the market prices for their wines equaling that of Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Mouton Rothschild was excluded from premier grand cru status, possibly because the estate was not in French ownership.

The Portfolio

Like Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild is now a mix of privately-owned chateaux, international joint ventures and commercial branded wines:

Château Mouton-Rothschild (grand vin)

Petit Mouton (second wine): 6,000 cases

Château d’Armailhac: In 1933, the Baron purchased a neighboring vineyard, Château Mouton d’Armailhacq. The property was renamed Château d’Armailhac in 1989 by his wife, the Baroness Philippine. Part of the reason for the purchase was, the estate came with a Bordeaux negociant firm which eventually became known as Baron Philippe de Rothschild S.A. 17,000 cases.

Château Clerc Milon: 13,000 cases

Mouton Cadet: Bordeaux’s oldest and largest branded wine, with 15 million bottles sold each year across 150 countries.

Opus One: In 1980, the Baron entered into a joint venture with Robert Mondavi to create Opus One Winery in Oakville, California, now co-owned with Constellation Brands. 25,000 cases.

Almaviva: In 1997, Château Mouton Rothschild teamed up with Concha y Toro of Chile to produce a quality Cabernet Sauvignon-based red wine in a new winery built in Chile's Maipo Valley. 10,000 cases.

Owner: Baronness Philippine - Married to French theater director and actor, Jacques Sereys in 1961 – now divorced. Three children, Camille, born in 1961, Philippe, born in 1963, and Julien, born in 1971. Her personal wealth is estimated at €190 million by Le Nouvel Economiste.

Château Mouton-Rothschild in Pauillac and Mayor Amschel Rothschild in Frankfurt am Main

The roots of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, Chateau Lafite-Rothschild – and the Rothschild empire in general – are in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Towards the end of the 18th century Mayer Amschel Rothschild, a money changer from Frankfurt am Main, born in 1744, had five sons and decided to install them in the five major European centers of the time.

* Amschel Mayer Rothschild (1773–1855): Frankfurt - died childless, passed to sons of Salomon and Calmann
* Salomon Mayer Rothschild (1774–1855): Vienna
* Nathan Mayer Rothschild (1777–1836): London
* Calmann Mayer Rothschild (1788–1855): Naples
* Jakob (James) Mayer Rothschild (1792–1868): Paris

Picture: The House of the Rothschilds in Frankfurt am Main

The Rothschild brothers became one of the major forces in the far reaching changes that swept through Europe, while their father had not been allowed to purchase land outside of the Frankfurt am Main ghetto. During the 19th century, they were the bankers to monarchs and governments, bankers to Napoleon’s Europe and then in the industrial area the builders of the modern economy through their investment in railways.Baron Philippe, who died in 1988, belongs to the London branch of the large Rothschild family.

Labels Designed by Artists

The custom of having an artist design each year the label of the Mouton Rothschild wine goes back to the year 1924, when Chateau Mouton Rothschild was ready to release its first vintage bottled at the Chateau itself.

Until then, wineries sent their wine in casks to wine merchants in the city of Bordeaux, who then undertook the responsibility of stocking the casks for the two-year aging process, before bottling the wines. Although labels had been in use since the middle of the 19th century, they served merely to provide basic information about the wine contained in the bottle--or what, at any rate, was supposed to be in the bottle.

Rothschild commissioned for the occasion the popular poster designer Jean Carlu to design a label. Carlu's cubist-inspired label shocked the wine community--Philippe Rothschild was to scrap the label design only two years later--but nonetheless succeeded in calling worldwide attention to the new era of Rothschild wines. In the years leading up to the World War II, the Rothschild chateau continued to experiment with its wine labels.

France's capitulation to the Nazi invaders and the installation of the collaborative Vichy government nearly spelled disaster to the Rothschild wine business. The chateau itself was occupied by the Nazis and made a German headquarters, while the Vichy government placed operations of the vineyard under its agricultural department's control. Philippe Rothschild and his family were captured--Rothschild's wife was killed in a Nazi death camp--but Philippe Rothschild managed to escape, finally joining up to fight with the Free French army under General Charles de Gaulle.

Returning to his chateau after the war, Philippe Rothschild decided to allow his first post-war vintage to celebrate the Allied victory. Rothschild asked friend Philippe Julian to design a new label for the 1945 vintage. Based on Churchill's famed V-sign, the label sparked a new era for Mouton Rothschild.

Philippe Rothschild, who had already been among the pioneers in recognizing the marketing potential of a wine's label, now decided that the label for each year's vintage was to feature an original piece of artwork--commissioned from Rothschild's circle of friends, only some of whom were artists. Yet all received the same payment: five cases from that year's vintage, plus five cases chosen from the Rothschild cellars.

In 1955, the Rothschild label took on a still more serious role. That year's label featured a design from famed painted Georges Braque. From then on, the Rothschild labels were to become a showcase for the world's top contemporary artists, featuring, among others, drawing and paintings from Joan Miro, Salvador Dali, Henry Moore, Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and later artists such as Keith Haring, Balthus, and others.

Guy de Rougemont’s Label for the 2011 Vintage

French painter and sculptor Guy de Rougemont designed the 2011 label of Pauillac first growth Château Mouton Rothschild.

Guy de Rougemont was born in 1935, and is famous for his use of vibrant geometric motifs. Also well-known are his huge frescos and polychrome columns which feature in several public buildings around the world, including the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. Guy de Rougemont’s is art works have strongly influenced industrial design and interior design.

Guy de Rougemont created two art works for Mouton-Rothschild. The first, a painting that will be printed on the label of the 2011 vintage uses his trademark "sinuous, random" undulating shapes, in bright colors ranging from gold to dark red. Mouton Rothschild says the art work encompasses "the clarity of vines in sunshine to the darkness of the cellars – all the stages of the birth of a great wine”. The second is a series of golden brass columns adorned with wine-red volutes. These columns are meant to stand in a new room of the Pauillac château dedicated to the exhibition “L'art et l'étiquette” (label art).

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Mulled Wine (Glühwein) at Frankfurt Christmas Market, 2013, Germany

Pictures: Christian, Annette, Katharina, Benjamin, Lorelei and Otto Schiller at Frankfurt Christmas Market

Yesterday, we (Annette, Katharina, Benjamin, Lorelei, Otto and Christian Schiller) had our first Gluehwein of this year at the Frankfurt Christmas Market, after arriving in Germany over the last weekend (except for Katharina who lives in Stuttgart).

Glühwein, the popular mulled wine in German-speaking countries and the region of Alsace in Northeastern France, just across the border from Southwest Germany, is the traditional beverage offered and drunk at Christmas Markets, but is also offered in cafés and restaurants during the Advent and Christmas season.

Pictures: Christian, Annette, Katharina, Benjamin, Lorelei and Otto Schiller at Frankfurt Christmas Market

Glühwein is made from red wine that was heated and spiced with cinnamon, citrus, vanilla pods, cloves and sugar. In Frankfurt am Main, the base wine can be applewine (hard cider). In fact, Benjamin had an applewine-based Glühwein.

The German Christmas markets open in early-December and sell ornaments, advent calendars, springerle molds and other Christmas items. Every city and town in Germany has a Christmas market.

Pictures: Christian, Annette, Katharina, Benjamin, Lorelei and Otto Schiller at Frankfurt Christmas Market

Yesterday evening, on the historic market square in Frankfurt, against the imposing back-drop of the over thousand year old Cathedral of Frankfurt am Main and the Roemer (Mayor’s Office), the air was scented with a Christmassy mixture of roast almonds, gingerbread, hot chestnuts and mulled wine. Large and small visitors gladly let themselves be enchanted by this pre-Christmas atmosphere. On a stroll through the Frankfurt Christmas Market, the stress and hectic pace of everyday life were quickly forgotten.

Pictures: Benjamin and Lorelei Schiller on a Carrusel

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Dinner at Château Canon La Gaffeliere, Appellation Saint-Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé, France

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Count Stephan von Neipperg

The 2013 Bordeaux Tour by ombiasyPR and WineTours included several lunches and dinners at prestigious châteaux. I have to say, they were all spectacular and I am not able to determine, which one was the most impressive. They were all very impressive. The first one in this series was a dinner at Château Canon La Gaffeliere in Saint-Emilion.

Proprietor Count Stephan von Neipperg welcomed us and joined us for the reception, but was not able to stay for the dinner. Magali Malet showed us around and joined us for dinner.

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Château Canon La Gaffeliere Tour

We started with a vineyard and winery tour of Château Canon La Gaffelière.

Château Canon La Gaffelière is located on the outskirts of the medieval town of Saint-Emilion, at the southern foot of the slope. The 19.5 hectare vineyard has a complex, outstanding terroir of clay-limestone and clay-sand soil. The topsoil is primarily sandy, increasingly so as one moves away from the slope. The vines, an average of 45 years old, are deeply rooted in the soil and absorb all the goodness in the terroir. They are mostly replaced individually rather than plot by plot (which maintains the average age). The last major replanting dates back to 1986.

Pictures: Vineyard Tour at Château Canon La Gaffelière with Magali Malet

The mixture of grape varities cultivated on the wine estate (55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon) is rather untypical in comparison to the rest of the appellation. This identity, strongly influenced by Cabernet, gives the Canon La Gaffelière wines an outright complex character.

Since last year, Canon La Gaffelière belongs to one of the 15 Premier Grand Cru Classé B châteaux in Saint-Emilion. The promotion of Château Canon La Gaffelière in the classification of the Saint-Emilion appellation last year was not really surprising, yet an overdue acknowledgement for Mr. Neipperg.

The von Neipperg Family in Germany, Austria and France

Proprietor Count Stefan von Neipperg hails from the German wine region of Württemberg where his family has maintained its existing vineyards since the 15th century and bottles its wine under the family label, Weingut des Grafen von Neipperg. In fact, the von Neipperg counts are descended from a noble line dating back to the Holy Roman Empire. The first record of the Count von Neipperg goes as far back as the 12th century.

Pictures: Château Canon La Gaffelière

Count Joseph Hubert von Neipperg branched out in 1971 and acquired 4 St. Emilion estates in 1971: La Mondotte, Château Canon La Gaffelière, Clos de l'Oratoire, and Château Peyraud. Since 1984, Count Joseph Hubert’s son Count Stephan has been in charge of these 4 estates. Moreover, he expanded the family’s French holdings further and also entered into a joint venture in Bulgaria.

Here is a list of all Count Stephan von Neipperg estates:

La Mondotte, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Premier Grand Cru Classé
Château Canon La Gaffelière, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Premier Grand Cru Classé
Clos de l'Oratoire, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Grand Cru Classé
Château Peyreau, AOC Saint-Émilion
Château d'Aiguilhe, AOC Cotes de Castillon
Clos Marsalette, AOC Pessac-Léognan
Château Guiraud, AOC Sauternes, Premier Cru Classé 1855
Château Soleil. AOC Puisseguin Saint-Emilion
Bulgaria: Count Stephan von Neipperg, in conjunction with the banker Karl-Heinz Hauptmann, was one of the first people to invest in the wine sector in Bulgaria - in the Bessa Valley, in the Pazardjik region, 135 km southeast of Sofia.

See also:
A Morning at Château Canon La Gaffeliere in Saint Emilion with Owner Count Stefan von Neipperg, Bordeaux
The Wine Empire of the von Neipperg Family in France, Bulgaria and Germany

Count Stefan von Neipperg in France

Stephan Graf von Neipperg was borne at the family estate in Schwaigern. As a young man, he had no intention of getting involved in wine. He studied politics and business administration in Paris. Later, after having decided to change course, he also studied winemaking in Montpelier.

In 1983, Stephan Graf von Neipperg Neipperg moved with his German wife Sigweis to St. Emilion. At that point, the French holdings of the von Neipperg family consisted of the four estates his father had bought in 1971. Since then Stephan Graf von Neipperg he expanded the family’s French holdings further and also entered into a joint venture in Bulgaria. He has become one of the Right Bank's most successful winemakers.

Pictures: Cellar Tour at Château Canon La Gaffelière with Magali Malet

On that very successful route, Stephan Graf von Neipperg linked his fortunes to Stéphane Derenoncourt, a Normandy millworker's son who had never seen a grapevine before hitchhiking to Bordeaux in 1982, but taught himself enology and has since confounded traditionalists with his winemaking.

In 1988, Stephan Graf von Neipperg instituted a green harvest, dropping fruit in June to gain depth and ripeness in September. He stopped using chemical fertilizers and insecticides in 1993 as he edged toward a more biodynamic approach. "Just like 70 years ago," Stephan Graf von Neipperg. "The insects eat each other." He harvested later than his neighbors and aged his cuvées entirely in new oak.

Reception

We started the dinner with a Bollinger Champagne and were joined by Stephan Graf von Neipperg.

Pictures: Reception with Stephan Graf von Neipperg

Dinner

Pictures: Dinner at Château Canon La Gaffeliere, Appellation Saint-Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé

Wok de Légumes en Salade, Œuf de Caille, Suprême de Volaille à la Citronnelle

Confit de Canard Laqué au Caramel d’Epices Douces Méli-Mélo de Légumes Croquants

Assortiment de Fromages

Tarte aux Framboises

Café

The Wines

Château d’Aiguilhe 1999

Château d'Aiguilhe, AOC Cotes de Castillon

Château d'Aiguilhe is located on hills overlooking the Right Bank of the Dordogne River, on the border of the Côtes de Castillon appellation.

This 110 hectare estate has 50 hectares of vines, which are planted exclusively on the upper part of the hills. The vineyard has excellent natural drainage and south-facing sun exposure. The minerals in the clay-limestone soil account for a wine of both power and finesse in which the roundness of Merlot (80%) marries beautifully with the concentration and complexity of Cabernet Franc (20%).

Comte Stefan von Neipperg purchased the estate in 1998. He invested millions of euros in a state-of-the-art facility at Château d'Aiguilhe, in the previously unnoticed Côtes de Castillon appellation, then dared to market the wine like a St.-Emilion Grand Cru Classé. The success of d’Aiguilhe is credited with putting Cotes de Castillon on the map.

Clos de l’Oratoire 2000

Clos de l'Oratoire, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Grand Cru Classé

Clos de l'Oratoire is located on Saint-Emilion's north-east slope. The 10 hectares of vines grow on Fronsac molasse covering a layer of sand with a clay subsoil. This terroir is ideally suited to the blend of Merlot (90%), Cabernet Franc (5%), and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) grapes. Merlot contributes roundness and opulence to the wine, whereas Cabernet Franc is responsible for power, aromatic complexity, and length.

In 1991, Stephan Graf von Neipperg was given control of Clos de l'Oratoire, and he subsequently bought the remaining 30 percent of the property from other investors.

Château Canon La Gaffeliere 2000

Château Canon La Gaffelière, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Premier Grand Cru Classé

La Mondotte 2001

La Mondotte, AOC Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Premier Grand Cru Classé

The 4.5-hectare estate, founded in the 19th century, is situated on the most eastern plateau of Saint-Emilion and was purchased in 1971 by the family of the Counts of Neipperg, at the same time as the Château Canon La Gaffelière. Even though La Mondotte used to be in the shadow of Canon La Gaffelière as long as to the middle of the 1990ies, it has benefited to the same extent of the philosophy of Stephan von Neipperg and his teams.

Excellent hydric regulation encourages the vines to sink their roots deep into the soil. The superb sun exposure and fine natural drainage due to the steep slope make this a very early-maturing terroir. The vines are an average of 50 years old and the vineyard contains only premium grape varieties (75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc). Ripening, especially of Merlot, is almost invariably early and complete.

The recent admission of Château La Mondotte - which sixteen years ago used to be almost unknown on the market - in the extremely closed circle of Premiers Grand Crus Classés is extraordinary.

Chateau Guiraud 1998

Château Guiraud, AOC Sauternes, Premier Cru Classé 1855

This gem of an estate in Sauternes dates back to the 15th century. The vineyard currently covers 100 hectares. Château Guiraud is known for its organic approach to viticulture.

11,000 cases made. The blend of 65 percent Sémillon and 35 percent Sauvignon Blanc comes from 35- to 40-year-old vines.

Four partners - Robert Peugeot (of Peugeot automobiles), Olivier Bernard (Domaine de Chevalier), Stephan von Neipperg (Canon-La Gaffelière and others) and Xavier Planty, the estate’s longtime general manager - acquired Château Guiraud in 2006.

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