Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Jeffrey Grosset, #2 on the List, at the 2014 International Riesling Symposium, Germany, see: Wines and Winemakers from Australia and New Zealand at the 2nd International Riesling Symposium, Rheingau, Germany

Goodfood, an Australian food and wine journal, asked 100 winemakers, wine buyers and sommeliers across the nation: Who are the best living/working winemakers in Australia?

Here are the results.

1. Louisa Rose Yalumba Wines (Barossa Valley)
2. Jeffrey Grosset Jeffrey Grosset Wines (Clare Valley)
3. Vanya Cullen Cullen Wines (Margaret River)
Equal 4: Tom Carson Yabby Lake and Heathcote Estate (Mornington Peninsula/Heathcote); Stephen Pannell S.C. Pannell Wines (McLaren Vale)
5. Rick Kinzbrunner Giaconda Wines (Beechworth)
6. Tim Kirk Clonakilla Wines (Canberra)
Equal 7. Ed Carr Accolade Group (SA-based); Stephen Henschke Henschke Wines (Eden Valley)
8. Phillip Jones Bass Phillip Wines (South Gippsland)
9. Virginia Willcock Vasse Felix (Margaret River)
10. Larry Cherubino Larry Cherubino Wines (WA-based)

Pictures: Stephen Henscke, Christian G.E.Schiller and Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours,  at the 2014 International Riesling Symposium, Germany, see: Wines and Winemakers from Australia and New Zealand at the 2nd International Riesling Symposium, Rheingau, Germany

The Top 3 Australian Winemakers

Goodfood also had nice write-ups about the top 3 winemakers, which I am copying:

1. LOUISA ROSE Yalumba

To her Barossa Valley winery colleagues she is Lou but to her admirers - and she has legions among her colleagues - she is a "rockstar", a "leader" and a "great communicator".

Louisa Rose's correct title is head of winemaking at Yalumba and the Hill-Smith Family Vineyards but in simpler terms, she is the custodian of both Yalumba tradition and innovation at the 165-year-old winery. It's a big task but one she has been groomed for since her first vintage at Yalumba in 1992 straight from her wine studies and her parents' vineyard in the Yarra Valley.

Her gifts as a taster and winemaker have been on display ever since.

She is acknowledged as one of the country's top riesling makers, the voice of Eden Valley riesling under Yalumba's Pewsey Vale label. And then there's viognier. It's her baby, the wine she is now most closely associated with, simply because Yalumba dared to believe the Rhone Valley white grape had a future in this country.
"She took on the winemaking challenge with gusto," recalls her mentor, former Yalumba chief winemaker, Brian Walsh. He considers Yalumba is the most influential producer of viognier in the world today due in large part to her work.

The great viognier project turned into an often frustrating search for flavour.

"Of all the grape varieties I deal with, viognier has relatively no flavour until it is ripe," she explains. "You've got to be patient and then one day you'll taste apricots and honeysuckle (in the grapes). Gorgeous!"

Walsh recruited Rose for her "intelligence" and "practicality" but soon found, he says, a person with a profound work ethic and ability to multi-task. She is not only chief winemaker but farmer, senior wine judge and wine industry representative on many boards and councils. As the chair of the board at the Australian Wine Research Institute, co-chair of the South Australian Wine Industry Council and member of the South Australian Agribusiness Council (among other out-of-hours pursuits) she is one of the most influential winemakers in the country.

● Signature wine? Yalumba The Virgilius Eden Valley viognier $50.
● Louisa Rose's top winemakers: Iain Riggs (Brokenwood), Sue Hodder (Wynn's), John Duval (John Duval Wines).

2. JEFFREY GROSSET Jeffrey Grosset Wines

"I would suggest there are few like him," says Stephanie Toole of her husband, Jeffrey Grosset.
Toole, a winemaker in her own right, acknowledges what everyone who has met the man behind Grosset Wines knows: that he is all consumed by wine.

"People talk about him being focused, disciplined and all of that but I guess until you actually live or work with the person you don't realise how true that is. I would say very little comes before wine - me and the kids included!"

Grosset is renowned for his remarkable ability to cipher the soils of his Clare Valley home into graceful, thrilling rieslings. He is enthralled by the grape, and drinkers, in turn, are enchanted by his interpretation of the classic white variety.

A son of the Clare Valley, he was recently inducted as a legend in the inaugural Clare Valley Winemakers' Hall of Fame. The award acknowledged not only his work as a winemaker but also as one of the leaders of the Valley's famous winemaker push in 2000, to embrace en masse the screw cap over the cork as the closure for Clare Valley riesling. The action sparked a screw-cap revolution across Australia and New Zealand.

With his attention to detail and perfectionist ways he is often compared with Australia's greatest riesling maker, John Vickery at Leo Buring and Richmond Grove.

Riesling was his first wine and love. It remains thus.

Plus he's a pretty dab hand at pinot noir and chardonnay, too.

● Signature wine? Grosset Polish Hill riesling $52.
● Jeffrey Grosset's top winemakers: Iain Riggs (Brokenwood), Louisa Rose, Vanya Cullen.

3. VANYA CULLEN Cullen Wines

Vanya Cullen questions, philosophises, inspires and leads but above all, she is by any standard an outstanding winemaker.

Everything she has done since choosing winemaking over a possible career in music in 1989 (she still possesses a fine singing voice) has been about improving the breed, making a better wine, discovering more about the connection of land and wine and life.

An environmentalist, she pursues biodynamic wine growing and making principles, as espoused by Rudolf Steiner. That means no synthetic chemicals in the ground or on the vines and no additions in winemaking.

"The soils are healthy, the vines are healthy and the fruit's healthy and that's what gives us sustainability and quality," she noted in a 2012 Q&A with Wine-Searcher.

"The role of the winemaker is then to be a custodian of the land - to get that aliveness from the land to the bottle."

She likes grapes grown in a natural state and is an enthusiastic believer in allowing things to go their own course. She positively loves wild ferments.

"With chardonnay, it gives the wine an extra dimension," she contends. "They're kind of mystery characters. I can't really define them, it's a subtleness and mouthfeel."

Her Kevin John chardonnay, named after her late father, a general practitioner and author of the world-famous Busselton Health Study (one of the first to highlight the link between reduction in heart disease and moderate drinking) is the epitome of the Margaret River style: warm and round with intensity of fruit but also surprisingly fine in structure.

Cullen looks to four essential ingredients in chardonnay grapes before picking. "The point at which I am happiest," she says, "is when I can taste that dusty, lemon-sherbet flavour, a little bit of cut pear, dried pear and fig."

Like her mother, the late winemaker and environmentalist Di Cullen, Vanya Cullen has a courageous spirit. Her take on the classic Margaret River red grape, cabernet sauvignon, is fittingly named Diana Madeline in her mother's honour.

It is easily one of the best reds in Australia: a seamless entity of subtle power and endless complexity.
A little like its maker.

● Signature wine? Cullen Diana Madeline cabernet sauvignon $130.
● Vanya Cullen's top winemakers: Louisa Rose, Jeffrey Grosset, Nick Farr.

See here for the original article in goodfood.

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Wines and Winemakers from Australia and New Zealand at the 2nd International Riesling Symposium, Rheingau, Germany

Meeting Doug Lehmann of Peter Lehmann Wines at Pearson’s in Washington DC, USA/Australia

German Winemakers in the World: Wolf Blass in Australia

The World of Riesling in Seattle - Fourth Riesling Rendezvous in Washington State, USA

Pictures: The 2014 Ombiasy WineTour Germany South in Deidesheim at Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan, with General Manager Gunther Hauck

Deidesheim is a small village in the Pfalz region, with quiet winding cobble stoned streets, timber-framed houses and rustic wine taverns. It is the home for a number of renowned wine producers, including Weingut Bürklin Wolf, Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan, Weingut von Winningen (Dr. Deinhard) and Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl.

The latter 3 are under the same ownership; they belong to the Achim Niederberger Group. The later Achim Niederberger was a major factor behind an amazing development in the past 10 years in which Deidesheim has become one Germany’s culinary centers. Without his vision, efforts and financial resources, Deidesheim would not be there were it is today.

This posting provides a list of Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants in Deidesheim. All of them have a very strong wine list. Some of them are part of or are linked to a winery.

Deidesheimer Hof: Restaurant St. Urban, Am Marktplatz

Michelin: The comfortable dining rooms at St. Urban exude the traditional charm of a German country inn. This is the ideal place to savour a well-prepared meaty classic or a Palatinate speciality such as zander served with a cream and Riesling sauce and black pudding. All washed down with a glass of local wine, of course!

Deidesheim was made world-famous, when former German chancellor Helmut Kohl, who lived close-by and fell in love with the place, brought high-ranking visitors such as Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, and Spanish King and Queen Juan Carlos I and Sofia to town and introduced them to local Palatian fare such as Saumagen at the Deidesheimer Hof.


Deidesheimer Hof: Restaurant Schwarzer Hahn, Am Marktplatz

1 star Michelin.

Michelin: This lovely vaulted restaurant is a long-standing favourite on Germany's Südliche Weinstraße or Southern Wine Route. Weaving creative and Japanese elements into his classic cuisine, chef Stefan Neugebauer successfully combines the old and the new. The front-of-house team under Andreas Weber offers top quality service with wine recommendations to match.

Ketschauer Hof: Restaurant Freundstück, Ketschauerhofstr. 1

1 star Michelin.

Michelin: Freundstück is a truly modern restaurant in terms of both its attractive, minimalist-style interior and the fine cuisine prepared by Axel Krause and his team - you can even steal a glimpse into the kitchens. Fans of Riesling take note: the wine list is long and comprehensive, and is more than matched by the excellent wine suggestions. You can even enjoy the whole experience in the pretty interior courtyard.

A one-time winemaker’s mansion has been turned into a supremely romantic boutique hotel that mixes traditional luxury with elegant modern styling. Has 18 rooms and a gourmet restaurant. The Ketschauer Hof is connected to Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan


Ketschauer Hof: Weinbistro Bassermännchen, Ketschauerhofstr. 1

Michelin: In its lively modern wine bistro, the Ketschauer Hof offers a friendly and more casual alternative to the Freundstück restaurant. Try the delicious tapas menu - the Arctic char with sesame spinach and shitake mushrooms and quail breast with iceberg salad and Café de Paris butter are both excellent.


Leopold Restaurant im Weingut von Winning, Weinstr. 10

Michelin: The restaurant in the Winning wine-growing estate is very popular with the guests. Clean-lined, modern and high quality design in the former stables with rough masonry walls and sturdy columns.


fumi, Kathrinenbild 1

This is a Japenese restaurant, part of Wein- und Sektgut Josef Biffar. Wein- und Sektgut Josef Biffar is managed by Fumiko Tokuoka and owned by the Tokuoka family in Japan. The Tokuoka family leased the Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl from 1989 until 2013, when the lease expired. During this period, Fumiko Tokuoka, who studied winemaking in Geisenheim, brought the run-down Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl to new hights.

Fumi is in the Katharinenbild, which the Tokuoka family bought in 2010. In 2013, the Tokuoka family bought Wein- und Sektgut Josef Biffar. The Tokuoka family has undertaken major investments in the new endeavor.


Gasthaus Zur Kanne, Weinstraße 31

Michelin: Karin and Florian Winter are the friendly hosts at Gasthaus zur Kanne, reputedly the oldest inn in Palatinate (its first mention in the history books dates back to 1160). The chef's refined, sophisticated regional cuisine includes stuffed pig's stomach with porcini and duo of Helmbach trout. Dishes are accompanied by an excellent selection of local Bürklin-Wolf wines.


Hippo im Hotel Kaisergarten, Weinstr. 12

Mediterranian cuisine.

Hotel Kaisergarten has a nice wine bar with a large counter, the only one of this kind I saw in Deidesheim. Hotel Kaisergarten belongs to the Achim Niederberger Group.


Siben's Gutsküche, Weinstr. 21

VDP producer. Siben's Gutsküche is in the estate’s courtyard.


Schiller’ Favorites

This posting is part of the Schiller’s favorites series.

Europe

Germany

Schiller's Favorite (Wine-) Restaurants in Deidesheim in the Pfalz, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Berlin, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, 2013, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

France

Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France 
Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France
Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, 2012 France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City) (2012), France

UK, Spain, Austria, Hungary

Schiller's Favorite Winebars in London, UK
Schiller’s Favorite Tapas Bars in Logroño in La Rioja, Spain
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in London, 2012, UK
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary
Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria (2011)

USA

Schiller's Favorite Oyster Bars and Seafood Places in Seattle, USA  
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Washington DC, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, 2012, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California

Asia

Schiller s Favorite Winebars in Beijing, 2014, China

Africa

Schiller's Favorite Wines of Madagascar
Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar

schiller-wine: Related Postings (Pfalz)

3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux 

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

Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany

The World Meets at Weingut Weegmueller, Pfalz, Germany

The Wines Chancelor Merkel Served President Obama and Michelle Obama in Berlin (and the Wines she did not Serve), Germany

German Riesling and International Grape Varieties – Top Wine Makers Wilhelm Weil and Markus Schneider at Kai Buhrfeindt’s Grand Cru in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Winemaker Dinner at Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz, Germany

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Patrick Johner, Weingut Johner, in Montreux at the 2014 DWCC, with a Weingut Johner Spätburgunder. Johner Wines came in at #17 and #18.

Martin Zwick, the wine blogger from Berlin, is rapidly building up a reputation as being a mover and shaker in the German wine scene. This is due to the various Berlin Cups that he is organizing. It all started with the BerlinRieslingCup a few years ago, a blind tasting and ranking in November of what Martin Ziwck considered the leading Grosses Gewaechs wines - the ultra-premium dry wines of the VDP producers, Germany’s elite wine makers - that were released on September 1 of the same year. Initially, people did not pay much attention to the BerlinRieslingCup, but this has clearly changed over the years.

Picture: Martin Zwick and Christian G.E. Schiller in Wiesbaden

But the BerlinCup is no longer just about Grosses Gewaechs wines, Martin has added a (1) BerlinGutsweinCup – ranking entry level wines, a (2) BerlinKabinettCup – ranking lightly sweet wines at the Kabinett level and a (3) BerlinSpaetburgunderCup – ranking German Pinot Noir wines.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, Friedrich Becker, Christian G.E. Schiller and Friedrich Wilhelm Becker at Weingut Friedrich Becker in Schweigen, Pfalz, During the 2014 Germany South Tour by ombiasy. Weingut Becker's St. Paul 2012 is #5.

Red Wine Revolution in Germany

There is a red wine revolution going on in Germany and the world increasingly takes 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: Senior Boss Werner Jülg, Weingut Jülg in Schweigen, Pfalz, and his 3 sons (during the 2014 Germany South Tour by ombiasy). Johannes Jülg (on the right) is in charge of Winemaking. His Pinot Noir came in as #7.

Pinot Noir in Germany

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.

Picture: Tasting with Christoph Thoerle, Weingut Toerle, during the 2013 Germany Wine Tour by ombiasy. The Thörle Hölle Spätburgunder 2012 made it to #3.

BerlinSpätburgunderCup 2012/2014

The BerlinSpaetburgunderCup 2012/2014 took place in early October 2014. Tasted and ranked were wines from mostly 2012. A group of sommeliers, wine retailers, wine bloggers, wine marketing people and Pinot Noir lovers tasted and ranked 32 wines. These were all ultra-premium wines, but not only VDP.Grosses Gewaechs wines.

Pictures: Doerte Naekel and Christian Schiller at a Winemaker Dinner in 2013. The Meyer-Näkel Pfarrwingert 2012 is #4.

The Ranking

1 Rings/Pfaffmann-Wageck Gottesberg 2012 94,25
2 Kuhn Kirschgarten 2012 91,88
3 Thörle Hölle Spätburgunder 2012 91,88

Picture: The BerlinSpätburgunderCup 2012/2014 Winners

4 Meyer-Näkel Pfarrwingert 2012 91,75
5 Becker St Paul 2012 91,63
6 Krebs Musikantenbuckel 2012 91,50
7 Jülg Pinot Noir 2012 91,25
8 Metzger Arthos 2012 91,13
9 Bietighöfer Spätburgunder GR 2012 91,00
10 Stefan Meyer Schwarzer Lettern 2012 91,00
11 Keller Frauenberg 2012 90,88
12 Wageck-Pfaffmann Krebsig 2012 90,75
13 Huber Schlossberg 2012 90,63
14 Rings Kallstadter Saumagen 2012 90,63
15 Wageck-Pfaffmann Goldberg 2012 90,63
16 Molitor Schlossberg ** 2011 90,25
17 Johner Pinot Noir Steinbuck 2012 90,25
18 Johner Blauer SB SJ 2012 90,25
19 Kessler Schlossberg GG 2012 90,13
20 Fürst Bürgstädter 2012 90,13
21 Fürst Hunsrück GG 2012 90,00
22 Stefan Meyer Rosengarten 2012 89,75
23 Baltes Klingenberg Schlossberg 2012 89,50
24 Schnaitmann Bergmandel GG 2012 89,38
25 R&C Schneider Engelsberg 2012 89,38
26 Kuhn Steinbuckel PN 2012 89,30
27 Baltes Spätburgunder Klingenberger R 2012 89,25
28 Becker 2012 Kammerberg 89,13
29 Rebholz 2009 R Gold 88,63
30 Gutzler Brunnenhäuschen 2011 88,63
31 Molitor Klostergarten 2011 *** 88,38
32 Enderle & Moll Liason 2012 87,88

schiller-wine: Related Postings (Berlin Cups)

Germany’s Best Ultra-premium Dry Riesling Wines - BerlinRieslingCup 2013, Germany
Germany’s Ultra Premium Dry Riesling Wines – The Berlin Riesling Cup 2012
Germany’s Top Wines – The Berlin Riesling Cup 2011 Ranking

Martin Zwick’s BerlinGutsweinrieslingCup 2014 - Rating Entry-level Rieslings from Germany's Best Producers
BerlinGutsrieslingCup 2013– Rating Entry-level Rieslings from Germany
Berlin Gutsriesling Cup 2012, Germany

Martin Zwick's BerlinKabinettCup 2014: Germany's Best 2013 Riesling Kabinett Wines
BerlinKabinettCup 2013 - Kabinett 2012, Germany

Germany's Best Pinot Noir Wines - BerlinSpätburgunderCup 2012/2014
BerlinSpaetburgunderCup 2011/2013, Germany 

Schiller-wine - Related Postings

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013
3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux 

Tasting with Johannes and Christoph Thoerle, Weingut Thoerle in Saulheim, Rheinhessen, Germany
The Tim Atkin Pinot Noir Taste-Off of October 2011: Germany Versus the Rest of the World - German Red Wines Show Strong Performance
Surprising the World with their Pinot Noir: Johannes and Christoph Thoerle, Winzerhof Thoerle, Rheinhessen, Germany
The Wines of Up and Coming Winzerhof Thoerle, Rheinhessen


Kuenstler, Meyer-Naekel, Wirsching – Winemaker Dinner at Kronenschlösschen in Hattenheim, Rheingau, Germany

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

Weingut Huber: One of the Fathers of the German Red Wine Revolution: Weingut Huber in Baden

Visiting Winemaker and Web 2.0 Guru Patrick Johner - Weingut Karl Heinz Johner and Johner Estate - in Baden, Germany

A Pinot Noir Star: Visiting August Kesseler and his Weingut August Kesseler in Assmannshausen, Germany
August Kesseler’s Pinot Noir and Richard Wagner’s Ring der Nibelungen in San Francisco, USA 

Pictures: Riesling Gala 2015 at Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau, Germany

If you are a fan of Riesling – fruity sweet, noble sweet and dry - and like good food, and have not yet been to one of the 25 Riesling Gala events at Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau, you should mark you calendar and make an early reservation for the next Riesling Gala in November 2015. Tickets are for a bit more than Euro 200 and available from the VDP Rheingau and its participating members. What you will get is an amazing event in a breathtaking historic setting that starts at 11 am with a reception, goes on with a 6 course seated luncheon until 6 pm and ends with an after-party with more wine, also at the historic Kloster Eberbach.

If you are lucky, you will also get an invitation from one of the hosting winemakers for an after-after-party, as we did. This year, Annette Schiller and I were seated at the table of Weingut Weil and Weingut Dr. Loosen, and were asked by Wilhelm Weil to join him and others at Winetavern Schloss Groenesteyn in Kiedrich for dinner (if you were able to have dinner) and more wine (in our case only top Bordeaux Magnums).

Pictures: Rheingau Winemakers Wilhelm Weil, Weingut Robert Weil, Johannis Eser, Johannishof, and Alexander Jung, Weingut Jung, Pouring their Wines

All of the pictures in this posting are mine, with the exclusions of a few pictures I took from the facebook pages of Weingut Robert Weil, Mario Scheuermann and Hotel Restaurant Friedrich von Schiller.

For last year's Riesling Gala, see here:
Rheingau Riesling Gala 2013 at Kloster Eberbach, Germany

Glorious Rheingau Days

The Rheingau Riesling Gala is the grand finale and the highlight of the Glorious Rheingau Days, an annual celebration of the Rheingau Riesling, this year for the 27th times. Over 10 days or so, VDP members of the Rheingau present their wines at winemaker dinners and similar events at the Rheingau’s top restaurants or other interesting places.

The grand finale is the Rheingau Riesling Gala on the last day of the Glorious Rheingau Days (a Sunday) in the Laiendormitorium of Kloster Eberbach. It is a culinary and social event in which wine enthusiasts meet in the historic settings of the Laiendormitorium of Kloster Eberbach (the largest room of the Romanesque period north of the Alps) in order to celebrate the noblest of all grapes, the Riesling.

Picture: Guiseppe Lauria, Gault Millau, and Katharina Prüm, Weingut JJ Prüm

Picture: Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, and Annegret Reh-Gartner, Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt

Picture: Mario Scheuermann and Christian G:E. Schiller

Picture: Tre Torri's and Fine Wine's Ralf Frenzel with Hans Stefan Steinheuer and Frank Buchholz

Picture: Josi Leitz, Weingut Leitz, Alex Lang, Weingut Lang and Guiseppe Lauria, Gault Millau

Picture: Former VDP Managing Director and now Winemaker Eva Raps, Weingut Lang, with current VDP Managing Director Hilke Nagel

Picture: The Leitz' and Schillers

Picture: MD Christian Witte of Weingut Schloss Johannisberg and Weingut G.H. von Mumm, Owner  Annegret Reh-Gartner, Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt, and Winemaker Cornelius Dönnhoff, Weingut Dönnhoff

Picture: Mario Scheuermann, Winemaker and Blogger Dirk Würtz, Weingut Balthasar Ress, and Armin Diel,  Schlossgut Diel

 Picture: Annette Schiller and Angela Kühn, Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn

 Picture: Annette Schiller and MD Christian Kloss, Landesweingut Kloster Pforta

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Owner Regine Schork, Hotel/Restaurant Friedrich von Schiller in Bietigheim-Bissingen

From 11 am to 6 pm, VDP producers of the Rheingau, their guest winemakers from other regions and their 560 guests enjoyed a 6 courses dinner, each course prepared by a different top chef, almost all of them Michelin-starred. 3 Chefs were from the Rheingau and each of them had invited a Guest-Chef from another wine region.

The wines served differed, depending on who was hosting you and who his or her guest winemaker was. This year, my wife Annette and I were the guests of Wilhelm Weil, whose guest winemaker was Ernst Loosen from the Mosel. So, we enjoyed the superb wines of Weingut Robert Weil and Weingut Dr. Loosen. Please note that Robert Weil wines are part of the “Friends of Erni” portfolio at Loosen Bros. USA.

Pictures: The main Protagonists - the Winemakers and the Chefs

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.

Pictures: Our Table - with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen and Wilhelm Weil, Weingut Robert Weil

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.

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. Wilhelm Weil, our host, produces only Riesling wines.

Reception

The event started with a reception, where Rheingau Charta Rieslings were served.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, with Dieter Greiner, Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach and Monika Diel, Schlossgut Diel

Gala Luncheon

6 courses in 7 hours, i.e. basically every hour one course with 2 wines, from Weingut Weil and Weingut Dr. Loosen at our table.

Opening Speeches

Pictures: Mario Scheuermann, Wilhelm Weil and the German Wine Queen

Table Setting



Amuse gueule: Kürbispudding


Marinierte Gänseleber 
mit Apfel, Gänseleber-Sauerkrauteis und Feldsalat

Andreas Krolik
Tigerpalast Gourmetrestaurant Frankfurt
Currently 2 Stars Michelin

1998 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätese
Weingut Dr. Loosen
2001 Kiedricher Riesling Spätlese
Weingut Robert Weil


Schwarzwurzelsuppe
mit Estragonschaum, Aprikosenkomott und Kaninchen

Egbert Engelhardt
Consortium Gastronomie, Wiesbaden
Ex Michelin Starred
Michael Ritter

2013 Graacher Riesling Trocken
Weingut Dr. Loosen
2013 Kiedricher Turmberg Riesling Trocken
Weingut Robert Weil


Gegrillte Pilgermuschel 
mit Seidentofu und Mango-Ingwer-Balsam

Ralf Zacherl
Schmidt Z&Co, Berlin
Ex Michelin Starred

2011 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett feinherb
Weingut Dr. Loosen
2008 Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Trocken
Weingut Robert Weil

After each course, you had a bit of time to walk around, talk with other guests and try the wines of other winemakers. Here: Visit at the table of Weingut Jakob Peter Kühn


Gebeitzer Saibling
mit Fermentiertem Fenchel und Bouillon von Gegrilltem Sellerie

Nils Henkel
Schlosshotel Restaurant Lerbach, Bergisch Gladbach
Currently 2 Stars Michelin

2012 Erden Treppchen Riesling Trocken Alte Reben GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Dr. Loosen
2012 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Trocken
GG VDP.Grosse Lage
Weingut Robert Weil


Kalbsbäckchen
Kräuterseitling, Chicoree, Senfsaat

Frank Buchholz
Restaurant Buchholz in Mainz
1 Star Michelin

2007 Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Trocken
Weingut Dr. Loosen
2011 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Trocken Erstes Gewächs
Weingut Robert Weil


Riesling goes global

Hans Stefan Steinheuer
Steinheuer’s Restaurant Zur Alten Post in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler
2 Stars Michelin

2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
Weingut Dr. Loosen
2007 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Auslese
Weingut Robert Weil


Closing Ceremony

At the end of the luncheon, the chefs came to the stage again with their teams.

Pictures: Closing Ceremony

After-Party

The event ended with an after party, where one could taste all the wines that were poured during the luncheon … but also could go for a draft beer.

Pictures: After-Party with more Wine, Curry Wurst, Frikadellen and Bratwurst ... and Beer. Above: Christian G.E. Schiller with the Charming Wife of Ulrich Allendorf, Weingut Allendorf

After-After-Party

We finished the evening at winetavern Schloss Groenesteyn in Kiedrich with Wilhelm and Martina Weil and others, including Hans Stefan Steinheuer

Picture: Guiseppe Lauria and Annette Schiller

25th Riesling Gala

This was the 25th Riesling Gala. Wilhelm Weil recalled that the first Riesling Gala took place in 1987 (There were 2 years without Riesling Gala because of renovation work at Kloster Eberbach). The late Bernhard Breuer (Weingut Breuer) and the late Graf Matuschka (Weingut Schloss Vollrads), with wine journalist Mario Scheuermann, were the driving forces behind creating the event.

Picture: Mario Scheuermann

Former Chef of the Graues Haus in Winkel und first Michelin starred Chef of the Rheingau, has cooked for all Riesling Gala events so far, including this year’s one.

schiller-wine: Related Postings

The new (VDP) Wine Classification in Germany: Tasting Weingut Robert Weil Wines from Gutswein to Grosse Lage Wine

Christian G.E. Schiller's Review of the Book: Ralf Frenzel (ed.) - Riesling, Robert Weil. Tre Torri, Wiesbaden, Germany, 2013, in: Journal of Wine Economics, Volume 9, 2014, No. 1, Cambridge University Press

Weingut Robert Weil, Kiedrich, Rheingau, Germany: Super Sommerfest/Summer Party 2014

Weingut Robert Weil Goes Facebook, Germany

Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany

Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany

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

The 2nd International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany

Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany

3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux  

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

German Spaetlese Wines Can Come in Different Versions. I Have Counted Five.

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

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

JJ Pruem Goes Supermarket: Meeting Katharina Pruem and Tasting the Incredible JJ Pruem Wines at Wegmans

Riesling from Germany and Pinot Noir from Oregon: A Winemaker Dinner with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen and J.Christopher Wines, at Black Salt in Washington DC.

Riesling, Pinot Noir and Indian Cuisine: A tête-à-tête Dinner with Winemaker Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at Rasika in Washington DC, USA

Ernst Loosen and Dr. L. Riesling - His Hugely Popular Entry-level Wine Sold Throughout the World

The Doctor Made a House Call - A Tasting with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC, USA

A Riesling Guru and a Killer Guitarist cum Cult Winemaker: Ernst Loosen and Jay Somers and their J. Christopher Winery in Newberg, Oregon

Picture: Sekt and Food Pairing with Janet Cam in Washington DC

Janet Cam, formerly Le Pavillon restaurant in Washington DC and Lutèce restaurant in New York City, paired a delicious global array of tapas-style foods with German Sekt. The event was organized by the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter). 45 friends of German wine (US$35 for GWS members and US$42 for non-members) enjoyed 4 German Sekts, the delicious food prepared by Janet Cam and her very entertaining and informative presentation.

Janet Cam

Janet Cam is best known as the co-proprietor of the elegant Le Pavillon restaurant in Washington DC and the Managing Director of the legendary Lutèce restaurant in New York City. At Le Pavillon, Nouvelle Cuisine was introduced to the United States by her ex-husband Yannik Cam.

Few American chefs can match the accomplishments of Yannick Cam. Internationally acclaimed, this native of Concarneau, France, has helped reinterpret classical French cooking in America since his arrival nearly 30 years ago. In 1978, Chef Cam accepted an offer to become Executive Chef at Le Pavillon in Washington, D.C. Over the next 12 years, he elevated with his then-wife Janet Cam the restaurant to one of the best restaurants in the Washington area and the United States, earning the Wine Spectator’s 1985 Grand Award. The restaurants Provence, Coco Loco and Le Paradou in Washington, D.C., and (since 2010) Bistro Province in Bethesda followed.

Picture: Klaus Teuter, Janet Cam and Christian G.E. Schiller

Today, Janet provides consulting services to restaurant and hospitality businesses with a focus on wine and beverage programs. Ms. Cam also conducts weekly food and wine tastings addressing various wine subjects including Value for Money Wines, comparative tasting of cellared Entry Level Wines vs Current Release Wines from Great Producer as well as Tasting for Potential.

Sekt in Germany

Not well known, Germany is one of the largest sparkling wine markets in the world. One of four bottles of sparkling wine produced in the world is consumed in Germany. Sparkling wine produced in Germany is called Sekt. Sekt is made in all German wine regions, both in the méthode traditionnelle and charmat method.

Sekt is made in all German wine regions, both in the méthode traditionnelle and charmat method. There are three groups of Sekt makers: (i) large and (ii) smaller Sekt houses, who only make Sekt and (iii) winemakers, who make predominantly wine, but complement their wine selection by a few Sekts. The Sekts produced by large Sekt estates tend to be in the demy-sweet and sweet range, while the Sekts of smaller estates and the wine makers are mostly in the brut and extra brut range. In addition to Sekt, Germany produces semi-sparkling wine, which is called Perlwein. But the production of Perlwein is small.

Picture: Sekt and Food Pairing with Janet Cam in Washington DC

There is a dozen or so large Sekt houses. They produce more than 200000 cases each annually. Most of these large Sekt houses were established in the 1800s. At that time, there was only one method known to produce Sekt, the méthode traditionnelle. But in contrast to the champagne houses, the large Sekt houses have all moved to the charmat method as main method of the second fermentation after World War II. Like the champagne houses, Sekt houses do not own vineyards, but purchase the base wine from winemakers. More than three quarters of the base wine used to make Sekt is imported from other EU countries, essentially Italy, France and Spain. Sekt can only be labeled as Deutscher Sekt if it is made exclusively from German grapes, which is rare in the case of the large and the smaller Sekt houses. Most of the Sekt houses have beautiful chateau-type facilities with old underground cellars for the second fermentation and storage. Overall, these Sekts are reasonably priced, are of good quality, but with the introduction of the charmat method are no longer in the same class as their counterparts in the champagne region.

The smaller Sekt houses, like the large Sekt houses, do not own vineyards, but also buy the base wine from winemakers. They also tend to have a long history and often links to the champagne region, beautiful facilities and old cellars for the second fermentation and storage. The big difference is that they typically have not gone the route of tank fermentation but continue to ferment in the méthode traditionnelle.

Finally, increasingly, there is a number of top quality winemakers, who, in addition, to their still wines, have started to include Sekts in their portfolio. These Sekts are typically vintage Sekts, from a specified vineyard, made of specific grapes, often Riesling, in the méthode champenoise and with little or not dosage (brut or extra but). While the first fermentation typically takes place at the winery, the second fermentation is often not in the cellar of the winemaker but in the cellar of a Sekt house that bottle-ferments for other wineries. One of those is award-winning Volker Raumland in Rheinhessen. He bottle-ferments for himself and for others. He keeps the bottle sur lie up to 12 years before corking and labeling the bottle for sale. There is a large and growing number of winemakers who have started to produce world class Sekts. Unfortunately, their production is very limited and they are difficult to find in the US.

For more, see: 
German Wine Basics: Sekt

The Sekts Janet Cam Poured

Janet Cam offered the following selection of German Sekts:

Picture: The Sekts Janet Cam Poured

Henkell Trocken

The Henkell Trocken - made of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Chenin Blanc in the charmat method - is widely available in the US, with (supposedly) the same taste as in 1894, when this cuvee was created by Adam Henkell, although then, the charmat methode had not yet been discovered. This entry-level Sekt sells for about US$10.

Henkell-Söhnlein, a conglomerate, is the second largest Sekt house in Germany. Henkell was founded in 1832 in Mainz (Rheinhessen) by Adam Henkell, at about the same time all the famous Champagne houses were established in the Champagne region

Weingut Dr. Loosen, Mosel, Dr. L – Riesling Sekt

Also made in the charmat method, but exclusively from Riesling grapes from the Mosel area, this sells for a few US$s more than the Henkel Trocken. The price/quality ratio is excellent. Strictly speaking, the Dr. L is not made by Weingut Dr. Loosen, but by Loosen Bros., a joint venture of Ernst Loosen and his brother.

Ernst Loosen is a world famous winemaker in Germany, who now is involved in 4 different wines in Germany and the USA: First, Mosel Valley Rieslings (Weingut Dr. Loosen and Dr. L), mostly fruity-sweet that made him so famous in the world; second, Pinot Noirs and other wines from the Pfalz, all dry, where he owns Weingut J.L. Wolf; third, the J. Christopher Wines, a collaboration of Ernst Loosen and Jay Somers, mainly Pinot Noir, from Oregon and fourth, the Eroica wines, a collaboration between Dr. Loosen and Chateau Ste. Michelle, the giant wine producer, in Washington State.

Pictures: Ernst Loosen, Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, and Christian G.E.Schiller at Weingut Dr. Loosen in the Mosel Valley during the German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Weingut Dr. Loosen is located just outside Bernkastel in the Mosel wine region. The vineyard area totals 22 hectares. Production amounts to 15.000 cases. Ernst Loosen won the "Riesling of the Year" of the German wine magazine Der Feinschmecker in 1989. In 2001, the Gault Millau Weinguide named Ernst Loosen as the German Winemaker of the Year.

For more, see:
Ernst Loosen and Dr. L. Riesling - His Hugely Popular Entry-level Wine Sold Throughout the World

Weingut Fitz Ritter, Pfalz – Riesling Sekt

Like Weingut Dr. Loosen, Weingut Fitz Ritter is one of the premium wine producers in Germany that also has Sekt in its portfolio. But unlike Weingut Dr. Loosen, the Sekts produced by Weingut Fitz Ritter are all made in the méthode traditionnelle. In fact, Weingut Fitz Ritter is the oldest Sekt producer in the Pfalz region. While we had a Riesling, Weingut Fitz Ritter also produces Sekt from the traditional Champagne grapes. This Sekt sells for US$20.

Total Beverage: Fitz-Ritter was one of the earliest producers of German Champagne (called Sekt or Sparkling Wine) in Germany. (see History of the Fitz Sektkellerei) This quality Sekt, produced from 100% old-vine Riesling, was grown in the sunny microclimate of the Middle-Haardt region. (Bad Dürkheim was the “sunniest town in Germany” in 2005– Nat. Weather Survey) It is crisp and dry while bursting with the fruitiness of ripe Riesling. Serve this exciting, dry Riesling Sekt with appetizers, sushi, seafood and greens. This Sparkling Wine is always a favorite and has been written up in prestigious publications such as the Wine Spectator and the New York Times.

Weingut Dr. Heidemanns-Bergweiler, Mosel - Riesling Sekt

Weingut Dr. Heidemanns-Bergweiler is a family-run and owned winery in the Mosel region that exports 70% of its production and is very present in the US market. This Sekt sells for US$23.

Brujazz wrote on cellar tracker: You can't be how surprisingly wonderful this bottle of wine was. Delicate, yet loaded with the best of Riesling flavors. Almost bone dry, it worked very well with some roasted chicken parts. Long finish. Better than double the price point!

The Tapas-style Food Janet Cam Served

We tasted with Janet the 4 Sekts with various bites she offered, and interestingly, the views on which Sekt went best with which food differed widely.

Barquettes of Herring Roe and Crème Fraîche
Labneh and Ajvar served with Sangak Bread
Onion and Cloud’s Ear Tofu
Shiitake and Rice Dumpling
Shanghai Spiced Nuts

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Riesling from Germany and Pinot Noir from Oregon: A Winemaker Dinner with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen and J.Christopher Wines, at Black Salt in Washington DC.

Riesling, Pinot Noir and Indian Cuisine: A tête-à-tête Dinner with Winemaker Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at Rasika in Washington DC, USA

Ernst Loosen and Dr. L. Riesling - His Hugely Popular Entry-level Wine Sold Throughout the World

The Doctor Made a House Call - A Tasting with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC, USA

A Riesling Guru and a Killer Guitarist cum Cult Winemaker: Ernst Loosen and Jay Somers and their J. Christopher Winery in Newberg, Oregon

When Americans Drink German Wine - What They Choose

Wine region: Champagne

German Wine Makers in the World: Eduard Werle - Owner of the Veuve Cliquot Champagne House

Champagne in Russia

3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux 

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Picture: The Germany North Wine Tour by ombiasy 2014 Group at the Roter Hang in Nierstein

The Germany North Wine Tour by ombiasy (September 4 – 13, 2014) was the first of two German wine tours in 2014, both organized by Annette Schiller. This posting provides an overview.

On the Germany North Wine Tour by ombiasy in 2014, we visited a total of 18 wineries (14 members of the VDP, the German association of elite wine makers) in 6 different wine regions where predominantly white grapes are planted: Saale-Unstrut, which is the most northern German wine region and former GDR territory; Franken and its signature grape Silvaner; Rheingau with its perfect, elegant, racy Rieslings; Northern Rheinhessen where a variety of white grapes and also Pinot Noir grow; Mosel with its dizzying steep vineyards and famous Rieslings; Nahe and its serene, peaceful valley where perfect harmonious wines reflect their roots.

Pictures: Wine Tastings

Germany with its roughly 250,000 acres under vine belongs today to one of the smaller wine producing countries in the world. However, viticulture in Germany has a long tradition, going back to Roman times 2,000 years ago. In the 15th century, the area under vine was four times larger than it is today. Wars, subsequent loss of territory, diseases, overproduction, and competition from beer brewing resulted in land turned over to other agricultural uses. In the 19th century, concentration on terroir and technological progress fostered a tremendous improvement of quality and the prestige of German wines, in particular from the Mosel, Rheingau, and Pfalz regions, resulting in prices above those for first growth Bordeaux wines. Today, all thirteen wine regions in Germany produce outstanding wines.

Pictures: The Group at Weingut Selbach-Oster with Johannes Selbach and at Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt with Annegret Reh-Gartner

Annette Schiller: Our way of traveling allows wine lovers to fully experience authentic Germany. Drawing on our love and deep knowledge of Germany and close personal ties to many personalities in the wine scene, our small group visits many of the hidden gems that other tours pass by, but which are essential to comprehend what German wine is all about.

DAY 1: Thursday, September 04

09:00 am Departure by coach from Frankfurt am Main.

12:00 pm Arrival at the Veste-Wachsenburg, Thuringia, and lunch.

The Veste-Wachsenburg is one of the very few intact medieval fortresses in Germany. It sits on the highest elevation of the Thuringia countryside “three fortresses” with a breathtaking view of the surrounding landscape. The restaurant at Veste-Wachsenburg, led by an ambitious chef, serves specialties of Thuringia at the highest level.

We also stopped in Arnstadt, home to the Bach family clan, to visit the church where Johann Sebastian Bach held his first post as cantor when he was 22 years old.

04:00 pm Arrival at hotel Berghotel zum Edelacker in Freyburg.

05:00 pm Arrival at the Pawis Winery (VDP) in Freyburg, Saale-Unstrut. Tour of the estate and wine tasting. Kerstin Pawis was our host; winemaker Bernhard Pawis joined us later.

The Saale-Unstrut wine region is Germany’s most northern wine region, located in the valleys of the Saale and Unstrut rivers, an area of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). The oldest record of viticulture dates back to the year 998 during the reign of Emperor Otto III. Weingut Pawis is located in the historic Zscheiplitz Estate, established in the 12th century as a convent, close to Freyburg. It is a gorgeous set-up, but as Kistin Pawis told us, under the communist regime that did not allow private entrepreneurship, the then nationalized estate was completely run down and renovation was a major undertaking.

Pictures: At Weingut Pawis with Kerstin and Bernhard Pawis

Bernhard Pawis is a trained winemaker, educated in the former German Democratic Republic in a VEB (volkseigener Betrieb / company owned by the people) winery. Shortly after the Iron Curtain came down in 1989, Bernhard’s parents bought 0.5 hectares of vineyard land and founded a small winery. Following the death of his father in 1998, Bernhard took over the reins, undertook major investments, bought more land and the Zscheiplitz Estate, and paid detailed attention to quality. In 2001 he received the highest reward for his efforts when he was invited to join the VDP, Germany’s association of elite winemakers with only about 200 members. To listen to Kerstin and Bernhard Pawis, and also to his fellow winemakers in this former GDR area, recount their stories of reviving an economic and agriculture waste land after German reunification, is living history and worthy of a spy thriller

07:30 pm Dinner at Hotel-Restaurant Unstruttal in Freyburg.

DAY 2: Friday, September 05

10:00 am Winery tour and tasting at winery Winzerhof Gussek in Naumburg, Saale-Unstrut. We were hosted by owner and winemaker André Gussek.

Winzerhof Gussek was founded by André Gussek in 1993. He said: “None of my ancestors had ever been interested in wine – only my father loved to drink wine – thank God!” In the 1980s André came to Naumburg and for 20 years, during GDR times, and later after reunification he was cellar master at the government-owned Landesweingut Kloster Pforta in Bad Koesen, near Naumburg. In 1993, he bought property surrounded by 5 acres of vineyard land (Kaatschener Dachsberg and Naumburger Steinmeister) to pursue his dream of making his own wine.

Pictures: At Winzerhof Gussek in Naumburg, Saale-Unstrut, with owner and winemaker André Gussek

At first this was a part-time endeavor, but in 2002, the time was ripe to fully concentrate on his own wine making estate, the Winzerhof Gussek. Over the following years, he expanded the vineyards to 9.2 ha (about 24 acres) and he now has 3 full-time employees. 66% of his vineyards are planted with white grape varietals and 34% with Pinot Noir and Zweigelt, a flagship red varietal of Austria. His red wines are stunning and among the finest in Germany.

12:05 pm Arrival in Naumburg-Saale.

We walked through the 1000 year old town, admired the impressive late Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral built between the 13th and 15th centuries, and took a look at the house of the Nietzsche family, where the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche spent his childhood.

Picture: In Naumburg-Saale

01:45 pm Lunch at Restaurant Fischhaus Schulpforte in Bad Kösen.

03.00 pm Vineyard tour, cellar tour and tasting at winery Landesweingut Kloster Pforta in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut. We were hosted by General Manager Christian Kloss.

This winery is one of the five State-owned wine producing estates in Germany, and is owned by the State of Sachsen-Anhalt. Its history mirrors German history. Its origins date back to the Pforta Abbey, founded in 1137 by Cistercian monks. In 1154 the monks started to plant vines in the Pfortenser Köppelberg vineyard, which still today is one of the six vineyards of the winery, producing excellent wines. Pforta Abbey soon had a reputation as the richest abbey in medieval Thuringia, with vineyard holdings in 192 communes, totaling at least 250 ha (around 625 acres). After Reformation (during the 16th century the eastern part of Germany became Lutheran and the monks had to leave), ownership went to the kings of Saxony, which subsequently lost the Abbey Pforta to the Kingdom of Prussia at the Vienna Congress in 1814.

Pictures: At Landesweingut Kloster Pforta in Bad Kösen, Saale-Unstrut with General Manager Christian Kloss

After World War II, it became the socialist co-operative VEG (volkseigener Betrieb) Weinbau Naumburg in the GDR, with 300 acres of land. After the fall of the Wall in 1989, Abbey Pforta was in the hands of the privatization organization Treuhand for a few years, but privatization efforts were not successful and thus the State of Sachsen-Anhalt took over. The winery still operates in the historic buildings, and we indulged in the beautiful wines and surroundings steeped in an almost 1000 year long story.

06:30 pm Arrival in Erfurt at the Mercure Hotel Erfurt Altstadt.

We explored the more than 1000 year old city with its medieval city center. Famous sights are the cathedral hill with its two impressive churches side by side, the St. Marien cathedral and the St. Severin church. Other famous buildings are the Krämerbrücke, a bridge completely covered with dwellings, and the Synagogue, which was established in the 11th century and is the oldest standing synagogue in Europe.

DAY 3: Saturday, September 06

10:30 pm Cellar tour and tasting at winery Juliusspital (VDP) in Würzburg, Franken.

Juliusspital is Germany’s second largest winery with 425 acres under vines in the most renowned sites of Franken, and one of the always top rated wineries. The appeal of the wines lies in their fascinating diversity. This winery is part of the charitable foundation Juliusspital, which was founded more than 430 years ago by the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg, Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn, and still today comprises among other institutions a hospital, a hospice, and care facilities for the elderly and the poor.

Pictures: At Juliusspital in Würzburg, Franken

In order to equip the foundation with the necessary financial means Julius Echter founded, among other business entities, a winery to guarantee steady income. The historical cellars - which we had the opportunity to visit-, with the old traditional wooden casks, are still in use for fermentation and aging.

12:30 pm Lunch at the Juliusspital foundation's restaurant.

03:30 pm Vineyard walk and tasting at winery Bickel-Stumpf (VDP) in Frickenhausen, Franken. We were hosted by Reimund Stumpf, with Matthias Stumpf and Melanie Stumpf.

This visit took us to one of the fairly recently established wineries, one that grew out of a love story. Reimund Stumpf and Carmen Bickel met, fell in love, and in 1976 decided to share their lot – personally and professionally. The winery’s 25 acres are in two locations, in Thüngersheim, north of Würzburg, and in Frickenhausen, 25 miles upstream the Main River.

Pictures: At Weingut Bickel-Stumpf in Frickenhausen, Franken with Reimund, Matthias and Melanie Stumpf

Both children, Matthias and Melanie, became winemakers, and earned their credentials during many apprenticeships in Germany and abroad. With the new generation at the helm, particularly the signature grape of Franken, Silvaner, has come to a new recognition. The Silvaners at Bickel-Stumpf are beautiful, elegant, creamy, smooth – absolutely delicious!

07:15 pm Arrival in Mainz at the Hotel Hilton.

We enjoyed the evening in Mainz - one of the ten Wine Capitals of the world: Strolling along the Rhine River, wandering the narrow cobblestone streets in the medieval old town, admiring the 1000 year old cathedral, and discovering the typical local wine taverns.

DAY 4: Sunday, September 07

10:00 am Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine in Kiedrich, Rheingau

A very special treat was the visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine in Kiedrich. Kiedrich is a 1000 year old wine-growing community and famous for its completely preserved Gothic architecture. The organ in the Saint Valentine church dates from the late Gothic period and is the oldest playable organ in Germany. Since 1330, every Sunday at High Mass a boys and men choir (recently girls have been allowed to join) sings liturgial Latin plainsongs (Gregorian chants) in a special dialect only preserved here.

Picture: In Kiedrich

10:30 am Cellar tour and tasting at winery Robert Weil (VDP) in Kiedrich, Rheingau. We were hosted by Wilhelm Weil’s personal assistant, Jan Christensen.

With 185 acres under vine – 99% is planted with Riesling-, winery Robert Weil is one of the largest estates in the Rheingau. This estate with its chateaux character is a symbol of German Riesling culture. The historical manor house, the ultra-modern cellars and the vinothek stand side by side in a beautiful park – the same synthesis of old and new that is reflected in the estate’s philosophy of excellent, terroir-focused winemaking where tradition and contemporary oenological know-how are in harmony.

Pictures: At Weingut Robert Weil with Jan Christensen

01:00 pm Lunch in the tavern at winery Kloster-Eberbach, Rheingau.

Pictures: Lunch at Kloster Eberbach

02:30 pm Tour and tasting at the Eberbach Abbey winery (VDP).

Still a world-class winery today, the Eberbach Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery, founded in 1136 by Bernard of Clairvaux as the first Cistercian monastery on the eastern bank of the Rhine river. Today Eberbach Abbey is one of the five State-owned wineries (the State of Hesse is its proprietor) and with 500 acres the largest winery in Germany. Its Romanesque and Gothic buildings are impressive. The vineyards of Eberbach Abbey were, at 750 acres, the largest in medieval Europe.

Pictures: At Kloster Eberbach

We got an in-depth tour of the Abbey, including the visit of the old monk’s dormitory where every year the famous auction of premium German wines takes place. A very special treat was a peek into the treasure chamber, where century old wine bottles are still stored and where the movie “The Name of the Rose” with Sean Connery was filmed in 1986. We got to taste a special wine from the treasure chamber: a rare 1971 Riesling Auslese.

After the tour and tasting we had time to stroll through the Abbey grounds, followed by a visit of the famous „Steinberg“, a brick fenced-in vineyard with an outdoor tavern, a popular Sunday afternoon destination for people from Frankfurt, to drink a glass of wine from the Steinberg.

Pictures: In the Steinberg Vineyard

08.00 pm Back at Hotel Hilton in Mainz.

DAY 5: Monday, September 08

09:30 am Tasting at winery Winzerhof Thörle in Saulheim, Rheinhessen. We were hosted by Ute Thörle.

Rheinhessen is the most underrated wine region in Germany, but is catching up with a vengeance. There is an increasingly large group of young and ambitious winemakers who produce outstanding wines. Two of them are the Thörle brothers at the family-owned Winzerhof Thörle in the town of Saulheim, with Johannes Thörle in the driver‘s seat, assisted by his parents Rudolf and Ute and his brother Christoph.

Pictures: At Winzerhof Thörle in Saulheim, Rheinhessen with Ute Thörle

About 50 acres are under vine and planted with mainly Riesling, Silvaner and the Burgundy grapes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as well as some Sauvignon Blanc. A blind Pinot Noir “Germany Versus Rest of the World” tasting in London in October 2011 ranked the 2008 Winzerhof Thörle Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) Hölle as #3 overall and #1 of the German Pinot Noirs.

12:00 pm Tasting at winery Kühling-Gillot (VDP) in Bodenheim Rheinhessen. We were hosted by Frank Schuber; Roland Gillot, Caroline Kühling-Gillot’s father joined us for a short period.

Winery Kühling-Gillot is a traditional family-oriented estate where women have played a decisive role for several generations, with daughter Carolin continuing the legacy since 2002. She is one of the energetic young winemakers in Rheinhessen and co-founder of the young wine growers association “Message in a Bottle”.

Pictures: At Weingut Kühling-Gillot in Bodenheim Rheinhessen with Frank Schuber and Roland Gillot, Caroline Kühling-Gillot’s Father

In 2006 she married Hans-Oliver Spanier, owner of the VDP estate Battenfeld-Spanier in the southern part of Rheinhessen. Both are gifted winemakers and share the commitment to leaving a legacy of healthy soil and great wines. They employ biodynamic methods in the vineyards and for making the wine in the cellar; they share the philosophy of what H. O. calls “controlled laissez faire”. We tasted wines from both estates.

02:00 pm Lunch at restaurant Bootshaus in Mainz.

The Bootshaus is the restaurant of the rowing club of Mainz and sits right on the convergence of the Rhine and Main Rivers. This is the second restaurant of 1-Michelin star chef Frank Buchholz.

04:00 pm Vineyard walk, cellat tour and tasting at winery Künstler (VDP) in Hochheim am Main, Rheingau. We were hosted by Stefan Traub; we met winemaker Rolf Schlegel in the vineyard.

The Künstler family has been producing wine since 1648. Until WWII their estate lay in Southern Moravia, which now belongs to the Czech Republic. After the war they became refugees and Franz Künstler, the father of the current owner, eventually settled in Hochheim, starting from scratch. The winery grew and now belongs to the top estates in Germany; 75% of its 75 acres are classified as first growths.

Pictures: At Weingut Künstler in Hochheim am Main, Rheingau, with Stefan Traub

The village of Hochheim is the gateway to the Rheingau region and actually sits on the banks of the Main River, which joins the Rhine River only a few miles downstream. The terroir in Hochheim differs distinctively from the rest of the Rheingau, and its uniqueness creates wines found nowhere else. Thomas Jefferson was very fond of the Hochheim wines and brought back vines from Hochheim which he planted in Monticello.

06:45 pm Arrival at Hotel Zum Krug in Hattenheim.

Picture: At Hotel Zum Krug

DAY 6: Tuesday, September 09

09:45 am Vineyard tour and tasting at winery Peter Jakob Kühn (VDP) in Oestrich-Winkel, Rheingau. We were hosted by Angela and Peter Jakob Kühn’s daughter Sandra Kühn, a trained winemaker.

Pictures: At Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn in Oestrich-Winkel, Rheingau with Sandra Kühn

The winery Peter Jakob Kühn belongs to the top wine producing estates in Germany. Founded in 1786, currently the 11th generation of the Kühn family takes care of the vineyards and the wine making. Since 2004 Peter Jakob Kühn has converted to organic and biodynamic viticultural practices in the vineyard as well as in the cellar. In 2009 the winery became certified by Demeter, the association of biodynamic farming based on anthroposophical principles. Sandra Kühn introduced us to their vision of sustainable wine making, and explained in detail the procedures of biodynamic winemaking in the vineyard and in the cellar.

12:00 pm Lunch at Restaurant Breuer’s Rüdesheimer Schloss in Rüdesheim, Rheingau.

The Georg Breuer winery was founded in 1880, and developed into an 80 acre estate with top vineyards in Rauenthal and Rüdesheim. Today daughter Theresa owns the estate and is also a very talented winemaker. Year after year, she produces wines of the highest quality without jeopardizing her own distinctive style, noticeable in every bottle. In the middle of the hustle and bustle of Rüdesheim, the Breuer’s Rüdesheimer Schloss is an oasis of very good traditional German food and elegant Rieslings from the Breuer winery.

Pictures: Lunch at Restaurant Breuer’s Rüdesheimer Schloss in Rüdesheim, Rheingau

02:00 pm Boarding of the cruise ship on the Rhine river in Rüdesheim.

Cruise on the Rhine, passing the famous Loreley Rock and the slopes of the Mittelrhein wine region. Time to indulge in the breathtakingly beautiful view of the Rhine River and its banks dotted with castles, forts, and ruins dating from the middle ages. The Middle-Rhine valley is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Pictures: Rhine River Cruise

04:30 pm Arrival in Bad Salzig. We got off the boat and boarded our waiting bus.

06:00 pm Arrival at Hotel Zum grünen Kranz, Zell, Mosel.

We explored the quaint, little village of Zell.

DAY 7: Wednesday, September 10

10:00 am Vineyard tour and wine tasting at winery Clemens Busch (VDP) in Pünderich, Mosel. Rita Busch took us through the vineyards and Clemens Busch greeted us during the tasting.

The Busch family lives near the banks of the Mosel in a beautiful, restored half-timbered house built in 1663. Because flooding is a constant danger, the vaulted cellar, built in the 1970s, lies nearby, on higher grounds at Clemens’ parents’ home. In a region most known for the noticeable residual sugar and low alcohol of its wines, Clemens Busch’s focus is on dry premium Rieslings that can compete with the best dry whites in the world.

Pictures: At Weingut Clemens Busch with Rita and Clemens Busch

He also produces off-dry wines as well as powerful, complex noble sweet wines. In 1984 he began using organic viticultural practices and more recently moved towards biodynamic. Clemens Busch, owner and winemaker, will give us the tour and will also take us by boat across the Mosel River to show us his vineyards which are among the steepest in the Mosel region.

12:45 pm Lunch at restaurant Weinhaus Lenz in Pünderich.

02:00 pm Cellar tour and tasting at winery Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel. We were hosted by Johannes Selbach.

The ancestors of the Selbach family have been cultivating Riesling since 1600. Today, Johannes Selbach and his wife Barbara are running the winery with passion for the wines and continue the long family tradition producing top quality Riesling. The 20 hectares (49 acres) of the estate are all on the steep slopes of the Mosel in top vineyard sites like Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr and Graacher Domprobst.

Pictures: At Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel with Johannes Selbach

The great-grandfather of Johannes owned a Mosel steamship and shipped his wines in oak barrels down the Mosel and the Rhine to the North Sea ports. These barrels were made by Matthias Oster, a cooper and the great-grandfather on the paternal side of the family. The traditional 1000 liter oak barrels called "Fuder" are still used. Recently Johannes Selbach teamed up with Paul Hobbs, a California-based renowned wine maker to establish a winery on a 27 hectare-estate on the southern tip of Lake Seneca in the Finger Lakes AVA in New York State.

07:00 pm Arrival at ante-porta City Hotel in Trier.

08:00 pm Vesper in the wine tavern “Weinstube Kesselstatt” in the Palais Kesselstatt, with its historical vaulted cellars and idyllic courtyard.


Picture: Vesper at Weinstube Kesselstatt in the Palais Kesselstatt

DAY 8: Thursday, September 11

09:30 am Cellar tour and tasting at winery Von Hövel (VDP) in Konz, Saar Valley, Mosel. We were hosted by owner and winemaker Max von Kunow.

In this region wine was already produced in Roman times. There is evidence that wine was produced at the site of the Von Hövel estate as early as 1150. In those days the winery belonged to the monastery of Saint Maximin in Trier. Under Napoleonic rule all church property was secularized and came under French administration until 1810. The Grach family, a well-known family from Trier, was able to buy the estate in 1803. Since then the winery Von Hövel has been in the hands of the same family.

Pictures: At Weingut Von Hövel in Konz, Saar Valley, Mosel, with owner and winemaker Max von Kunow

The current owner Maximilian von Kunow is direct descendant of the Grach family and the 7th generation producing outstanding wines at this estate. In the estate's south-west facing steep vineyards Riesling grapes grow and mature. Max showed us the 1100 year old barrel cellar where still today the wine matures in wooden vats, some of them several hundred years old, to become ripe, spicy, elegant Rieslings.

12:30 pm Wine tasting and lunch at winery Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt in Morscheid, Mosel. We were hosted by owner Annegret Reh-Gartner and her husband Gerhard Gartner, a former 2-star Michelin Chef.

First documented in 1349, the estate today cultivates 90 acres of vineyard land, consecrated exclusively to Riesling. This winery is unique because the vineyards are equally divided among the three river valleys that form the Mosel appellation: the Mosel River valley itself, and the valleys of its two contributories, the Saar and Ruwer Rivers. Between 1854 and 1889 four former monasteries of Saint Maximin and their vineyard holdings were purchased, two smaller ones in the Mosel valley and two bigger ones in the Saar and Ruwer valley, all four form today the Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt winery.

Pictures At Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt in Morscheid, Mosel with owner Annegret Reh-Gartner and her husband Gerhard Gartner, a former 2-star Michelin Chef

Winemaking facilities and headquarters of the estate are today in Schloss Marienlay in Morscheid in the Ruwer valley. In the cellar, winemaker Annegret Reh-Gartner puts emphasis on spontaneous fermentation to interfere as little as possible at the winemaking stage, underscoring the individuality of the terroir of each valley. It was fascinating to compare the wines from the three different steep slopes of the Mosel, Saar, and Ruwer valleys.

04:00 pm Guided sightseeing tour in Trier.

Trier sits on the banks of the Mosel River and is the oldest city in Germany. In Roman times it was the largest city north of the Alps, and for some years it even became an imperial city. This 2000 year old city is a treasure trove of Roman and German history, and pagan and Christian culture. There is so much to see in Trier, but the famous landmarks from Roman times are a must: the Porta Nigra, the amphitheatre, and the imperial thermal baths. The most eminent citizen of Trier in modern times was Karl Marx, who was born and raised here.

Picture: Touring Trier

DAY 9: Friday, September 12

10:30 am Cellar tour and tasting at winery H. Dönnhoff (VDP), Oberhausen, Nahe. We were hosted by Christina Dönnhoff.

The Dönnhoff family has been making wines for more than 250 years, but a new era started when Helmut Dönnhoff began making wine in 1971. He started out with a vineyard of 10 acres, and through careful acquisition he now cultivates 60 acres of the best vineyards in the Nahe valley.

Pictures: At Weingut Dönnhoff in Oberhausen, Nahe, with Christina Dönnhoff

Helmut Dönnhoff has become a living legend of German wine and is celebrated as one of Germany’s very best producers. He is committed to making the most out of the terroir to attain the ultimate in quality. The majority of the grapes planted are Riesling, but Dönnhoff also produces outstanding Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. We will have the honour of learning from Helmut Dönnhoff about his philosophy of wine making and will taste the wines under his guidance.

02:00 pm Lunch with wine pairing and cellar tour at winery and restaurant Krüger-Rumpf (VDP) in Münster-Sarmsheim, Nahe. We were hosted by winemaker and owner Georg Rumpf.

“In our family, viniculture has been a tradition since 1708 - a tradition that we have been cultivating in our vineyards as well as in our manor house which was built back in 1830” says Georg Rumpf. Today, the vineyard totals about 50 acres and the annual production is 14,000 cases.

Pictures: At Weingut Krüger-Rumpf in Münster-Sarmsheim, Nahe, with winemaker and owner Georg Rumpf

Georg Rumpf has taken over the winemaking at Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, while his father Stefan now focuses more on sales, and his mother Cornelia manages the restaurant. The wines, gourmet regional food, the hospitality and warmth of the family, and the ambiance in this lovely estate where modernism is perfectly combined with tradition, are outstanding.

04:45 pm Cellar tour and tasting at Weingut Schlossgut Diel, Burg Layen (VDP) in Rümmelsheim, Nahe. We were hosted by Caroline Diel’s husband Sylvain Taurisson Diel.

More than 200 years ago, the great-great-grandfather of the current owner, Armin Diel, bought the estate from the Baron Dalberg. It was only due to the negotiation skills of Baron Dalberg that the fortress Layen, which dates from the 11th century, was rescued from being confiscated and destroyed by Napoleon when the area west of the Rhine River came under French rule.

Pictures: At Weingut Schlossgut Diel, Burg Layen in Rümmelsheim, Nahe, with Sylvain Taurisson Diel

The Diel family developed the estate into one of the most prominent German wineries. Armin and Monika Diel replanted 65% of the vineyards with Rieslings and the rest with the Burgundy grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. Their portfolio comprises grandiose dry and sweet Rieslings, extraordinary white and red Pinots and a stunning sparkling wine traditionally fermented in the bottle. Today the 6th generation of the family, daughter Caroline, works with her father and guarantees the continuation of making first class wines at Burg Layen.

07:15 pm Arrival at Hotel Stiftswingert in Mainz.

08:00 pm Blind Wine tasting at wine tavern Weinhaus Bluhm in Mainz.

The tasting was guided by Roland Ladenberg, owner of Weinhaus Bluhm and an authority on the wines of Germany.

Pictures: At Wine Tavern Weinhaus Bluhm in Mainz, with Roland Ladenberg

DAY 10: Saturday, September 13

09:30 am Walking tour through Mainz.

We explored the ancient history of Mainz. We took a look at the ruins of Roman times, visited the 1000 year old Cathedral, strolled through the medieval alleys of Old Town, admired the windows that Chagall did in the St. Stephan church and visited the colorful fruit and vegetable market at the foot of the 1000 year old Cathedral.

Picture: In Mainz

12:00 pm Tour, tasting, and lunch at winery Schätzel in Nierstein, Rheinhessen. We were hosted by Kai Schätzel’s mother, Nanne Schätzel, who used to run the winery for several decades.

Before arriving at the winery we stopped at the Red Slope, the famous vineyard with its outstanding terroir. From there we had a breathtaking view of surrounding vineyards, the Rhine River, and the Frankfurt skyline. The Schätzel family has been making wine for 650 years, for 5 generations at the current location: the General von Zastrow Estate.

Pictures: At Weingut Schätzel in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, with Nanne Schätzel

Today, the winery is owned and managed by Kai Schätzel, who is also one of the upcoming young winemakers in Rheinhessen. When he became fully responsible, he decided to change course at Weingut Schätzel and to aim at becoming a nationally and internationally recognized premium wine producer.

The stunning wines, the historical setting, the hospitality and warmth of this family, the German “Gemütlichkeit” made the perfect finale for our tour.

03:00 pm Arrival at Frankfurt International Airport

schiller-wine: Related Posting

3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux 

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

American Whiskey Producers in Germany, 2013

Bordeaux Trip September 2012, France

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller, Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, and Boon Seng Heng, Wein &Vin, with Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Riesling at Taberna Wine Academy

In October 2014 I spent a month in Singapore, visiting my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter Viatrix. During these 4 weeks, I explored with my wife Annette Schiller the wine scene of Singapore, including German wine. During my 30 years career at the IMF, I visited Singapore from time to time.

I have already released a number of postings about wine and food in Singapore based on my visit in October 2014. This posting summarizes my impressions with regard to German wine. The exchange rate at the time of my visit: S$1 = US$0.8.

Emerging Wine Country Singapore

When Robert Parker stepped down as editor-in-chief of The Wine Advocate at the end of 2013, he took three investors from Singapore on board and appointed Singapore-based Lisa Perrotti-Brown as editor-in-chief. This was another sign that Singapore was on its way to becoming a major player in the world of wine.

The restaurant, bar and club scene is amazing, ranging from inexpensive hawker centers to premium restaurants serving both eastern and western cuisine.

Pictures: Delicious Hawker Food in Singapore

Singapore covers just 700 square km and has a population of a bit more than 5 million people. It is a very expensive city (and became the most expensive city in 2014 according to the Economist) and also a popular tourist destination; on average every day, there are 36,000 additional people on the island.

Traditionally, Singapore’s wine market has been dominated by French wine. The selection of Bordeaux and Bourgogne wines, including older vintages, in the large number of wine bars and restaurants in Singapore is amazing. Today, the interest is shifting to other red wine regions. “But more importantly, white wines are increasingly popular and after the Sauvignon Blanc boom, finally fine Rieslings or Grüner Veltliners are offered by the glass in some of the top restaurants” says Michael Thurner, who founded Austria’s Fine Brands in Singapore.

Pictures: Raffles Hotel and Marina Bay Sands Hotel with Museum of Arts and Science (and Viatrix with her Parents and Grandparents)

According to the International Enterprise Singapore, a government agency, six countries account for more than 80% of import volume into Singapore. Australia and France are at the top with 31% and 26% of volume share, respectively, followed by Chile (9%), Italy (7%), US (6%) and New Zealand (6%). Spain, South Africa, Argentina and Germany each have approximately 3%.

Who’s buying? With US55.000, Singapore has a high per capita income, higher than Germany and the US, for example.

Pictures: Singapore at Night

German Wine

Magma German Wines

At several occasions during my recent stay in Singapore, I was referred to Magma German Wines, which, according to the Magma German Wines website, “is the main importer of German wine in Singapore.” Indeed, the Magma portfolio is very impressive, including about 30 German top producers. Tragically, Magma German Wines owner Leonardo G. Noto died in an accident in Germany in 2013 and it remains unclear if and how his wife Dagmar Noto will continue the business. When I was in Singapore, the web page was online, but there was no activity on the page in 2014. Also, Leonardo G. and Dagmar Noto’s well-known German wine bistro in Chinatown had closed and somebody else moved into the location. We will have to see and wait what happens.

Wein & Vin

With Magma on the side lines, Wein & Vin, a small importer that specializes in German and French wines, owned and run by the charming Boon Seng Heng appears to have taken over the #1 spot: “We specially hand-pick some of the best wines in the world to include not only rare and collectible wines, but also good value-for-money wines.” The German portfolio comprises: Riesling wines (both dry and sweet) from Kesselstatt, Doennhoff (dry Rieslings) and Van Volxem and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) wines from Bernhard Huber, Meyer Nakel and Rudolf Fürst - all world class producers.

Annette Schiller and I enjoyed at fabulous evening with Boon Seng Heng and Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Rieslings at Taberna Wine Academy, a very special wine bar, off the beaten track. See also below.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Boon Seng Heng, Wein &amp Vin, with Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Riesling at Taberna Wine Academy

Weingut Robert Weil and Taste of Tradition

Weingut Robert Weil is represented in Singapore by Taste of Tradition (Importer and Distributor of Fine Wines Around the World). While I was in Singapore, Deputy Managing Director Jochen Becker-Köhn and Export Director Nicolas Pfaff of Weingut Robert Weil happened to stop by in Singapore. They had lined up a series of events at different location and I was able to join them on a couple of these events, including at Roosevelt's Diner and Bar.

Pictures: At Roosevelt's Diner and Bar, playing Skat with Weingut Wilhelm Weil cards. 

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Joe Chia of Taste of Tradition (Importer and Distributor of Fine Wines Around the World).

For more on Weingut Robert Weil, see:
Deputy Managing Director Jochen Becker-Köhn and Export Director Nicolas Pfaff of Weingut Robert Weil in Singapore
Christian G.E. Schiller's Review of the Book: Ralf Frenzel (ed.) - Riesling, Robert Weil. Tre Torri, Wiesbaden, Germany, 2013, in: Journal of Wine Economics, Volume 9, 2014, No. 1, Cambridge University Press
Weingut Robert Weil, Kiedrich, Rheingau, Germany: Super Sommerfest/Summer Party 2014
Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany

Weingut Balthasar Ress and Wine Universe

At the recommendation of Christian Ress, Weingut Balthasar Ress, I had a glass of the Balthasar Ress Von Unserem at the oenotheque by Wine Universe. Located in a corner of Millenia Walk, the space incorporate a restaurant, a wine bar and retail-cellar. It is a joint venture by fourth-generation Swiss vintner, Dominique Giroud and Swiss owner, Claude Dizerens. Dominique is also the man behind Wine Universe, a leading wine retailer and brokerage in Switzerland.

The portfolio of Wine Universe in Singapore includes one German producer that is Weingut Balthasar Ress. Currently, the Wine Universe offers 4 different wines of Weingut Balthasar Ress.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at oenotheque by Wine Universe in Singapore with Sommelier and Manager Geoffrey Daurelle and a Weingut Balthasar RessVon Unserem

For more on Weingut Balthasar Ress, see:
Tasting at Weingut Balthasar Ress, Hattenheim, Rheingau, with Stefan Ress, Germany

The Straits Wine Company

From October 23 to October 26, 2014, over 70 wineries from all over the world presented their wines at the Singapore Wine Fiesta, the annual portfolio presentation of The Straits Wine Company. The wine fair was opened by a Winemakers’ Table Dinner on October 23, with the menu crafted by The Fullerton Bay Hotel Executive Chief Sandro Falbo. This was the seventh edition of Singapore Wine Fiesta. Straits Wine Company graciously invited me to the dinner.


Picture: Madelene Ganter at the Singapore Wine Fiesta Pouring Prinz von Hessen

From Germany, Weingut Prinz von Hessen (Rheingau) and Weingut Richter (Mosel) presented their wines. The Straits Wine Company also has Weingut Bürklin-Wolf (Pfalz) in the portfolio. Strait's Wine Company Staff includes the German Moritz Deyle, a Geisenheim University Graduate


Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Straits' Moritz Deyle, a Geisenheim University Graduate

The Straints Wine Company: Started in 2006, The Straits Wine Company is now Southeast Asia’s leading wine importer, retailer and distributor, with operations in Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines. Offering a bespoke 360 wine solution, The Straits Wine Company has a comprehensive range of services that caters to any and all wine needs. From private wine parties to cellar planning, a trusted bottle shop to private client concierge, the Straits team of wine professionals is at your disposal. Our 12 retail wine bars across Singapore showcase a wide range of wines from around the world including Australia, New Zealand, France, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Portugal, India, USA, Lebanon, Japan, Switzerland and many, many more. Whether you are wine beginner or an experience aficionado, we have a wine for you.


Picture: Joel B. Payne, Gault Millau Deutschland WeinGuide, Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, and Christian G.E. Schiller at the Singapore Wine Fiesta

For more on the Singapore Wine Fiesta, see:
Winemakers from Around the World at Straits Wine Company’s Wine Fiesta 2014 in Singapore

Wine Connection and Weingut Selbach Oster

One German producer that was more often on our table (in the apartment) in Singapore than other producers was Weingut Selbach Oster. The main reason was that the Wine Connection store at Robertson Walk was very close to our apartment building and carried 2 Weingut Selbach Oster Riesling wines at a very reasonable price. In general, Wine Connection seems to pursue a business concept that is based on low prices (by Singapore standards).

The Wine Connection bar next to the store was a fun place with a good selection of very reasonably priced wines - 100 wines by the bottle, starting at $40 and going up to $100. 30 wines by the glass, including 2 Weingut Selbach Oster wines. Always packed. There are now 5 Wine Connection bars in Singapore, including one focusing on cheese.

Picture: Annette Schiller and Selbach Oster Wines at Wine Connection

Weingut Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken and Verre Wine Bar

Verre Wine Bar is one of my favorite wine bars in Singapore, right on the Singapore River, a bit outside of the center and an excellent selection of premium wines from Bourgogne and Bordeaux wines. The owner of Verre Wine Bar is an importer who also imports the wines of Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken.

Thedrinkbusiness.com: Boasting views over the Singapore river, the Verre wine bar offers a wide array of wines alongside a selection of meats and cheeses to compliment you choice. Verre is situated in a spacious, restored 19th century warehouse with floor to ceiling glass with the aim of bringing about the ambience of a modern French château.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Sommelier Samant G. , with a Weingut Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Spätlese at Verre Winebar

For more on Weingut Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken, see:
Dorothee Zilliken, Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken Presents her Noble Rieslings at Frankfurt/Wein in Frankfurt, Germany

Long Bar at Raffles

The world renowned Raffles Hotel does not offer any German wine at its Long Bar nor in its various restaurants.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at Long Bar in the Afternoon

Db Bistro Moderne

At the impressive Marina Bay Sands Hotel complex, there are a number of restaurants from famous chefs. One of them is db Bistro Moderne of French-borne and New York City-based Chef Daniel Boulud. Its wine list has over 400 selections to choose from, including the following wines from Germany:

Riesling Trocken, Sitzius, Nahe 2011 S$95
Riesling Trocken, Schäfer-Fröhlich, Bockenauer, Nahe 2010 S$115
Riesling Trocken, Hermann Dönnhoff, Tonschiefer, Nahe 2011 S$155
Riesling Kabinett, Schlossgut Diel, Dorsheimer Goldloch, Nahe 2011 S$115
Riesling Kabinett, Reichsgraf Von Kesselstatt, Scharzhofberger, Mosel 2011 S$125
Riesling Spätlese, Sitzius, Oberhäuser Kieselberg-Trocken, Nahe 2011 S$140
Riesling Spätlese, Reichsgraf Von Kesselstatt, Josephshöfer, Mosel 2011 S$185
Pinot Noir, Baden, Bernhard Huber 2011 S$105
Mosel, Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, Scharzhofberger, Eiswein 375ml 2001 S$395
Mosel, Joh.-Jos. Prüm, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, Auslese 2006 S$230

This is the best selection of German wines at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel Complex.

Taberna

No wines by the glass, no food, but an extraordinary wine list, including a sensational selection of German wines. The wine bar is owned and run by, Tan Ying Hsien, who is enrolled (and pretty advanced as far as I know) in the Master of Wine program.

Pictures: At Taberna

Taberna is a wine academy with bar facilities located at 17 Binjai Park, off Dunearn Road. Taberna offers courses for both professionals and consumers alike, with courses designed according to the level of experience and knowledge. Taberna is designed to provide a convivial and contemporary setting for the customers to learn about wine by tasting from its extensive wine list and library of wine books or simply to enjoy good wine. In terms of German wines, Taberna has Dönnhoff, Gunderloch and Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt on its list. The selection of Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt wines is amazing. Vintage and price in S$:

Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt-Josephshöfer-Riesling-Spätlese:
2008 110 - 2007 110 - 2005 135 - 2004 135 - 2003 135 - 2002 135 – 2001 135 - 1999 150 - 1996 150 - 1994 150 - 1992 150 - 1989 150

Reischgraf vonKesselstatt-Josephshofer-Riesling-Auslese:
1999 190 - 1998 195 - 1993 170 - 1989 200 - 1983 195

Reischgraf von Kesselstatt-Josephshofer-Riesling-Kabinett:
2007 140

Reischgraf von Kesselstatt--Scharzhofberger--Riesling-Spätlese:
2009 110 - 2008 110 - 2007 110 - 2005 130 - 2004 130 - 2003 130 - 2001 130 - 1999 145 - 1997 145 - 1996 145 - 1992 145 - 1989 145

Reischgraf von Kesselstatt--Scharzhofberger--Riesling-Auslese:
1998 195 - 1997 175 - 1995 170 - 1992 175 - 1990 205 - 1989 205

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Deputy Managing Director Jochen Becker-Köhn and Export Director Nicolas Pfaff of Weingut Robert Weil in Singapore

Bass River Winemaker Dinner at Merchants Wine Cellar in Singapore

High Tea at the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore

Street Food in Singapore: Dinner at Makansutra Gluttons Bay Hawker Center

Winemakers from Around the World at Straits Wine Company’s Wine Fiesta 2014 in Singapore

Wine in Indonesia 

3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux 

Pictures: Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and Wine Tours, Jancis Robinson, MW, and Christian G.E. Schiller at the 2014 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Montreux, Switzerland

The 2014 DWCC took place in Montreux at Lake Geneva in Switzerland from Friday, October 31 to Sunday, November 2, 2014. Formerly called European Wine Bloggers Conference (EWBC), it was the seventh such annual event. Previous conferences took place in Spain, Portugal, Austria, Italy, Turkey and again Spain.

Pictures: Montreux at Lake Geneva, with Freddy Mercury Statue

The DWCC is a three-day event that provides a platform for the global wine community to address today's online communications opportunities. The theme of the 2014 conference was “Wine in Context”. The conference was attended by 315 participants from 37 countries.

Pictures: The 2014 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Switzerland

Conference Highlights and Content

As in previous years, the 2014 conference was a highly entertaining and educational mix of workshops, lectures and tastings. There were 30 or so parallel workshops, lectures and tastings on Friday and Saturday, in 4 different meeting rooms.

Greg Lambrecht, inventor and founder of Coravin Inc., gave the key note speech around the topic of innovation and the drive to bring new ideas to life that can change a market. (His Coravin system allows you to pour wine from a bottle without removing the cork.)

Pictures: Key Note by Greg Lambrecht, Inventor and Founder of Coravin Inc.

Ryan Opaz led a session on publishing tips, tricks and tools. Marc Roisin headed a session where three inventors presented their invention and a committee selected the most promising one; it was an app (Food for Wine) that would tell you what wine to choose and where you could get it, when you type in what you plan to eat.

I liked very much the Disruptive Wine Talks - a series of short presentations by experts and personalities to make you think differently about the future of digital communications and the world. Each talk was exactly 8 minutes long and the speaker had 24 slides to work with, which auto-advanced. Hamish Nicklin, Sales Director at Google UK, encouraged us to use more the YouTube channel. Eric LeVine, formerly Microsoft and now CellarTracker, the largest database of community tasting notes in the world, told us the story of his database. Edgar Kampers, co-founder and co-director of Qoin and since 1993 responsible for the introduction of community currencies, promoted his idea of special money for the wine community. Gabriella Opaz talked about her experience of moving to Porto.

Pictures: Disruptive Wine Talks

We finished the first day with a local dinner in the center of Montreux.

Pictures: Swiss Dinner

Obviously, Swiss wine figured prominently at the conference. On Saturday afternoon, Jancis Robinson and Jose Vouillamoz lead a Grand Tasting of Swiss wines. This was followed by a Walk Around Tasting of Swiss wines, with Swiss winemakers from all main Swiss wine regions presenting their wines. A limited group of us then had the opportunity to attend a Masterclass on Rare Swiss Varietals with Jose Vouillamoz and/or a Masterclass on Iconic Swiss Wines with Star Sommelier Paolo Basso.

Pictures: Grand Tasting of Swiss Wines, lead by Jancis Robinson and Jose Vouillamoz, and Walk-Around Tasting of Swiss Wines

We all finished the day with a Swiss Wine Gala Dinner at the Montreux Casino, with Jancis Robinson giving a speech.

Pictures: Swiss Wine Gala Dinner

The third day, Sunday, was comprised of excursions to Swiss wine regions. You could choose between 4 different tours: Geneva region, Vaud region, Neuchatel region and Valais region, unless you had booked a multi-day post-conference press trip, as we did.

Pictures: Group Photo

After Parties

In addition to the official schedule, there were a number of informal events at the various hotels after the official events had ended, including a ver interesting Champagne tasting organised by Christian Holthausen and Panos Kakaviatos.

Pictures: After Parties

Pre- and Post-Conference Activities

The 3 conference days were preceded by the legendary “Bring Your Own Bottle Party” in the evening and various Masterclasses during the afternoon of Thursday, including one on Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois wines, conducted by Panos Kakaviatos.

Pictures: BYOB Event

There was also a pre-conference press trip to the Tavel and Chateauneuf du Pape regions in France. As to the post-conference trips, they also started Sunday morning to the French, German and Italian speaking parts of Switzerland.

Pictures: Selfies and Other Pictures

Christian Schiller and DWCC/EWBC

This was be my third DWCC/EWBC; I participated in the 2010 conference in Vienna in Austria and in the 2011 conference in Brescia in Italy. I enjoyed these conferences very much.

Here are my postings on schiller-wine.

Austria

Picture: Lunch with Silvia Prieler, Weingut Prieler, Schuetzen am Gebirge, Burgenland, Austria in Restaurant Buergerhaus in Rust - see more: Lunch with Silvia Prieler, Weingut Prieler, Schuetzen am Gebirge, Austria

The 2010 European Wine Bloggers Conference (EWBC) in Vienna

Wine Producer Austria - Not Only Gruener Veltliner

Willi Klinger Leads Tasting of Austria's Undiscovered Stars at EWBC 2010 in Vienna

Picking and Drinking Gruener Veltliner with Ewald Gruber sen. and jun., Weingut Gruber, Weinviertel, Austria

Lunch with Silvia Prieler, Weingut Prieler, Schuetzen am Gebirge, Austria

Chef Martin Weiler Suggests Amazing Food to Go With Gruener Veltliner

Producing Wines in Austria and Hungary - Franz and Franz Reinhard Weninger

With the WienWein Winemakers in Vienna in the Heurigen Drinking Gemischter Satz Wine

Wine and Food from Burgenland at Wachter-Wieslers Ratschen, Deutsch-Schuetzen, Austria - with Tom and Christoph Wachter and Julia Sevenich

Meeting “John” Nittnaus from Gols, Burgenland, Austria

Guerilla Wine Tasting with Gottfried Lamprecht from Herrenhof in Vienna, Austria

Internet Guru and Medical Doctor go Wine: Weingut StephanO in Suedburgenland

Italy

Picture: Dinner with Emanuela Stucchi Prinetti at Badia a Coltibuono - for more see: Wining and Dining at Badia a Coltibuono in Tuscany with Wine Makers and Owners Roberto and Emanuela Stucchi Prinetti, Italy

Blogging, Wining and Dining at the European Wine Bloggers Conference (#EWBC) October 2011 in Brescia, Italy – A Tour D’ Horizont

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

The Premium Sparklers of il Mosnel, Franciacorta, Italy

The 1 Star Michelin Food of Chef Stefano Cerveni from the due colombe Ristorante and the Premium Sparklers of il Mosnel, Franciacorta - Wining and Dining at il Mosnel, Italy

An Apero at Zucca in Galleria in Milano, Italy

Wining, Dining and Blogging in Chianti Classico (#EWBC), Tuscany, Italy

Dining and Wining where the Royals Eat: Dario Cecchini’s Solo Cicca Restaurant in Panzano– the Butcher of Chianti Classico

Meeting Wine Maker Paolo Cianferoni at his Caparsa Estate in Chianti Classico, Italy

Wining and Dining at Badia a Coltibuono in Tuscany with Wine Makers and Owners Roberto and Emanuela Stucchi Prinetti, Italy

Extraordinary Art and Wines at Castello di Ama in Chianti Classico, Italy

Tasting Wines where Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was Born – With Wine Maker and General Manager Francesco Nardi at Vignamaggio Estate in Chianti Classico, Italy

Visiting Barone Francesco Ricasoli and his Castello di Brolio in Chianti Classico, Italy

Wining and Blogging in the Soave Region, Italy

Christian G.E. Schiller’s Views on Soave– a Video Interview

Visiting Balestri Valda in Soave, Italy

Meeting the Winemakers of the Soavecru Association in the Palazzo Vescovile in Monteforte d’Alpone, Soave, Italy

A Visit of Cantina di Soave, Soave, Italy

Meeting American Wine Journalist/Writer George M. Taber (who was Present at the 1976 Judgment of Paris Tasting), USA

How Recioto di Soave - a Dessert Wine - is Made: In Le Sponde Room of the Coffele Winery in Soave, Italy

Rioja

Picture: At Bodegas Bilbainas

The 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Logroño, Rioja

Rioja, Portugal, Austria, Italy, Turkey …. Rioja – EWBC 2013 Back in Spain

#DWCC : Comunicatore Digitale della settimana – Wine Blogger of the Week: Christian Schiller

Visiting a Stunning Winery: Bodegas Baigorri in Rioja, Spain

Bodegas Baigorri (Rioja, Spain) Wine Blog Posting Contest .... and the Winner is: Christian Schiller from schiller-wine

A Winery, a Foundation and a Museum: Dinastía Vivanco– Tasting, Tapas and a Tour with Santiago and Rafael Vivanco, Rioja, Spain

A Visit and a Tasting at Bodegas Bilbaínas in Haro with Head Winemaker Diego Pinilla Navarro, Spain

Visiting, Tasting and Eating at Bodegas Palacio, with Winemaker Roberto Rodriguez, Rioja, Spain

Schiller’s Favorite Tapas Bars in Logroño in La Rioja, Spain

Picture: Porta Nigra

Trier sits on the banks of the Mosel River and is the oldest city in Germany. In Roman times it was the largest city north of the Alps, and for some years it even became an imperial city. This 2000 year old city is a treasure trove of Roman and German history, and pagan and Christian culture. There is so much to see in Trier, but the famous landmarks from Roman times are a must: the Porta Nigra, the amphitheatre, and the imperial thermal baths. The most eminent citizen of Trier in modern times was Karl Marx, who was born and raised here.

Picture: The "Germany North Wine Tour by ombiasy 2014" Group with Annegret Reh-Gartner, Owner of Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, near Trier, see: Germany North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns

Das Weinhaus

Very nice, traditional wine tavern with a large wine list focusing on the Mosel Saar Ruwer region, but also covering other wine areas, including France, Italy and Luxembourg. Many wines by the glass. All wines in the list are to go or to consume in the tavern for an additional Euro 4.50.

The local food is good and the ambience is very nice. In the summer, one can sit outside on a little terrace.

Brueckenstr. 7, opposite to the Karl Marx Haus


Weinstube Kesselstatt

Weinstube Kesselstatt in the Palais Kesselstatt, with an idyllic courtyard. Only Weingut von Kesselstatt wines, by the glass and by the bottle. Local food. Self-service – for every glass you have to go back to the counter and pay.

From the outside this look like a charming old wine cellar. Inside the building seems more modern, but has good decor with wooden tables/chairs, a huge wine press, metal rails.

First documented in 1349, the Kesselstadt estate today cultivates 90 acres of vineyard land, consecrated exclusively to Riesling. This winery is unique because the vineyards are equally divided among the three river valleys that form the Mosel appellation: the Mosel River valley itself, and the valleys of its two contributories, the Saar and Ruwer Rivers. Between 1854 and 1889 four former monasteries of Saint Maximin and their vineyard holdings were purchased, two smaller ones in the Mosel valley and two bigger ones in the Saar and Ruwer valley, all four form today the Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt winery. Winemaking facilities and headquarters of the estate are today in Schloss Marienlay in Morscheid in the Ruwer valley.

Liebfrauenstraße 10, next to the Cathedral


X0 Becker’s

Restaurant, Bar plus Lounge and Deli – a combination of a restaurant, a bar, a lounge and a deli, with a large courtyard. Focus on wines from the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer region.

Michelin: Not all of Becker's restaurants are to be found in Trier's Olewig district. This trendy little establishment is situated in the city centre and has proved a great success since it opened. Start with a contemporary meal from the open kitchen and move on to a cocktail in the bar or the interior courtyard. In addition, Daily - open all day - sells wine, cheese and meats, as well as other fine foods and coffee.

Fleischstraße 59 - Posthof am Kornmarkt


Minarski

Client: Wine shop and bistro with the biggest assortment of regional Riesling wines in the entire town of Trier. 110 types are waiting for you guys. Beside the wine shop a very good place to hang out and enjoy small and fresh cooked snacks. We like!

Kochstraße 8


Weinwirtschaft Friedrich Wilhelm

Traditional wine tavern.

In April of this year, the 1 star Michelin Chef Alexander Oos and his wife Daniela Oos took over the former restaurant Cumvino an der Weberbach, which they named Weinwirtschaft Friedrich Wilhelm. The wines are all from the tenant: the Bischöfliche Güter und the Weingut Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gymnasium (founded in 1561), which belongs since 2004 to the Bischöflichen Priesterseminar.

Weberbach 75

Schiller’ Favorites

This posting is part of the Schiller’s favorites series.

Europe

Germany

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Trier, Germany
Schiller's Favorite (Wine-) Restaurants in Deidesheim in the Pfalz, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Berlin, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, 2013, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

France

Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France 
Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France
Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, 2012 France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City) (2012), France

UK, Spain, Austria, Hungary

Schiller's Favorite Winebars in London, UK
Schiller’s Favorite Tapas Bars in Logroño in La Rioja, Spain
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in London, 2012, UK
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary
Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria (2011)

USA

Schiller's Favorite Oyster Bars and Seafood Places in Seattle, USA  
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Washington DC, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, 2012, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California

Asia

Schiller s Favorite Winebars in Beijing, 2014, China

Africa

Schiller's Favorite Wines of Madagascar
Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar 

Pictures: Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015, Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, with Joel B. Payne, Father Wilhelm Haag, also Winemaker of the Year (some 20 Years ago) and Christian G.E. Schiller

The new Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland – for 2015 – was published earlier this month. It reviews on about 1000 pages more than 11.000 wines of 1000 wineries. Its rating symbol is a grape and Germany’s best winemakers are awarded one to five grapes.

Picture: Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015

Ever since 1994, the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland has honored outstanding personalities of the German wine world and special wines. This year, I was able to participate in the book release event in Mainz, Germany, where Editor-in-Chief Joel B. Payne and his team of reviewers presented the awards.

Pictures: At the Presentation of the Awards, with Wilhelm Weil, Manfred Prüm, Stephan Attmann

In addition to this posting, I will also post about the following:

Promotions and Demotions in the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015
Germany’s Top 11 Winemakers (With 5 Grapes) - Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015
Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, is the Winemaker of the Year 2015 - Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015

Awards

Wine Maker of the Year:
Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, Mosel


Collection of the Year:
Hanspeter Ziereisen, Weingut Ziereisen, Effringen-Kirchen, Baden


Rising Star of the Year:
Karl Eugen Erbgraf zu Neipperg, Weingut des Grafen Neipperg, Schwaigern, Württemberg


Discovery of the Year:
Isabel Strauch and Tim Weissbach, Sektmanufaktur Strauch, Osthofen, Rheinhessen


Sommelier of the Year:
Daniel Kiowski, Schloss Berg, Perl-Nennig


Wine List of the Year:
Anne Schorn, Schorn, Düsseldorf


Best Wines

Bester Winzersekt:
2004 Mon Rose, Sekthaus Raumland, Rheinhessen


Bester Spätburgunder:
2012 Hecklinger Schlossberg GG, Bernhard Huber, Baden, and
2012 Reserve du patron, Knipser, Pfalz


Bester Weißer Burgunder:
2013 Birkweiler Kirchenstück GG Dr. Wehrheim, Pfalz


Bester trockener Riesling:
2013 Forster Kirchenstück GG, Weingut von Winning, Pfalz


Bester feinherber Riesling:
2013 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr *** Markus Molitor, Mosel


Beste Riesling Kabinett:
2013 Niersteiner “H”, Weingut Keller, Rheinhessen


Beste Riesling Spätlese:
2013 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr, Versteigerungswein, Schloss Lieser, Mosel


Bester Riesling Edelsüss:
2013 Westhofener Abtserde Trockenbeerenauslese Goldkapsel, Weingut Keller, Rheinhessen


Best Wines, 10 Years Later

Riesling trocken:
2004 Forster Kirchenstück, Weingut Bürklin Wolf, Pfalz


Riesling frucht-süss:
2004 Wehlener Sonnenuhr “15/5”, Weingut JJ Prüm, Mosel


Spätburgunder:
2004 Wildenstein “R”, Weingut Huber, Baden


After-Ceremony Tasting and Lunch

All winning wines could be tasted after the ceremony, followed by lunch.

Pictures: After the Awards Presentation

The Rheingau Team

The Rheingau team is lead by Guiseppe Lauria.

Pictures: The Rheingau Team with Guiseppe Lauria, and Gaby Koch and Matthias Pohlers,

schiller-wine: Related Postings

For earlier years, see:

Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015 Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany
Best German Wines and Winemakers: Gault Millau Awards – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2014
Best German Wines and Wine Makers – the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2013 Awards
2012: Best German Wines (Awards) – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2012
2011: Gault Millau WeinGuide Germany 2011– Ratings
Gault Millau Wine Germany 2010

Picture: At Weingut A. Christmann in the Pfalz, with Owner (and VDP President) Steffen Christmann

The Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (September 14 – 20, 2014) was the second of two wine tours in Germany in 2014, both organized by Annette Schiller. This posting provides an overview.

For the first tour, see:
Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

We visited a total of 17 wineries (12 members of the VDP, the German association of elite wine makers; 1 in Alsace) in 3 different wine regions where predominantly grapes other than Riesling are planted: Baden, the most southern German wine region and Germany’s answer to Burgundy; Pfalz with its almost Mediterranean climate and voluptuous whites and reds; Southern Rheinhessen where a variety of white grapes and also Pinot-Noir grow.

Pictures: Tastings

Germany with its roughly 250,000 acres under vine belongs today to one of the smaller wine producing countries in the world. However, viticulture in Germany has a long tradition, going back to Roman times. In the 15th century, the area under vine was four times larger than it is today. Wars, subsequent loss of territory, diseases, overproduction, and competition from beer brewing resulted in land turned over to other agricultural uses.

In the 19th century, concentration on terroir and technological progress fostered a tremendous improvement of quality and of the prestige of German wines. In 1987 German red wine accounted for only 15 percent of German wine output. Today, close to 40 percent of German wine is red. Soil conditions in the South were always conducive to Pinot-Noir and other red grape varieties, and with the climate changing, more and more red varieties, in particular Pinot-Noir, were planted. Today Germany makes stunning Pinot-Noirs on par with the best of Burgundy.

Annette Schiller: Our way of traveling allows wine lovers to fully experience authentic Germany. Drawing on our love and deep knowledge of Germany and close personal ties to many personalities in the wine scene, our small group visits many of the hidden gems that other tours pass by, but which are essential to comprehend what German wine is all about.

DAY 1: Sunday, September 14

09:30 am Departure by coach from Frankfurt am Main.

11:30 am Vineyard tour and cellar tour at winery Schloss Neuweier (VDP) in Baden-Baden-Neuweier. We were hosted by owner and winemaker Robert Schätzle.

Wine has been produced at this impressive 13th century castle for more than 700 years. About 100 years ago Riesling became the dominant grape and passion. Still today, winemaking takes place in the vaulted cellars that date back to the 17th century. The Rieslings grown in the steep vineyards produce sumptuous, racy wines with delicate fruit.


In 2012 the Schätzle family bought the estate and continues to produce wines of uncompromising quality. Robert Schätzle, the winemaker, studied oenology and comes from a family with a long tradition of winemaking in the Kaiserstuhl region to the south.

01:00 pm Wine pairing lunch at Röttele’s Restaurant – a 1-star Michelin restaurant - at Schloss Neuweier, with Robert Schätzle. Chef Armin Röttele greeted us after the lunch.


05:00 pm Arrival at Mercure Hotel in Freiburg im Breisgau.

06:30 pm Cellar tour and tasting at winery Zähringer in Heitersheim, Markgräflerland, Baden. We were hosted by winemaker Paulin Köpfer.

Since 1844 the Weingut Zähringer makes wine in the Markgräflerland, in southern Germany right across the Rhine River from the Alsace region. This area benefits from lots of sunshine, a good terroir, and a mild climate that favors varietals such as Chardonnay and Pinots.


In 1986 Walter Zähringer rigorously pursued quality control and was convinced that this can only be achieved through organic winemaking. In those days this philosophy was unimaginable, but as time went by Walter Zähringer and the estate manager Paulin Köpfer won recognition. Today their long experience has become an asset in marketing organic wines, and they count among the pioneers of organic wine in Germany.

DAY 2: Monday, September 15

09:45 am Estate tour and tasting at winery Freiherr von Gleichenstein in Oberrotweil, Kaiserstuhl, Baden. We were hosted by Baron Johannes von Gleichenstein.

Since 1634, this estate has been in the hands of the family of the Baron von Gleichenstein. The estate comprises 75 acres of the finest vineyards exclusively planted with the classic Burgundy grapes.


Baron Johannes and Baroness Christina von Gleichenstein manage the estate in the 11th generation. They aimed at producing top level wines: through consistent yield reduction and other measures to optimize quality, they produce wines that have won several awards, in particular the spectacular Pinot Noir.

12:00 pm Tour and tasting at winery Franz Keller (VDP) in Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden. We were hosted by owner Fritz Keller.

With the Keller family, which can trace its roots as winemakers and hoteliers back to the Thirty Year War in the early 17-hundreds, everything started with producing and offering outstanding food. Franz and his wife Irma, parents of the current owner, were among the first generation of chefs to start the German revolution in the kitchen more than forty years ago. Well beyond the immediate post WWII era, the urge to simply have enough food on the table – quantity over quality- lingered on. In 1969 Franz and Irma Keller and their restaurant Schwarze Adler were awarded one Michelin star, which the restaurant defends until today. For Franz Keller, the central idea of winemaking was to produce top quality wines that perfectly accompanied the creations in the kitchen.


The current generation, Fritz and Bettina Keller have brought the winery to a new level. They just finished construction of a brand new winery that is an architectural landmark, beautifully integrated in the landscape. Their efforts to produce top wines, among them stunning Pinot Noirs, were acknowledged by their selection as new member of the VDP in 2013.

01:00 pm Wine paring lunch at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler in Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden. Fritz Keller brought us to the restaurant and Bettina Keller joined us later to greet us.

This 1-Michelin star traditional restaurant run by the Keller family of winegrowers offers a harmonious mix of Baden country charm and elegance. The menu is a successful marriage of French and German cuisine reflecting the frontier on the nearby Rhine River, which is the border between Germany and France. The impressive wine list boasts 2 600 different wines, including a good selection of bottles from both Baden and France.


04.15 pm Tasting at winery Huber (VDP) in Malterdingen, Breisgau, Baden.

The Huber Estate is located in Malterdingen in the Breisgau area. More than 700 years ago, Cistercian monks came to Malterdingen, and found the same terroir as in Burgundy and thus started to plant Pinot Noir grapes. Still today, in many reference books on grape varieties, “Malterdinger” is used as a synonym for Pinot Noir. In 1987 Bernhard Huber and his wife Barbara started their own estate, leaving the co-operative where they produced wine before. They now own 65 acres of vineyards of which 70% is planted with Pinot Noir and the rest with Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, a little bit of Muskateller, Riesling, and Müller-Thurgau. All Huber wines are dry.


Bernhard Huber does not produce any botrytised noble sweet wines or ice wines, nor does he chaptalize or add sweet reserve (Suessreserve) to generate sweetness in the finished wine. All his wines are fully fermented, dry and at around 13.5 percent alcohol. Bernhard regularly received the highest awards for his Pinot Noir and became something of a legend for producing top Pinot Noirs that can compete with the best of Burgundy. Bernhard Huber, only 53 years old, died in June 2014 after a battle with cancer. His wife Barbara wrote me in a moving email that she and their children try to keep Bernhard Huber's vision of wine making alive and that they will continue to produce top quality wines.

DAY 3: Tuesday, September 16

09:45 am Cellar tour and tasting at winery Dr. Heger (VDP) in Ihringen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden.

This estate is also one of the young wineries by German standards. It was founded in 1935 by Dr. Max Heger, a country doctor. Today the winery is in the hands of the third generation. Joachim Heger and his wife Silvia are in charge of 50 acres planted primarily with Pinot Noir and the white Burgundy grapes. The winery lies in the Kaiserstuhl, a small volcanic group of hills in the Upper Rhine Valley in southwest Germany.


The town of Ihringen enjoys the highest average temperature in Germany. While some fine Riesling and Silvaner gets made here, it is really Pinot country. The wines are rich, very well-structured, compact, but nevertheless elegant and subtle.

11:55 am Lunch at restaurant Holzöfele in Ihringen, just across the street from Dr. Heger winery.

01:30 pm Cellar tour and tasting at winery Karl H. Johner in Bischoffingen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden. We were hosted by Karl-Heinz and Patrick Johner.

By German standards this is a very young winery. Karl-Heinz Johner, a graduate of the famous Geisenheim university of oenology and viticulture, founded the winery in 1985 after having worked for 12 years as a winemaker in England where he was one of the first to produce English sparklers. The soil and other conditions in the Kaiserstuhl area of the Baden wine region are conducive to the classic Burgundy grapes.


Karl H. Johner had the knowledge and experience with these grape varietals and building on this fundament he was able to produce high quality Pinot Noirs. Will Lyons of the WSJ said of the Johner 2010 Pinot Noir, “wonderful bright dark Burgundy color…..this is a perfumed complex wine”. Son Patrick is now co-owner and manager/winemaker in Baden. Karl H. Johner’s curiosity drove him to start a new winery in New Zealand, where he spends the better part of the year.

04:15 pm Cellar tour and tasting at winery Maison Trimbach, Alsace, France. Hubert Trimbach greeted us.

It will be very interesting to taste the Trimbach wines and compare them with the German wines. Even wines of the same grape variety are distinctively different. This is due to different terroir but in a large part to the different philosophy of winemaking in Germany and Alsace. In a nutshell: the modern German winemaking aims at elegant, fruity, crisp, perfectly balanced wines whereas the Alsatian winemaker wants body, boldness and strength for the wines to accompany the hearty Alsatian food.


Maison Trimbach is a family run winery and its winemaking history goes back to 1626. “All French 3 star Michelin Restaurants carry Trimbach wine” says Jean Trimbach. This says it all: Maison Trimbach produces wine of the highest quality!

07:00 pm Arrival at Hotel de la Tour in Ribeauvillé, Alsace.

We explore the small, picture-perfect, medieval Alsatian village and had a memorable dinner at a local brasserie, eating typical Alsatian food and drinking Alsatian wines.


DAY 4: Wednesday, September 17

We continue our journey north on the left side of the Rhine River and stayed on the French side to cross into the Pfalz region of Germany in Wissembourg.

10:00 am Tasting at winery Friedrich Becker (VDP) in Schweigen, Pfalz. Friedrich Becker and Friedrich Becker jun. greeted us.

This winery is unique. The vineyards are in two countries - Germany and France- due to the winery’s location right on the German/French border. In this area the Rhine rift created many different soil types which presented favorable conditions for planting a wide variety of grapes. 60% of the vineyards are planted with the Burgundy grapes and Chardonnay; 22 % with Riesling and the rest with Silvaner, Muskateller, Traminer, Gewürztraminer, Müller-Thurgau, and Portugieser.


Friedrich Becker sees the wealth of nature as being the basis for his work, but more importantly, for him nature is an inspiration. He was the first of his family to distance himself from delivering the grapes to the local co-operative and decided to make his own wine. Right from the start he has been one of the best producers in the Pfalz and one of the best Pinot Noir producers in Germany. The Gault Millau 2010 Best Red Wine of the Year is a Friedrich Becker Pinot Noir. The same instincts seem to have been transferred to his son Friedrich jun., who has taken over more and more responsibilities.

12:00 pm Winery tour and wine pairing lunch at winery and wine tavern Jülg in Schweigen. We were hosted by Johannes Jülg, who is now in charge of winemaking. His father Werner and his 2 brothers also joined us.

Just down the street from winery Becker you find the winery Jülg. Like Becker their vineyards are also in Germany as well as in France. Karin Jülg runs the wine tavern which is known for outstanding traditional Pfälzer cuisine.


In the mid 80s Werner Jülg converted the family winery from a low-end mass producing winery -so typical for the Pfalz in those days-, into a wine estate that produces outstanding wines of the highest quality. He is also known for his excellent Sekt making: the Blanc de Noir produced in the Method Champenoise with traditional Champagner grapes is absolutely delicious.


Winery Jülg produces only dry wines mostly with traditional Burgundy grapes. After finishing his studies in oenology son Johannes is now also working in the winery to continue with the family tradition.

03:15 pm We took a short walk to the Deutsches Weintor (German Wine Gate), a landmark built in 1936 which greets the traveller when coming from France. It also marks the beginning of the German Wine Trail. We climbed 18 meters to the top and enjoyed the view over the breathtakingly beautiful landscape south towards the Alsace and north towards the Pfalz.

04:00 pm Tasting at winery Ökonomierat Rebholz (VDP) in Siebeldingen, Pfalz.

Hansjörg and Birgit Rebholz, the third generation of the Rebholz family continue what the founder, the Ökonomierat Eduard Rebholz began: producing highly individualistic wines by working as close as possible with nature. The Rebholz wines do not undergo any chaptalization, fining, or deacidifying nor will sweet reserve be added to underscore the individuality of the terroir, the climate, and the grape.


75% of the 47 acres under vine are planted with Riesling and the Burgundy grapes, 10% with Chardonnay and the rest with Silvaner, Sauvignon Blanc, Muskateller and Gewürztraminer. Due to the purity the wines have an enormous ageing potential. Hansjörg Rebholz was nominated as winemaker of the year 2013 by the Austrian lifestyle magazine Falstaff.

06:45 pm Arrival at Hotel Ritter von Böhl in Deidesheim, Pfalz.

We explored Deidesheim, a small, picturesque village with half-timbered houses and rustic wine taverns. The former German chancellor Helmut Kohl, who lives close by, made Deidesheim famous, as he took his powerful guests, such as Margaret Thatcher, the King and Queen of Spain, Michail Gorbatschow, to Deidesheim to try the Saumagen, his favorite dish.

DAY 5: Thursday, September 18

09:40 am Cellar tour and tasting at winery Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan (VDP) in Deidesheim, Pfalz. We were hosted by General Manager Gunther Hauck.

The Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann Jordan estate was founded in 1718 by Andreas Jordan, who immigrated to the Pfalz from the Savoy region. In his footsteps came a long series of respected men: Ludwig Andreas Jordan (1811-1883), Representative of the Frankfurt Parliament and the Federal Parliament; Dr. Ludwig Bassermann-Jordan (1869 - 1914), who greatly influenced the first German wine regulations and who co-founded the Association of Natural Wine Producers (later VDP); Dr. Friedrich von Bassermann-Jordan (1872 - 1959) author of one of the most fundamental works on the history of wine; finally Dr. Ludwig von Bassermann-Jordan (1924-1995), who secured a firm position at the pinnacle of the international wine market for the Bassermann-Jordan wines.


The estate produces a broad range of wines that are rich in nuance and style with 85% stemming from Riesling grapes. These are terroir-based, spontaneously fermented Rieslings with mineral characteristics as well as crystal-clear, delicately fruity, vibrant and highly aromatic wines, which are modern and expressive.

02:20 pm Cellar tour and tasting at winery A. Christmann (VDP) in Gimmeldingen, Pfalz. Steffen Christmann joined us in the cellar and discussed with us the new VDP classification. His father greeted us at the tasting.

Weingut A. Christmann is owned and run in the 7th generation by Steffen Christmann, who is the current President of the VDP. Since its founding in 1845 the estate has produced Riesling and Pinot Noir. Devotion to soil vitality and the preservation and individuality of the terroir has lead Steffen Christmann to practice organic agriculture, strict vineyard management, and severe yield reduction.


In the cellar, he employs long and gentle pressing with low pressure, clarification through natural sedimentation, and a slow, not too cool fermentation sometimes until as late as June with only one filtration. All of the wines are vinified in the dry style, because he feels that the conditions in his vineyards are ideal for producing dry wines.

04:30 pm Tasting at winery Weegmüller in Neustadt-Haardt, Pfalz. We were hosted by Stefanie and Gabriele Weegmüller.

The Weegmüller family can look back on more than 300 years of winemaking in the Pfalz. The origins of the Weegmüller family, an old dynasty of council members of the free town of Zürich, lies in Switzerland. In 1657 they came to the village of Haardt, today a part of the city of Neustadt and started to make wine in 1685. One of first women in the field, winemaker Stefanie Weegmüller-Scherr is at the helm of the estate assisted by her sister Gabriele, who takes care of sales, marketing and hospitality services.


They cultivate 35 acres of vineyards which are farmed organically to ensure sustainability and harmony with nature. Dominated by Riesling, the winery also grows Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, Scheurebe, Gewürztraminer and Rieslander. The portfolio is complemented by the red grape varieties Pinot Noir, Merlot and Dornfelder.

06:30 pm Dinner at Netts Restaurant in Gimmeldingen.

The Pfalz has long been known for it's culinary tradition. During the last years a generation of young, ambitious chefs has brought the culinary scene in the Pfalz to a new level. One of those restaurants is the "Netts" of Susanne and Daniel Nett.


DAY 6: Friday, September 19

09:30 am Cellar tour, visit of the construction site of the winery extension and tasting at winery Markus Schneider in Ellerstadt, Pfalz. We were hosted by owner and winemaker Markus Schneider.

For centuries the Schneider family has been living in Ellerstadt and owned vineyards, but did not produce wine and instead sold the grapes. Markus Schneider founded the winery in 1994 and has made himself a name within a short period of time with innovative, non-traditional wines. He increasingly shifted to making blends, based on international grape varieties, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Merlot, which were a novelty for Germany. At the same time, the wines were marketed with non-traditional, modern labels and wine names; these wines became increasingly appealing for young consumers and the hip crowd.


Markus Schneider markets all his wines as QbA, without any reference to the predicate level (that have been dominating the German wine classification for decades) and without any reference to the vineyard(s) were the grapes come from (moving away from the terroir principle that has become increasingly important for traditional German wine producers). In 2003, Markus Schneider was voted Newcomer of the Year by the Feinschmecker (the top German gourmet magazine), and in 2006, as Discovery of the Year. Within only a few years, Markus Schneider has shot to the upper echelons of the German wine world and established a solid position among the top. President Obama already savored Schneider wines at the luncheon given by Chancellor Merkel during Obama’s visit to Berlin last year.

12:15 pm Lunch at restaurant Landgasthaus zur Linde in Westhofen, Rheinhessen.

02:15 pm Cellar tour and tasting at winery Wittmann (VDP) in Westhofen, Rheinhessen. Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann showed us the winery and Philipp Wittmann joined us for part of the tasting.

This winery in Westhofen has been in the hands of the Wittmann family since 1663. Attachment to the native soil runs deep and in order to leave a legacy of healthy soil and vines the vineyards are farmed biodynamically. The old vaulted underground cellar with its consistent temperature provides the perfect conditions for the wine to ferment spontaneously with its own natural yeast in wooden casks.


The 62 acres of vineyards are planted primarily with Riesling. Because of the almost mediterranean climate in southern Rheinhessen, the Burgundy grapes also have a long tradition in viticulture. Philipp Wittmann, the current owner, regularly gets awards for his wines.

04:30 pm Tasting at winery Wechsler in Westhofen, Rheinhessen. We were hosted by Katharina Wechsler.

Winemaker Katharina Wechsler belongs to the group of the “young and wild” new generation of ambitious winemakers in Rheinhessen. To understand her vision, I just quote her: ”When I packed by bags and left Berlin in the summer of 2009 after 11 years of living a very different life in the big, wide world to go home to my family’s winery in the tiny village of Westhofen, I only knew this: I want to make wine and I want to make a top quality wine in Rheinhessen.


For 2 years I trained with two outstanding winemakers (one of them was Klaus Peter Keller) who understood my passion and enforced my love for winemaking. To be a winemaker has a lot to do with intuition and trust: Directing the grape’s development throughout the year until harvest, deciding on the optimal picking time, then slowly taking your hands off to let nature run its course in the cellar to finally look forward to the moment when the perfect result is in the glass”.

07:15 pm Arrival at Hotel Merian in Oppenheim, Rheinhessen.

DAY 7: Saturday, September 20

09:30 am Guided sightseeing tour of labyrinth I in Oppenheim.

This small town with a population of about 7000 is a gem, and undiscovered by foreign tourists, despite its proximity to the airport in Frankfurt. First documented in 765, it survived wars and destruction and is beautifully preserved.


The Gothic Cathedral is the most important Gothic church between Cologne and Strassburg. In the ossuarium next to the church, the bones of more than 20,000 Oppenheim citizens are stacked from floor to ceiling. Extraordinary is the around 40 km long underground labyrinth, well preserved in its historical state.

10:45 am Tasting at winery Gunderloch (VDP) in Nackenheim, Rheinhessen. We were hosted by Agnes and Fritz Hasselbach.

It all started in 1890, when the banker Carl Gunderloch purchased the Gunderloch manor house and vineyards in Nackenheim. Today, the Estate is still in the hands of the Gunderloch family, with Agnes Hasselbach-Usinger, the great-great granddaughter of Carl Gunderloch, and her husband Fritz Hasselbach, a renowned winemaker, in charge. The Gunderloch Estate also has an interesting tie to Hollywood.


The German writer Carl Zuckmaier, who became a Hollywood screenwriter, was born in Nackenheim and a friend of Carl Gunderloch. Zuckmaier not only wrote the screenplay for the film "The Blue Angel", but also the plays "The Captain from Koepenick" and "The Devils General". He used the Gunderloch estate for the setting, and Carl Gunderloch as the main character for his very first play "Der froehliche Weinberg" (The Jolly Vineyard). In this play Zuckmaier renamed Carl Gunderloch "Jean Baptiste", which is where the brand name used on the Gunderloch "Jean Baptiste" Kabinett is borrowed from. Unusual for a German winery, the Gunderloch estate exports 50% of its wines. The “Jean Baptiste” is reportedly the bestselling German wine in New York City.

12:45 pm Lunch at Bootshaus in Mainz.

03:00 pm Arrival at Frankfurt airport.

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Pictures:  Grand Tasting with (and Introduction to Swiss Wines by) Jancis Robinson and José Vouillamoz in Montreux at the 2014 Digital Wine Communications Conference

In 2014, the Digital Wine Communications Conference (formerly European Wine Bloggers Conference) (DWCC) took place in Montreux, Switzerland. Obviously, Swiss wine figured prominently at the conference. Without any doubt, the highlight was a Grand Tasting of Swiss wines, led by Jancis Robinson and Jose Vouillamoz. This was followed by a Walk Around Tasting of Swiss wines, with Swiss winemakers from all main Swiss wine regions presenting their wines. A limited group of us then had the opportunity to attend a Masterclass on Rare Swiss Varietals with Jose Vouillamoz and/or a Masterclass on Iconic Swiss Wines with Star Sommelier Paolo Basso.

For an overview of the 2014 Digital Wine Communications Conference, see:
The 2014 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Switzerland

Pictures: Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, and Christian G.E. Schiller with Jancis Robinson in Montreux at Lake Geneva

José Vouillamoz is a botanist and grape geneticist with an international reputation currently based in his native Switzerland. His massive book “Wine Grapes”, co-authored with Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding is the standard reference book about all grape varieties that are used to make wine in the world.

José Vouillamoz presented a power-point presentation. I took pictures of many of the slides; you find them below. Jancis Robinson published an introduction to Swiss wines on her web site; I am quoting her extensively below. I also took note of her comments about the wines and are sharing them below.

Wine Producer Switzerland

Switzerland is a small wine producer with about 15 000 hectares of vineyards only. This is about 15 percent of Germany’s total winegrowing area and a bit more than 1 percent of that of Spain. Only less than 2% of the wine is exported, mainly to Germany.

Picture: Switzerland

Switzerland's particular situation - in between four wine-producing nations (France, Italy, Germany and Austria) and itself divided into four different areas with different languages and traditions - has resulted in an extreme diversity of its wines, although wine is mainly produced in the French part of Switzerland, in the cantons of Geneva, Neuchâtel, Ticino, Valais and Vaud.

Switzerland has an extensive range of grape varieties. Among the white grapes, the Chasselas is the most widespread. Müller-Thurgau, cultivated above all in the German speaking part of Switzerland, and Sylvaner are also popular. The main red grape varieties are Pinot Noir, which can be found in all the wine-producing regions of Switzerland, and Gamay, which predominates in the Valais; Merlot has found a second home in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland, the Ticino. In addition, there are 40 or so indigenous grapes, all of them practically unknown anywhere else in the world.

Jancis Robinson: Swiss Wine

Jancis Robinson: Swiss wine, like Swiss anything, is expensive. It is a direct reflection of the Swiss cost of living, and its reputation has not been helped by the fact that the bigger Swiss wine merchants were in the past allowed to blend imported wines with their own. This was banned in 2006 and there have been many changes since the wine market was fully opened to the outside world at the beginning of this century, not least the fact that Switzerland now produces more red wine than white. (Because Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, it is not answerable to European wine law, although it has tightened up its wine laws considerably in recent years and has developed its own appellation contrôlée system.)

Pictures: Jancis Robinson and José Vouillamoz in Montreux at the 2014 Digital Wine Communications Conference

Jancis Robinson: But all over Switzerland are passionately obsessive winemakers who each year are making better and better wines, many of them red, in such small quantities that they go straight into the cellars of the connoisseurs of Geneva, Zurich and Vaduz (Liechtenstein is close to one of the best wine regions) and are rarely mentioned in the international wine press. Only about 2% of Swiss wine leaves the country.

Pictures: The Tasting

Jancis Robinson: The Swiss have been careful to preserve their agricultural heritage, which means not only the preservation of the clanking cowbell Heidi tradition, but the preservation of some of the world's prettier and more inconvenient vineyards - the great majority of which are in the western French part of the country.

Picture: Switzerland - 26 Cantons - 4 Languages

Picture: Switzerland - 15000 hectares - 6 regions: German Switzerland, Trois-Lacs region, Vaud, Geneva region, Valais, Ticino - 2 % Exported

Picture: Switzerland - Dramatic Vineyards and High Costs

Picture: Grape Varieties - Pinot Noir + Chasselas More than Half of Production

Picture: 20 Historical Varieties Indigenous to Switzerland

Jancis Robinson: Swiss white wines taste quite unlike those of Germany or Austria, for example, because Swiss winemakers routinely encourage the second, softening malolactic fermentation so the wines seem much less obviously acid. They have also tended to increase most of their wines' final alcohol content quite considerably by adding sugar to the fermentation vat (a practice familiar to any Frenchman as chaptalisation) and so most Swiss whites taste much less tart and thin than the country's high altitude and relatively continental climate might suggest. Climate change is making chaptalisation unnecessary however. For the increasingly fashionable reds, Pinot Noir (also known as Blauburgunder or Clevener) is the dominant variety and is grown everywhere except the southern Ticino region, where Merlot is more popular.

The Wines we Tasted at the at the 2014 Digital Wine Communications Conference


3 Chasselas Wines from Vaud

Picture: Chasselas

Jancis Robinson: French Switzerland

Jancis Robinson: The main grape variety by far here in the south and east of the country is Chasselas, which is also sometimes sold as a table grape. The sunny, south-facing slopes of the Valais in the upper Rhône Valley south east of Lake Geneva produce more Swiss wine than any other region. So dry and warm are summers here that some vineyards, many of them so steep they need to be terraced or worked with pulleys, may need irrigation from time to time. Local vine variety specialities in some of the highest vineyards include the characterful, full bodied white variety Petite Arvine, Amigne, Humagne, and the red grapes Humagne Rouge (also known as Cornalin), and some serious late-harvest sweet wines are made, sometimes from raisined (flétri) grapes. Further down the valley, some concentrated whites from Fendant (Chasselas), Johannisberg (Sylvaner), Ermitage (Marsanne), Malvoisie (Pinot Gris) are made, as well as some deep, red Syrahs which would impress many winemakers in Tain l'Hermitage miles further down the river Rhône in France. Much of the Pinot Noir and Gamay grown in Valais is blended to be sold as Dôle, Switzerland's answer to Burgundy's Bourgogne-Passetoutgrains (see Burgundy). The best producers include Michel Boven, Marie-Thérèse Chappaz, Claudy Clavien, Cornulus, Didier Joris, René Favre & Fils, Jean-René Germanier, Simon Maye & Fils, Denis Mercier and Rouvinez, and the most highly regarded areas, officially designated as grands crus, are Fully, Conthey, Vétroz, St-Léonard and Salgesch.

The canton of Vaud, on the northern shore of Lake Geneva, is also an important Swiss wine region, and houses many of the larger merchants. Aigle, La Côte, Lavaux, Dézaley, Chablais and Yvorne are the main Vaud wine regions and are also dominated by Chasselas. Salvagnin is Vaud's version of Dôle, made here using a local clone of Pinot Noir blended with Gamay. Some Chardonnay and Pinot Gris is also grown here on vineyards which slope gently towards the lake, benefiting from its reflected, grape-ripening light. Some of the most respected winemakers are Bernard Cavé, Michel et Raoul Cruchon, Christian Dugon, Philippe Gex, the Ville de Lausanne and Raymond Paccot. The two grands crus here are Dézaley and Calamin.

A wide variety of vine varieties is grown around the city of Geneva itself, where Gamay is now the most planted grape variety, but respect for Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris have been growing. In Neuchâtel, where the dominant varieties are Chasselas and Pinot Noir, pale pink Oeil-de-Perdrix (partridge's eye) is a popular local invention.

The Wines

Domaine Blaise Duboux - Epesses, Cuvee Vincent, Calamin Grand Cru 2012, AOC Lavaux, Vaud
JR:  fresh, not very perfumed, reminds me of a Muscadet, on the palate quite full, there is a tradition of malolactic fermentation in Switzerland.

Chateaux Maison Blanche - Yvorne, Grand Cru 2010, AOC Chablais, Vaud
JR: Less aromatic initially, but on the palate it is racier, has nice tension, saltyness.

Domaine La Colombe - Fechy, Le Brez 2005, Fechy AOC Lavaux, Vaud
JR: Quite aged.

3 Arvine Wines from Valais

Picture: Arvine

The Wines

L'Orpailleur - Uvrier, Frederic Dumoulin, Petite Arvine 2013, AOC Valais
JR: I am a big fan of Arvine, does not travel well and is a speciality of the Valais, this wine is still young, excellent acidity, grapefruite notes, has great substance, lingers on.

Provins Valais, Petite Arvine, Maitre de Chais 2005
JR: Is in good shape, not too old, not oxidised, reminds me a of a good quality Pinot Gris from Alsace, seems off-dry to me.

Picture: Provins Valais, Petite Arvine, Maitre de Chais 2005

Domaines Rouvinez - Sierre, Chateau Lichten 2002, AOC Valais
JR: Arvine can age somehow, this one is very racy, there are many 2002 wine out there that are much more aged than this one.

3 Pinot Noire Wines

Picture: Pinot

Jancis Robinson: German Switzerland

Jancis Robinson: The wines of eastern Switzerland are quite different. Pinot Noir or Blauburgunder is particularly popular and is made in a wide range of styles from slightly sweet and juicy through seriously burgundian to a strong, sweet version made from dried grapes in the Graubünden region, a hotbed of experimentation. Reds make up 80% of production and Müller-Thurgau (also known as Riesling-Sylvaner) dominates the whites; indeed the largest wine region Schaffhausen is effectively a southern extension of Germany's Baden region. Baumann, Bovel, Gantenbein, Kesselrring, and Schwarzenach are some of the most reliable names.

The Wines

La Maison Carree - Auvernier, J.P. et Ch. Perrochet, Pinot Noir 2010, AOC Neuchatel
JR: Most widely planted grape variety, 3 very different Pinot Noirs, this one is fresh, with almost green aromas, light bodied, light tannins, reminds me of an Alsatian Pinot Noir, attractive lunch wine.

Peter Wegelin - Malans, Malanser Blauburgunder, Reserva 2011, AOC Graubünden
JR: I really like this wine, very nice balance, not a heavy wine, very delicate wine.

Picture: Peter Wegelin - Malans, Malanser Blauburgunder, Reserva 2011, AOC Graubünden

Caves des Champs - Miege, Claudy Clavien, La Part des Anges, Pinot Noir Fut de Chene 2012, AOC Valais
JR: Will age rather nicely, a bit young now, high in acidity, needs some time to calm down.
JR: All three wines are very light.

3 Merlot Wines

Picture: Merlot

Jancis Robinson: Italian Switzerland

Jancis Robinson: The Ticino is yet another quite distinct winemaking zone in Switzerland (with an unusual tradition of still cultivating hybrids). Much of its produce is light Merlot designed to satisfy the Swiss thirst for wine of any quality so long as it's red. Some top-quality, oak-aged Merlot del Ticino and other international reds are made, however, from low-yielding vines grown in particularly well-favoured sites - even if few of them escape the clutches of the Swiss themselves. Brivio, Gialdi, Monti, Zanini and Zündel are some of the most admired winemakers.

Picture: 3 Merlot Wines

Kopp von der Crone Visini, Barbengo, Balin 2009, AOC Tessin
JR: Merlot has become very popular in Ticino, Ticino has become one of the best regions for Merlot outside of Bordeaux, this wine is beautiful, lovely colour, fresh, I love the nose, this is a style of wine I personally really like, very successful Merlot.

Casa Vinicola Gialdi . Mendrisio, Merlot Sassi Grossi 2010, AOC Tessin
JR: A little bit simpler on the nose, too early to drink.

Domaine Grand Cour - Peissy, Jean-Pierre Pellegrin, Merlot 2011, AOC Geneve
JR: Different animal, too early, very promissing.

Great Event

Thanks Jancis Robinson and José Vouillamoz for an highly entertaining and educational event.

Picture: Grand Tasting of Swiss Wine

schiller-wine: Related Posting

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Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux 

The 2014 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Switzerland 

The Wines of Weingut Saxer, a Winemaker in the German-speaking part of Switzerland

Picture: Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, and Christian G.E. Schiller at  Roosevelt’s Diner & Bar, Playing "Skat" with Weingut Robert Weil Cards and a Weil Wine; and Christian G.E. Schiller in Front of the Marina Bay Sands Complex

In October 2014, I spent a month in Singapore, visiting my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter Viatrix. During these 4 weeks, I explored with my wife Annette Schiller the wine scene of Singapore, including the wine bar scene. During my 30 years career at the IMF, I visited Singapore from time to time and knew my way around, when I came to Singapore this time.

I have already released a number of postings about wine and food in Singapore based on my visit in October 2014. This posting summarizes my impressions with regard to German wine. The exchange rate at the time of my visit: S$1 = US$0.8.

Singapore and Wine

Singapore - known as The Little Red Dot - covers just 700 square km and has a population of a bit more than 5 million people. It is a very expensive city (and became the most expensive city in 2014 according to the Economist) and also a popular tourist destination; on average every day, there are 36,000 additional people on the island.

According to the International Enterprise Singapore, a government agency, six countries account for more than 80% of import volume into Singapore. Australia and France are at the top with 31% and 26% of volume share, respectively, followed by Chile (9%), Italy (7%), US (6%) and New Zealand (6%). Spain, South Africa, Argentina and Germany each have approximately 3%.

Who’s buying? With US 55.000, Singapore has a higher per capita income than Germany and the US, for example.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, and Christian G.E. Schiller, in Singapore

On the supply side, the number of importers has mushroomed in recent years. Berry Brothers and Rudd moved into Asia in 1998, establishing offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Japan, is now also present in Singapore. Berry Brothers and Rudd predicts that its Asia businesses will account for half its global sales in five years’ time, up from 15% currently.

thedrinksbusiness.com: Not so long ago finding a good quality wine bar in Singapore might have been a hard task, but not anymore. While it may not produce any of its own wines, Singapore is home to a passionate wine community and thriving fine wine market. Over the last three years the popularity of wine bars has grown with many former retail shops converting into licensed outlets. From fine wine bars to humble street bars, today the wine connoisseur in Singapore has a variety of specialist wine outlets to explore – assuming it benefits from an in-house sommelier. Many offer wine by glass – which could be the key to their success – allowing consumers to sample expensive wines without having to stump up the cost of a bottle.

Orchard Road and Beyond

Taberna Wine Academy

A very special wine bar, off the beaten track. No wines by the glass, no food, but an extraordinary wine list, including a sensational selection of German wines. The wine bar is owned and run by, Tan Ying Hsien, who is enrolled (and pretty advanced as far as I know) in the Master of Wine program.

I was in particular impressed by the extensive availability of wine verticals (wines from the same producer and vineyard with differing vintages), including from Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt with a dozen wine verticals dating back as far as 1983.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller, Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, and Boon Seng Heng, Wein &Vin, with Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Riesling at Taberna Wine Academy

Thewanderingpalate.com: PS, this is the Wandering Palate’s favourite wine bar in Singapore, away from all the boozing crowds on the Quay’s and pedestrian bar strips, this is a very civilised and cosy wine bar tucked away in Binjai Park (off Dunearn Road). The wine list is extraordinary – a very personal (cellar) selection with some of the world’s greatest producers, at the same time always same amazing discoveries and bargains that Ying has unearthed – One frequently hears that the Singapore wine consumer is purely obsessed with super-fine wine and yet whenever I am at Taberna, I always see the patrons enjoying modest and obscure wines from all over the world – thanks to Ying’s ever-inquisitive palate.

17 Binjai Park

Caveau Wine Bar

Lovely wine bar with an excellent and large selection of Bourgogne and Bordeaux wines. Enomatic machine. Chateau Pontet-Canet & Tesseron Cognac owner Melanie Tesseron was here for a tasting earlier this year.

Picture: Chateau Pontet-Canet & Tesseron Cognac owner Melanie Tesseron at Caveau Wine Bar

Thedrinkbusiness.com: Caveau Wines & Bar is a joint retail outlet and wine bar and café owned by the Les Amis Group and Vinum Fine Wines offering a one stop spot for all your wine needs – whatever time of day. Its retail shop features more than 400 wines starting from SGD$30 a bottle served from Enomatic Elite wine dispensers allowing guests to sample up to 16 wines at any one time. Caveau Wines & Bar also runs coffee shop with fresh coffee and pastries. From 5pm the café transforms into a wine bar complemented by a bar menu serving both French and Vietnamese cuisine selected by sommeliers to pair with the wines on offer.

1 Scotts Road, 02-10 Shaw Centre

Little India and Arab Quarter

Wine BOS

Not a wine bar for a serious wine drinker. But fun place, if you are in the area.

Picture: Wine BOS

Citynomads.com: With free flow wine at $18+ from 6-8pm daily, this wine deal is one of the most competitive in town. Although the free flow doesn’t feature their best wines, they do have a range of decent wines at affordable prices, available to choose from their cellar - so you can pop by and pick and appreciate the wine yourself. This place has been popular in it’s neighborhood for some time and with a live band in the loft, an alfresco area outside for some casual dining, a Middle Eastern style attic for privacy and not to mention $9+ steaks on Saturdays.. we understand why Wine BOS is perfect for an affordable chill.

787 North Bridge Road

Downtown

Oenotheque by Wine Universe

20 wines by the glass, including Von Unserem, Weingut Balthasar Ress, Rheingau, Germany. 200 wines by the bottle, good selection of Bordeaux wines, very substantial wine list, focusing almost exclusively on old world wines, including – and this is rare – Swiss wines. The whole place is more like a lounge area, but you can also eat.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at oenotheque by Wine Universe in Singapore with Sommelier and Manager Geoffrey Daurelle and a Weingut Balthasar RessVon Unserem

For more on Weingut Balthasar Ress, see:
Tasting at Weingut Balthasar Ress, Hattenheim, Rheingau, with Stefan Ress, Germany 

Oenotheque by Wine Universe: Launched in August 2009 in Singapore, Oenotheque by Wine Universe is a joint venture by fourth-generation Swiss vintner Dominique Giroud and the new Managing Director cum owner, Claude Dizerens. Dominique is also the man behind Wine Universe, a leading wine retailer and brokerage in Switzerland. With partner Claude, this international endeavor, a first for both, is a perfect pairing of passion and food & beverage expertise. Geoffrey Daurelle is Sommelier and Manager, from France

Hungrygowhere.com: Welcome to Wine Universe, where a treasury of wines from all over the world await you! Located in a corner of Millenia Walk in Singapore, our restaurant glassy exterior with its sidewalk alfreasco lounge invites guests to step into its restaurant and wine bar.

9 Raffles Boulevard

The Long Bar at Raffles Hotel

Not a wine bar, but an iconic place.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at Long Bar in the Afternoon

Yoursingapore.com: The birthplace of the Singapore Sling, the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel is a step into nostalgia, housed in colonial architecture. Inspired by the plantations of 1920s Malaya, this two-story bar is the place to be if you want to taste Singapore’s signature cocktail. Other than the Singapore Sling, traditional pub snacks are also available during lunch. In the evening, you can enjoy a live band performing contemporary and popular hits, while you enjoy the alfresco experience of the Long Bar.

1 Beach Rd

The Devine Bar

A very special place. Very quiet. Excellent and large selection of premium wines from around the world.

Picture: Devine Bar

The Devine Bar: The Divine Bar is situated near Kampong Glam opposite Raffles Hospital in Parkview Square office building. Locally known as the "Gotham building", Parkview Square was inspired by 1929 Chanin building in New-york and offers guests at The Divine Bar a unique Art Deco setting to unwind. The opulent bar prides itself for its high society experience with its gold and black outlay, chandeliers and plush sofas. With the light jazz playing on the background, you can chill out and really enjoy a conversation and if you order some wine, you'll be amazed by some flying angels' stunt as they scour through the racks for wines.

Paulaner

Not a wine bar, but an authentic German beer tavern.

Picture: Paulaner

Yoursingapore.com: A little slice of Bavaria can be found right next to Suntec Convention Centre in downtown Singapore. From its costumed staff and pork knuckles, to its beer brewed specially in-house, Paulaner Brauhaus gives you an authentic Bavarian dining experience. The restaurant offers traditional Munich dishes, like wiener schnitzel and brotzeibrettl, as well as other international staples. In keeping with the authentic Bavarian way, the big meals are even served in cast iron and wooden pans. A meal at Paulaner Brauhaus wouldn’t be complete with a tour of its very own house brewery, where you can learn exactly how the famous beers are made.

Millenia Walk 9 Raffles Blvd #01-01

Singapore River

Straits Retail Wine Bar

No food, no wine by the glass, but ample space to sit down and relax. You can by wine by the bottle and order food from any restaurant in the neighborhood. Has a total of 12 retail wine bars in Singapore.

The Straits Wine Company: Started in 2006, The Straits Wine Company is now Southeast Asia’s leading wine importer, retailer and distributor, with operations in Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines. Offering a bespoke 360 wine solution, The Straits Wine Company has a comprehensive range of services that caters to any and all wine needs. From private wine parties to cellar planning, a trusted bottle shop to private client concierge, the Straits team of wine professionals is at your disposal. Our 12 retail wine bars across Singapore showcase a wide range of wines from around the world including Australia, New Zealand, France, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Portugal, India, USA, Lebanon, Japan, Switzerland and many, many more. Whether you are wine beginner or an experience aficionado, we have a wine for you.

UE Square, 81 Clemenceau Ave, #01-11

Absinthe

French restaurant with wine bar, with an amazing selection of Tertre Roteboeuf wines and other wines of the Mitjavile family in Saint Emilion, imported directly. The main dining room is called Mitjavile Room.

Picture: Amazing Selection of Tertre Roteboeuf Wines and Other Wines of the Mitjavile family in Bordeaux

Absinthe.sg: Absinthe was created as a comfortable, convivial and unassuming place serving delicious and tasty dishes, not forgetting of course the extensive selection of reasonably priced wines covering most of France wine producing regions and a fair representation of others countries. Once in Absinthe make sure you do taste one of the Absinthes we have on offer and experience the "Green Fairy"!

72 Boat Quay

Verre Wine Bar

One of my favorites. Excellent selection of premium wines from Bourgogne and Bordeaux wines. Earlier vintages. Good food.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Sommelier Samant G. , with a Weingut Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Spätlese at Verre Winebar

For more on Weingut Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken, see:
Dorothee Zilliken, Weingut Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken Presents her Noble Rieslings at Frankfurt/Wein in Frankfurt, Germany 

Thedrinkbusiness.com: Boasting views over the Singapore river, the Verre wine bar offers a wide array of wines alongside a selection of meats and cheeses to compliment you choice. Verre is situated in a spacious, restored 19th century warehouse with floor to ceiling glass with the aim of bringing about the ambience of a modern French château.

8 Rodyk St

Wine Connection Tapas Bar & Bistro

A fun place with a good selection of very reasonably priced wines - 100 wines by the bottle, starting at $40 and going up to $100. 30 wines by the glass, including 2 Weingut Selbach Oster wines. Very reasonably priced wine and food lists. Always packed. There are 5 Wine Connection bars, including one focusing on cheese.

Picture: Wine Connection Tapas Bar and Bistro

CityNomadas.com: Wine Connection is an obvious choice but nonetheless deserves a spot on this list. It’s affordable, easy and the place is huuuuge. Wine prices start as low as $7 per glass at every hour.. not just happy hour. Wines by the bottle boast some of the lowest prices in town, starting at $25. If you’re a big cheese junkie, then scoot next door to their cheese bar for some delicious and affordable cheese, and of course yet more good wine.

11 Unity Street, #01-19/20, Robertson Walk

eM by the River

Not a wine bar, but a very charming bar by the Singapore River.

Picture: eM

citynomads.com: Not really a wine bar but we think eM deserves a mention for its happy hour promotion, from 5-9pm daily, offering $9 red and white wines and not to mention a great, secluded view of the river. This is perfect for date night or just having a quiet drink somewhere a little more chilled.

1 Nanson Road #01-05, of Gallery Hotel

Fatien - Bar a Vin

urbanjourney.com: When it comes to great food and wine, you can’t go wrong with classic French bistro fare, which is why we were excited to visit the new-ish Fatien Bar a Vin in Robertson Quay. As we discovered, this charming 30-seater restaurant not only offers a relaxed and unassuming atmosphere, but it also offers fab food and wine at stellar prices.

Picture: Annette Schiller at the Fatien Wine Bar with the new General Manager

Newly opened in December by wine importer Jimmy Lopez, Fatien Bar a Vin is the more casual and cozy sister to La Masion Fatien of Duxton Hill. Although the place is small, the atmosphere is friendly and inviting. When we arrived, there were only a few tables dining and drinking, which made it easy to find a place to settle in and let the conversation flow.

60 Robertson Quay

Marina Bay

KudeTa

Rooftop bar of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. You go there for the exceptional view and atmosphere. The wine list is top. 18 wines by the glass. 500 wines by the bottle. Most expensive: 1990 La Tache Domaine de la Romanee Conti S$12088. The Weingut Dönnhoff Riesling is available for S$99. I had a glass of Domaine Ott for S$22.

Picture: Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, in the KudeTa Lounge next to the Pool

db Bistro Moderne

New York based Chef Daniel Boulud runs more than a dozen restaurants/bistros/wine bars around the world, including 3 db Bistro Moderne brasseries/bistros: in New York City, Miami and Singapore - “Daniel Boulud's modern French bistro cuisine with New American touches, served in a stylish room.”

The bar area is very nice and large. Its wine list has over 400 selections to choose from, including a nice list of wines from Germany.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at db Bistro Moderne

db Bistro Moderne: Located in the luxury retail and dining atrium of the Marina Bay Sands Resort Casino, just across from the Sands Theatre, db Bistro Moderne offers an exciting mix of traditional French bistro cooking with contemporary American flavors, and a world-renown collection of signature burgers. Chef Daniel Boulud reinterprets the classic Parisian bistro while sharing the energy and style of his acclaimed db Bistro Moderne in Midtown Manhattan. The striking, modern-bistro aesthetics include a stylish 15-seat bar as well as an informal lounge area for casual dining, a private room seating up to 20 is available for personal and business entertaining.

2 Bayfront Avenue, The Shoppes at Marina Bay

Lighthouse Rooftop Bar of the Fullerton Hotel

Not a wine bar, but has a very good list of Italian wines and an outstanding view.

Picture: The Lighthouse Restaurant & Rooftop Bar

Asia Bars and Restaurants: The Lighthouse Restaurant & Rooftop Bar inhabits the original lighthouse structure on the rooftop of Singapore’s colonial era General Post Office building- completely restored and operated since 2001 as the heritage-listed The Fullerton Hotel. The old lighthouse annex of the building was converted into the delightful The Lighthouse restaurant back in 2008- an elegant dining room of intimate proportions, combined with an open-air rooftop bar. With its unique location on Singapore’s Marina Bay waterfront, The Lighthouse is a wonderful destination to combine fine Italian dining with spectacular “postcard” views and rooftop drinks.

Fullerton Hotel

Duxton Hill and Club Street Area

Napoleon Food & Wine Bar

Napoleon offers a stellar range of 32 European wines available on enomatic wine dispenser machines—one of which is the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Ancien Domaine des Pontifes 2011 ($18 per glass; $90 per bottle).

Picture: Napoleon

Thedrinksbusiness.com: Napoleon offers a chance to sample up to 32 European wines by the glass in a cosy and comfortable atmosphere specifically paired with a variety of south European dishes interpreted by Singaporean chefs. The bar also puts on regular educational sessions on wine appreciation, wine pairing, fine spirits or mixology, as well as several interactive appreciation classes.

206 Telok Ayer Street

O'Batignolles Wine Bar & French Bistrot

One of my favorites. Perched on the corner of Club Street, this French wine bar serves a large range of French imported wines from $7 per glass and from $37 by the bottle. You do not find the high-priced ultra-premium wines that you find in many other Singapore wine bars, but an outstanding selection of reasonably priced good French wines.

Picture: O'Batignolles Wine Bar & French Bistrot

Ladyironchef.com: The French have a saying, ‘Life is too short to drink bad wine’. Believing in enjoying wine (without hefty price tags), French owner Antoine Rouland travels back to France three times each year to visit winemakers and vineyards, selecting wines from smaller producers.

Here, you’ll find vintages such as the Medoc 2001 Chasse Spleen at only $97 per bottle—a rare find in Singapore. Apart from a specially curated list of 100 wines on rotation (with 75 varieties available at any time), varieties of cheese are also available for pairing.

2 Gemmill Lane

Drinks & Co.

A retail shop with limited seating. Fun place. Always very crowded. Guests stand on the street.

Picture: Drinks and Co

Citynomads.com: A new drinks concept has rocked up and gathered in the Club St business for its own. As a retail shop with limited seating, Drinks & Co sell wines by the bottle from as low as $16 and $10 by the glass. Bottles of spirits are also available for as low as $45. It’s home to bit of a banking crowd, and will be more of a brawl than having a chilled bottle of wine, but we can’t knock them for bringing the cheaper drinking experience to Club St.

44 Club St

Le Carillon de L'Angelus

USA Today 10 best: Get far from the madding crowds of Clarke Quay at this laidback little French bar on Ann Siang Hill, where traditional Chinese businesses and fancy new restaurants sit cheek-by-jowl in restored shophouses. With its distinct bistro feel — think French movie posters and lots of dark wood — you almost can't help but don a faux-French accent and ask the garçon for some of the escargots delicieux. Downstairs, there's even more of a homey feel with a pool table the center of attraction. A branch with river views recently opened at 41, Robertson Quay.

24 Ann Siang Rd

Beaujolais Wine Bar

Thedrinksbusiness.com: The Beaujolais Wine Bar was founded in 1988 and was designed with the aim of offering a wine and dine experience that was both familiar and homely. Serving a western European cuisine, Beaujolais offers dishes including cheese platters, bruschetta, goat cheese salad, sirloin and rib-eye steaks, alongside wines served by Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon.

1 Ann Siang Hill

Picture: Beaujoloais Wine Bar

Vida Vino

Ladyironchef.com: A fairly new entrant to the winery scene, Vida Vino (translating into “the wine life”) is about making merry without your wallet having to suffer. With a personal selection of 60 wines (by owner Aaron Olivera) that start from $12 per glass, this wine bar stands to give competitors a run for their money.
The Beronia ($85 per bottle) is such—opening with subtle notes of flowers and fruit before blossoming into a refreshingly crisp and spicy finish, this wine pairs extremely well with the iberico ham platter ($23)—a range of Joselito iberico ham (the best in Spain). As for sipping cocktails, Vida Vino has done an exceptional job in crafting some pretty smooth-drinking concoctions. From Spain with Love ($18) consists of “secret ingredients” that results in an edgy, bittersweet cocktail—we managed to make out notes of Spanish white wine and raspberry brandy.

29 Keong Saik Road

Picture: Vida Vino

Wine Mansion

Opposite to Vida Vino. Very lively. 2 locations.

Picture: Wine Mansion

Hungrygowhere.com: Cosy wine and dine space in Keong Saik Road serving a expansive range of wine from the popular wine producing regions such as France, Italy and Chile. Promotions include “Buy 2 wines and get 1 free” and "Free flow of wine from 6pm to 8pm for $18".

20 Keong Saik Rd

Praelum Wine Bistro

The events page of Praelum Wine Bistro is very Germany and Riesling centered, but the wine list was less so when I went there. Nevertheless, recent events include a visit of Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, a visit of the German Wine Queen and Riesling Weeks.

Picture: Praelum Wine Bistro

Thedrinkbusiness.com: Praelum was opened by wine aficionado Elizabeth Lin in December 2011 and is situated in the historic shophouse conservation area of Duxton Hill. Running the bistro is head sommelier and General Manager Gerald Lu, a certified sommelier and former head sommelier for the IndoChine Group of Restaurants. Its name, Praelum, means wine press in Latin – a device used to extract juice from crushed grapes in wine­making.

4 Duxton Hill

Merchants Wine Cellar & Store

Helmed by the Australian team Ainslie Kenny and David Elliott, Merchants Wine Cellar is a wine bar and wine store on Duxton Road that exclusively carries wines from Australia and New Zealand in its portfolio, focusing on talented, small, top-class wine producers. While I was in Singapore in October 2014, Merchants organized a winemaker dinner with Frank Butera, owner of and winemaker at Bass River Winery in Australia, which I was happy to attend.

Picture: Winemaker Dinner at Merchants Wine Cellar and Store

For more, see here:
Bass River Winemaker Dinner at Merchants Wine Cellar in Singapore

Thedrinkbusiness.com: Located in the trendy Duxton Hill area, Merchants Wine and Cellar Store is a shop, café and bar combined offering boutique wines, small plates, brunch and coffee. Wine is served from high tech wine machines on a rotation basis and winemakers regularly visit the shop to host pop-up tastings and wine dinners.

52 Duxton Rd

Roosevelt’s Diner and Bar

A Weingut Robert Weil tasting was here, while I was in Singapore. Ambitious General Manager who wants to become a Master of Wine.

Picture: Roosevelt's Diner and Bar and Weingut Robert Weil Wine

Fore more, see here:
Deputy Managing Director Jochen Becker-Köhn and Export Director Nicolas Pfaff of Weingut Robert Weil in Singapore

Roosevelts.com.sg: Tucked away in a quiet corner of Tanjong Pagar, Roosevelt’s Diner & Bar is an eclectic modern diner that offers hearty all-day dining in a casual environment and at approachable prices. Our menu has a huge slant towards artisanal and gourmet fares, with our food, coffee blends, wines, spirits, and cocktails embodying this focus. The owners of Roosevelt’s have a portfolio of extensive F&B experience, including a French fine dining restaurant, Millesime, in Kuala Lumpur. Millesime is an award-winning restaurant, voted as one of Asia’s top restaurants by The Miele Guide, and having been rated as one of the top dining must-do’s in 2011 by Singapore’s Food & Travel Magazine. Today, the group owns more than five unique F&B outlets in Singapore and Malaysia.

331 New Bridge Road, #01-02 Dorsett Residences

Café Gavroche

Citynomads.com: Chef Frederic Colin – the man behind Brasserie Gavroche that brought classic French fare to our tables, has done it again, this time opening a spanking new café right across the road from his brasserie. With Café Gavroche, he wants you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the tres Parisian culture of enjoying an aperitif, or a pre-dinner drink, in the company of good friends. Now who could possibly say no to that?

69 Tras Street

Picture: Café Gavroche

The Vintner on Duxton

A Weingut Robert Weil tasting was here, while I was in Singapore. We were then received by Fonz Row, the cellar master of The Vintner on Duxton, which is located in one of the coolest areas in town.

Picture: The Vintner on Duxton

The Vintner on Duxton: Fonz Row has been a professional wine merchant since 1997. His journey started in Canada and USA where he attained his accreditation from Culinary Institute of America - Certified Wine Professional. He remains an active Wine Critic in local and international wine events with a deep passion for boutique, cult vineyards and winemakers.

37 Duxton Hill

Alba 1836 Singapore

Primarily top Italian restaurant, with a tiny bar. Extensive wine list with 250 bottles from Italy. 50 wine by the glass (enomatic machine).

Picture: Michele Zanella, GM and Head Sommelier of Alba

Hungrygowhere.com: Alba 1836 is a modern contemporary Italian Wine Bar & Restaurant conveniently nestled at Duxton Hill serving authentic Italian cuisine at its finest. Alba also offers a vast number of wines from all over Italy.

Sentosa

The Wine Company

The Wine Company has several outlets across the city from Dempsey to Sentosa. Place to enjoy some nice wining and dining, with wines starting at $6 per glass.

Picture: The Wine Company in Sentosa

TheWineCompany.com: Opened in Feb 2011, The Wine Company tm at Sentosa Boardwalk is a showcase of wine and its life-time partner, food. With distinctive Mediterranean accents, our wine bar and casual eatery offers tapas-style dishes such as fresh salt & pepper squid, or heartier options of ribeye with black pepper sauce. You can find a perfect pairing from our 300-label wine list or our house pour menu of over 40 options. Good wine and food puts a smile on our face each time; but what lifts our spirits and calms our souls when we are here is the beautiful sea view. Pick a seat at the al fresco area, spend an hour or two with us…and you will agree.

6 Sentosa Gateway

L' Atelier de Joel Rebuchon

Not a wine bar. The ala carte menu offers classic and tasting portions, with a focus on presenting premium ingredients in their simplest form to flesh out the essence of the produce.

8 Sentosa Gateway Hotel Michael, Level 1

Picture: At L' Atelier de Joel Rebuchon

Schiller’ Favorites

This posting is part of the Schiller’s favorites series.

Europe

Germany

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Trier, Germany
Schiller's Favorite (Wine-) Restaurants in Deidesheim in the Pfalz, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Berlin, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, 2013, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

France

Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France 
Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France
Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, 2012 France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City) (2012), France

UK, Spain, Austria, Hungary

Schiller's Favorite Winebars in London, UK
Schiller’s Favorite Tapas Bars in Logroño in La Rioja, Spain
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in London, 2012, UK
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary
Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria (2011)

USA

Schiller's Favorite Oyster Bars and Seafood Places in Seattle, USA  
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Washington DC, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, 2012, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California

Asia

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Singapore
Schiller s Favorite Winebars in Beijing, 2014, China

Africa

Schiller's Favorite Wines of Madagascar
Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar  

schiller-wine: Related Postings

German Wine in Singapore

Deputy Managing Director Jochen Becker-Köhn and Export Director Nicolas Pfaff of Weingut Robert Weil in Singapore

Bass River Winemaker Dinner at Merchants Wine Cellar in Singapore

High Tea at the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore

Street Food in Singapore: Dinner at Makansutra Gluttons Bay Hawker Center

Winemakers from Around the World at Straits Wine Company’s Wine Fiesta 2014 in Singapore

Wine in Indonesia

Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Picture: John Kolasa, Sommelier Franck Mouzon and Panos Kakaviatos

At the end of October, 2014, Panos Kakaviatos was on his annual winemaker dinner tour in Germany, this time with John Kolasa and with stops in Munich and Frankfurt. Following Angelus, Pichon-Comtesse, Palmer, Sociando-Mallet and Leoville-Poyferre in previous years, he presented Château Canon und Château Rauzan Ségla, both managed by John Kolasa. I attended with Annette Schiller the Frankfurt dinner at Restaurant Le Français (1 Michelin-Stern, 17 Punkte Gault Millau) at the im Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof Hotel. Annette Schiller from ombiasy PR and WineTours provided the tasting notes for this posting.

Panos Kakaviatos

Panos Kakaviatos is a highly respected Bordeaux expert, who regularly writes for the Decanter, Harpers Wine & Spirits – two excellent UK based wine magazines - and other wine publications.

I first met Panos Kakaviatos in Washington DC at one of the wine events he organized in the USA. Subsequently, we spent an evening together at our house, which is close to where Panos grew up. Born, raised and educated in Washington D.C. to Greek parents, he speaks English, but he is also fluent in German and French. As these are the three languages I also master, we switched back and forth between English, French and German, depending on the subject we are discussing.


Panos recently created a new web site – wine-chronicles.com - where he introduces himself: I have been a published wine writer since about 2001. Since then, I have organized wine tastings for hotel restaurants mainly in Germany but also in the US and even once in Dubai, been invited to judge at professional tastings and basically love to drink wine!

Picture: Panos Kakaviatos

Wine is much more about point scores and evaluations. It is about the people who are associated with it, the regions where it is made, the anecdotes – sometimes amusing, sometimes less so – that you experience.

Above all, it is about conviviality and stories. Or solitude. The cliché is that wine is meant to share with friends. Of course that is probably the best way to enjoy it. But how often do you enjoy a glass (or two) on your own?

Wine Chronicles is about communicating stories about wine – and around wine. Wine Chronicles will share stories from other bloggers and wine lovers, too, to reflect what long has been turning into a worldwide passion. Online groups such as #winelovers flourish. More people are educating themselves, formally or not. And more people are buying and drinking wine. So in addition to my texts and tasting notes, you will find links to other blogs – at least that is the idea.

Where do I fit into this picture? For years, I have held a professional passion about wine, writing articles in internationally recognized media such as Decanter, Harpers Wine & Spirit, Wine Business International, Wines & Vines, France Today, France Magazine and others. My writing ability was developed as a news agency reporter, primarily with the Associated Press. More recently, I have been associated with Europe’s premier human rights organization The Council of Europe, where I work in media relations. My contractual arrangement with the Council of Europe permits me to pursue my wine passion – and I have most recently been organizing wine tasting dinners as an educator and participated as a judge in international wine competitions, from Shanghai to London. As you can see in my CV, I am available as a judge for other wine competitions and can provide clients – from restaurants to individuals – with cellar consulting. As an experienced wine steward, I know how to manage a restaurant cellar. Another service I can provide for you is tour organization, especially for the wine country I know best: France.

Restaurant Francais

Restaurant Francais is part of Steigenberger Hotel Frankfurter Hof. It is an old-style hotel, with high ceiling, lots of marble and gold elements, including in the restaurant. The very charming and welcoming staff makes you feel at ease in this majestic décor. The restaurant could easily be in Paris. Chef Patrick Bittner worked with Dieter Müller before taking over in Frankfurt. He was awarded his first Michelin Star in 2008.

Pictures: Steigenberger Hotel Frankfurter Hof and Restaurant Francais 

Michelin: Patrick Bittner and his experienced team continue to hone their skills, bringing clever modern techniques and interesting textures to their classic cuisine. Suitably elegant dining room complete with fireplace and winter garden. If you like eating outside, the main courtyard makes a perfect terrace.

Winemaker John Kolasa

John Kolasa is the Managing Director of Chateau Rauzan-Ségla in Margaux and at Chateau Canon in Saint-Emilion. Born in Scotland, John Kolasa’s Francophilia (and first career as a French teacher) brought him to Bordeaux in 1971. It was his desire to start a new adventure that he met Englishman William Bolter and American Steven Schneider who owned a wine company. His career in wine began with work on the quays in Bordeaux and a year of weekly oenology studies. After four years with Bolter and Schneider, John Kolasa began looking after properties belonging to the Janoueix family in Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, followed by two years with the Union des Producteurs in Saint-Emilion. In 1987, he was asked to take over the commercial manager position at Chateau Latour in Pauillac.

Remaining at Latour until 1994, John Kolasa’s new challenge began when the Wertheimer family, the owners of Chanel, acquired Chateau Rauzan-Ségla and he was brought on to oversee the operation at the chateau and rebuild the reputation of what was known in the 19th century as the best of the second growths.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Christian G.E. Schiller and John Kolasa

Following this initial acquisition, in 1996 the Wertheimer family decided to purchase Chateau Canon, a first growth in Saint-Emilion on the right bank of Bordeaux. John Kolasa has overseen the extensive renovation program that was undertaken to reveal the finesse and elegance of its terroir and bring back the great wines of Chateau Canon. In 2011, Canon purchased Chateau Matras, Grand Cru Classé to add to the production of its second wine, Clos Canon.

John Kolasa lives in Margaux with his wife, Delphine, and has four children, Claire, Helene, Elise, and Victor.

Château Canon

Château Canon is located southwest of the Saint-Émilion village, neighbouring Château Magdelaine, Château La Gaffelière and Château Ausone. It is a Premiers Grands Crus Classés B in the Classification of Saint-Émilion.

In the late 1700s, the estate - named Clos St-Martin - was sold to Jacques Kanon, probably the source of the name Canon. A true clos, the original 12 hectare vineyard was encircled by a wall, which Jacques Kanon expanded by acquiring seven small surrounding vineyards. The estate went through several ownerships, until it was sold to the Wertheimer family in 1996.

Today, the vineyard area totals 21.5 hectares, with Merlot accounting for 60% and Cabernet Franc for 40%. On average, the vines are 25 years old. Chateau Canon annually produces on average 7,500 cases of the Grand Vin Chateau Canon and the second wine Clos de Canon.

Pictures: At the Reception

Château Rauzan Ségla

Château Rauzan-Ségla is a Deuxièmes Crus in the Classification of 1855, located in the Margaux appellation. Château Rauzan-Ségla was once part of the vast Rausan estate owned by Pierre de Mesures de Rauzan in the mid-17th century. Over time, this estate was divided, and by the time of the 1855 Classification, had been separated into the estates of Château Rauzan-Gassies, Château Rauzan-Ségla, Château Desmirail, and Château Marquis de Terme.

After a long ownership by the Durand-Dasier family, the estate was acquired by Frédéric Cruse of the Cruse family in 1903 who held ownership until 1957. Liverpool shipping magnate John Holt and Brent Walker followed as owners, before the Wertheimer family bought the estate in 1994.

The vineyard area totals 51 hectares, with Cabernet Sauvignon accounting for 61%, Merlot for 35% and Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot for 2% each.

The Grand Vin is Château Rauzan-Ségla, with an annual production of 8000 cases. The second wine is named Ségla.

Pictures: At the Dinner

Tasting Notes (Annette Schiller)

Annette Schiller took notes during the dinner and provided the tasting notes. Annette is founder and CEO of ombiasy PR and WineTours. Her speciality are wine tours to Bordeaux and Germany. See here, for example: Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy. For the Bordeaux Wine Tour by ombiasy coming up in 2015, see: ombiasy PR and WineTours.

The winemaker dinner was 189€, including tax and tip.

Pictures: Annette Schiller at the Dinner Taking Notes

Château Rauzan-Ségla, Appellation Margaux, 2ième Grand Cru Classé
Château Canon, Appellation Saint-Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé B


This evening was a wonderful comparison between Bordeaux Right Bank vs. Bordeaux Left Bank. All wines were decanted well ahead of time.

First Course: US Beef Onglet, Sunflowerseed, Chinese Cabbage, Rowan Berry


Two Right Bank wines accompanied this course:

Château Canon 2001 and 1998.

Both Saint-Emilion wines, from the same Château, and John Kolasa was already on the ground when those wines were produced. However the wines were completely different due to the very different climate conditions in 2001 and 1998.


2001: This was overall a “cool” year and the wine was carried more by the Cabernet-Franc. On first sight the bouquet jumped out of the glass. It was gorgeous with a seductive nose of fruit, -cassis and cherry- , ripeness, and hints of pepper and spice. It almost smelled like a new world style wine. This wine had a generous texture, and showed harmony between the pronounced tannins, layers of different flavors, and acidity. I was very much taken by the first impression and elegance of this wine. But somehow, after sitting in the glass for a while, the bouquet weakened considerably and the wine fell kind of flat.

1998: This was overall a “warm” year and the wine was carried more by the Merlot. On the first encounter the nose was very restrained, but the voluptuousness of the Merlot counterbalanced the coyness of the wine on the palate. After a while in the glass the nose came forward with hints of dark fruit, some vanilla, and a bit of smokiness. There was a pleasant velvety mouthfeel with a good tannin structure and acidity, which lingered on. This wine was more complex, more astute than the 2001, and had definitely more elegance. It is good to drink now but I believe that the wine can still last a long time.

Both wines were a good match with the beef and how it was prepared.

Second Course: Breton Scallops, Calf’s Head, Cauliflower, Nutmeg


The wine to accompany this course was the

1983 Château Rauzan-Ségla:

This wine was dark, almost brownish in the glass. The nose was glorious, wide open, rich, fruity, - lots of cassis -, earthy, and a bit meaty. It was a powerful wine with a perfect structure and tannin - flavor - acidity - balance, a creamy texture, and endless finish. The wine was bold, but at the same time very stylish and classy. It was hard to believe that this wine was more than 30 years old.

(John said: “when I joined Rauzan-Ségla, there were 7000 bottles of this wine in the cellar. Now there are only 700 left.”)


The pairing with the food course was absolutely stunning. Scallops and calf’s head, this was an extraordinary combination beautifully executed and the two 1983 Rauzan-Ségla could not have been a more perfect match. The hint of meatiness in the wine and the hint of meatiness in the food as well as the creaminess of the wine and the creaminess of the sauce were just the perfect marriage.

Third Course: Saddle of Pauillac Lamb, Bell Pepper, Fennel, Tomato


Two Left Bank wines accompanied this course:

Château Rauzan-Ségla 1995 and 1986:

These wines were much more similar than the two Canon wines of the first flight. Both showed the characteristics of classic Bordeaux of the Left Bank.

1995: This was the first wine John Kolasa made after he joined Château Rauzan-Ségla. 1995 was also a “warm” vintage with an early ripening and an early picking period, favorable for the Cabernet-Sauvignon, which is the dominate grape varietal in the Rauzan-Ségla wines. The wine was dark colored, a red-purple beauty in the glass. On the nose, which was not overbearing, it showed pronounced cassis, smoke, and a hint of pine. This was a full-bodied, fat, complex wine with powerful tannins, and a long aftertaste. The wine had a touch of rambunctiousness paired with a certain elegance, and a still youthful freshness. I liked the tension in the wine and I am sure that one can keep it for a long time.


1986: This wine also had a beautiful dark, red-purple color in the glass. It was a bit tight on the nose, but after a while in the glass the bouquet opened up and gorgeous dark berry fruit notes paired with earthy, and smoky notes appeared. On the palate it was dense, yet there was harmony between tannins, fruit flavors, spices, and acidity, and it had a nice length. I am not sure if one should keep it much longer.

Both wines paired beautifully with the lamb. The character of the wines were an ideal match with the spices, and the flavor of the lamb.

Fourth Course: Cheese Degustation

1985 Château Canon (Magnum bottle)

In the early 80s many vineyards at Canon were redeveloped and the 1985 vintage bears fruit from the new plantings.

The wine was ruby-red in the glass and the nose was gorgeous: aromas of cherry, earth, some herbal notes, leather. The body had medium weight. This is a harmonious wine with the tannins completely integrated. On the palate the wine was mature, creamy, but also with a surprising freshness, and a lingering finish. What a joy to drink this wine now.


The selection of cheeses, Epoisse, Comté, a mild chèvre, was perfect for this wine. I missed a blue cheese, which I love, on the cheese platter, but that would not have paired at all with the wine. The mild cheeses, all had a creaminess in the mouth, were a perfect match for this elegant wine.

Coffee

Thanks Panos and John for a wonderful evening.


schiller-wine: Related Postings

A 16-Vintage Château Calon Ségur Vertical Tasting in Washington DC, with Wine Writer Panos Kakaviatos and Laurent Dufau, Managing Director, USA/Bordeaux

A Vertical Blind Tasting of Châteaux Léoville-Barton and Langoa-Barton plus the 2011 Chateau Mauvesin-Barton with Lilian Barton-Sartorius in Washington DC, USA

A Glass of Bordeaux – What Else? – With Wine Journalist Panos Kakaviatos  

Celebrating Riesling and my Birthday at Weingut Schaetzel in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, Germany  

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur with Winemaker/Owner Dany Rolland, Pomerol, France

The Wine Empire of the von Neipperg Family in France, Bulgaria and Germany 

Picture: Johannes Hasselbach, Weingut Gunderloch, the Winner of the BerlinRieslingCup 2014, in Washington DC, USA. Weingut Gunderloch was the last Stop of Annette Schiller's Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

For more see:
Weingut Gunderloch– The New Generation: Owner Johannes Hasselbach in Washington DC, US
"Wurzelwerk" Goes America: 3 Vineyards, 3 Winemakers and 9 Wines
Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Martin Zwick from Berlin is rapidly building up a reputation as being a mover and shaker in the German wine scene. This is due to the various Berlin Cups that he is organizing.

It all started with the BerlinRieslingCup a few years ago, a blind tasting and ranking in November of what Martin Zwick considered the leading Grosses Gewaechs wines - the ultra-premium dry wines of the VDP producers, Germany’s elite wine makers - that were released on September 1 of the same year. Initially, people did not pay much attention to the BerlinRieslingCup, but this has clearly changed over the years.

Today, the BerlinCup is no longer just about Grosses Gewaechs wines. Martin added a (1) BerlinGutsweinCup – ranking entry level wines, a (2) BerlinKabinettCup – ranking lightly sweet wines at the Kabinett level and (3) BerlinSpaetburgunderCup – ranking German Pinot Noir wines. For more, see below.

Picture: At Weingut A. Christmann in the Pfalz, with Owner (and VDP President) Steffen Christmann during the Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014. The A. Christmann Idig GG is #30 on the list.

BerlinRieslingCup

The Berlin RieslingCup is a very special annual ranking of German wines, at least for 2 reasons. First, it includes only dry ultra-premium Rieslings, mainly Grosses Gewaechs wines. So, (1) the whole segment of red wines (accounting for about 1/3 of German wine production) is excluded (2) as is the segment of fruity sweet and noble sweet Rieslings (which are so popular in the German export markets) and (3) as is the non-Riesling white wine segment, which is being pushed by many in the German wine industry. Second, and what makes this ranking so interesting, it is a very early ranking, basically the first one after the release of the wines in September.

Picture: Annette Schiller ombiasy PR and WineTours, and Monika Diel, Schlossgut Diel, at Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau. The Diel Burgberg GG is #19 on the list. The Visit of Schlossgut Diel was one of the Highlights of the Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

See also:
New Vintage Tasting at Schlossgut Diel, with Armin and Caroline Diel, Germany, 2014

Grosses Gewaechs

What is a VDP.Grosses Gewaechs wine? There is currently a bit of confusion (and there will be even more confusion in the years to come) as (1) Grosses Gewaechs was a term that was created by the VDP only a few years ago and (2) the VDP has created a new classification for German wines that differs radically from the German standard classification (and is still in the process of refining and implementing it). The latest revisions were those that came into effect with the vintage 2012.

Grosses Gewaechs and the new German Wine Classification

Although many people think that there is only one wine classification system in Germany – the classification system of the Law of 1971 – this is not correct. True, the classification system of the Law of 1971 is the standard classification system in Germany and the vast majority of winemakers in Germany use this approach. A large number of winemakers, however, have moved away from the standard, in particular the VDP producers.

In a nutshell, the VDP is moving to a classification system that resembles very much the classification system in the Bourgogne. The classification of the VDP puts the terroir principle at the center of its classification approach.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Wilhelm Weil at Weingut Robert Weil. The 18 Weil Gräfenberg GG is #18 on the list. Weingut Robert Weil was the first stop in the Rheingau of the Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

See also:
The new (VDP) Wine Classification in Germany: Tasting Weingut Robert Weil Wines from Gutswein to Grosse Lage Wine

With the latest modifications of earlier this year, the absolutely finest vineyards are called Grosse Lage (for the 2011 vintage still called Erste Lage) and dry wines from these super top vineyards are called Grosses Gewaechs. Grosses Gewächs wines are the finest dry wines from Germany’s finest vineyards.

To qualify for the Grosses Gewaechs label, a number of criteria need to be respected. (i) The fruit has to come from a Grosse Lage (for the 2011 vintage still called Erste Lage) vineyard. (ii) At harvest, the grapes need to be at least at Spaetlese level in terms of the sugar content. (iii) Only certain – typical - grape varieties are allowed, including Riesling and Spaetburgunder. Riesling is the only varietal allowed for Grosse Lage wines in the Mosel, Nahe, and Mittelrhein, but grapes like Spaetburgunder (Pinot Noir), Lemberger, Fruehburgunder, Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Gewuerztraminer, and Silvaner are included in other regions. (iv) Further restrictions apply: there are yield restrictions; only hand picking of grapes is permitted and harvest must be late in the autumn.

BerlinRieslingCup 2014

This year’s BerlinRieslingCup took place in early October and included 36 wines, up from 33 wines the year before. By definition, the 36 wines represented a subjective selection, but I think it probably included a substantial share of the ultra-premium Rieslings that could be the grand cru top wines of the 2013 vintage. 2 bottles came on the table. It is a blind tasting.

Here are the results – the top 20 ultra-premium German Rieslings from the 2013 vintage:

1 Gunderloch Rothenberg GG
2 Kühling Gillot Rothenberg GG
3 Emrich-Schönleber Frühlingsplätzchen GG
4 Wagner-Stempel Höllberg GG
5 Kühling-Gillot Pettenthal GG
6 Keller Westhofen
7 von Winning Kalkofen GG
8 Haidle Pulvermächer GG
9 Keller Morstein GG
10 Wittmann Brunnenhäuschen GG
11 Dönnhoff Hermannshöhle GG
12 Keller Pettenthal GG
13 Pfaffmann-Wageck Goldberg
14 Jakob Jung Siegelsberg GG
15 Dr. Loosen Erdener Prälat GG
16 Buhl Ungeheuer GG
17 Emrich-Schönleber Halenberg GG
18 Weil Gräfenberg GG
19 Diel Burgberg GG
20 Heymann-Löwenstein Laubach GG
21 Kranz Kalmit GG
22 Schäfer-Fröhlich Felseneck GG
23 Buhl Jesuitengarten GG
24 Wittmann Morstein GG
25 Fürst Centgrafenberg GG
26 Battenfeld-Spanier Schwarzer Herrgott GG
27 A. Kesseler Schlossberg GG
28 Stefan Winter Geyersberg GG
29 Rebholz Ganzhorn GG
30 A. Christmann Idig GG
31 Bürklin Wolf Ungeheuer GG
32 Gut Hermannsberg Bastei GG
33 Heymann-Löwensein Blaufüßer Lay GG
34 Katrin Wind Kalmit
35 Achim von Oetinger Hohenrain GG
36 Stahl Damaszener

Tasting Panel

The tasting panel changes every year. For this year’s tasting, it was composed of:
Angelika Deutsch/Kulinarischer Salon
Sylvia Petz/Havel&Petz PR Wien
Mira Nocon/Emma2
Markus Vahlefeld/Huffington Post
Manfred Klimek/Falstaff+VINUM
Michael Quentel/WEINWISSER
Christoph Geyler/RUTZ
Matthias Dathan/GM+Weinladen Schmidt
Jürgen Klucken/Riesling-Liebhaber
Nikolai Lassmann/Riesling-Liebhaber


Picture: Martin Zwick and Christian G.E. Schiller in Wiesbaden

schiller-wine: Related Postings (Berlin Cups)

Germany’s Best Ultra-premium Dry Riesling Wines - BerlinRieslingCup 2014, Germany
Germany’s Best Ultra-premium Dry Riesling Wines - BerlinRieslingCup 2013, Germany
Germany’s Ultra Premium Dry Riesling Wines – The Berlin Riesling Cup 2012
Germany’s Top Wines – The Berlin Riesling Cup 2011 Ranking

Martin Zwick’s BerlinGutsweinrieslingCup 2014 - Rating Entry-level Rieslings from Germany's Best Producers
BerlinGutsrieslingCup 2013– Rating Entry-level Rieslings from Germany
Berlin Gutsriesling Cup 2012, Germany

Martin Zwick's BerlinKabinettCup 2014, Germany
BerlinKabinettCup 2013 - Kabinett 2012, Germany

Germany's Best Pinot Noir Wines - BerlinSpätburgunderCup 2012/2014
BerlinSpaetburgunderCup 2011/2013, Germany 

Schiller-wine - Related Postings

New Vintage Tasting at Schlossgut Diel, with Armin and Caroline Diel, Germany, 2014

Visiting Armin and Caroline Diel and their Schlossgut Diel in Burg Layen in Germany

Visiting Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla, Washington State - Where Armin Diel’s Poet’s Leap Riesling is Made, USA

Terry Theise: German 2013 Vintage Wines - Highlights and Superlatives, Germany 

When Americans Drink German Wine - What They Choose

The new (VDP) Wine Classification in Germany: Tasting Weingut Robert Weil Wines from Gutswein to Grosse Lage Wine

Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany

Weingut Gunderloch– The New Generation: Owner Johannes Hasselbach in Washington DC, US

"Wurzelwerk" Goes America: 3 Vineyards, 3 Winemakers and 9 Wines

Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Picture: Tasting the Wines of Weingut Pawis with Bernhard and Kerstin Pawis at Weingut Pawis, Saale Unstrut

The Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014) took us to 3 exceptional winemakers in the Saale Unstrut region. One of them was Weingut Pawis, a member of the VDP, the association of elite winemakers in Germany. What Bernhard and Kerstin Pawis, born and raised in the GDR, have created in the past 15 years, is remarkable.

See also:
Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014
Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014 
German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Kerstin gave us a tour of the estate, which allowed us to look at the vineyards from a distance. We then sat down in the tasting room and enjoyed the outstanding wines of Bernhard Pawis, who joined us towards the end of the tasting.

See also:
Weingut Pawis in the Saale Unstrut Region - A Profile, Germany
Weingut Pawis in Saale Unstrut, Germany (2011)

The Saale Unstrut Wine Region

The Saale Unstrut wine region is Germany’s most northern wine region, in the valleys of the Saale and Unstrut rivers, around Freyburg and Naumburg. With 730 hectares of vineyard area, it is one of the smaller wine regions in Germany. The oldest record of viticulture dates back to the year 998 during the reign of Emperor Otto III.

Located in the area of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), Saale-Unstrut has become a thriving emerging wine region after the Berlin Wall came down in 1989 (as Sachsen, the other wine region in the area of the former GDR; Sachsen is half of the size of Saale Unstrut).

Pictures: At Weingut Pawis

Most of the region's vineyards are situated in the State of Saxony-Anhalt, with the remainder in the State of Thuringia and in the State of Brandenburg (the "Werderaner Wachtelberg" near Potsdam). The vineyards are located on the hillsides lining the Saale and Unstrut rivers. It all looks very attractive, with steep terraces, dry stone walls and century-old vineyard cottages, interspersed with meadows, floodplains. High above, are defiant castles and palaces. Culture, history, nature and wine are combined here perfectly.

Saale-Unstrut is the northernmost of Germany's wine regions, and is therefore one of Europe's northernmost traditional wine regions. It lies to the north of the 51st degree of latitude, which was considered to be the limit for viticulture before global warming. Also, the weather is more variable than in the regions to the west.

White grape varieties make up 75% of Saale-Unstrut's plantations. The most common grape varieties are the white varieties Müller-Thurgau and Weißburgunder (Pinot Blanc). The wines tend to be vinified dry and have a refreshing acidity.

Pictures: Looking at the Weingut Pawis Vineyards with Kerstin Pawis

Weingut Pawis

Weingut Pawis is located in the historic Zscheiplitz Estate, close to Freyburg. It is a gorgeous set-up, but as Bernhard Pawis told us, the renovation of the Estate was a major undertaking.

Bernhard Pawis is a trained winemaker, who got his education in the former German Democratic Republic. Shortly after the Berlin Wall came down in 1990, Bernhard’s parents - Herbert and Irene Pawis– bought 0.5 hectares of vineyard land and founded a small winery cum wine tavern (Strausswirtschaft). They sold the wine they produced in tavern on their premise. Bernhard had a day job, but helped his parents after work. Business was good, so when his father died in 1998, Bernhard decided to quit his job take over his parents’ winery. He constructed a modern winery in the center of Freyburg and enlarged the winery’s vineyard land through purchases and long-term lease arrangements. In 1995, Weingut Pawis produced 5.000 bottles, five years later 2000 50.000 bottles. Not only quantity improved, but also the quality of the Weingut Pawis wines and in 2001, Weingut Pawis was invited to join the VDP, Germany’s association of elite winemakers.

Picture: Art at Weingut Pawis

The VDP membership put Weingut Pawis on Germany’s wine map and the winery Bernhard had constructed 10 years ago reached capacity limits. Bernard moved again, this time to something grand, the historic Estate Zscheiplitz. The former feudal Estate Zscheiplitz was completely run-down and required a major renovation effort. Bernhard pushed ahead with it, overcoming many obstacles. Since May 2007, the Weingut Pawis is based at the Zscheiplitz Estate in Freyburg-Zscheiplitz.

The vineyard area totals 14 hectares, with holdings in the Edelacker, a VDP.Grosse Lage (Grand Cru), Mühlberg (Freyburg) and Sonneneck (Naumburg). The area is planted with the white varieties Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Bacchus and Kerner, and with the red varieties Dornfelder, Portugieser, Pinot Noir and Regent. The white varieties account for 80% of the portfolio.

In terms of winemaking philosophy, Bernhard explained that he is following sustainable vineyard practices. The wines are made primarily in a dry style, using temperature-controlled fermentation. The premium wines are matured in barriques made from the Trias oak found in the region. When vintage conditions permit, noble sweet wines are also made. The estate also produces bottle-fermented sparkling wines and grappa-style spirits.


Pictures: Tasting at Weingut Pawis with Bernhard and Kerstin Pawis

Weingut Pawis sells about 1/3 of its production in the western part of Germany. This is unusually large, but having met Bernhard Pawis, seen the hip tasting room and tasted his wines, I can see why Bernhard Pawis is much more successful in the western part of Germany than his colleagues.

The tasting room and the garden serve on weekends as a wine tavern during parts of the year (Strausswirtschaft). Also, winemaker dinners take place here. Bernhard is very much into modern art and the Estate also houses a gallery with monthly changing modern art exhibitions.

What Kerstin Pawis Poured


VDP.Gutswein

2013 Grüner Silvaner trocken
2013 Müller-Thurgau trocken
2013 Bacchus trocken
2013 Grauer Burgunder Muschelkalk trocken
2013 Riesling Buntsandstein trocken
2013 Riesling Quartz trocken

The Saale Unstrut and Sachsen VDP decided to drop the Ortswein category and to go for a 3-tier classification system.

VDP.Erste Lage

2013 Freyburger Mühlberg Grauer Burgunder trocken
2013 Freyburger Edelacker Weisser Burgunder trocken
2012 Freyburger Edelacker Weisser Burgunder Barrique trocken

VDP.Grosse Lage


2012 Edelacker Riesling GG
2012 Edelacker Grauer Burgunder GG
2012 Edelacker Riesling Eiswein


Bye-bye

Thanks Bernhard and Kerstin Pawis for a great afternoon.

Picture: Annette Schiller and Bernhard Pawis

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014 

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Weingut Pawis in the Saale Unstrut Region - A Profile, Germany

Weingut Pawis in Saale Unstrut, Germany (2011)

Picture: Lake Lugano in Ticino, Switzerland

As part of the 2014 Digital Wine Communications Conference in Montreux, Switzerland, I explored the wines of Ticino during a post-conference press trip. About 10 of us, including my wife Annette Schiller, ombiasy PR and WineTours, Snooth Editor-in-Chief Gregory Dal Piaz, and Keith Edwards, eminent wine expert and blogger (Wine -- Mise en abyme), also from the US East coast, and Carla Maset from Italy, who took nice pictures (some of which I am using in this posting), boarded a train in the morning of Sunday, October 30, in Montreux. 6 hours later, we arrived (via Milan, where we were met by Matthias Schmidt) in Lugano. During the following 48 hours, we visited 7 winemakers and were introduced to the local cuisine. Matthias Schmitt and Francesco Tettamanti, Director of Ticinowine, were our hosts.

Picture: The Group

We got our first introduction to the wines of Ticino at the 2014 Digital Wine Communications Conference in Monteux, Switzerland during the Grand Swiss Tasting conducted by Jancis Robinson and Jose Vouillamoz, which included 2 Merlots from Ticino. Since our return, fellow traveler Keith Edwards has already released several excellent postings on his wine blog (Wine - Mise en abyme) from which I am also drawing.

See:
The Wines of Switzerland– Grand Tasting with (and Introduction to Swiss Wines by) Jancis Robinson and José Vouillamoz 

This posting provides an overview, which will be followed by 10 postings on specific events:

Touring and Tasting the Wines of Brivio Vini SA and Gialdi Vini SA in Mendrisio, Ticiono, with Guido Brivio, Switzerland
Polenta at Grotto Bundi, Mendrisio, Switzerland
Touring and Tasting the Wines of Cantina Kopp von der Crone Visini, with Anna Barbara von der Crone and Paolo Visini, Switzerland
Visiting and Tasting the Wines of Tamborini Carlo SA and Lunch with Valentina Tamborini, Switzerland
Touring and Tasting the Wines of Vini e Distillati Angelo Delea SA, with David Delea, Switzerland
Touring an Tasting the Wines of Agriloro SA and Diner with Owner Meinrad Perler, Switzerland
Touring and Tasting the Wines of Vinattieri Ticinesi, Switzerland
Lunch at Ristorante Montalbano in Stabio, Switzerland

Wine Producer Switzerland

Switzerland is a small wine producer with about 15 000 hectares of vineyards only. This is about 15 percent of Germany’s total winegrowing area and a bit more than 1 percent of that of Spain. Only less than 2% of the wine is exported, mainly to Germany.

Picture: Map of Switzerland

Switzerland's particular situation - in between four wine-producing nations (France, Italy, Germany and Austria) and itself divided into four different areas with different languages and traditions - has resulted in an extreme diversity of its wines.

Switzerland has an extensive range of grape varieties. Among the white grapes, the Chasselas is the most widespread. Müller-Thurgau, cultivated above all in the German speaking part of Switzerland, and Sylvaner are also popular. The main red grape varieties are Pinot Noir, which can be found in all the wine-producing regions of Switzerland, and Gamay, which predominates in the Valais; Merlot has found a second home in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland, the Ticino. In addition, there are 40 or so indigenous grapes, all of them practically unknown anywhere else in the world.

The Wines of Ticino (Keith Edwards Wine - Mise en abyme)

Keith Edwards Wine - Mise en abyme:  Ticino -- called Tessin in both French and German -- is a 2,813-km² (1,086 square-mile) Swiss canton located on the southern slopes of the central Alps. Italian-speaking (an artifact of rule by the Dukes of Milan until its conquest by the Swiss Confederation in the 15th Century), except for the German-speaking municipality of Bosco/Gurin, the canton is almost completely surrounded by Italy.

The canton is divided into two geographic regions by the dividing line of the Monte Ceneri Pass: Sopraceneri, encompassing the Ticino and Maggia Valleys; and Sottoceneri, the region around Lake Lugano. The Sopraceneri lands were formed by glaciers and streams and, as a result, are more mountainous and rife with terminal moraines and alluvial cones and is acidic. The soils are rather stony with a full complement of silt and sand. The Sottoceneri soils are limestone and deep, rich clays.

Pictures: Ticino

Ticino's climate has been described as "modified Mediterranean." The Alps in general, acts as a barrier such that the climate in the northern parts of Switzerland are different from the south. Ticino, situated as it is to the south of the Alps, receives some Mediterranean air from time to time and can reach temperatures of 21.3℃ in the summer with an average annual temperature of 11.7℃. Ticino's 2100-2286 hours of sunshine per year is the highest in Switzerland. The warm, moisture-laden air from the Mediterranean deposits a lot of its mass as it rises to soar over the Alps, leaving Ticino with the highest annual rainfall (1750 mm) in all of Switzerland. The Föhn is a warm wind which blows over the Alps from south to north but, on occasion, reverses itself and blows from north to south, impacting Ticino. Ticino is prone to fierce storms and the risk of hailstones has prompted grape-growers to install anti-hailstone nets.

A total of 1000 ha of Ticino land is dedicated to grape growing today, down from over 7000 ha pre-Phylloxera. As shown in the map below, the northern wine growing areas hug the river valleys while the southern ones, though centered around Lake Lugano, do venture into non-aquatic areas. Elevations in the region vary between a low of 200m and a high of 600 m, with the average vineyard located at approximately 325 m above sea level.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Keith Edwards in Ticino, Switzerland

There are a total of 3600 grape growers in Ticino and they provide the inputs to the 200 producers and the Coop who produce the region's wines. Vineyards are generally small, steep plots of between 3 ha and 6 ha and yields are at 70 hl/ha. Fifteen companies produce 80% of the wines produced using all purchased fruit or a combination of owned and purchased fruit. The Coop produces 1 million bottles annually.

Merlot, far and away the most dominant variety, suits the Ticino environment because it ripens early and ahead of the weather change which can occur in October. It was first planted experimentally in 1906 and, since that time, research work done by the Cadenzzo Agricultural Center of the Swiss Federal Research Station has adapted the variety to Ticino climatic conditions.

The Tour – Discovering the Merlots of Ticino

Sunday November 2

Transfer from Montreux to Lugano via Milan

Late lunch

17:00 Brivio Vini SA and Gialdi Vini SA with Guido Brivio

Brivio Vini SA and Gialdi Vini SA are operating as a pure negociants-type winery under the same roof and management in Mendrisio. Together, they buy fruit from 400 farmers operating on 100 ha of land in the region and produce 100.000 cases. We were hosted by Guido Brivio, the founder of Brivio Vini SA.


19:30 Polenta Dinner at Grotto Bundi

In an interview, Guido Brivio was asked: What traditional dishes would you recommend to drink with your wines? Polenta and risotto are traditional dishes. We have a north Italian culture here. What restaurants do you recommend in the region? If you want rustic food then the tavern, Grotto Bundi (grottobundi.com), located on a road full of ancient wine cellars, is a must. Grotto serves the best polenta in the world, in my opinion.


Monday November 3

9:00 Cantina Kopp von der Crone Visini

Cantina Kopp von der Crone Visini is a small producer with 7 hectares of land. 4000 cases. We were hosted by Anna Barbara von der Crone and Paolo Visini.


10:45 Tamborini Carlo SA

Tamborini Carlo SA is a negociant/grower producer. It produces about 30 different wines, from its own vineyards (30 hectares) as well as from grapes produced by about 100 producers who sell the grapes they produce to Tamborini Carlo SA.

We were received by Valentia Tamborini, who also joined us for lunch, and were briefly greeted by her father Claudio Tamborini.


12:00 Lunch at Ristorante Serta, Lamone, with Valentia Tamborini.


14:45 Vini e Distillati Angelo Delea SA

Vini e Distillati Angelo Delea SA is a similar set-up as Tamborini Carlo SA. Vini e Distillati Angelo Delea SA owns 23 hectares of land and buys grapes from other producers, equaling about 30 hectares of land. Total output is 70.000 cases.

We were received by David Delea and greeted by founder Angelo Delea.


16:45 Azienda Mondo

Azienda Mondo belongs to the category of small producers that bottle and market themselves their wine. The vineyard area totals 6 hectares. The winery is located up on a mountain.


20:00 Dinner at Albergo Svizzero in Caolango with Meinrad Perler and his wines (of Agriloro SA)

We had dinner at Albergo Svizzero with Meinrad Perler, the owner of Agriloro SA, which we visited the following day. During dinner, we were able to taste a broad selection of the Agriloro SA wines.


Tuesday, November 4

9:15 Vinattieri Ticinesi

Vinattieri Ticinesi is a negociant/grower producer, with an output of 50.000 cases. That makes him the second largest producer in Switzerland. The winery was founded in 1985 by Lugio Zannini. Today, the Zanini family owns 80 hectares of vineyard land and has long-term contracts for another 30 hectares. The current winery is laid out for a potential production of 100.000 cases.

We were hosted by Nevio Componovo. We had, inter alia, the 2011 Castello Luigi Rosso del Ticino DOC, which is a world class Merlot.


11:15 Agriloro SA

Meinrad Perler, the owner of Agriloro SA, is the son of a farmer in western, French-speaking Switzerland who initially went into banking. When that career soured, he turned to his passion, winemaking, and moved to Mendrisio in the early 1980s. Agriloro SA comprises Tenimento dell’ör in Arzo (9 hectares of vineyard land) and Tenimento La Prella (11 hectares of vineyard land) in Genestrerio. Annual production is 20.000 cases, of which 75% red wine.


13:00 Fare-well Lunch at Montalbano restaurant in Stabio


schiller-wine: Related Posting

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

3 Wine Tours by ombiasy Coming up in 2014: Germany-North, Germany-South and Bordeaux 

The 2014 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Switzerland 

The Wines of Weingut Saxer, a Winemaker in the German-speaking part of Switzerland

The Wines of Switzerland– Grand Tasting with (and Introduction to Swiss Wines by) Jancis Robinson and José Vouillamoz

Picture: The Château Mouton Rothschild 2012 Label Designed by Spanish Artist Miquel Barceló

Each year, the esteemed French wine producer Château Mouton Rothschild chooses a master artist to create a label. The 2012 artist is Miquel Barceló, the fifth Spanish artist to create a label for Château Mouton Rothschild, after Salvador Dalí in 1958, Joan Miró in 1969, Pablo Picasso in 1973 and Antoni Tàpies in 1995.

See also:
French Artist Guy de Rougement Designs Château Mouton Rothschild 2011 Label
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.

Baroness Philippine de Rothschild

Baron Philippe de Rothschild had one child, Baroness Philippine Mathilde Camille de Rothschild, who was the head of the Mouton Rothschild portfolio until her death in August 2014.

Baroness Philippine had 3 children: Camille Sereys de Rothschild (born 1961), Philippe Sereys de Rothschild (born 1963) (with Jacques Noël Sereys, a French theatre director and actor, with whom she was married from 1961 to 1999, and Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild (born 1971) (Jean-Pierre de Beaumarchais, a biographer and scholar, with whom she was married when she passed away.

Her personal wealth was estimated at €190 million by Le Nouvel Economiste.

The Mouton-Rothschild 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.

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.

Pictures: Selection of Château Mouton Rothschild Labels

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.

Miquel Barceló Label for the 2012 Vintage

Among the other artists to have created a label for Mouton Rothschild are Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Georges Braque, Juan Miró, Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud.

Last year, French painter and sculptor Guy de Rougemont designed the 2011 label featuring snake-like lines running the color gamut from yellow, orange and red to blue and deep purple.

American neo-pop artist Jeff Koons designed the 2010 label for the estate featuring a silver line drawing of a ship sailing under a bright sun over a Pompeii fresco of The Birth of Venus.

The 2012 vintage label of Miquel Barceló depicts two rams on their hind legs, matching each other's strength, against a hazy watercolor background of greens and blues.

Picture: Miquel Barceló

Born in Majorca in 1957, Miquel Barceló has risen to prominence in the past two decades. His work was exhibited at the Paris Museum of Modern Art in 1996 and the city's Louvre museum displayed his watercolors in 2004. In 2008, he created and painted a dome roof worth an estimated €18m at the United Nations' Palace of Nations in Geneva.

Future Labels

Baroness Philippine de Rothschild’s youngest son, Julien de Beaumarchais, is to take over from his mother in choosing the artists for Mouton Rothschild’s famous labels as of the 2014 vintage (the label for the 2013 vintage was still chosen by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, but the choice has not yet been made public). De Beaumarchais, who studied art history, said he would make his decision ‘in consultation with the family’. The move comes despite the Baroness' other son, Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, being named as president of the supervisory board of Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA, following on from his mother.

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Bordeaux Wines and their Classifications: The Basics

The Saint Emilion 2012–2022 Classification, Bordeaux

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City), France

Plateau des Fruits de Mer and a Pessac-Leognan Wine in Bordeaux City, France

An Afternoon with Owner Henri Lurton at Château Brane-Cantenac, a Deuxieme Grand Cru Classe en 1855, in Margaux, France

An Afternoon with Owner Michel Tesseron at Château Lafon-Rochet, 4ème Cru Classé en 1855, in Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux

The Wine Empire of the von Neipperg Family in France, Bulgaria and Germany

Château Léoville-Poyferré, Chateau Le Crock, Didier Cuvelier in Bordeaux and the Cuvelier Los Andes Wines in Argentina

Château Pape Clément in Pessac-Léognan and the World Wide Wine Empire of Bernard Magrez, France

Tasting with Alfred Tesseron the last 10 Vintages of Château Pontet-Canet in Washington DC, USA/France

Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB) on North America Tour in Washington DC - Schiller’s Favorites

Owner Jean-Bernard Grenié and Wine Journalist Panos Kakaviatos Presented the Wines of Chateau Angélus and Chateau Daugay at Black Salt Restaurant in Washington DC, USA

The label of 2007 Chateau Mouton Rothschild designed by Bernar Venet

(German) Winemakers in the World: The German Roots of the Baron Philippe de Rothschild Empire

The Emerging Wine Giant China - Mouton Cadet Bar Opening

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Picture: Johannes Selbach Pouring for the Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014) Group. The Visit of Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, and Tasting with Johannes Selbach was one of the Highlights of the Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014). See: Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

The Eichelmann Wine Guide Deutschland 2015 – one of the 4 main wine guides in Germany (along with GaultMillau, Feinschmecker and the relatively new Falstaff) - was released in November 2014.

In the Eichelmann Wine Guide Deutschland 2015, Gerhard Eichelmann presents 850 winemakers and reviews 9400 wines. For the rating of the winemakers, he employs a system that awards a winery up to five stars, where 5 stars indicate “world class, top international producers”. There are about 2 dozens of German winemakers in this group and I will post separately about the new list. The wines are assessed using a 50-100 point scale rating system.

Additionally, in each issue a Rising Star of the Year as well as the producers of the best collections of red wines, white wines and noble-sweet wines are named.

Best White Wine Collection of the Year: Weingut Beurer from Stetten in Württemberg

1o hectares. Completely unknown outside of Germany. Even within Germany, not a name that wine drinkers would come up with if asked for the best producer of German white wine. Jochen Beurer is totally committed to biodynamic winemaking; he prunes his vines only when the moon is waning. Weingut Beurer was asked to join the VDP - the German association of about 200 elite winemakers - in 2013.

Gerhard Eichelmann: This award will not please everybody. Those consumers who look for fruity wines that can be consumed rather young, will not find these kind of wines at Weingut Beurer. But those who are looking for authentic wines will find them at Weingut Beurer.

Best Red Wine Collection of the Year: Weingut Wachtstetter in Pfaffenhofen in Württemberg

16.5 hectares. Again, a surprise nomination. As for myself, I visited Weingut Wachstetter and have written about the outstanding wines of Pfaffenberg. In his speech, Gerhard Eichelmann singled out the world class Lembergers of Weingut Wachstetter. Indeed, they are top.

For more, see:
Weingut Wachtstetter in Wuerttemberg – A Profile, Germany

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Rainer Wachtstetter, Weingut Wachtstetter in Pfaffenberg, Wuerttemberg

Best Collection of Noble-Sweet Wines of the Year: Weingut Selbach Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel

21 hectares. A world-class producer of Mosel wines, well known in Germany and abroad. Interestingly, earlier this year, Johannes Selbach teamed up with Paul Hobbs to create a new winery in the Finger Lakes Region in Upstate New York. See: Johannes Selbach, Weingut Selbach-Oster, teams up with Paul Hobbs to make Riesling in the Finger Lakes Region in New York State, USA/Germany

Pictures: The Visit of Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, and Tasting with Johannes Selbach was one of the Highlights of the Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014). See: Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Gerhard Eichelmann: The Rieslings of Selbach-Oster convince with their elegance and cleanness, the sweetness is never offensive and the alcohol level always very moderate: Classic Mosel Rieslings

Rising Star of the Year: Weingut Höfflin in Bötzingen, Kaiserstuhl (Baden)

11 hectares. Organic wine producer.

Gerhard Eichelmann: The Höfflin wines are very different and very authentic.

schiller-wine: Related Postings Eichelmann

For previous years, see:

Best German Wines and Winemakers – Eichelmann Wine Guide Deutschland 2015 Awards, Germany

Germany’s 26 Top Winemakers - Eichelmann WeinGuide Deutschland 2014

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

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  (Awards)

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Johannes Selbach, Weingut Selbach-Oster, teams up with Paul Hobbs to make Riesling in the Finger Lakes Region in New York State, USA/Germany

Weingut Wachtstetter in Wuerttemberg – A Profile, Germany 

Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Picture: In the Vineyard with Owner and Winemaker Robert Schätzle at Weingut Schloss Neuweier in Baden

The first stop of the Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, which took place from September 14 – 20, 2014, was at Schloss Neuweier in the small village of Neuweier in Baden, close to the spa-town Baden Baden. We had a wine tasting luncheon at the 1-star Michelin restaurant of Chef Armin Röttele with the owner and winemaker of Weingut Schloss Neuweier, Robert Schätzle. Before lunch, Robert showed us around in the vineyards and the cellar. This posting focusses on the initial part of the visit, i.e. the vineyard and cellar tour with Robert. A second posting focusses on the luncheon at Röttele's Restaurant.

See also:
Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014
Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014 
German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Schloss Neuweier

(1) Weingut Schloss Neuweier is part of the wonderfully restored, historic castle Schloss Neuweier, where wine has been made for centuries.

Picture: Arriving at Weingut Schloss Neuweier

(2) Schloss Neuweier also includes a top notch restaurant, where we had lunch during our visit. The restaurant is in the first floor of the castle. It is owned and run by Chef Armin Roettle and his wife and since 2006 in the 1 star Michelin category.

(3) Weingut Schloss Neuweier focuses on Riesling wines, which are outstanding. You would expect that in the Mosel or the Rheingau region, but not in Baden. Reflecting the special soil of the vineyards surrounding the castle and the special micro-climate there as well as a long-standing Riesling tradition and passion, Weingut Schloss Neuweier produces world class Rieslings.

(4) The export share of Weingut Schloss Neuweier is negligible, which is typical for the Baden region. But this may change for Weingut Schloss Neuweier in the future and was not like this in the past. Its Mauerwein (Wall wine – from a terraced vineyard on the hill behind the castle) was one of Queen Victoria’s favorites. It had won an award at the International Exhibition of Philadelphia in 1876 and was on the airship Graf Zeppelin’s maiden flight.

Pictures: Welcome!

(5) Until recently, the driving force behind Schloss Neuweier, including Weingut Schloss Neuweier, was Gisela Joos. She and her husband, a well-known architect from Frankfurt am Main, took over the castle, including the winery, in 1992 and invested around Euro 50 million in the castle, including the winery. What you see today is essentially due to their efforts and money. In 1999, Weingut Neuweier was admitted to the prestigious VDP association, when Gisela Joos was in charge.

(6) Today, the “Schlossherr” (owner) of Schloss Neuweier and the winemaker at Weingut Schloss Neuweier is Robert Schaetzle. His family acquired the estate in 2012. The senior management of the winery of course changed with Robert taking over. The already high quality level of the wines was definitely maintained if not increased by Robert Schaetzle. The Joos family is still living in the castle, but on a lease basis. Also, the lease of the 1 star restaurant was not affected by the change in ownership.

See also:
Weingut Schloss Neuweier – Robert Schaetzle, Baden, Germany

History

When we arrived, Robert suggested to walk over to the vineyards first. While walking there, he introduced us to the rich history of Schloss Neuweier.

The castle belongs to the few historic buildings from the 12th century that still exist. Die Ritter von Bach were the first who started planting vines and producing wine. All subsequent owners showed interested in winemaking.

Its current shape took the castle, when it was owned by Philipp Kämmerer von Worms, called von Dalberg. During 1548 to 1549, this gentleman created the castle as you can see it today. To remind everyone of his creation he put in the entry portal: Zeyt bryngt Rosen – Time brings Roses.

In 1615, the castle was passed onto the second daughter of Philipp von Dalberg, whose husband was Wolf von Eltz and Knebel von Katzenellenbogen. Katzenellenbogen was a high ranking knight who fought under the rule of the Archbishop of Mainz. He also was an important person in terms of winemaking at Weingut Schloss Neuweier. He brought his knowledge from the Franken area, the Bocksbeutel bottles and the Niersteiner and the Laubenheimer grape varities, which replaced the traditional Elblinger and Ortlieber.

Pictures: Walking Over to the Vineyards

During the 19th century the castle changed its owners quiet frequently. From 1869, the Rößler family from Baden-Baden became the owner of the castle. The Rößler family is responsible for the Mauerberg vineyard gaining international recognition.

The Joos family bought the estate including all the buildings and the vineyard in 1992. With great enthusiasm and financial investments they brought the castle and all the attached buildings back to the full bloom, which you can still admire today. The renovations were completed in 2009.

In 2012, the estate was sold to the family of Robert Schaetzle; they come from a traditional vintners background in the Kaiserstuhl area near Freiburg.

The Vineyards

The heart of the vineyard area (15 hectares) of Weingut Schloss Neuweier are two very steep monopoly sites: Schlossberg and Goldenes Loch.

Robert Schaetzle: Schlossberg - This is a monopoly site of 3 hectares of south-facing slopes with up to 55°incline, entirely Riesling. The soil is very special, made up of ground granite, schist, shale and slate. Due to being close to an extinct volcano you also find quartz crystals on the surface. The climate is defined by being on the lower slopes of the Black Forrest Mountains and close to the Rhine plateau and in combination with the soil is ideal growing grounds for Riesling. The Riesling grown here gets a lot of sun during the day and at night the release of the heat that was accumulated during the day in the soil.

Pictures: In the Vineyards

Goldenes Loch - Another monopoly site of 1 hectare south-west facing cauldron between the Schlossberg and the Mauerberg. The name was established because of the foliage glowing golden in the autumn sun due to the concave mirror effect caused by the cauldron, catching the last rays of the day. The extreme incline of 60° or more was the main reason it was left alone but in 1993 the land was reclaimed by using small diagonal terraces. The grapes grown here produce exquisite Riesling wines.

Mauerberg: This is a south facing site. Historically, 60% of the Mauerberg was terraced, with each terrace large enough for one or two vines. The man-high natural stone walls contribute to the micro climate for the vines by keeping the warmth during the day as well as being dried be the wind from the Black Forest.

Heiligenstein: The name seems to originate from the Celtic culture stating a magical powerful place, which it is still today. The foundation is full of granite being enjoyed by our young Pinot Noir vines. Here is where we get our very clean, clear classical red wines from.

Wine Cellar

After the viniyard tour, we visited the wine cellar of Weingut Schloss Neuweier.

Pictures: In the Cellar

Robert Schaetzle

Robert Schaetzle is a very interesting and charming fellow, with curly, almost Afro-style hair and a strong regional southern Baden accent. He lives at the castle with his French wife and one son, if I remember correctly.

Robert did not appeared out of nowhere. He has put in time at serious wineries over the years – at Franz Keller and Dr. Heger in Baden, across the Rhine in Alsace with Zind-Humbrecht and Marc Kreydenweiss, and in Bordeaux at La Tour de By. Before turning to wine, Robert was in academia. He studied at Université Bordeaux Segalen in France.

Weingut Schloss Neuweier

Vineyard area (hectare): 18 ha
Varietal in %: 88 % Riesling 8 % Spätburgunder 3 % Weißburgunder 1 % Gewürztraminer
Output per year: 98.000 Flaschen

Pictures: Schloss Neuweier

Lunch and Wine Pairing at Röttele's Restaurant im Schlossweier

After the vineyard and cellar tour, we walked over to the Michelin-starred Röttele's Restaurant im Schloss Neuweier and had a spectacular wine tasting luncheon with Robert Schätzle and his Weingut Schloss Neuweier wines. I will report about the luncheon in a separate posting. Here are already some pictures.

Pictures: Lunch at Michelin-starred Rötteles Restaurant im Schloss Neuweier, with Robert Schätzle and his Weingut Schloss Neuweier Wines

Bye-bye

Thanks Robert for a wonderful visit.

Picture: Good-bye

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Weingut Schloss Neuweier – Robert Schaetzle, Baden, Germany

Visiting Winemaker and Web 2.0 Guru Patrick Johner - Weingut Karl Heinz Johner and Johner Estate - in Baden, Germany

In the Glass: A 2007 Pinot Noir from the Gault Millau Shooting Star of the Year - Estate of Baron Gleichenstein

One of the Fathers of the German Red Wine Revolution: Weingut Huber in Baden

Joachim Heger, Weingut Dr. Heger: Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2013, Germany

Visiting Jean Trimbach at Maison Trimbach in Ribeauville in Alsace (2011)

Steffen Christmann (Weingut A. Christmann) and Wilhelm Weil (Weingut Robert Weil) Presented the New Wine Classification of the VDP, Germany

The World Meets at Weingut Weegmueller, Pfalz, Germany

The Wines Chancelor Merkel Served President Obama and Michelle Obama in Berlin (and the Wines she did not Serve), Germany

Visiting Agnes and Fritz Hasselbach at their Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim, Rheinhessen, Germany