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Allons en vendage – Karoline Knoth, Maurice Collin and Meursault, Bourgogne

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Picture: Karolne Knoth with her new Book "Allons en vendage" and Annette Schiller

With Karoline Knoth in Beaune and Geisenheim

Karoline Knoth gave us a fantastic tour of the Hospices de Beaune during the Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015) a few months ago. This is where I met Karoline Knoth for the first time.

Pictures: With Karoline Knoth at the Hospices de Beaune during the Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

See:
Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

After the tour, Annette and I talked with Karoline and learnt that she had published a book (Allons en vendage) on wine making in Meursault in the 1930s and that a series of events was taking place in Geisenheim in the Rheingau in late June, all linked to her new book. Annette and I were able to participate in one of the events in Geisenheim in the Rheingau, the Opening of an Exhibition.

This posting puts together some information on Karoline Knoth, her new book “Allons en vendage” and the life of the protagonist of her new book, Maurice Collin. The pictures of this posting are from the event in Geisenheim we attended, and from the tour of the Hospices de Beaune with Karoline Knoth. In terms of languages, the posting is a blend of German, English and French.

More specifically, you find below:

First, a short bio of Karoline Knoth, in English by Christian Schiller;
second, a description of the life of Maurice Collin, in French, source: Le Bien Public (01/12/2014)
third, a review of Karoline Knoth's book Allons en vendage, in French by Laure Ménétrier;
fourth, an announcement of the series events around Kaoline Knoth and her new book that took place in Geisenheim recently, in German, source: Hochschule Geisenheim University

Karoline Knoth

Karoline Knoth is a German, borne in 1964 in Bad Mergenheim, who has been living with her French husband in the famous wine village of Meursault for a couple of years. She has a diploma in European Ethnology and History from the University of Würzburg. Karoline was the Director of the Henneberg - Museum in Münnerstadt and of Schloss Aschach. Her career also includes a period of 10 years as a product manager for an international firm. Last year, she received the diplôme universitaire Vin, Culture, Œnotourisme de l’université de Dijon as well as the carte professionnelle de Guide conférencier.

Maurice Collin

Né le 12 janvier 1918 à Paris, Maurice Collin est fils d’Armand Lucien Collin, peintre décorateur, et d’Elisabeth Poligné. Son père voudrait bien le voir prendre sa succession mais Maurice s’oriente rapidement vers la photographie.

De 1933 à 1935, il est apprenti photographe à l’AFP. Il fait ses débuts en Afrique et parcourt l’Afrique occidentale française, traitant de sujets ethnographiques. C’est ainsi qu’on le retrouve à Dakar et Brazzaville. Pour son service militaire en 1938, Collin est affecté dans l’aéronautique et parcourt le Congo en particulier.

Pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, Maurice Collin rejoint le général de Gaulle et les FFL (Forces françaises libres). Il sert sous les ordres du colonel et futur maréchal Philippe Leclerc. Des photographies témoignent de cette période mouvementée. Collin passe par la Libye, l’Égypte, le Liban, Alger puis Toulon et Paris libéré.

À partir de 1945, il gère l’Agence photographique française et rencontre sa future femme. En 1946, il se marie avec Monique Calongue. Le couple s’installe à Chaville puis à Tannay, dans la Nièvre, où Maurice exerce son métier de photographe. Il ouvre un atelier et devient « photographe de ville » où il se montre aussi exigeant dans la recherche de la qualité que pour ses photographies ethnographiques. Cette expérience s’étoffe de la production de cartes postales. La famille Collin déménage pour Cosne-sur-Loire en 1962 pour y installer ses Éditions nivernaises et édite de nombreuses cartes postales en noir et blanc puis en couleur.

Son épouse Monique a de la famille à Merceuil et à Meursault, où le couple passe du bon temps chez Lucien Tiercin, « l’oncle Luce ». Ces séjours réguliers sur la côte viticole permettront à Maurice de prendre de nombreux clichés et d’éditer des cartes postales exaltant le pays beaunois et le monde viticole. Il est présent à chaque vendange pour fixer le geste du vigneron. C’est ainsi que Maurice sillonne la côte viticole et édite des cartes postales de Beaune à vocation touristique représentant évidemment l’Hôtel-Dieu et des caves comme celles des maisons Patriarche ou Calvet mais aussi des bâtiments plus modernes comme la gare, les halles ou le collège Jules-Ferry. Une partie de ses cartes exaltent le folklore local représentant des layottes aux allures de pin-up dévorant goulûment le raisin bourguignon, mais d’autres cartes et photos représentent les travailleurs de la vigne de manière sensible et avec un regard très artistique.

Si ses cartes postales ont évidemment un but commercial, elles sont aussi le reflet du travail d’un photographe exigeant, habitué aux prises de vue ethnographiques et à la mise en valeur de ses sujets.

Maurice Collin prend sa retraite en 1984 passant le relais à sa fille et son gendre qui gardent l’entreprise familiale jusqu’en 2001 où elle est vendue à un entrepreneur belge. Maurice décède le 30 août 2010.

Le travail de Maurice Collin fait l’objet d’une exposition réalisée par Karoline Knoth et visible jusqu’au 15 février 2015 aux Archives municipales de Beaune. Pour en savoir plus, lisez le catalogue Allons en vendanges, réalisé par Karoline Knoth et la Galerie du ­Globe.

Source: Archives municipales de Beaune.

Allons en vendage

Laure Ménétrier, responsable des musées de Beaune: Avec constance, détermination et rigueur scientifique, elle a su exhumer ces documents anciens puis rassembler les pièces à conviction pour reconstituer le parcours du photographe et éditeur de ces cartes postales Maurice Collin et ses liens avec les viticulteurs de Meursault. En menant des entretiens avec ceux qui avaient connu Collin dans cette commune de la Côte de Beaune, Karoline choisit une posture bien connue de la discipline ethnologique. Nous ne sommes pas si éloignés de la démarche d’André Lagrange, l’un des créateurs du Musée du Vin de Bourgogne avec Georges-Henri Rivière, qui sut quelques années auparavant rassembler objets, témoignages, documentation d’une époque révolue, celle du vignoble pré-phylloxérique.

Picture: Allons en vendage

Rheingau & Burgund – Themenwoche mit Prof. Dr. Leo Gros und Michael Apitz

Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede der beiden Weinregionen, die auf den großen Weinkarten der gehobenen Gastronomie in der ganzen Welt zu finden sind, werden in der Woche vom 21. bis zum 26. Juni 2015 auf unterschiedliche Arten betrachtet und erlebt.

Die Hochschule Geisenheim präsentiert gemeinsam mit dem Partnerschaftsverein Rüdesheim-Meursault und der VEG – Geisenheim Alumni Association e.V. ein vielfältiges Programm.

Vernissage „Allons en vendange“ von Karoline Knoth

Auftakt ist die Vernissage der Ausstellung „Allons en vendange“von Karoline Knoth. Sie lebt als Deutsche in Meursault und hat über Jahre vielzählige Postkarten und Motive zur Traubenlese des Burgund in den 50er Jahren zusammen getragen. Dieser Ausstellung werden Darstellungen aus dem Rheingau gegenübergestellt.

Pictures: Speakers at the Opening of the Exhibition "Allons en vendage" in Geisenehim

Zur Ausstellungseröffnung mit Sektempfang am Sonntag, den 21. Juni um 17.00 Uhr wird Frau Knoth persönlich anwesend sein und einführende Worte sprechen. Prof. Dr. Leo Gros wird in seinen Grußworten die verbindende Elemente der Regionen aus kultureller Sicht darstellen. Prof. Dr. Löhnertz spricht begrüßende Worte im Namen der Hochschule Geisenheim und Alumni-Präsident Robert Lönarz für die VEG-Alumni.

Picture: Exhibition "Allons en vendage" in Geisenheim: The Protagonists

Die Ausstellung wird bis einschließlich 26. Juni an der Hochschule zu sehen sein. Der Eintritt hierfür ist frei.

Pictures: Karoline Knoth Giving a Tour of the Allons en vendage Exhibition in Geisenheim

Oenologischer Workshop – Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede der beiden Regionen bezüglich der Weinbereitung

Am Mittwochabend – 24. Juni 2015 – referiert auf unterhaltsame Art Wolfgang Pfeifer ab 19.00 Uhr im Weiterbildungsraum des Müller-Thurgau Hauses auf dem Campus Geisenheim über die Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede der beiden Regionen bezüglich der Weinbereitung. Dieser fachliche Vortrag wird durch interessante Proben aus beiden Regionen unterstützt.

Menüabend Rheingau & Burgund mit Künstler Michael Apitz

Krönender Abschluss der Woche bildet der Menüabend in der Waas’schen Fabrik am Freitag, den 26 Juni, ab 19.00 Uhr.

Künstler Michael Apitz, berühmt für seine Weinlagengemälde, bereiste das Burgund, um diese Region auf seine unnachahmliche Art in Farbe festzuhalten und diese den Gemälden aus dem Rheingau gegenüber zu stellen. Diese werden erstmals an diesem Abend der Öffentlichkeit präsentiert und der Künstler selbst wird Einblick in seine Arbeit geben.

Daran anschließend warten die „Hofköche“ mit einem 4-Gang Menü auf, das die kulinarischen Spezialitäten der beiden Regionen in geschmacklicher Form aufarbeitet. Zu jedem Gang wird entsprechend jeweils ein Wein aus dem Rheingau, sowie ein Wein aus dem Burgund gereicht.

Prof. Dr. Leo Gros von der Hochschule Fresenius in Idstein nimmt die Gäste intellektuell mit auf die Reise zwischen den beiden Regionen. Ein Abend der Sinne erwartet uns somit in einer charmanten Umgebung.

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Blind Tasting of Top Wines from Rheinhessen with Roland Ladendorf at Weinhaus Bluhm in Mainz – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

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Picture: At Weinhaus Bluhm Roland Pouring

We spent the last evening of the Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014) at Weinhaus Bluhm, a legendary wine tavern in the old town district of Mainz. Annette had arranged a blind tasting of 9 wines from Rheinhessen. The wines came in 3 flights.


Picture: Weinhaus Bluhm, with Roland Ladendorf

Roland Ladendorf and Weinhaus Bluhm

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

Picture: Roland Ladendorf, Weinhaus Bluhm, Mainz and Daniel Wagner, Weingut Wagner Stempel, Rheinhessen, at Kloster Eberbach

But – except for a recent opening: Laurenz - there are no wine bars in Mainz, as I know them from London, New York City, Berlin or Washington DC. However, there are a large number of wine taverns in Mainz. Typically, wine taverns do not have an elaborated list of wines, nor do they serve fancy and sophisticated food. They serve local wines, at very reasonable prices, typically from a handful of local winemakers that you do not find in the wine guides such as the Gault Millau.

Pictures: Tasting with Roland Ladendorf

One wine tavern, however, is different and stands out: Weinhaus Bluhm. Because you can get wines of German wine stars like Weingut Klaus Peter Keller, Weingut Kruger Rumpf or Weingut Teschke, just to name a few. Owner and Manager Roland Ladendorf is a wine aficionado and extremely knowledgeable about the wine scene. What he offers, by the glass and by the bottle, is outstanding. In terms of its wine list, Weinhaus Bluhm is a class of itself.

Pictures: Tasting with Roland Ladendorf

Otherwise, Weinhaus Bluhm is a dark, a bit smoky, very basic tavern. It looks today the same as it looked when I first set foot into the Weinhaus Bluhm as a student of macro-economics at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. The furniture is functional, used, a bit worn down. Weinhaus Bluhm offers a feeling of well-being and it has a lot of charm. In the summer, you can sit on the cobble stone road outside the tavern on communal benches. It cannot get better. The food at Weinhaus Bluhm is simple and good. It does not reach out for some sophistication, as some of the other wine taverns do. It stays at the more basic range, but at the highest quality level.

Picture: Bretzelmann

The Wine we Tasted

We tasted the following 9 wines, in 3 flights of 3 wines.

Picture: First Flight - All Rheinhessen Whites, including 2 Klaus Peter Keller Wines

Picture: Second Flight -All Klaus Peter Keller Wines

Picture: Third Flight - All Rheinhessen Reds including Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich

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Weingut Pawis (Saale Unstrut): Estate Tour and Wine Tasting with Kerstin Pawis– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Weingut Kloster Pforta: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Managing Director Christian Kloss – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Winzerhof Gussek in the Saale Unstrut Region: Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Tasting with Owner and Winemaker André Gussek – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

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Weingut Bickel-Stumpf in Franken: Vineyard Walk and Wine Tasting with Reimund Stumpf, Matthias Stumpf and Melanie Stumpf-Kröger - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau: Tour and Wine Tasting - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wining in the Steinberg Vineyard– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

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Tasting at Weingut Lützkendorf with Uwe Lützkendorf – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

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Picture: Tasting at Weingut Lützkendorf with Uwe Lützkendorf – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

The first wine region we visited on the Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015) was the Saale-Unstrut Region. There, we visited 3 wineries: Weingut Lützkendorf, Weingut Bernhard Pawis and Weingut Thürkind. The former 2 are heavy-weights; these are the only 2 members of the VDP, the association of about 200 German elite winemakers, in the Saale-Unstrut Region. Weingut Thürkind is an up and coming wine producer, but plays in a different league.

See also:
Preview: Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

The Saale-Unstrut wine region sits on 51st latitude and is Germany’s northernmost 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.

Pictures: Welcome at Weingut Lützkendorf, with Owner and Winemaker Uwe Lützkendorf

Weingut Lützkendorf

Weingut Lützkendorf is in Bad Kösen on the Saale River; administratively, Bad Kösen is part of the town of Naumburg. The state-run winery Kloser Pforta is also in Bad Kösen. Uwe Lutzkendorf is the winemaker and owner.

Weingut Lützkendorf was founded at the dawn of the 19th century and existed until 1959 when the GDR authorities integrated the estate (2 hectares) into the government run Agricultural Cooperative.

Udo Lützkendorf, the father of Uwe, was the Director and Cellar master from 1972 to 1992 in what was then the state-owned, and now again state-owned Kloster Pforta Estate, most of the time in the GDR and for 3 years in the re-unified Germany.

Pictures: Uwe Lützkendorf

The Lützkendorf’s vineyards were handed back to the family in 1991 and the Lützkendorfs made their own wine again with the 1991 vintage. What then followed was a major re-launch, including replanting the vineyards, buying and leasing new vineyards and building a winery, including a Gutsausschank (winery tavern).

In 1996 the winery Lützkendorf was the first estate in the Saale-Unstrut region to become member of the prestigious VDP, the Association of Germany’s Premium Winemakers.

Picture: Christian Schiller and Uwe Lützkendorf

Today, the vineyard area totals 11 hectares, with holdings in the Edelacker (Freyburg), Hohe Gräte (Karsdorf) and Köppelberg (Schulpforte). The area is planted with Silvaner (35%), Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Traminer, Müller-Thurgau and Kerner, as well as with Pinot Noir, Portugieser and Blauer Zweigelt.

In terms of the winemaking philosophy, Uwe said that he follows sustainable vineyard practices. The wines are matured very reductively in either stainless steel tanks or in oak vats. With very few exceptions, the wines are fermented dry. “I never use Süssreserve (sterilized juice)” Uwe said.

“40 percent of our wines are sold to top restaurants, largely in the eastern part of Germany. The same amount is sold directly to private customers and the remaining 20 percent in the winery’s wine tavern.”

See also: 
Weingut Lützkendorf in Saale Unstrut in Germany (2011)

The Wines Uwe Lützkendorf Poured

Uwe poured an impressive series of wines.


VDP.Gutsweine

2013 Weingut Lützkendorf Gutedel feinherb

Gutedel is one of the oldest grape varities in the world. Today, it is a popular grape variety in Switzerland.

VDP.Erste Lage

2013 Weingut Lützkendorf Silvaner Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte feinherb
2013 Weingut Lützkendorf Riesling Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
2014 Weingut Lützkendorf Weisburgunder Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken


2012 Weingut Lützkendorf Silvaner Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
2012 Weingut Lützkendorf Riesling Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
2012 Weingut Lützkendorf Weisburgunder Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken


VDP.Grosse Lage

2012 Weingut Lützkendorf Silvaner Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
2013 Weingut Lützkendorf Riesling Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken


2014 Weingut Lützkendorf Weisburgunder Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
In the classification of the German Wine Law of 1971, this wine would be an Auslese trocken.

2007 Weingut Lützkendorf Weisburgunder Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
Peach, apricot, honey on the nose, full-bodied on the palate, elegant, rich.


2008 Weingut Lützkendorf Riesling Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte trocken
2012 Weingut Lützkendorf Weisburgunder Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte Spätlese
18 gr. Remaining sugar.


VDP.Erste Lage

2012 Weingut Lützkendorf Traminer Karsdorfer Hohe Gräte Auslese

Bye-bye

Thank you very much Uwe for an outstanding tasting.

Pictures: Bye-bye

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Würzburg and its 3 Historic Wine Taverns: Juliusspital, Bürgerspital and Staatlicher Hofkeller

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2015 Wine Blog Award Finalists and Winners

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Picture: Wine Blog Awards

The 2015 Wine Blog Award Winners were announced. Here are the Winners as well as the Finalists.

The awards are open to any English-language wine blog located anywhere in the world. The winners were chosen based on 50% of the input coming from the judges and 50% coming from the public vote and will be presented live at the 2015 Wine Bloggers Conference, which will be in the Finger Lakes Wine Region on August 13 to 16.

2015 Wine Blog Award Winners

Best Blog Post of the Year: Robin Williams: Art, alcoholism, and suicide on Chris Kassel’s Intoxicology Report
Best Original Photography or Video on a Wine Blog: Jason and Angela Stubblefield, Cork Envy
Best Industry Wine Blog: Berry Bros. & Rudd Wine Blog
Best Single Subject Wine Blog: Wil Fernandez, Vintage 2014
Best Writing On a Wine Blog: Meg Houston Maker, Maker’s Table
Best New Wine Blog: Julien Miquel, Social Vignerons
Best Overall Wine Blog: Becca Yeamans, The Academic Wino

2015 Wine Blog Award Finalists

The finalists for the American Wine Blogs were announced earlier.

Best Original Photography or Video on a Wine Blog  

Criteria: Should present a compelling visual experience for readers using original graphics photography, or works of art, both throughout the site format and in individual posts and should have made an extra effort to present its subject matter in a highly visual and graphic manner that is both entertaining, educational, and thought provoking.
Best Winery/Industry Wine Blog

Criteria: Should have done an outstanding job of using the blog format to convey the unique nature of a particular wine industry business, used the blog to create a more intimate connection between consumers and the winery or business, and is the only category open to industry blogs.
Pictures: Christian Schiller at Berry Bros and Rud in London

Best Single Subject Wine Blog

Criteria: Should have as the focus of the blog a single, relatively narrow subject such as a country, a single appellation, a single varietal or a type of wine, retailing, wine tourism, one aspect of the business of wine or any other narrow focus that seeks to consistently illuminate that specific single subject and should demonstrate a command of, or expertise in, the single subject upon which it focuses and should be among the best sources of information in any genre for information on the chosen subject matter.
Best Writing On a Wine Blog

Criteria: Should put the English language to great use and write with a demonstrably original voice that conveys a personal style and should consistently demonstrate a command of the English language to convey original, insightful and entertaining messages.
Best New Wine Blog

Criteria: Should have the first blog entry posted no earlier than one year before nomination period begins and should have already made or show potential to make an impact on the worlds of wine or wine blogging via its reporting, writing, number of followers, etc. and should present a credible appearance as a serious new entry in the realm of wine blogging, based on graphics, title, depth of posts, etc.
Best Blog Post of the Year

Criteria: Should be a single post (or single story broken into multiple posts for readability) expressing a unique point of view about wine, life related to wine, or other wine-related experience, and should be considered a distinguished example of quality blog writing that conveys an original and insightful exploration of a wine-related topic.

Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller and David White, Terroirist, Finalist in the Category Best Overall Wine Blog, in Rioja, Spain, at the 2013 Digitale Wine Communications Conference

Best Overall Wine Blog

Criteria: Should continually produce entertaining and educational information, contain well-written prose and well produced posts, demonstrate independent and original ideas and insights, be of such high quality overall it can compete with any others wine information resources in any other medium and should be able in its overall form, content and presentation to advance the reputation of the wine blogging genre.
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The Art Marketer: 0mbiasy PR and WineTours

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Ombiasy main pic
Picture: From the ombiasy PR and WineTours Website

The Art Marketer, a blog run by Lisa Freedman out of New York City, carried a very well written article about ombiasy PR and WineTours. It provides a comprehensive overview about what ombiasy PR and WineTours is all about and its tour program:

Ombiasy Public Relations & Wine Tours

Serves up a Couples Life Long Passion for Wine

Conceived, created, owned and operated by the venerable husband and wife team, Annette & Christian Schiller, Ombiasy Public Relations & Wine Tours represents the lifelong passion the Schillers have for wine. Their business is founded on the passion,knowledge and network of contacts they have made throughout their travels around the world, an interest that started for them both while students at the University of Mainz in Germany.

For the whole article go here.

schiller-wine: Related Postings

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy



Wine Tasting at Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim, with Owners and Winemaker Fritz Hasselbach and Agnes Hasselbach-Usinger – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

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Picture: Tasting at Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim with Owner and Winemaker Fritz Hasselbach

The last (of a total of 22) winery visits on the Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014) was at Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim. We were received by the Owners and Winemaker Fritz Hasselbach and Agnes Hasselbach-Usinger. Fritz Hasselbach is a giant in the American market. His son Johannes Hasselbach has recently taken over; he was on a sales trip to the Northern European countries. In general, the Northern European countries, including Sweden, Finland and Norway, are a very good market for dry German Rieslings.

Pictures: Arriving at Weingut Gunderloch, with Owner Agnes Hasselbach-Usinger

Weingut Gunderloch is close to our heart for several reasons. To begin with, when my wife Annette and I studied in Mainz, Germany, and had our first children, we regularly used to go to the cosy wine tavern of Weingut Gunderloch by bike on Sunday afternoon, had a couple of delicious Gunderloch wines and a Spundekäs (local cream cheese) with Bretzels. Second, for the time we have been based in Washington DC (from 1983 onwards) Weingut Gunderloch was one of the leading wine producers in the US. Fritz Hasselbach told me that during the peak, he was once a month in the US, where his wines are imported by Rudi Wiest selections. Third, Johannes Hasselbach is one of the 4 creators of the Wurzelwerk project. Annette Schiller organized their first presentation in the USA last year.

Pictures: Welcome

Carl Gunderloch

It all started in 1890, when the banker Carl Gunderloch purchased the Gunderloch manor house in Nackenheim. As the story goes, he used to trek from Gundersblum, his place of birth, to his bank in Mainz. On these journeys he carefully observed how the sun played off the hills along the Rhein Terrace. Based on these observations he purchased vineyard property that appeared to collect sunlight most efficiently and founded the Gunderloch Estate. Today, the Estate is still in the hands of the Gunderloch family, with Johannes Hasselbach in charge.

Pictures: Fritz Hasselbach Pouring

The Gunderloch Family

The property and vineyards have remained in family ownership since the days of Carl Gunderloch, who died in 1935, the estate passing first to Gunderloch's granddaughter Elizabeth Usinger and her husband. They remained at the helm until 1965, when their son Carl Otto took on the management of the estate. Until recently, his eldest daughter, Agnes Hasselbach-Usinger and her husband, Fritz Hasselbach were in charge.

Agnes and Fritz have 3 children. Daughter Kathrin Hasselbach-Bordiehn is pursuing other interests outside of the estate. Daughter Stefanie Jurtschitsch studied oenologie at Geisenheim University, where she met Alwin Jurtschitsch from the famous Weingut Jurtschitsch in Austria and married into this winery. She lives with Alwin in Austria now and makes Jurtschitsch wines. Son Johannes Hasselbach, with his wife, has taken over the winery. He initially studied business economics before turning to winemaking. It will be interesting to see in what direction Johannes will steer the winery.

Pictures: Tasting with Fritz Hasselbach

German Dramatist Carl Zuckmaier

The Gunderloch Estate also has an interesting tie to the German dramatist Carl Zuckmaier. 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 also used the Gunderloch estate for the setting, and Carl Gunderloch as the main character for his very first play "Der fröhliche 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.

Weingut Gunderloch

Weingut Gunderloch has 27 hectares of vineyards. In Nackenheim, there are holdings in the Rothenberg (Riesling), the Engelsberg (Riesling, Silvaner, Ruländer and Gewürztraminer) and the Schmitts Kapellchen (Scheurebe and Müller-Thurgau). In Nierstein, there are holdings in the Pettenthal and Hipping both planted with Riesling and the Paterberg with Ruländer and Müller-Thurgau.

Pictures: Tasting with Agnes Hasselbach-Usinger

Overall the vines on the estate have an average age of 25 years, and Riesling predominates as all but 20% of Gunderloch's vines are of this variety. The remainder is mainly Pinot Blanc (5%) and Pinot Gris (5%).
Vineyard practices include hand cultivation, hand harvesting and low yields with an average of 50 hl/ha for the estate as a whole. Once the fruit reaches the winery it is crushed gently without destemming, and then fed by gravity to the vats where it sees a slow, temperature-controlled fermentation to preserve the fruit character of the wines.

Weingut Gunderloch used to be export-oriented and well known in the US, with more than 50% of the production sold abroad. Johannes Hasselbach’s objective is to increase the domestic share in its sales, although the US will always remain a major market for Weingut Gunderloch.

Pictures: At Weingut Gunderloch at the Occasion of the 125th Anniversary of Weingut Gunderloch

See also:
Anniversary Celebration: 125 Years Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim, Rheinhessen, Germany 

Wurzelwerk

“Wurzelwerk und Winzers Beitrag” (Root Work and Winemaker’s Contribution) is a fascinating and much talked about project of 4 winemaker friends/relatives from 3 world class wineries in Germany and in Austria. Starting with the vintage 2012, Max von Kunow (Weingut von Hövel, Saar, Germany), Johannes Hasselbach (Weingut Gunderloch, Rheinhessen, Germany) and Alwin + Stefanie Jurtschitsch (Weingut, Jurtschitsch, Kamptal, Austria) shared a portion of their Riesling grapes with the other 2 wineries and vinified the own portion as well as the 2 portions from the other 2 wineries into 3 separate wines. Thus, they make a total of 9 different wines. The first presentation of the Wurzelwerk project outside of Germany took place in Washington DC and was organized by Annette Schiller.

Picture: Presenting the Wurzelwerk Project in Washington DC, USA - Johannes Hasselbach, Molly Sweeny (Rudi Wiest Selections), Alwin Jurtschitsch, Max von Kunow and Annette Schiller (Ombiasy PR and WineTours). (Molly Sweeny has left Rudi Wiest Selections and Joined Dr. Loosen Imports.)

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

VIRGO

VIRGO is another interesting project of Johannes Hasselbach. VIRGO is a wine fermented in the vineyard. The purpose of this is to minimize the impact of wine cellar flora and yeasts on the wine. The grapes come from the Grand Cru vineyard Rothenberg. VIRGO thus could mean: “Vergoren Im Rothenberg Ganz Ohne” (Fermented in the Rothenberg without Anything). Alternatively, it could be the Latin word for virgin. Johannes started the project with the 2010 vintage (only 2 bottles).

Picture: Johannes Hasselbach Pouring VIRGO at the 125th Anniversary Celebration of Weingut Gunderloch

See also:
Anniversary Celebration: 125 Years Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim, Rheinhessen, Germany 

The Wines we Tasted


2013 Weingut Gunderloch Gunderloch Riesling trocken Gutswein
2013 Weingut Gunderloch Als wär’s ein Stück von mir


2013 Weingut Gunderloch Nackenheim Riesling trocken Ortswein
2013 Weingut Gunderloch Rothenberg Riesling Grosses Gewächs
2013 Weingut Gunderloch Jean Baptiste Riesling Kabinett
2013 Weingut Gunderloch Rothenberg Riesling Spätlese
2013 Weingut Gunderloch Rothenberg Riesling Auslese

Bye-bye

Thanks Agnes and Fritz for a great tasting.

Picture: Annette Schiller with Owners and Winemaker Fritz Hasselbach and Agnes Hasselbach-Usinger

schiller-wine: Related Postings

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

In the Vineyard and the Wine Cellar (and Lunch) with Robert Schätzle, Owner and Winemaker, Weingut Schloss Neuweier in Baden – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wine Tasting Luncheon at 1 Star Michelin Röttele's Restaurant im Schloss Neuweier in Baden, with Winemaker Robert Schätzle and his Weingut Schloss Neuweier Wines – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Weingut Zähringer in Baden: Cellar Tour and Tasting with Winemaker Paulin Köpfer– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombasy (2014)

Weingut Freiherr von Gleichenstein in Baden: Tour and Tasting with Baron Johannes von Gleichenstein– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014), Germany

Weingut Franz Keller in Oberbergen, Kaiserstuhl, Baden: Cellar Tour and Tasting with Fritz Keller– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Lunch at Restaurant Schwarzer Adler in Oberbergen, with Weingut Franz Keller Wines – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wine Tasting at Weingut Bernhard Huber– Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Visit: Weingut Dr. Heger in Baden – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Weingut Karl-Heinz Johner in Baden: Cellar Tour and Tasting with Karl-Heinz and Patrick Johner – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

At Maison Trimbach in Alsace with Hubert Trimbach – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wine Tasting at Weingut Friedrich Becker – Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Lunch, Wine Tasting and Winery Tour at Weingut Jülg in Schweigen, Pfalz with the Jülg Family – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Wine Tasting at Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz in Siebeldingen, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Geheimer Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan in Deidesheim with General Manager Gunther Hauck – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Winery Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut A. Christmann, with Steffen Christmann– Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Wine Tasting at Weingut Weegmüller with Stephanie and Gabriele Weegmüller – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Tasting the Wines, President Obama was Served: Visit of Weingut Markus Schneider, Pfalz – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Philipp Wittmann and Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann at Weingut Wittmann in Westhofen – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Winetasting with Katharina Wechser, Weingut K. Wechsler, Westhofen, Rheinhessen – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

schiller-wine: Related Postings (Weingut Gunderloch)

Anniversary Celebration: 125 Years Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim, Rheinhessen, Germany

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

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

Special Wine Event on March 18, 2014, in Washington DC with "Wurzelwerk": 3 Terroirs, 3 Winemakers and 9 Wines 

Visiting Agnes and Fritz Hasselbach at their Weingut Gunderloch in Nackenheim, Rheinhessen, German

Riesling Lounge Goes Lomo, Germany

Claude Thibault of Thibault Janisson – an Ultra-premium Sparkling Wine Producer in Virginia, USA - at American Wine Society (Northern Virginia Chapter)

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Picture: Claude Thibault and Christian Schiller at American Wine Society (Northern Virginia Chapter)

A few years ago, when I met Claude Thibault for the first time, I wrote that the sparkling wine the native of the Champagne Region Claude Thibault produces in Virginia, USA, “is arguably the best sparkler produced in the US East Coast and is as close as you can get to (French) Champagne outside of France (in terms of quality).”

This assessment was fully confirmed a few days ago, when the American Wine Society (Northern Virginia Chapter) had the honor and pleasure to receive Claude Thibault for a tasting of 2 of his sparklers as well as other American sparklers and 1 (French) Champagne (made by Claude’s partner Manuel Janisson).

See also:
As Close as You Can Get to Champagne – Claude Thibaut and his Virginia Thibaut Janisson Sparklers at screwtop Wine Bar, USA
American Wines with French Roots: The Wines President Obama Served at the State Dinner for President Hollande, USA/France

Thibaut-Janisson

Thibaut-Janisson is a French-French joint venture of the production of ultra-premium sparkling wine in Virginia, owned by Claude Thibaut and Manuel Janisson. Claude Thibaut is the winemaker and runs the company, while Manuel Janisson’s, a producer of Grower-Champagne in France, role is that of an investor. Output currently is around 5000 cases.

Picture: Claude Thibault at American Wine Society (Northern Virginia Chapter)

Born and raised in the Champagne, this worldly winemaker, after having studied oenology in Reims, left his family’s vineyard in France to spend years creating well-known sparklers in Australia (3 years) and California (7 years). Claude Thibaut worked at the Kendall-Jackson, Jordan and Iron Horse wineries in California as well as Champagne Veuve Devaux, Bar sur Seine, France and Yarra Bank, Victoria, Australia. Claude is the original winemaker for the popular J sparkling wine from California.

In 2003, Claude moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, joining the Kluge Estate (which was recently bought by Donald Trump) as a consultant to spearhead the creation of a sparkling wine. Two years later, in 2005, he left Kluge and started his own label – Thibaut-Janisson - in partnership with Frenchman and friend Manuel Janisson, producer of the Champagne Janisson & Fils. Right from the beginning the objective was to produce ultra-premium sparkling wines from Virginia grapes.


Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller and Claude Thibaut at Srewtop Wine Bar

The first sparkler was released in November 2007. Since then, the Thibaut-Janisson sparklers have gained the reputation for being American sparklers that are as close as you can get to their cousins from Champagne. In particular, the Thibaut-Janisson sparklers have been served at various dinners at the White House, including several State Dinners.

What Claude Thibaut Poured

We had 8 sparklers, all from the US, except for 1, which was a Champagne. In addition to 2 Thibaut-Janisson sparklers from Virginia and a Janisson et Fils Champagne, Claude poured 2 Virginia sparklers made by Veritas, 1 Iron Horse sparkler from California and 2 J sparklers from California.

Picture: The Line-up

Thibaut-Janisson Xtra Brut (see below)

Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay (see below)

Veritas Scintilla, Blanc des Blancs

Picture: Veritas Scintilla, Blanc des Blancs

J Cuvee 20

Champagne Janisson et Fils Tradition

Champagne Janisson et Fils Tradition is Grower Champagne, i.e. the grapes are grown and the Champagne made by Janisson et Fils. Janisson et Fils started in the 1920’s with Manuel Janisson’s grandfather. He was one of the first to stop delivering his grapes to one of the big Champagne Houses and to start making is own (Grower) Champagne. Manuel grew up within the winery and was tutored in all facets of the operation, from vineyard management, winemaking, negotiating for grapes, to selling and delivering of the Champagnes the winery produced. In 2005, he ventured out to produce ultra-premium sparklers in Virginia, while he continues to produce Champagne in France.

Picture: Champagne Janisson et Fils Tradition

Iron Horse Blanc des Noirs

J Rose

Veritas Mousseux

Picture: Veritas Mousseux

The Thibaut-Janisson Portfolio

Thibaut Janisson Xtra Brut

This 100% Chardonnay blend is made from the Tête de Cuvée, or first pressing of the grapes, considered superior in quality, with a high percentage of reserve wines for extra complexity, depth and richness, and a low added dosage to preserve purity and freshness.

“Why is it 100% Chardonnay and not a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier” I asked Claude. “Because of the Virginia terroir and climate, there is no Pinot Noir produced here” said Claude.

Picture: Thibaut Janisson Xtra Brut

Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay

100% Chardonnay from the Monticello Appellation, aged for 3 years. The nose is apples, pears, and mushrooms; the palate is citrus, green apples, pears and nectarines, with a belt of tangy acidity and a convincing finish.

Picture: Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay

Thibaut Janisson Fizz (we did not taste this sparkler)

The Virginia Fizz is a 100% Chardonnay sparkler that aged for only about 1.5 years. It is fruitier, creamier, less yeasty than the Thibaut-Janisson, Blanc de Chardonnay. It is also slightly sweeter.

“I choose grapes that are little riper and have a little bit less acid than the grapes I choose for Thibaut-Janisson,” Claude said, when I tasted the Fizz with him. Also, the pressure of the Fizz is a bit lower. “I put less sugar in the bottles for the second fermentation, so less pressure develops” Claude said. Fully sparkling wines are generally sold with 5 to 6 atmospheres of pressure in the bottle. Semi-sparkling wines are defined as those with between 1 and 2.5 atmospheres of pressures and include Italian frizzante and French pétillant wines. The amount of pressure in the wine is determined by the amount of sugar added for the secondary fermentation with more sugar producing increased amount of carbon dioxide gas and thus pressure in the wine.


Picture: Thibaut Janisson Fizz

schiller-wine: Related Postings

As Close as You Can Get to Champagne – Claude Thibaut and his Virginia Thibaut Janisson Sparklers at screwtop Wine Bar, USA

American Wines with French Roots: The Wines President Obama Served at the State Dinner for President Hollande, USA/France

Wines served at President Obama’s State Dinner in Honor of Prime Minister Singh from India.

Saint Valentine's Day: French Champagne, German Sekt or Virginia Sparkler!

Champagne in Russia

German Wine Basics: Sekt

Italy's Prosecco

Nyetimber's Classic Cuvee 2003 from England was Crowned Champion of Sparkling Wines in the World

German Wine Makers in the World: The Korbel Brothers from Bohemia Introduced "Champagne" to the US

German Wine Makers in the World: Anton Mueller Invented the Remuage Technique Revolutionizing Sparkling Wine Drinking, 1800s, France

German Wine Makers in the World: Eduard Werle --- Owner of the Veuve Cliquot Champagne house (France)

French Champagne Houses and German Roots

The Wines of Tonnerre, France – Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

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Picture: Bourgogne Tonnnere and Bourgogne Epineuil

The first Bourgogne wines we drank on the Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015) were wines from Tonnerre. These wines are pretty much unknown outside of the area of its production, although the Tonnerois “is an up-and-coming wine area” (Jancis Robinson).

In a broad sense, the Bourgogne also includes the Beaujolais in the South and (from west to east) the Vignoble de l’Auxerrois (south of the town of Auxerre), the Vignoble du Chablisien (around the town of Chablis) and the Vignoble du Tonnerrois (north of the town of Tonnerre with its 5500 inhabitants) in the North.

We spent our first night in Tonnerre at Hotel Auberge de Bourgogne, following the start of the tour in Hochheim, Germany, lunch at Restaurant Les Berges de l’Ource in Essoyes, the City of Renoir in the Southern Part of the Champagne, and a tour and tasting at Champagne Josselin in Gyé-sur-Seine, Champagne.

The Wines of Tonnerre

Winemaking in the Tonnerre Region goes back to Roman times. At the end of the 19th century the vineyards of Tonnerre totaled 5000 hectares. However, the phylloxera wiped out the vineyards in the area. Today, after extensive replanting starting in the 1970s, winemaking is back to about 200 hectares.

Picture: Auxerrois, Chablis and Tonnerois

The replanting of the vineyards began in Epineuil. The Appellation Bourgogne Epineuil (86 hectares) was created in 1993 for the red and rosé wines of the commune. In 2006 the Appelation Bourgogne Tonnerre (103 hectares) was added. The Bourgogne Tonnerre appellation stretches over six communes – Tonnerre, Molosmes, Epineuil, Junay, Dannemoine and Vézinnes – and can only be used for white wine. Tonnerre and Molosmes are the two principal communes, accounting for more than 70 percent of the vineyard area.

Generally, the soils, full of white pebbles, resemble those of the nearby Chablis region (Kimmeridgian or associated limestone).

Picture: Picture: Bourgogne Tonnnere and Bourgogne Epineuil

Postings on the Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France (Posted and Forthcoming)

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Champagne Jean Josselin in Gyé-sur-Seine: Tour and Tasting with Jean Pierre Josselin - Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

The Wines of Tonnerre (Bourgogne)

Visit: Domaine Séguinot-Bordet in Maligny, Chablis: Cellar Tour and Chablis Tasting with  Owner and Winemaker Jean-François Bordet

Domaine Brocard in Chablis: Lunch, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Odile Van Der Moere, Responsable de Cave

Dinner at Hostellerie Chateau de la Barge in Creches-sur-Saone

Domaine Ferret in Fuissé, Poully-Fuissé, Mâconnais: Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Cyril Laumain, Chef de Cave

Lunch at Hostellerie d'Heloise in Cluny

Domaine Theulot Juillot in Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Nathalie and Jean-Claude Theulot

Maison Olivier Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet: Vineyard Walk Cellar Tour and Lunch with Wine Tasting at Restaurant La Table d’Olivier Leflaive with Patrick Leflaive

Wine Tasting at Domaine Mestre Père & Fils in Santenay with Jonathan Maestre

Visit: Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils in Beaune

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne

Visit: Musée de l’Hospice de Beaune with Karoline Knoth, M.A.

Domaine A-F Gros in Beaune: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Owner and Winemaker Mathias Parent

Visit: Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune

Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-Saint-George: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Mathilde Nicolas (Brand Ambassador)

Wine Tasting at Domaine du Château de Prémeaux in Nuits Saint Georges with Owner and Winemaker Arnaud Pelletier 

Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion in Vosne-Romanée: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Bernard Rion and  Alice Rion

Domaine Guillon & Fils in Gevrey Chambertin: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Jean-Michel Guillon

Visit: Château du Clos de Vougeot

Weingut Pawis (Saale Unstrut): Estate Tour and Wine Tasting with Markus Pawis – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

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Picture: Markus Pawis, Weingut Pawis, and the Wines he Poured for us at the Brunnenhaus

Weingut Pawis is arguably the #1 producer in the Saale-Unstut Region in the eastern part of Germany. Weingut Lützkendorf, which we visited also on the Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), and Winzerhof Gussek, which we visited on the last year’s tour, are the other 2 contenders for the #1 spot in the region. You should also watch Weingut Hey in Naumburg and Weingut Thürkind in Gröst.

Marcus Pawis, son of Bernhard and Kerstin Pawis, was our host this time. He took as on a tour of the estate and lead a winetasting at the newly renovated Brunnenhaus.

Bernhard and Kerstin Pawis greeted us. We also had the chance to meet the father of Bernhard Pawis, Herbert Pawis, who still runs a small wine tavern.

Pictures: Bernhard Pawis Greeting us

Weingut Pawis

Weingut Pawis is located in the historic Zscheiplitz Estate, close to Freyburg. The renovation of the Estate was a major undertaking. The just added the Brunnenhaus, an event location with hotel rooms, to the gorgeous set-up.

Pictures: Weingut Pawis

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.

Pictures: 3 Generations of the Pawis Family

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.

Picures: Annette Schiller and Bernhard Pawis, Weingut Pawis, at Kloster Eberbach, Rheingau

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.

Pictures: Annette and Christian Schiller and Bernhard and Kerstin Pawis at Weingut Pawis at a Previous Visit

In terms of winemaking philosophy, Weingut Pawis follows 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.

Weingut Pawis sells about 1/3 of its production in the western part of Germany. This is unusually large, but having met Bernhard Pawis and his wife Kerstin, 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.

Pictures: Touring the Estate with Marcus Pawis

Marcus Pawis and the Brunnenhaus

The Brunnenhaus is the latest addition to the Pawis Empire. Right next to the winery, it is an event location with hotel rooms, managed by Marcus Pawis. Our tasting took place in the Brunnenhaus.

Pictures: The Brunnenhaus

Marcus Pawis, borne in 1986, has a Bachelor and Master for Event Management (Berlin) and runs the Brunnenhaus.

What Marcus Pawis Poured


The Saale Unstrut and Sachsen VDP decided to drop the Ortswein category and to go for a 3-tier classification system: Gutswein, Erste Lage, Grosse Lage..

2011 Weingut Pawis Blauer Zweigelt Sekt brut
2014 Weingut Pawis Weissburgunder trocken
2014 Weingut Pawis Grauburgunder Muschelkalk trocken
2014 Weingut Pawis Riesling R 736 Freyburger Edelacker trocken
2013Weingut Pawis Riesling Grosses Gewächs Edelacker
2013 Weingut Pawis Grauburgunder Grosses Gewächs Edelacker
2013 Weingut Pawis Weissburgunder Grosses Gewächs Edelacker
2013 Weingut Pawis Blauer Zweigelt Barrique trocken

Pictures: Tasting with Marcus Pawis

Bye-bye

Thanks Marcus for a great tour and tasting.

Picture: Marcus Pawis with a Poaster Announcing a Concert of his Rock Band

Postings: Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)(Published and Forthcoming) 

Preview: Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

The Art Marketer: OMBIASY PR & WINE TOURS - Germany-East

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Lützkendorf with Uwe Lützkendorf – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Weingut Pawis (Saale Unstrut): Estate Tour and Wine Tasting with Markus Pawis – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Cellar Tour, Wine Tasting and Lunch at Weingut Thürkind in the Saale-Unstrut Region

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in the Saale Unstrut Region

Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz in Sachsen, with Owner Georg Prinz zur Lippe

Dinner with Georg Prinz zur Lippe at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz in Sachsen

Cellar Tour and Lunch at Weingut Karl Friedrich Aust in Sachsen

Cellar Tour, Art Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Zimmerling with Winemaker Klaus Zimmerling and Artist Malgorzata Chodakoska in Sachsen

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Wirsching in Iphofen, Franken

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll in Würzburg, Franken

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Star Winemaker Paul Fürst at Weingut Fürst in Franken

Würzburg and its 3 Historic Wine Taverns: Juliusspital, Bürgerspital and Staatlicher Hofkeller

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Graf Neipperg in Schwaigern, Württemberg

Tasting at Weingut Dautel in Württemberg with Christian Dautel

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Friedrich von Schiller in Bietigheim-Bissingen in Württemberg

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Herzog von Württemberg at Schloss Monrepos with Owner F.R.H. Carl Duke of Württemberg

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Rainer Schnaitmann at Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann in Fellbach, Württemberg

Wine Tasting at Weingut Simon-Bürkle in Zwingenberg, Hessische Bergstrasse

schiller-wine: Related Postings (Weingut Pawis)

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Weingut Pawis (Saale Unstrut): Estate Tour and Wine Tasting with Kerstin Pawis – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

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

Weingut Pawis in Saale Unstrut, Germany (2011)

Tour, Tasting, and Lunch at Weingut Schätzel in Nierstein, Rheinhessen – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

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Picture: Lunch cum Tasting at Weingut Schätzel with Nanne Schätzel

The last visit (of a total of 21 visits) on the Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014) was at Weingut Schätzel, which is owned and run by Kai Schätzel. Kai was on a sales trip in Northern Europe and we were hosted by Kai Schätzel’s mother, Nanne Schätzel used to run the winery for many years, before Kai took over.

The visit comprised a cellar tour and a fine lunch (cooked by Nanne Schätzel) cum wine tasting. The stunning wines, the historical setting, the hospitality and warmth of this family, the German “Gemütlichkeit”, made the perfect finale for our tour.

Before arriving at the winery we stopped at the Roter Hang vineyard (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.

In the Roter Hang (Red Slope)

The stretch of vineyards which runs from Bodenheim (south of Mainz) in the north to Mettenheim in the south, is often referred to as the Rheinterrasse. The vineyards of the Rheinterrasse have a favored mesoclimate in comparison with others in the region. The Rheinterrasse accounts for one-third of Rheinhessen’s Riesling wines. The wines from the Rheinterrasse were at some point more expensive than Bordeaux wines.

The Roter Hang (Red Slope) is at the center of the Rheinterrasse. This steep slope extends for some five kilometers with a total of 180 hectares around Nierstein on the left bank of the Rhine.

The Roter Hang has a very special terroir, resulting from the drop of the Rheinhessen plateau before human life started. As a consequence of these movements the Roter Hang has a mineral-rich soil, a mixture of iron and clayish slate, which is at least 250 million years old (Permian Period). Further, the slope faces south to southeast, which helps in terms of the solar radiation. The red slate retains warmth, and additional warmth comes from the sunlight reflected from the surface of the Rhine.

Pictures: In the Roter Hang (Red Slope) Before the Visit of Weingut Schätzel

Weingut Schätzel

The Schätzel family has been making wine for 650 years, for 5 generations at the current location: the General von Zastrow Estate. Today, the winery is owned and managed by Kai Schätzel, who is 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.

As a result, in the prestigious Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2011, Weingut Schätzel moved from 1 to 2 grapes (with 5 grapes being the maximum). “A new fixture in the reemerging Red Slope of Nierstein”, noted the Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland. Kai Schätzel continued to move up. Today, he is at 3.5 grapes.

Kai Schätzel

Kai started to work early at the winery – in 1996, even before he got his “Abitur” (highschool degree) in 1998. He fully took over Weingut Schätzel from his parents in 2007. In the meantime, he studied business economics in Hamburg graduating with the Diplom Kaufmann degree, served in the army, and interned at wineries, including in the US.

Picture: Christian Schiller and Kai Schätzel at the Roter Hang Festival

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. Of course, with his business degree, he had many other options. But he went for the wine option – making premium wines at a small boutique winery, suggesting, as Kai explained to me, that his decision was driven by a lot of passion for making good wine.
vineyard of the estate.

Pictures: In the Garden of Weingut Schäetzel with Kai Schätzel

In the Cellar

The first thing we did after we arrived was to visit the impressive, very old vaulted underground wine cellar with Nanne Schätzel. I visited the cellar before with Kai and I am using here his explainations.

“The fermentation takes place in this 800 years old cellar” explained Kai. “After manually and selectively harvesting the grapes, the grapes are transported to the winery in small boxes. Here the grapes are crushed and remain up to 24 hours on the skins. Through the so-called maceration, aromas are released from the skin and the wines become more complex.”

Then the grapes are pressed. Throughout the whole mash treatment, no pumps are used. The grapes are always tilted gently. “So we avoid injuries on stems and seeds.” The fresh juice is clarified by sedimentation. “That means, we wait until cloudy sediment settles on the ground. What remains above the sediment is then a clear liquid in the tank. Through this natural process we avoid the use of filters. The clear juice flows into the oak barrels in the wine cellar.”

Pictures: In the Cellar with Nanne Schätzel

For the fermentation, each wine gets its own oak barrel. Most of the barrels are 600 or 1,200 liters in size and up to 50 years old. There are about 50 oak barrels in Schätzel’s vaulted underground cellar.

Approximately 70% of the wines fermented with wild yeasts. “The so-called spontaneous fermentation requires permanent control and is somewhat risky. The ancient and natural method gives each wine a chance to find itself and to develop its own character. Again, we stay as much as possible in the background and follow the process. That means in practical terms that we have to control each barrel several times a day. If all goes well, the young wines ferment for about 2 to 3 months and then have most of their natural sugar converted into alcohol. If we feel that the fermentation in the wooden barrels is too rough, we can cool each barrel individually and thus curb the yeasts” explained Kai.

After fermentation, the yeast settles gradually at the bottom of the barrel. “Our single vineyard wines mature until May sur lie and are bottled directly from there with only one pump and filter process. Again, it goes without saying that our aim is to stress the sensitive wine as little as possible and treat the very gently.” Kai said.

He continued: “In a way, we are actually quite old-fashioned. We use the old methods of our grandfathers. The continuous monitoring and adaptation of the strategy, if necessary, is very time consuming and complex. Overall, each individual wine is the sum of a lot of what Mother Nature did and many small human decisions. Sometimes the progress is in looking back. A prudent combination of old methods with modern processes guide our way of making our wines.”

The white wines are slowly fermented, almost exclusively with natural yeast and age for a long time sur lie. Following the traditional mash fermentation the red wines age sur lie for up to 36 months in large oak barrels (600 liter), with frequent manual batonnage (stirring the lees back up into the wine). The primary reasons for sur lie aging are to enhance the structure and mouth feel of a wine, give it extra body and increase the aromatic complexity, flavor/aroma depth and length.

Kai: “Each wine has its own oak barrel, gets its own treatment and has its own schedule. There is no one-fits-all treatment of my wines. We only have five acres and cultivate them almost completely by hand. This size allows us to have a good overview of each barrel in the cellar. In fact, every barrel tastes differently, even if they share the noble character is the Red Slope. This is of course very far from conventional economic thinking, but it works well because our Riesling and Sylvaner wines are very much appreciated by the young audience and young TV Chefs.”

The Vineyards

The vineyard area is small, just 5 hectares, with the single vineyards Heiligenbaum, Hipping, Ölberg and Pettenthal in the Red Slope. Riesling accounts for 70%, with the remainder made up by Silvaner and Spätburgunder. In the vineyard, Kai follows ecological principles.

“Great wines are grown in the vineyard. And because we know this we're trying to interfere with what is happening during the year in the vineyard as little as possible. During harvest time, we watching very carefully what is going on in the vineyard and gradually pick out only the best grapes. So it happens that between September and mid November we are up to 5 times in a vineyard to selectively harvest, of course, by hand.”

Lunch and Tasting with Nanne Schätzel

Pictures: Lunch cum Tasting with Nanne Schätzel

The Wines

Gutswein

2013 Weingut Schätzel ReinRosé
2013 Weingut Schätzel Silvaner
2013 Weingut Schätzel Riesling
2012 Weingut Schätzel Riesling

Ortswein

2013 ReinSchiefer Nierstein Riesling

Kai produces 2 dry wines at the Ortswein level – same treatment in the cellar, but one wine comes from a vineyard with loess and the other one from a vineyard with slate. The Reinlöss (which we did not have) is a bit smoother, softer on the palate than the Reinschiefer. Both are lovely wines. I prefer the Reinschiefer.

Lagenwein

2013 Weingut Schätzel Heiligenbaum Riesling
2013 Weingut Schätzel Pettenthal Riesling

This is Kai Schätzel’s premium Riesling from the Red Slope of Nierstein. Pale lemon color, very mineral notes on the nose, coupled with pineapple and ripe pear aromas, medium-bodied, good mouth feel, again mineral and a light floral notes on the palate, all very pleasing.

Ortswein

2013 Weingut Schätzel KabiNett Nierstein Riesling fruchtig

The fermentation was stopped to produce a wine with a bit of remaining sugar.

Prädikatswein

2011 Weingut Schätzel SpätLese Ölberg Riesling

Bye-bye

Thanks Nanne for a wonderful cellar tour, tasting and lunch.

Picutres: Leaving Weingut Schätzel

schiller-wine: Related Postings

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Weingut Pawis (Saale Unstrut): Estate Tour and Wine Tasting with Kerstin Pawis– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Weingut Kloster Pforta: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Managing Director Christian Kloss – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Winzerhof Gussek in the Saale Unstrut Region: Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Tasting with Owner and Winemaker André Gussek – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Tour and Tasting at the Historic Weingut Juliusspital in Würzburg, Franken– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Weingut Bickel-Stumpf in Franken: Vineyard Walk and Wine Tasting with Reimund Stumpf, Matthias Stumpf and Melanie Stumpf-Kröger - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Kloster Eberbach in the Rheingau: Tour and Wine Tasting - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wining in the Steinberg Vineyard– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Visit: Winzerhof Thörle in Saulheim, Rheinhessen – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Wine Tasting at Weingut Kühling-Gillot in Bodenheim: Kühling-Gillot and Battenfeld-Spanier Wines– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Künstler– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

One of the Bio-dynamic Stars in Germany: Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn in Östrich, Winkel– Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

In the Mittelrhein Valley, an UNESCO World Heritage Region – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Clemens Busch– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Selbach-Oster in Zeltingen, Mosel, with Johannes Selbach – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Von Hövel in Konz, Saar Valley, Mosel, with Owner and Winemaker Max von Kunow - Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Lunch and Wine Tasting at Weingut Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt in Morscheid, Mosel with Owner Annegret Reh-Gartner – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Wine Tasting and Cellar Tour at Weingut Dönnhoff with Christina Dönnhoff– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Lunch and Wine Tasting with Georg Rumpf, Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, Nahe Valley – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Tasting with Sylvain Taurisson Diel at Schlossgut Diel, Nahe– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Blind Tasting of Top Wines from Rheinhessen with Roland Ladendorf at Weinhaus Bluhm in Mainz– Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

Tour, Tasting, and Lunch at Weingut Schätzel in Nierstein, Rheinhessen – Germany-North Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)

schiller-wine - Related Postings (Weingut Schätzel)

Tasting the Wines of the Roter Hang (Red Slope), Nierstein, Rheinhessen, in the Roter Hang, Germany – Schiller’s Favorites

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

A New Fixture in the Reemerging Red Slope of Nierstein - Visiting Kai Schaetzel and his Weingut Schaetzel in Nierstein, Rheinhessen, Germany

Riesling Lounge Goes Lomo, Germany

Promotions and Demotions in the Gault Millau Deutschland WeinGuide 2015

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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. Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, was Promoted to 5 Grapes.

The Gault Milla Deutschland WeinGuide is arguably the leading German wine guide. I already posted a number of articles about the Gault Millau Deutschland WeinGuide 2015:

Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015 Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany 
Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015
Germany's Top 11 Winemakers (with 5 out of 5 Grapes) - The Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015

This posting is a listing of the wine producers that were promoted and demoted in the Gault Millau Deutschland WeinGuide 2015, grouped by regions. Note that those winemakers who were demoted to zero grapes and are thus not listed in the Gault Millau Deutschland WeinGuide anymore are also not included in the listing below.

Picture: Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015

Ahr

Demotion to 3 grapes:
J.J. Adeneuer, Ahrweiler

Baden

Promotion to 3 grapes:
Arndt F. Köbelin, Eichstetten

See also:
Wine Maker Arndt Koebelin at K+M Gutsweine in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Picture: Christian Schiller with Arndt Köbelin in Frankfurt am Main

Promotion to 1 grape:
Gerhard Karle, Ihringen

Demotions to 2 grape:
Holub, Herbolzheim
Spitalkellerei Konstanz
Staatsweingut Meersburg

Franken

Promotion to 3 grapes:
Michael Fröhlich, Escherndorf

Promotions to 2 grapes:
Augustin, Sulzfeld
Josef Walter, Bürgstadt

Promotions to 1 grape:
Hillabrand, Hüttenheim
Helmut und Bernd Hofheim, Ipsheim
Ilbacher Hof, Iphofen
Scheuring, Margetshöchheim
Vetter, Iphofen

Demotions to 2 grapes:
Heigel, Zell
Graf Schönborn, Volkach
Staatlicher Hofkeller, Würzburg

Demotion to 1 grape:
Günther Bardorf, Randersacker

Hessische Bergstrasse

Promotion to 1 grape:
Vinum autmundis, Gross-Umstadt

Demotion to 1 grape:
Hessische Staatsweingüter, Bensheim

Mittelrhein

Promotion to 2 grapes:
Josten und Klein, Remagen

Demotions to 1 grapes:
Fetz, Dörscheid
Toni Lorenz, Boppard

Mosel

Promotion to 5 grapes:
Schloss Lieser, Thomas Haag, Lieser

Picture: Thomas Haag, Owner and Winemaker, Weingut Schloss Lieser, in Mainz

See also:
Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015

Promotion to 3 grapes:
J.J. Christoffel Erben, Ürzig

Promotions to 2 grapes:
Bastgen, Monzel
Bischöfliche Weingüter, Trier
Dr. Fischer, Ockfen
Julian Haart, Piesport
Freiherr von Heddesdorff, Winningen
Lothar Kettern, Piesport
Nick Köwerich, Leiwen
Mönchhof Robert Eymael, Ürzig
Richard Richter, Winningen

See also:
3 German Winemakers – Dr. Fischer, Fitz-Ritter and G.A. Schneider – and the American Institute for Wine and Food (AIWF) at the L2 Lounge in Washington DC, USA

Pictures: Karin Fischer of Weingut Dr. Fischer in Washington DC

Promotions to 1 grape:
Knoth-Trossen, Kröv
Lorenz, Detzem
Ingo Norwig, Burgen
K.J. Thui, Thörnich

Demotion to 1 grape:
Becker-Steinhauer, Mülheim
Gietzen, Hatzenport

Nahe

Promotion to 3 grapes:
Gebrüder Kauer, Windesheim

Promotions to 2 grapes:
Genheimer-Kiltz, Gutenberg
Honrath, Langenlonsheim
Von Racknitz, Odernheim
Schauss, Monzingen
Karl Stein, Oberhausen

See also:
The (Grape) Wines and the Apple Wine of Weingut von Racknitz, Germany

Picture: Owner and Winemaker Matthias Adams, Weingut von Racknitz, in Frankfurt am Main

Demotion to 4 grapes:
Dönnhoff, Oberhausen

See also:
Cornelius Dönnhoff, Weingut Dönnhoff: Stuart Pigott’s Winemaker of the Year, Germany

Picture: Cornelius and Helmut Dönnhoff and Martin Tesch, Weingut Tesch, at the Second International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau in Germany

Demotion to 2 grapes:
Bamberger, Meddersheim

Demotions to 1 grape:
Prinz Salm, Wallhausen
Staatsweingut, Bad Kreuznach

Pfalz

Promotions to 2 grapes:
Uli Metzger, Grünstadt-Asselheim
Wegner, Bad Dürkheim
Valentin Ziegler Sohn, Weyher

Promotions to 1 grape:
Josef Biffar, Deidesheim
Boudier Koeller, Stetten
Hahn-Pahlke, Battenberg
Motzenbäcker, Ruppertsberg

Demotion to 3 grapes:
Georg Mosbacher, Forst

Demotions to 1 grape:
Fitz-Ritter, Bad Dürkheim
Immergartenhof, Maikammer
Heiner Sauer, Böchingen

Rheingau

Promotions to 2 grapes:
Bardong, Geisenheim
Fricke, Kiedrich
Goldatzel, Johannisberg
Oetinger, Erbach

See also:
A Small, Premium Sekt Producer: Sektkellerei Bardong in the Rheingau, Germany

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Norbert and Renate Bardong, Sektkellerei Bardong

Promotions to 1 grape:
Baison, Hochheim
Bickelmeier, Winkel
Biebers, Geisenheim
Schreiber, Hochheim
Weinwerk, Rüdesheim

See also:
“Hoffest” (Winery Party) at Weingut Heinrich Baison in Hochheim, Rheingau - Best of Riesling 2010 Award Winner

Picture: Christian Schiller with Best of Riesling 2010 Award Winners Heinrich and Heinz Baison, Weingut Baison, Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany

Rheinhessen

Promotions to 3 grapes:
Beck – Hedesheimer Hof, Stadecken-Elsheim
Geil Erben, Bechtheim
Karl May, Osthofen

Promotions to 2 grapes
Espenhof, Flonheim-Uffhofen
Gres, Appenheim
Keller, Worms-Pfiffligheim
Russbach, Eppelsheim

Promotions to 1 grape:
Bossert, Gundersheim
Eller, Alsheim
Sektmanufaktur Strauch
Abthof, Hahnheim
Schmitt, Mommenheim
Strebel, Wintersheim

Demotions to 2 grapes:
Groebe, Westhofen
Peth-Wetz, Bermesheim

Demotion to 1 grape:
Milch, Monsheim

Saale-Unstrut

No change

Sachsen

No change

Württemberg

Promotion to 4 grapes:
Neipperg, Schwaigern

See also:
Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Pictures: At Weingut Graf Neipperg in Schwaigern, Württemberg, with Björn Schilling

Promotion to 1 grape:
Forsthof, Steinheim-Kleinbottwar

Demotion to 2 grapes:
Weinmanufaktur Untertürkheim

schiller-wine - Related Postings

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014 


A Small, Premium Sekt Producer: Sektkellerei Bardong in the Rheingau, Germany

Wine Maker Arndt Koebelin at K+M Gutsweine in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

The (Grape) Wines and the Apple Wine of Weingut von Racknitz, Germany 

3 German Winemakers – Dr. Fischer, Fitz-Ritter and G.A. Schneider – and the American Institute for Wine and Food (AIWF) at the L2 Lounge in Washington DC, USA

Cornelius Dönnhoff, Weingut Dönnhoff: Stuart Pigott’s Winemaker of the Year, Germany 

Germany’s Best Winemakers and Wines – Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015 Awards Ceremony in Mainz, Germany

Thomas Haag, Weingut Schloss Lieser, Germany’s Winemaker of the Year, Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015

Germany's Top 11 Winemakers (with 5 out of 5 Grapes) - The Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland 2015


Domaine Séguinot-Bordet in Maligny, Chablis: Tour and Tasting with Owner and Winemaker Jean-François Bordet – Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

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Picture: Annette Schiller, Susanne Ruitenberg and Jean-François Bordet at Domaine Séguinot-Bordet

The Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015) included 2 visits of highly-regarded Chablis producers: Domaine Séguinot-Bordet in the North of Chablis and Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard in the South of the region.

Pictures: Domaine Séguinot-Bordet

Until the end of 2013, Jean-François Bordet, who owns and runs Domaine Séguinot-Bordet, also had the job of President of the Chablis Wine Board, which includes representing the wines of Chablis on marketing tours around the world. In that function, Jean-François Bordet visited LA and Washington DC in November 2013. Several events took place in Washington DC. I was privileged to be able to attend a tête-à-tête Chablis Dinner in Washington DC at Chef Robert Wiedmaier’s Marcel’s and Annette Schiller a fine luncheon at Proof. That’s how the contact between Annette Schiller and Jean-François Bordet was established.

See also:
Pure Chablis – A tête-à-tête Dinner in Washington DC at Marcel’s with Chablis Wine Board President and Winemaker Jean-François Bordet, Domaine Séguinot-Bordet, USA/France 

Pictures: Welcome

Chablis

Chablis is part of the Bourgogne wine region, but wines from Chablis are usually referred to by their own name. Chablis is up in the north, a separate wine region.

Burgundy is the most terroir-oriented region in France. Immense attention is paid to the area of origin, as opposed to Bordeaux, where classifications are producer-driven and awarded to individual chateaux. In Burgundy, a specific vineyard or region will bear a given classification, regardless of the wine producer.

Pictures: Chablis and its Classification

The main levels in the Chablis classifications, in descending order of quality, are:

(1) At the top of the classification are the Grand Cru vineyards, which are all located on a single hillside near the town of Chablis. The Grand Cru vineyards cover a 106 hectare area, made up of 7 “Climats” (Blanchot, Bougros, Les Clos, Grenouilles, Preuses, Valmur and Vaudersir) and account for around 3% of Chablis’ production.

(2) Second in quality are the Premier Cru vineyards, covering an area of 750 hectares, gathered together into 40 “Climats”.

(3) Next is the generic AOC Chablis, the largest appellation.

(4) At the lowest end of the classification is Petit Chablis, which comprises the outlying land.

Pictures: Jean-François Bordet at Marcel's in Washington DC with Sommelier Moez Ben Achour, Christian  Schiller, and Chef Paul Stearman

Chablis wines are almost all Chardonnay, bone-dry and fresh, with good acidity. Compared with the whites from the rest of Burgundy, Chablis tends to have much less influence of oak. Typically, Chablis is completely unoaked, vinified in stainless steel tanks, although many Grand Cru and Premier Cru wines receive some maturation in oak barrels. But aging time in the barrel and the share of new wood tends to be much smaller than for white wines of the Cote d’Or.

Pictures: Jean-François Bordet, Annette Schiller and Christian Schiller at Domaine Séguinot-Bordet

Jean-François Bordet and Domaine Séguinot-Bordet

Domaine Séguinot-Bordet dates from 1590, having been passed down through the generations until now, with Jean-François Bordet in control, who took over from his grandfather. Jean-Francois Bordet has established his own name after an apprenticeship with his grandfather. Whereas most of his vineyards are Petit Chablis or Chablis, he is lucky enough to own a slice of Fourchaume, felt by many to be the finest of the Premier Cru vineyards.

Pictures: In the Cellar of Domaine Séguinot-Bordet with Jean-François Bordet

The wines are made in a modern winery, with vinification in stainless steel vats to preserve freshness. Jean-François places particular emphasis on obtaining the best fruit possible, through careful pruning, debudding and harvesting. Jean-François Bordet practices cool fermentation and allows his wines to mature for 3-5 months on their lees; this maximizes the contact and promotes a luscious style to the wines.

Jean-François Bordet makes 10,000 cases of wine.

The Domaine Séguinot-Bordet Portfolio

We tasted our way through the Domaine Séguinot-Bordet Portfolio

Petit Chablis

Very pretty pale golden yellow in color with light greenish glints. Bright, luminous and limpid. The nose is young, fresh and vivacious in a whirlwind of floral, fruity scents. The taste is lively, pleasant and perfumed, revealing lemon and verbena on a fine mineral background. We discover the pleasure of drinking for sheer enjoyment. The finish is pleasant leaving the mouth tingling with an airy freshness.

Pictures: Tasting with Jean-François Bordet

Chablis

Very pretty pale golden yellow in color with light greenish glints. Bright, luminous and limpid. Le nez is reminiscent of the scented freshness of a lovely summer’s morning. The taste is perfect harmony of maturity, mellowness and vivacity. The flowers and fruit reappear, enhanced by charming biscuit notes. The mineral touch, fine and airy, shows through well on the finish to accompany our thirst and pleasure right to the end.

Chablis Vieilles Vignes

Very pretty pale golden yellow in color with light greenish glints. Bright, luminous and limpid. The nose is copious, fresh and expressive. It illustrates its maturity with bright colors, sparkling yellows and shining gold. The taste again reveals its powerful nature, rich, charming and elegant. A harmonious combination of powerful mellowness and tender vivacity. The long so obviously mineral finish is a perfect illustration of the wine’s serious yet charming character.

Pictures: Interruption of the Tasting

Chablis Sainte Victoire

Very pretty pale golden yellow in color with light greenish glints. Bright, luminous and limpid. Already on the nose one can sense its good breeding, freshness and maturity in a festival of flower and fruit. The fruit is ripe, bursting with sunshine. The taste is powerful with a pretty harmonious mellowness that is transported by a frank, yet far from aggressive liveliness. The pronounced mineral finish combined with delicate toasty, vanilla note ensures long lasting pleasure.

Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons

Very pretty pale gold with light green hints. Bright, intense. The nose is a tornado of fresh perfumed flowers, leading the way to a summer fruit platter of peaches, pears and melon. Flowers and fruit compete in harmony with great balance achieved by fresh acidity. The long finish adds to its complexity.

Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume

Very pretty pale golden yellow in color with light greenish glints. Bright, luminous and limpid. The nose is an explosion of fine fresh notes, of elegant white flowers, fresh brioche and leafy tenderness. The taste reveals instantly all its power, richness and elegance-perfect balance of finess, mineral, mellowness and vivacity. It generously offers us a full spectrum of aromas. The finish just goes on and on, never to the forgotten.

Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir

Very pretty pale golden yellow in color with light greenish glints. Bright, luminous and limpid… The nose is like a ray of sunshine with a multitude of summer scents. The taste is a perfect balance of class and elegance, vivacity and mellowness. The finish – this is never -ending-, smooth and silky, harmonious and nimble.

Bye-bye

Thanks Jean-François Bordet for a great visit.

Pictures: Jean-François Bordet and Annette Schiller at Domaine Séguinot-Bordet

Postings on the Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France (Posted and Forthcoming)

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Champagne Jean Josselin in Gyé-sur-Seine: Tour and Tasting with Jean Pierre Josselin - Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

The Wines of Tonnerre, France – Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Domaine Séguinot-Bordet in Maligny, Chablis: Tour and Tasting with Owner and Winemaker Jean-François Bordet – Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Domaine Brocard in Chablis: Lunch, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Odile Van Der Moere, Responsable de Cave

Dinner at Hostellerie Chateau de la Barge in Creches-sur-Saone

Domaine Ferret in Fuissé, Poully-Fuissé, Mâconnais: Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Cyril Laumain, Chef de Cave

Lunch at Hostellerie d'Heloise in Cluny

Domaine Theulot Juillot in Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Nathalie and Jean-Claude Theulot

Maison Olivier Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet: Vineyard Walk Cellar Tour and Lunch with Wine Tasting at Restaurant La Table d’Olivier Leflaive with Patrick Leflaive

Wine Tasting at Domaine Mestre Père & Fils in Santenay with Jonathan Maestre

Visit: Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils in Beaune

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne

Visit: Musée de l’Hospice de Beaune with Karoline Knoth, M.A.

Domaine A-F Gros in Beaune: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Owner and Winemaker Mathias Parent

Visit: Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune

Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-Saint-George: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Mathilde Nicolas (Brand Ambassador)

Wine Tasting at Domaine du Château de Prémeaux in Nuits Saint Georges with Owner and Winemaker Arnaud Pelletier 

Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion in Vosne-Romanée: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Bernard Rion and  Alice Rion

Domaine Guillon & Fils in Gevrey Chambertin: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Jean-Michel Guillon

Visit: Château du Clos de Vougeot

schiller-wine: Related Postings (Chablis)

The Wines of Tonnerre, France – Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Dinner at the Hostellerie des Clos in Chablis (Chef: Michel Vignaud), France

Pure Chablis – A tête-à-tête Dinner in Washington DC at Marcel’s with Chablis Wine Board President and Winemaker Jean-François Bordet, Domaine Séguinot-Bordet, USA/France

Domaine Séguinot-Bordet in Maligny, Chablis: Tour and Tasting with Owner and Winemaker Jean-François Bordet – Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)



Best Green Sauce (Grüne Sosse) in Frankfurt (2015), Germany

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Picture: Ralf Wagner (Apfelwein Adolf Wagner), Christian Schiller and Werner Becker at Apfelwein Wagner, the Winner of the 2015 Grüne Sosse Competition

Green Sauce or Grüne Sosse, is a sauce made of 7 specific herbs: parsley, chives, cress, sorrel, chervil, borage, salad burnet, chopped fine, and mixed with a combination of sour cream, yoghurt or creme fraiche, a bit of oil, vinegar, and mustard, salt and pepper and then served over boiled potatoes with 2 hard-boiled eggs.

Grüne Sosse can be a full meal with just the potatoes and the hard-boiled eggs. Frankfurter Schnitzel is a Schnitzel topped with Grüne Sosse. I like Grüne Sosse with roast beef.

You buy the herbs in white paper packets at any food store; they are widely available during the season.

Pictures: Grüne Sosse (Source: tegus.de and Greenpinkorange.com)

The Winners in the 2015 Contest

Grüne Sosse tastes different in every restaurant as everyone seems to have his/her own recipe for it. Some chop the herbs with a knife, others us a blender or food processor; purists argue that is has to be chopped with a knife. Some also use mayonnaise, which I like, but not the purists. It may often have chopped up eggs in the sauce itself, which I like, but not everybody agrees with me.

The annual contest takes place over the course of a week in a large tent in the center of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, during the month of May. Every day, a day winner is chosen. On the last day, the six day winners compete in the final round for the overall winner and the 2 runners-up.

For last year's winners see:
Best Green Sauce (Grüne Sosse) in Frankfurt (2014), Germany

2015 Overall Winners

Winner: Apfelwein Adolf Wagner, Schweizer Straße 71, 60594 Frankfurt

Pictures: Frankfurter Schnitzel at Apfelwein Adolf Wagner (with Grüne Sosse)

Pictures: Christian Schiller with Apfelwein Adolf Wagner Chef Nico Hoffmann

Pictures: At Apfelwein Adolf Wagner

Second Place: MDR Garten / Gundelhard, 65719 Hofheim-Lorsbach

Third Place: Gerbermühle, Gerbermühlstraße 105, 60594 Frankfurt

Picture: Christian Schiller with Gerbermühle Chef Jörg Ludwig

Picture: The Gerbermühle Grüne Sosse (#3 Overall)

Pictures: Gerbermühle, with Lorelei Schiller

2015 Day Winners

May 2 2015: Apfelwein Wagner (see above)

May 3 2015: Bürgerhaus Rodheim, Grabengasse 12-14, 61191 Rosbach-Rodheim

May 4 2015: Döpfner’s, Schifferstraße 38-40, 60594 Frankfurt

Pictures: Hotel im Maingau, Christian Schiller, Chef Jörg Döpfner with his Father and his Son

See also:
The Best Restaurants in the Greater Frankfurt am Main Region, Germany
Frankfurt Top Trendy Restaurants– Feinschmecker 2012

May 5 2015: Gerbermühle (see above)

May 6 2015: Friedberger Warte, Friedberger Landstraße 414, 60389 Frankfurt

May 7 2015: MDR Garten/ Gundelhard, 65719 Hofheim-Lorsbach

May 8 2015: Frankfurter Apfelweinbotschaft, Eschborner Landstr. 154, 60489 Frankfurt

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Best Green Sauce (Grüne Sosse) in Frankfurt (2014), Germany

Impressions from the Apple Wine Festival 2013 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Frankfurt Top Trendy Restaurants– Feinschmecker 2012, Germany

The Best Restaurants in the Greater Frankfurt am Main Region, Germany

Wine in Frankfurt am Main? - Weingut der Stadt Frankfurt, Germany

In the Glass: Gluehwein at Frankfurt am Main Christmas Market

The Premium Apple Wines of Andreas Schneider - Obsthof am Steinberg - in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Apple Wine Tavern Zur Buchscheer in Frankfurt am Main, Germany – The Traditional Way: Apple Wine Made on the Premises

Apple Wine in Frankfurt am Main, Germany and Cider in the World

Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

In an Apple Wine (Cider) Mecca: The Apple Wine Bistrorant Landsteiner Muehle of Apple Wine Sommelier Michael Stoeckl near Frankfurt am Main, Germany

An Apple Wine Tavern as Traditional as can be in Frankfurt am Main: “Zu den 3 Steubern” of Wolfgang Wagner, Germany

Mainlust “Desche Otto”– an Ultra Traditional Apple Wine Tavern, with an Innovative Twist, off the Beaten Track in Schwanheim, Frankfurt am Main, Germany 

2014 Apfelwein Weltweit - Apple Wine World Wide - in Frankfurt, Germany: Schiller’s Favorites

Handkäs’ mit Musik – Hand Cheese with Music - A Greater Frankfurt Region Speciality, Germany

Fall Tours by ombiasy WineTours 2015 - A Very Special Treat: Experience Harvest Time !

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Picture: Annette and Christian Schiller at Taberna del Alabardero in Washington DC, USA

Dear wine friends,

3 Wine Tours are coming up and we will hit harvest time. Experiencing the suspense right before harvest starts and the busy times of preparing the cellars, vats, barrels to receive the new juice is always very exiting. Witnessing the picking, sorting, crushing is always extremely interesting and we will have the opportunity to see a winery or Château in full action.

The first tour (Aug 30 - Sept 05) goes to the southernmost German wine regions and to Alsace. This tour has a strong culinary component with luncheons at Michelin-star restaurants and we will discover that Germany also produces gorgeous Pinot-Noir on par with the best of Burgundy. I have 2 rooms (double or single occupancy) available, which I have to release by August 1 if they are not occupied. For detailed information and pricing please see: https://ombiasypr.com/index.php/tours/germany-south-2015

The second tour (Sept 06 - Sept 12) focusses on German Riesling country - Rheingau, Mosel, Nahe. This tour includes a cruise on the romantic Rhine River with its castle- and vine-ribboned banks and the Mosel valley with its dizzying steep vineyards. I have 1 room (double or single occupancy) available, which I have to release by August 10 in case it is not taken. For detailed information and pricing please see: https://ombiasypr.com/index.php/tours/germany-north-2015

The third tour (Sept 15 - Sept 24) takes us to Bordeaux. This is a “Bordeaux Total Immersion” tour. We will experience what “Bordeaux” is all about with visits to a barrel maker, an oyster farmer, a wine merchant house, the city of Bordeaux, and of course many Châteaux where we will taste fabulous wines. We are in France! so this tour has a strong culinary component with private exquisite wine pairing lunches and dinners at the Châteaux playing a daily part of our journey through the Bordeaux wine region.  I have 1 room (double or single occupancy) available, which I have to release by August 15 in case it is not taken. For detailed information and pricing please see: https://ombiasypr.com/index.php/tours/bordeaux-2015

As with all my tours, we only visit top wineries and Châteaux and I personally guide the tours.  Since the groups are always small (never more than 10 people) and since I know the people and the regions like the back of my hand, the tours are always a very authentic, personal experience.

Feel free to contact me at any time if you want to talk with me about the tours or for any further information you would like to have.

CHEERS

Annette

Annette Schiller, Diplom-Volkswirt
ombiasy | PR
WINE tours | education | events
Washington DC - Frankfurt am Main
T: +1 (703) 459.7513
T: +49 (0) 177.337.0281
twitter: ombiasypr
facebook: ombiasy Public Relations and WineTours
blog: schiller-wine.blogspot.com

schiller-wine - Related Postings (ombiasy WineTours)

2015

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

2014

Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

2013

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Weingut Thürkind in Gröst, Saale-Unstrut: Tour, Tasting and Lunch – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

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Picture: At Weingut Thürkind, Saale Unstrut Region in the former GDR: The 20th Anniversary Memorial Barrel (1991-2011)

The first wine region we visited on the Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015) was the Saale-Unstrut Region. There, we visited 3 wineries: Weingut Lützkendorf, Weingut Bernhard Pawis and Weingut Thürkind. The former 2 are heavy-weights; these are the only 2 members of the VDP, the association of about 200 German elite winemakers, in the Saale-Unstrut Region.

Pictures: Driving from Weingut Pawis to Weingut Thürkind in the Saale Unstrut Region

We finished our visit of the Saale Unstrut Region with Weingut Thürkind. It is an up and coming wine producer, but plays in a different league than the other 2 producers.

The Saale-Unstrut wine region sits on 51st latitude and is Germany’s northernmost 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.

Pictures: Arriving at Weingut Thürkind

Weingut Thürkind

Weingut Thürkind was founded shortly after reunification (in 1991) when the Government returned land to Rudolf and Birgit Thürkind which had been nationalized during the communist era. The land included 1.8 hectares of vineyards.

Pictures: Cellar Tour and Barrel Tasting at Weingut Thürkind

During the GDR times, Rudolf Thürkind used to work as cellar master in the cooperative in Freyburg. Winemaker colleagues of the wine regions in the western part of Germany encouraged the Thürkinds to produce and bottle their own wine and not to deliver the grapes to the cooperative in Freyburg. And they assisted the Thürkinds through the provision of inexpensive machines. Rudolf Thürkind produced a bit more than 1000 cases from the first vintage.

Today, more than twenty years later, the Thürkind family owns 15 acres of vineyards in very favorable sites and developed the old farm into into a beautiful estate, making excellent wines, including gorgeous Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris.


Pictures: At Weingut Thürkind on a Previous Visit

See also:
Preview: Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Since 2005, Weingut Thürkind also offers rooms for people who are interested to spend their vacation at a winery.

Son Mario Thürkind is now at the helm of the estate, with his wife Anje. They have 2 children. Mario Thürkind did an apprenticeship at Weingut Ernst, one of the winemakers that helped the Thürkinds so much when they started their business after reunification.

The vineyard area has grown to 12 hectares. In addition, Mario Thürkind buys grapes amounting to 6 hectares. The main grape varieties are: Müller-Thurgau, Riesling, Kerner, Weißburgunder and Grauburgunder as well as Blauer Portugieser and Zweigelt.

Lunch and Wine Tasting

Pictures: Lunch and Tasting

2014 Weingut Thürkind Müller Thurgau
2014 Weingut Thürkind Weisburgunder
2014 Weingut Thürkind Gutedel
2014 Weingut Thürkind Sauvignon Blanc
2014 Weingut Thürkind Riesling
2013 Weingut Thürkind Freyburger Edelacker Weissburgunder Spätlese trocken
2012 Gröster Steinberg Blauer Zweigelt

Bye-bye

Thanks for a lovely lunch with tasting and cellar tour. We loved the home-made potato salad.

Picture: Bye-bye

Postings: Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015) (Published and Forthcoming) 

Preview: Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

The Art Marketer: OMBIASY PR & WINE TOURS - Germany-East

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Lützkendorf with Uwe Lützkendorf – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Weingut Pawis (Saale Unstrut): Estate Tour and Wine Tasting with Markus Pawis – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Weingut Thürkind in Gröst, Saale-Unstrut: Tour, Tasting and Lunch – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in the Saale Unstrut Region

Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz in Sachsen, with Owner Georg Prinz zur Lippe

Dinner with Georg Prinz zur Lippe at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz in Sachsen

Cellar Tour and Lunch at Weingut Karl Friedrich Aust in Sachsen

Cellar Tour, Art Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Zimmerling with Winemaker Klaus Zimmerling and Artist Malgorzata Chodakoska in Sachsen

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Wirsching in Iphofen, Franken

Visit and Tasting at Weingut Am Stein Ludwig Knoll in Würzburg, Franken

Cellar Tour and Tasting with Star Winemaker Paul Fürst at Weingut Fürst in Franken

Würzburg and its 3 Historic Wine Taverns: Juliusspital, Bürgerspital and Staatlicher Hofkeller

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Graf Neipperg in Schwaigern, Württemberg

Tasting at Weingut Dautel in Württemberg with Christian Dautel

Wine Pairing Dinner at Restaurant Friedrich von Schiller in Bietigheim-Bissingen in Württemberg

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Herzog von Württemberg at Schloss Monrepos with Owner F.R.H. Carl Duke of Württemberg

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Rainer Schnaitmann at Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann in Fellbach, Württemberg

Wine Tasting at Weingut Simon-Bürkle in Zwingenberg, Hessische Bergstrasse


Invitation: Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC, USA

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Picture: Christian and Annette Schiller at Heart’s Delight Wine Tasting and Auction 2015 in Washington DC

Dear wine friends,

some of you already asked: when is the Riesling party this year.

Here it is:

You are invited to join us for the 

RIESLING PARTY 
Saturday, August 08
5 PM - 10 PM

Entrance Fee: one bottle of Riesling per person. However if you are not such a fan of Riesling, feel free to bring a Pinot-Noir.

We will contribute some nice German Rieslings as well as a German Pinot-Noir and to quench the appetite while tasting all those wines: a selection of cheeses, cold cuts, German sausages, German potato salad, and bread.

We are very much looking forward to having you at our house (please send a RSVP mail and in return we will mail you our address) to taste and discuss all those wines and to have lots of laughter and fun.

CHEERS
Annette & Christian
PS: to wet your appetite for some great German wines, here is the story of the first Germany wine tour in 2015 which took place in June: http://schiller-wine.blogspot.com/2015/07/germany-east-wine-and-art-tour-by.html

Annette Schiller, Diplom-Volkswirt
ombiasy | PR
WINE tours | education | events
Washington DC - Frankfurt am Main
T: +1 (703) 459.7513
T: +49 (0) 177.337.0281
twitter: ombiasypr
facebook: ombiasy Public Relations and WineTours
blog: schiller-wine.blogspot.com

Previous Riesling Parties

Riesling Summer at the Schiller Residence in Washington DC (2014), USA

Summer of Riesling with Annette and Christian Schiller in Washington DC (2014), USA

Picture: Annette Schiller, German Wine Princess Sabine Wagner and Christian Schiller at the Riesling Party 2014

schiller-wine - Related Postings (ombiasy WineTours)

2015

Fall Tours by ombiasy WineTours 2015 - A Very Special Treat: Experience Harvest Time !

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

2014

Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Germany-South Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

2013

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013

Domaine Brocard in Chablis: Lunch, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Odile Van Der Moere, Responsable de Cave – Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

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Picture: Lunch at Domaine Brocard in Cahblis with with Odile Van Der Moere, Responsable de Cave

Following an exciting visit of Domaine Séguinot-Bordet in the North of Chablis, we drove all the way through the Chablis Region to the South of Chablis to have lunch at another highly-regarded Chablis producers: Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard. After lunch, we had a cellar tour and a tasting. Alexis Madelin was our guide. The special wines at the lunch were introduced by Odile Van Der Moere, Responsable de Cave. We were also greated by Sebastian Gay from the Brocard family.

Pictures: From Domaine Séguinot-Bordet to Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard, via the Grand Cru Vineyards of Chablis

Chablis

Chablis is part of the Bourgogne wine region, but wines from Chablis are usually referred to by their own name. Chablis is up in the north, a separate wine region.

Burgundy is the most terroir-oriented region in France. Immense attention is paid to the area of origin, as opposed to Bordeaux, where classifications are producer-driven and awarded to individual chateaux. In Burgundy, a specific vineyard or region will bear a given classification, regardless of the wine producer.

Pictures: Annette and Christian Schiller with Etienne Verdier of Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard at B Too in Washington DC

The main levels in the Chablis classifications, in descending order of quality, are:

(1) At the top of the classification are the Grand Cru vineyards, which are all located on a single hillside near the town of Chablis. The Grand Cru vineyards cover a 106 hectare area, made up of 7 “Climats” (Blanchot, Bougros, Les Clos, Grenouilles, Preuses, Valmur and Vaudersir) and account for around 3% of Chablis’ production.

(2) Second in quality are the Premier Cru vineyards, covering an area of 750 hectares, gathered together into 40 “Climats”.

(3) Next is the generic AOC Chablis, the largest appellation.

(4) At the lowest end of the classification is Petit Chablis, which comprises the outlying land.

Chablis wines are almost all Chardonnay, bone-dry and fresh, with good acidity. Compared with the whites from the rest of Burgundy, Chablis tends to have much less influence of oak. Typically, Chablis is completely unoaked, vinified in stainless steel tanks, although many Grand Cru and Premier Cru wines receive some maturation in oak barrels. But aging time in the barrel and the share of new wood tends to be much smaller than for white wines of the Cote d’Or.

Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard

Jean-Marc Brocard was born in the small village of Chaudenay-le-Château in the Côte d'Or of the Bourgogne. Jean-Marc's father was a farmer, without any connection to wine. Jean-Marc’s marriage to his childhood sweetheart Claudine - the daughter of Emile Petit, a vigneron from the village of St-Bris-le-Vineux, a little town in Chablis, the most northerly wine-growing area of the Bourgogne, led him to wine. As a wedding present to the young couple, Emile bestowed upon them one hectare of vines near the Church of Sainte Clair, and in 1972 Domaine Brocard was born.

Starting with 1 hectare of vines, Jean-Marc Brocards has created an estate of some 180 hectares vineyards in Chablis and elsewhere in the Bourgogne.

Pictures: Cellar Tour of Domaine Jean Marc Brocard

In the beginning, Jean-Marc spent countless hours with the old vignerons of Chablis in an effort to master his new craft, and to learn the nuances of the vine. In particular, Jean-Marc acknowledges a considerable debt to one of the old vignerons of St-Cyr les Colons, a man named Louis Petit, who despite the name is unrelated to his father-in-law. The oldest vines of the Domaine Sainte Claire came from Louis Petit and it was he who gave to Jean-Marc the sense of tradition and a respect for nature, showing him that you can still maintain the old traditions, while practicing modern methods.

In 1996, Julien Brocard joined his father with the firm idea to convert to organic and biodynamic farming. La Boissonneuse vineyard was converted to Biodynamie in 1997 and ‘Vielles Vignes’ in 2001. Nowadays, Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard is run by the ‘Father-Son’ team Jean-Marc and Julien.

The Terroir

Situated near Auxerre in the valley of the Serein River, Chablis is one of France’s oldest wine growing regions. Prized by French kings and always found on the best tables in the 19th century, Chablis wines were considered prestigious.

Chablis wines take their famous mineral and fresh character from the vine’s roots which dig deep into the Kimméridgien limestone. This unique soil condition - chalk, limestone and fossilized oyster shells – is named for a stage of the late Jurassic period some 150 million years ago. The glacier forced to the surface an ancient sea floor from the Kimmeridgian era that had long been covered by soil and rock. This unique soil is what has made Burgundy the world famous wine region that it is today.

Pictures: Explaining the Terroir of the Bourgogne and Chablis, with Alexis Madelin

Jean-Marc Brocard: "The truth of wine lies in the soil where it has grown. The technique is an important factor in the wine growing, but it is only an aid, the wine is essentially the product of its soil." also " The soil of Chablis is exceptional and cannot be found anywhere in the world ; therefore I am a hard believer of the future of Chablis even for the next Millennium."

In reference to the lack of chemicals in the vineyard, Jean Marc says: "Our policy is to encourage the natural auto-immune system of the vine. Ploughing replaces herbicides and a good dose of well-rotted cow manure encourages the natural microbial activity of the soil."

This is not to say that Jean-Marc is afraid of technology or modernization, as he was the first winemaker in Chablis to use mechanical harvesting as a means to bring the fruit into the winery as fast as possible to preserve their fresh qualities.

Picture:  Odile Van Der Moere, Responsable de Cave, Explaining the Wines

Picture: The Lunch Wines

Picture: Salad of Smoked Duck Breast with Roquefort Sauce

Picture: Odile Van Der Moere, Responsable de Cave, Pouring

Picture: Ham in Chablis Sauce with Basmati Rice

Picture: Cheese Plate

Picture: Fondant of Chocolate with Bourbon Vanilla Sauce

Picture: View from the Dining Room

Picture: View from the Dining Room

Vigneron and Negociant

Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard is also a negociant. In 1980 a sparkling new winery was built near the little church of Sainte Claire and since then only the most cutting edge of technologies have been implemented in the facility. Total production is 4,000,000 bottles a year. The company exports 60% of its produce mainly to the UK, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Japan and the USA.

Pictures: Tasting at Domaine Jean Marc Brocard with Alexis Madelin

The Wines we Tasted

Lunch

2004 Jean Marc Brocard Chablis Magnum
2001 Jean Marc Brocard Chablis Magnum
2013 Jean Marc Brocard Irancy Les Mazelots Magnum

Wine Tasting

2014 Jean Marc Brocard Petit Chablis
2013 Jean Marc Brocard Chablis Sainte Claire
2014 Jean Marc Brocard Chablis Les Vieilles Vignes
2013 Jean Marc Brocard Chablis Premier Cru Veau de Vey
2011 Jean Marc Brocard Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos

Bye-Bye

Thanks for a great lunch, tasting and tour.


Postings on the Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France (Posted and Forthcoming)

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France

Champagne Jean Josselin in Gyé-sur-Seine: Tour and Tasting with Jean Pierre Josselin - Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

The Wines of Tonnerre, France – Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Domaine Séguinot-Bordet in Maligny, Chablis: Tour and Tasting with Owner and Winemaker Jean-François Bordet – Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Domaine Brocard in Chablis: Lunch, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Odile Van Der Moere, Responsable de Cave – Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Dinner at Hostellerie Chateau de la Barge in Creches-sur-Saone

Domaine Ferret in Fuissé, Poully-Fuissé, Mâconnais: Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Cyril Laumain, Chef de Cave

Lunch at Hostellerie d'Heloise in Cluny

Domaine Theulot Juillot in Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Nathalie and Jean-Claude Theulot

Maison Olivier Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet: Vineyard Walk Cellar Tour and Lunch with Wine Tasting at Restaurant La Table d’Olivier Leflaive with Patrick Leflaive

Wine Tasting at Domaine Mestre Père & Fils in Santenay with Jonathan Maestre

Visit: Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils in Beaune

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne

Visit: Musée de l’Hospice de Beaune with Karoline Knoth, M.A.

Domaine A-F Gros in Beaune: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Owner and Winemaker Mathias Parent

Visit: Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune

Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-Saint-George: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Mathilde Nicolas (Brand Ambassador)

Wine Tasting at Domaine du Château de Prémeaux in Nuits Saint Georges with Owner and Winemaker Arnaud Pelletier 

Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion in Vosne-Romanée: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Bernard Rion and  Alice Rion

Domaine Guillon & Fils in Gevrey Chambertin: Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Jean-Michel Guillon

Visit: Château du Clos de Vougeot

schiller-wine: Related Postings (Chablis)

The Wines of Tonnerre, France – Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Dinner at the Hostellerie des Clos in Chablis (Chef: Michel Vignaud), France

Pure Chablis – A tête-à-tête Dinner in Washington DC at Marcel’s with Chablis Wine Board President and Winemaker Jean-François Bordet, Domaine Séguinot-Bordet, USA/France

Domaine Séguinot-Bordet in Maligny, Chablis: Tour and Tasting with Owner and Winemaker Jean-François Bordet – Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Domaine Brocard in Chablis: Lunch, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Odile Van Der Moere, Responsable de Cave – Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Book Review of "Wine Atlas of Germany" in Vol 10, No 1, 2015 of Journal of Wine Economics (Cambridge University Press)

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Picture: Wine Atlas of Germany and Journal of Wine Economics (Cambridge University Press), Vol 10, No 1, 2015

I reviewed:

DIETER BRAATZ, ULRICH SAUTTER and INGO SWOBODA: Wine Atlas of Germany. Translated by Kevin Goldberg, University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California; University of California Press, London, England, 2014, 277 pp., ISBN: 978-0-520-26067-2, $60.

My review was published in Vol 10, No 1, 2015 of the Journal of Wine Economics (Cambridge University Press), pages 121-123.

I am re-issuing my book review here on schiller-wine and adding a few pictures from the review and the book.

This was my second review in the Journal of Wine Economics. See also: 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  

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DIETER BRAATZ, ULRICH SAUTTER and INGO SWOBODA: Wine Atlas of Germany. Translated by Kevin Goldberg, University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California; University of California Press, London, England, 2014, 277 pp., ISBN: 978-0-520-26067-2, $60.

The Wine Atlas of Germany, published by University of California Press in August 2014, is a wonderful coffee-table style book that takes a thorough look at the wine geography of Germany. It contains excellent wine maps and a wealth of useful information about German wine. However, the atlas has its limitations and this is due to the fact that (1) the way German wine makers classify their wines is in transition and (2) the Wine Atlas of Germany is a translation of the Weinatlas Deutschland, which was published in Germany in 2007; with the cut-off date for the German version almost 10 years back, the Wine Atlas of Germany was already outdated in a number of important aspects when it was published. This is the only, but a major, weakness of the book.

The authors are Dieter Braatz (deputy Editor-in-Chief of the German gourmet magazine Der Feinschmecker), Ulrich Sautter (wine writer) and Ingo Swoboda (co-author of the book "Riesling"). Jancis Robinson provided a forward. Kevin Goldberg translated the Wine Atlas of Germany and added a translator’s note at the beginning of the book.

The Wine Atlas of Germany is essentially divided into two main parts. First, there is a series of introductory chapters that provide background to the ongoing reform of wine classification in Germany, a discussion of the factors that makes a vineyard unique, an overview of the history of winegrowing in Germany and an introduction to the grape varieties of Germany. Second (and comprising the majority of the book), there is a series of 16 chapters covering all German wine regions, one by one. Each of these chapters includes detailed maps and information on the area’s soils, history and main grape varieties.

Pictures: Journal of Wine Economics (Cambridge University Press), Vol 10, No 1, 2015

Turning to the issue of wine classification in Germany, the basic German wine classification system is that of the German wine law of 1971, which replaced the German wine law of 1930. The German wine law of 1971 created the Prädikatswein system, which links must weights to a hierarchy of predicates. In ascending order of ripeness of the grapes at harvest, these are Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese. Importantly, although the hierarchy of predicates is not a quality hierarchy, in reality it is seen that way. The terroir as a determining factor for quality clearly moved to the backburner in Germany as a result of the introduction of the Prädikatswein system in 1971.

In terms of vineyard classification, the law of 1971 distinguishes between Einzellage and Grosslage. Einzellage is a single vineyard; Grosslage is a collection of single vineyards. A village typically has say 10 single vineyards and 1 collective vineyard. The wine law of 1971 redrew the vineyard map of Germany considerably, as the law required that single vineyards be at least five hectares in size. As a consequence, the wine law of 1971 resulted in fewer, but larger and more heterogeneous single vineyards than before. In the Wine Atlas of Germany, you find all collective vineyards and all single vineyards of the German wine law of 1971.

The law of 1971 does not contain a ranking of the single vineyards. However, the authors ranked them into 4 levels: (1) Excellent vineyard; (2) Superior vineyard; (3) Good vineyard and (4) Other Vineyards. The vineyard ranking in the Wine Atlas of Germany is the subjective ranking of the authors, based on various information and historical documents that are available, such as Prussian tax documents for the 1800s.

The ranking of the authors, all three accomplished experts of German wine is sound, although I have heard critical voices. For instance, just 7 sites along the entire Mosel are listed as exceptional, 13 if you include the Saar and Ruwer. This compares with 11 exceptional vineyards in the Pfalz, 16 exceptional vineyards in the Rheingau and 21 exceptional vineyards in the Nahe. The large fan community of fruity-sweet Mosel-Saar-Ruwer wines in the world is obviously disappointed by these ratings. But this is due to the fact that the Wine Atlas of Germany is a translation of a German wine atlas - and in Germany, the wines of the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer do not enjoy the same cult status as they do outside of Germany.

Pictures: Wine Atlas of Germany

A few years ago, the VDP – the association of German elite wine makers – revolutionized the German classification system by moving to a terroir-based classification, following the Bourgogne model. With the latest modifications of 2012, at the bottom of the VDP classification are the basic entry-level wines (Gutswein). Above these are the village wines (Ortswein), followed by the single vineyard wines worthy of premier cru (Erste Lage) or even a grand cru (Grosse Lage) status. Note that in 2012, Grosse Lage replaced Erste Lage at the top of the VDP classification. Also, Grosse Lage should not be confused with Grosslage, the term for a large collective site in the law of 1971 (which in my view should be abolished).

Obviously, the Wine Atlas of Germany reflects only the early phase of these fundamental reforms.

Unfortunately, so much has happened in the past years, and this is not reflected in the atlas. Thus, if you have a recent vintage of a VDP producer, the Wine Atlas of Germany is of only limited help for you, if you want to know more about where the wine comes from.

Should one care about the VDP classification? It is the classification of just 200 winemakers, while there are 20.000 or so winemakers that are not members of the VDP. Yes, one should care. It is the elite of Germany (although there are quite a number of top winemakers that are not members of the VDP). When it comes to drinking German wine outside of Germany, the wine market is dominated by VDP producers. And rightly in my view, the Wine Atlas of Germany pays a lot of attention to the VDP classification – but does not capture the changes of the last years.

Finally, looking ahead, Germany is in the process of changing the wine geography further by allowing Gewann names - a sub-plot of a single vineyard - on the label, as a response to the fact that many single vineyards established in the wine law of 1971 are of quite varied quality (i.e. heterogeneous). Many such Gewanne have already been registered and you will see more and more of them on German wine labels. This reform, of course, is not reflected in the Wine Atlas of Germany.

To sum up, the Wine Atlas of Germany does not capture the most recent movements to a Bourgogne-type ranking of vineyards in Germany, but there is much more to the book. Overall, the Wine Atlas of Germany is a beautiful book with great maps and lots of background information. The excellent photographs capture essential details of each region covered. Finally, German wine lovers from outside of Germany will be excited by the coverage of the internationally lesser known regions, such as Baden, Württemberg and Saxony for example.

Christian G.E. Schiller
International Monetary Fund (ret.) and emeritus professor, University of Mainz, Germany
Cschiller@schiller-wine.com

schiller-wine - Related Postings 

Fall Tours by ombiasy WineTours 2015 - A Very Special Treat: Experience Harvest Time !

4 Wine Tours by ombiasy coming up in 2015: Germany-East, Germany-South. Germany-Nord and Bordeaux

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Bourgogne Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Franc

Schiller’s Favorite Winemakers in the Saale-Unstrut Region, Germany

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Pictures: In the Vineyards of Weingut Kloster Pforta

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).

Picture: Germany's Wine Regions

Like in Sachsen, during the communist times from 1945 until reunification in 1989, wine production was nationalized, and winemaking took place in huge VEB (volkseigener Betrieb / company owned by the people) wineries. The output, the bottle count was imposed on the VEB by the State, and therefore quality could not play a major role. The winemaking process was deprived of modern farming and cellar techniques. The majority of wine produced was for the consumption of the communist party members. After the iron curtain came down, family wineries were founded, and the winemakers pursued quality with a vengeance.

Pictures: In the Saale Unstrut Region

Basically, all of the wineries I have visited experienced rapid growth and large investments over the past years, following 50 years of communism that did not allow for private initiative. In a way, Saale Unstrut is an emerging wine region in an old world wine country. It is pretty much an emerging market situation there, but without any foreign investors.

Pictures: Driving from Weingut Pawis to Weingut Thürkind in the Saale Unstrut Region

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.

Pictures: In Naumburg, the most important Town of the Saale Unstrut Region

Saale Unstrut is located in a region that was the intellectual and cultural center of Germany (Heiliges Römisches Reich Deutscher Nationen) for many centuries. The second German university (after Prague) was the University of Leipzig, which is just 50 km away from Saale Unstrut. Schiller and Goethe, to name just 2, lived here. Culture, history, nature and wine are combined here perfectly.

Pictures: In Leipzig, the closest larger City

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.

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours

Annette Schiller's ombiasy WineTours covers the Saale Unstrut Region on her Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours. Compared with the other ombiasy WineTours, the art component is much more in the forefront here.

Annette Schiller: This tour allows wine lovers and aficionados of the arts to experience what the statement “wine is a form of art” entails. Participants will live the profound relationship between wine, music, dance, and visual arts by visiting Germany’s beautiful, lesser known wine regions, and the region which is the cradle of German culture, and intellectual thinking. Meet winemakers who embody the "wine and art" approach right at their wineries, and attend three world-class concert-opera- and ballet performances in East-and Middle Germany. This tour will tickle all of your senses and emotions.

See:
Preview: Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
The Art Marketer: OMBIASY PR & WINE TOURS - Germany-East
Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy, 2014

Schiller’s Favorite Winemakers in the Saale-Unstrut Region

Weingut Klaus Böhme in Kirchscheidungen
Winzerhof Gussek in Naumburg
Weingut Matthias Hey in Naumburg
Weingut Lützkendorf (VDP) in Bad Kösen
Weingut Pawis (VDP) in Freyburg
Weingut Kloster Pforta
Weingut Thürkind in Gröst

Weingut Klaus Böhme in Kirchscheidungen

Weingut Klaus Böhme is in the village of Kirchscheidungen in the Unstrut valley. The Boehme family can look back to 300 years of wine making. However, wine making was always part of a traditional mixed agriculture and viticulture farm, with cows, pigs, chicken and other animals, with the wine making on the backburner, except for the last 20 years, since Klaus Böhme has taken over.

Picture: Christian Schiller and Ina Paris, the Wife of Klaus Böhme, at Weingut Klaus Böhme

Before this part of Germany became the German Democratic Republic (GDR), the Böhmes cultivated an area of 60 hectares, of which 40 hectares was owned and 20 hectares was leased. Then came the forced collectivization of 1960, and the land of the Boehme’s became part of the government run agricultural co-operative. Ina Paris explained that the Böhme family remained the legal owner of the land, but lost the right to use it. The land was used by the government-run “LPG” (Agricultural Production Co-operative).

In 1989, after the breakdown of the GDR, the Böhmes reclaimed their land and restarted their farm and winery. Weingut Klaus Böhme was one of the first privately-owned wineries in the Saale Unstrut region reemerging after 40 years of socialism. In 1994, the cellar was equipped with stainless steel tanks. From there on, all Klaus Böhme wines were fermented, aged and bottled at the Klaus Böhme winery.

The vineyard area was expanded by acquiring part of the former Schulenburg vineyard. The vineyard area now totals 9 hectares. The area is planted with the white varieties Pinot Blanc, Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Riesling, Kerner, Gutedel and Traminer, as well as with the red varieties Dornfelder, Pinot Noir, Portugieser and Pinot Madeleine.

Pictures: Weingut Klaus Böhme

The wines tend to be made in a dry style, fresh and fruity. The red wines are fermented on the skins in the traditional style. Annual production is 70.000 bottles. Very little of it is sold in the western part of Germany. Nothing is exported. A large part of the production is sold via restaurants.

See:
Weingut Klaus Boehme in Saale Unstrut in Germany (2011)

Winzerhof Gussek in Naumburg

Winzerhof Gussek is in Naumburg, the gateway to the Saale-Unstrut. It was founded by André Gussek in 1993.

André Gussek came to Naumburg in the 1980s. For more than 20 years he was the cellar master at Kloster Pforta in Bad Koesen, near Naumburg, first during GDR times at the socialist co-operative VEG Weinbau Naumburg, and later after reunification at Landesweingut Kloster Pforta, with 120 hectares of land.

Pictures: With André Gussek at Winzerhof Gussek (2014)

See:
Visiting Andre Gussek and his Weingut Winzerhof Gussek in Saale Unstrut, Germany, 2011
Winzerhof Gussek in the Saale Unstrut Region: Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Tasting with Owner and Winemaker André Gussek – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Weingut Matthias Hey in Naumburg

This is the only winemaker on the list that I have not yet visited myself. But I have heard a lot of good things about Weingut Matthias Hey.

Matthias Hey graduated from the prestigious Geisenheim University in 2008. Following some time in Italy, he is back now in the Saale Unstrut region and runs – with his parents Reinhard and Sigrun Hey – Weingut Matthias Hey. The parents bought vineyard land in 2001, establishing the base for Weingut Matthias Hey. Today, the vineyard area totals 6 hectares.

Grape varieties: Müller-Thurgau, Gutedel, Silvaner, Weißburgunder, Riesling, Blauer Zweigelt, Spätburgunder, Portugieser.

Weingut Lützkendorf (VDP) in Bad Kösen

Weingut Lützkendorf was founded at the dawn of the 19th century and existed until 1959 when the GDR authorities integrated the estate into the government run Agricultural Cooperative. In 1991, after the reunification of the two German States the vineyards were returned to the family.
Germany.

Pictures: Uwe Lützkendorf and his Wines (2015)at Weingut Lützkendorf

Uwe Lützkendorf reestablished the winery and built new production facilities in Bad Kösen. The stony soils and the climate of this northern wine region decisively influences the character of the wines. Uwe Lützkendorf’s philosophy of wine making is as little intervention as possible to showcase the character of the wines.

In 1996 the winery Lützkendorf was the first estate in the Saale-Unstrut region to become member of the prestigious VDP, the Association of Germany’s Premium Winemakers.

See:
Weingut Lützkendorf in Saale Unstrut in Germany (2011)
Tasting at Weingut Lützkendorf with Uwe Lützkendorf – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Weingut Pawis (VDP) in Freyburg

Weingut Pawis – owned and run by Bernhard Pawis and his wife Kerstin - 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 Bernhard 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.

Picture: Christian Schiller with Bernhard Pawis at Weingut Pawis (2011)

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.

Pictures: Christian Schiller and Kerstin Pawis at Weingut Pawis (2014)

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.

Picture: Annette Schiller and Berhard Pawis at Weingut Pawis (2014)

To listen to him, 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.

Picture: Weingut Pawis

See:
Weingut Pawis (Saale Unstrut): Estate Tour and Wine Tasting with Markus Pawis – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Weingut Pawis (Saale Unstrut): Estate Tour and Wine Tasting with Kerstin Pawis – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Weingut Pawis in the Saale Unstrut Region - A Profile, Germany
Weingut Pawis in Saale Unstrut, Germany (2011) 

Weingut Kloster Pforta

Weingut Kloster Pforta is owned and run by the State Government of Sachsen Anhalt. It is one of five important wine estates owned by a state government in Germany. The others are: Hessische Staatsweingueter Kloster Eberbach (Rheingau and Hessische Bergstrasse), Saechsisches Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth (Sachsen), Staatliche Hofkellerei Wuerzburg (Franken) and Staatsweingut Meersburg (Baden).

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).

Pictures: At Kloster Pforta (2014)

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.

Prussia converted Pforta into a wine estate and wine research institute. After World War II, it became the socialist co-operative VEG Weinbau Naumburg in East-Germany, with 120 hectares of land. After the breakdown of the socialist system in East Germany in 1989, Pforta was in the hands of the privatization organization Treuhand for a couple of years, but not privatized and became the Landesweingut Kloster Pforta of the Federal State of Sachsen-Anhalt.

The vineyard area totals 51 hectares, with holdings in the following sites: Goseck (Dechantenberg), Großjena (Blütengrund), Naumburg (Paradies), Pforta (Köppelberg) and Saalhäuser (with eponymous monopole sites). The main grape varities are Müller-Thurgau (10 ha), Silvaner (6 ha), Riesling (6 ha) and Pinot Blanc (5 ha) as well as Portugieser (5 ha), and Zweigelt.

See:
The Role of Government - Government Owned Wineries in Germany
Weingut Kloster Pforta: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting with Managing Director Christian Kloss – Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)

Weingut Thürkind in Gröst

This winery was founded shortly after reunification when the government returned land to the Thürkind family which had been nationalized during the communist era. The land included 3 acres of vineyards. Rudolf Thürkind used to work as cellar master in the cooperative in Freyburg and winemaker colleagues of the wine regions in the western part of Germany encouraged the Thürkinds to start producing their own wine.

Pictures: At Weingut Thürkind (2015)

Today, more than twenty years later, the Thürkind family owns 15 acres of vineyards in very favorable sites and developed the old farm into into a beautiful estate, making excellent wines, including gorgeous Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. Son Mario Thürkind is now at the helm of the estate.

See:
Weingut Thürkind in Gröst, Saale-Unstrut: Tour, Tasting and Lunch – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Schiller’ Favorites

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

Europe

Germany

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen (Saxony), Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Winemakers in the Saale-Unstrut Region, 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

Riesling Crawl in New York City – Or, Where to Buy German Wine in Manhattan: Schiller's Favorite Wine Stores, 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    

Postings: Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015) (Published and Forthcoming) 

Preview: Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

The Art Marketer: OMBIASY PR & WINE TOURS - Germany-East

Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Tasting at Weingut Lützkendorf with Uwe Lützkendorf – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Weingut Pawis (Saale Unstrut): Estate Tour and Wine Tasting with Markus Pawis – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Weingut Thürkind in Gröst, Saale-Unstrut: Tour, Tasting and Lunch – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in the Saale Unstrut Region, Germany

Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Wine Tasting at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz in Sachsen, with Owner Georg Prinz zur Lippe

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Best Apple Wine (Hard Cider): Best of Apfelwein, Frankfurt-Tipp 2015, Germany

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Picture: Christian Schiller and Robert Theobald of Zur Buchscheer

Frankfurt am Main is definitely the apple wine capital of Germany and some say of the whole world. Apple wine is a German variant of hard cider, which is made all over the world, in some regions sparkling, in others sweet. In Frankfurt, you are typically served a tart, dry apple wine with around 6 percent alcohol, in one of the many apple wine taverns.

Best of Apfelwein 2015

Frankfurt-Tipp, a popular online portal for the greater Frankfurt am Main area, organized an Apfelwein contest: Readers were invited to name their favorite Apfelwein producer. Here are the winners.

#1 Obsthof Schneider, Frankfurt/Nieder-Erlenbach
#2 Zur Buchscheer, Frankfurt-Sachsenhausen
#3 Kelterei Possmann, Frankfurt-Rödelheim

Interestingly, the 3 top producers all represent different Apfelwein market segments. Obsthof Schneider is a small, artisanal producers of ultra-premium Apfelwein. Zur Buchscheer is one of the few hard cider taverns in Frankfurt that still make the cider they serve on the premises. Finally, Possmann is a large mass producers of Apfelwein, with a long history.

Making Apple Wine (Hard Cider)

Just as wine making begins in the vineyard, hard ider making begins in the orchard. Tree ripened fruit, picked at maximum flavor and sweetness is the best starting point for hard cider. But there is one big difference between hard cider and wine: Apples must be ground before pressing. The entire apple is ground to a pulp called pommace. The pulp is almost always pressed immediately. The next step is the fermentation. Generally, there is less sugar to ferment in apples than in grapes. Therefore, cider tends to have lower alcohol content than wine.

In the cellar, hard cider makers have as many options for managing fermentation as winemakers — chaptalization, wild yeast, temperature control, adding sterilized juice, malolactic fermentation, stopping fermentation before dryness to achieve a naturally sweetened hard cider, to name a few issues.

Like wine made from grapes, the flavor of hard cider can vary from dry to sweet. Like sparkling and still wine, both sparkling and still hard ciders are made. Sometimes the hard cider is cloudy with sediment and sometimes completely clear. The color can range from light yellow through orange to brown. The variations in clarity and color are mostly due to filtering between pressing and fermentation. In terms of alcohol content, hard cider can vary from 2% to 8.5%. Generally, apples grown for consumption are suitable for hard cider making, although there are also special hard cider apples.

For sparkling hard cider, basically the same methods are available as for sparkling wine. Higher quality hard ciders can be made the same way as Champagne is produced. A few producers in Quebec, inspired by ice wine, developed cidre de glace - ice hard cider. Calvados from Normandy is distilled from hard cider. Hard cider may also be used to make vinegar.

Hard Cider in the World

Apple wine is a German variant of hard cider, which is made all over the world. The French cidre is produced in Normandy and Brittany. It comes as cidre doux, cidre demi-sec and cidre brut, but most French cidre is sweet. Typically, French ciders are sparkling. Higher quality French cider is sold in champagne-style bottles (cidre bouché). German hard cider has a tart, sour taste. In the UK, hard cider is available in sweet, medium and dry varieties. In the US during colonial times, apple hard cider was the main beverage, but after prohibition the word hard cider came to mean unfiltered apple juice. Alcoholic cider is called hard cider in the US. German apple wine typically has an alcohol content of 4%–9% and a tart, sour taste. Traditionally, it is not bubbly.

Hard cider was already known to the ancient Greeks and Romans. In the 11th century it was introduced into Spain and was used there as a medicine for scurvy. It was introduced into England in 1066 when William the Great brought some from France into England.

The Premium Apple Wines of Andreas Schneider

A few years ago, a number of apple wine producers ventured into the art of apple wine making by starting to produce vintage apple wines and special variety apple wines. While the choice of apple wine in an apple wine tavern is as basic as it can get (the house apple wine), the apple wine portfolios of the artisan apple wine producers resemble very much those of the Rheingau or Rheinhessen wine makers a few miles away: There is a variety of different apple wines, with the vintage, apple variety, alcohol level, and other information indicated. One of the leaders of this new generation of artisan apple wine producers is Andreas Schneider.

Picture: Christian Schiller and Andreas Schneider

It all started in 1965, when his parents Albert and Waltraud Schneider founded the Obsthof am Steinberg in Nieder-Erlenbach at the outskirts of Frankfurt am Main. Andreas took over from his parents in 1993 and began to convert to organic farming. Since 1996, he has been certified by ABCERT AG, Esslingen. In 1999, he opened his apple wine tavern and garden. On Andreas’ 13 hectares of land, not only apples are planted, but 14 different fruits, mainly of course apples.




Pictures: Christian Schiller at Obsthof Schneider with Andreas Schneider

Andreas Schneider currently sells several non-vintage, uncomplicated apple wines (Apfelweine ab Fass) directly from the barrel for Euro 2 per liter. He also offers a dozen or so still vintage apple wines (Jahrgangsapfelweine) in the Euro 4 to 12 per 0.75 liter range. In terms of remaining sweetness, they come as trocken, fast trocken and halbtrocken. Most of them are in the 7% to 8% alcohol range. The top wines are 2 sparkling apple wines (Apfelschaumweine), both made in the traditional champagne method and both brut.

See also:
The Premium Apple Wines of Andreas Schneider - Obsthof am Steinberg - in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Apple Wine Tavern Zur Buchscheer

In Frankfurt, much of the apple wine is consumed at the wooden, communal tables in the local apple wine taverns with hearty local food, like Green Sauce (made from 7 herbs and yogurt accompanied by boiled eggs and boiled potatoes), Rippchen mit Kraut und Brot (grilled pork, sauerkraut and bread). It is served in a Geripptes, a glass with a lozenge cut that refracts light. A filled Geripptes is called a Schoppen. If you drink more than a glass or are in a group, you typically order a Bembel (a specific Apfelwein jug). The different sizes of a Bembel are designated after their contents in glasses from 4-er to 10-er Bembel.

Pictures: At Zur Buchscheer, with Otto Schiller

The apple wine tavern (Apfelweinwirtschaft) is as distinctive a Frankfurt institution as the Bierkeller is of Munich or the Weinstube of Mainz. Many of the best-known establishments are concentrated in Sachsenhausen, but others are dotted all over the city. They are strongly traditional. They offer hearty local cuisine, usually at moderate prices.

Overall, the various apple wine taverns do not differ that much one from another. However, while most of the apple wine taverns pour an apple wine bought from an apple wine producer, there are a few taverns that still make the apple wine they serve on the premise.

Zur Buchscheer in Sachsenhausen belongs to the small group of apple wine taverns that make their own apple wine and pour it in their apple wine tavern. 100 years back, this was the rule. Today, it has unfortunately become the exception in Frankfurt am Main.

Zur Buchscheer in Sachsenhausen was founded in 1876 by Adam Theobald. Now in the fifth generation, it is owned and managed by Robert Theobald and Christian Theobald. The name Zur Buchscheer goes back to the 16./17. Century and signifies an area in the forest where the peasants would take their pigs and the sheppards their sheep so that the animals could find nutritious food like nuts.

Then as today, the apple wine served at Zur Buchscheer is made on the premises. When you go to the Zur Buchscheer in the September/October period, you can observe it yourself. A couple of years ago, Robert Theobald took a group of apple wine lovers, which included me, through the process of making apple wine at Zur Buchscheer: “For our hard cider, we use carefully selected orchards of the Wetterau, the Taunus, the Odenwald, the Spessart as well as from the surrounding area. For the fermentation, we do not need cultured yeasts, as the yeast that sits on the apples is sufficient to get the fermentation going. In addition, the hard cider is clarified only by the tannins and acids of the apple orchard. We do not need to filter our apple wine, which would take aromas away.”

The food served is hearty local food, like Green Sauce (made from 7 herbs and yogurt accompanied by boiled eggs and boiled potatoes), Rippchen mit Kraut und Brot (grilled pork, sauerkraut and bread). Robert Theobald: “In our kitchen, the meals are always freshly prepared. So, our mashed potatoes as well as baked potatoes made from fresh potatoes and seasoned with "good" butter."

Pictures: Making Apple Wine at Zur Buchscheer

Here are a few items from the Zur Buchscheer menu.

Rippchen Rib – boiled or grilled - with „Sauerkraut“ and bread € 7,50
Schlachtplatte Butcher’s Platter – boiled – with “Sauerkraut” and bread € 7,50
„Gref – Völsing’s“ Rindswurst Beef sausage – boiled with „Sauerkraut“ and bread € 4,20
Gegrilltes Schäufelchen Grilled cut of shoulder of pork with “Sauerkraut” and bread; by weight: between € 9,00 and € 16,20
Frankfurter Grüne Soße The famous Frankfurt cream-sauce speciality with seven green herbs! “Grüne Soße” served with 4 boiled egg halves and boiled potatoes € 8,00

Picture: Frankfurter Grüne Soße

Homemade sausages from the “Vogelsberg” (an area north – east from Frankfurt) - all served with bread an butter
Portion of “Preßkopf” (a terrine of pork) € 4,50
Portion of “Leberwurst” (a liver sausage) € 4,00
Portion of “Blutwurst” (a black pudding sausage) € 4,00
Handkäse mit Musik - a must for everyone visiting Frankfurt – very tasty
A Frankfurt cheese speciality with “Musik” (oil, vinegar and onions) € 2,60

See also:
Apple Wine Tavern Zur Buchscheer in Frankfurt am Main, Germany – The Traditional Way: Apple Wine Made on the Premises 

Kelterei Possmann

Kelterei Possmann was founded in 1881 by Philipp Possmann and, now in its fourth generation, has been family owned and operated ever since.

Picture: Apple Wine Possmann and Frau Rauscher at Apfelwein Weltweit 2014 in Frankfurt

Philipp Possmann was known throughout nineteenth century Frankfurt Main for his homemade apple wine—a tart, pale yellow drink he made in the basement of his restaurant and served to eager customers. Due to popular demand, Mr. Possmann embarked on a more wide-scale production and distribution of his wine. Since then, what began as a small one-man-business has survived through the setbacks of two World Wars to develop into Germany’s market leader for apple wine. Today, Possmann employs over 100 people and sells nearly 20 million liters through Germany and the world.

In terms of quantity, the most important apple wine producer in Frankfurt is Possmann. Heil from the Taunus region has gained considerable market shares in recent years. In addition, Rapps and Hoehl are two large apple wine producers in Hessen; their apple wine is very popular in Frankfurt.

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