In three days in Germany I drove, tasted, visited, ate, drank, slept, and toured the Rhine, Mosel, Saar and Ruwer. If you did as I did you would fly nonstop on Delta at under $400 roundtrip (www.delta.com ) from JFK in New York to Frankfurt (www.frankfurt-tourismus.de ). Rent your Mercedes C Class from Dollar/Thrifty (www.dollar.com ) and drive a half hour into the center of Frankfurt staying at the charming and friendly Villa Orange Hotel (www.villa-orange.de ). After walking through the old city and an early to bed you would drive 50 miles to Heidelberg (www.cvb-heidelberg.com ), viewing the historic castle and mixing with the students at the University of Heidelberg. Another 20 miles and you arrive in Worms (www.worms.de ) with its Liebfraunkirche vineyard and church, the original site for the wine we know as Liebraumilch. The stately Hotel Prinz Carl (www.parkhotel-prinzcarl.de ) was the starting point for my German wine adventure. Wilhelm Steifensand, President of PJ Valckenberg, wine importer, negociant and estate owner was my tour guide, interpreter, travel agent and friend. We visited the Rheinhessen, Rheingau, Mosel, Saar & Ruwer, meeting, eating and tasting with the Super Stars of the German wine industry. BEFORE YOU GO- www.cometogermany.com – German National Tourist Office- 122 East 42nd Street- 20th Floor- (212) 661-7200.
But first a brief Baedeker: (www.germanwineusa.org ) German wine regions lie along the northern limits for grape growing (latitude 50 degrees). Above that limit summers are too short and the limited sunshine does not allow enough warmth for the grapes to ripen. I love the light, delicate, low alcohol white wines that are the hallmark of Germany. The vineyards are mainly steep, south-facing, near rivers that temper the climate and act as a heat reflector (the Rhine & Mosel and its tributaries, the Saar & Ruwer). The mist and fog in early autumn protect the grapes from frost.
Monastic orders with their research and care of the vines were responsible for the cultivation of many of the finest vineyards. In 1803 Napoleon conquered the Rhine region and secularized all the monasteries. He divided the churches’ vineyards into small parcels and sold to private owners. Some large estates were taken over by the state. Riesling is top dog in Germany (20% of all plantings) because it is frost-resistant, does well on stony soil and needs little moisture. It also ripens very late. Muller-Thurgau (15%) is the most widely planted grape. Silvaner (6%) and Gewurztraminer are other important varieties. If 85% of a wine is from one grape it can be noted on the label. 34% of all planted vineyards are planted with red wine vines (Almost 11% of all grapes grown in Germany are Spatburgunder/Pinot Noir). I am unimpressed with most of their red wines.
Germany is a nation of small wine-growers with most of the vineyard sites split among several owners. Ripeness at harvest is the key to understanding German wines. I will mention only that which you are apt to see in supermarkets and retail stores: Tafelwein- Everyday table wine, not readily available; Qualitatswine (QBA)- Most German wines from one of the 13 wine-growing regions (think Rheingau, Mosel etc); Qualitatswine mit Pradikat (QmP)- Six special attributes which will appear on the label as: Kabinett (fully ripened), Spatlese (second picking), Auslese (very ripe bunches of grapes), Beerenauslese (BA- overripe individually selected berries), Eiswein (made from frozen grapes), Trockenbeerauslese (TBA- selected harvest of very ripe berries shriveled almost to raisins). Most Rhine wines are bottled in slender, swan-necked brown bottles; most Mosel wines are bottled in green bottles.
The most important of the 13 wine-growing regions are the Mosel (bordering on Luxembourg) and its two small tributaries, the Saar and Ruwer that flows serpentine like north toward the Rhine. Most work must be done by hand as its banks rise almost 70 degrees and are among the steepest in the world. The Rhine begins in Switzerland and flows north, then west and then north again, meeting the Mosel. The Pfalz has the largest production; the Rheinhessen is the largest wine region & the Riesling is king in the Rheingau.
The Great Estates Visited- Serriger Schloss Saarstein (Saar) - 23 acres high above the Saar River overlooking the village of Serrig.The Schloss was built in 1900. The father was a farmer and left East Germany in 1944 when the Russian arrived. In 1956 the winery was for sale. In 1986 Christian Ebert took over from his father. Member VDP (see sidebar); the vineyard is a monopoly (exclusive). Up to 6% Pinot Blanc grown – www.vinonet.com/saarstein
Staatsweinguter Kloster Eberbach (Rheingau) - 500 acres founded in 1116; the principal center of German viticulture, the wine trade and location of wine auctions. This is Germany’s largest wine estate and owned by the Rheingau state domain (88% Riesling). Look for Steinberger (monopoly), Erbacher Marcobrunn, Rudesheimer- Berg Rottland & Rauenthaler Baiken- Member VDP- www.staatsweingueterhessen.de .
Schloss Johannisberg (Rheingau) - 86 acres with great steep hills; isolated, symmetrical, crowned with its castle that dominates the landscape. This Benedictine monastery was constructed in 1100. The previous Schloss was destroyed by the RAF and rebuilt as before. 100% Riesling with the capsule color denoting the different quality levels; Yellow (QBA), Red (Kabinett), Green (Spatlese), Pink (Auslese), Gold (TBA), Blue (BA/Eiswein) - Member VDP-www.schloss-johannisberg.com
Dr Loosen (Mosel)- 26 acres including Bernkasteler Lay, Erdener Pralat, Wehlener Sonnenuhr & Graacher Hilmmelreich. Ernst Loosen was named Decanter Magazine Man of the Year, the first German ever so honored. In 1988 he joined together the estates of Zach. Bergweiler-Prum Erben & Dr. Loosen and no longer uses the former name. 100% Riesling- www.drloosen.de
Maximin Grunhaus (Ruwer) - 77 acres. Dr. Carl Von Schubert is the sole owner since 1982. “As much handling as necessary, but as little as possible.” It is on very steep hillsides with only Riesling grown. Built in 966 as the Abbey of St. Maximin. Vineyard designations include: Bruderberg (6 acres), Grunhauser Herrenberg (21 acres) and Abtsberg (24 acres) - www.vonschubert.com
J.J Prum- (Mosel) - 35 acres including the largest & best section of Wehlener Sonnenuhr, 15 acres of 50 year old ungrafted vines. Also look for Bernkasteler Lay & Badstube & Graacher Himmelreich. The Prum name began in the 16th century. Matthias Prum died in 1911 & his estate was split between 3 daughters & 5 sons. His oldest son was Joh.Jos. Prum (or JJ) and his grandson is the present owner Dr. Manfred Prum whose Wehlener Sonnenuhr was chosen as the 75th best wine in 2004 by the Wine Spectator. Other well known Prum’s include the offspring of Matthias such as Bergweiler-Prum, S.A. Prum & Studert- Prum. 100% Riesling & a member of the VDP. I stayed the night at the Hotel St. Stephanus (www.hotel-stephanus.de ) in Zeltingen, a few minutes from the Prum home where I had dinner.
Valckenberg (Rheinhessen) - In 1786 Peter Joseph Valckenberg started a wine business in Worms. In 1808 he purchased the vineyards surrounding the Church of Our Dear Lady (Liebfraunenstuck-Kirchenstuck) and was the first to ship the original Liebfaumilch from this estate. Today Valckenberg is a wine merchant that sells and ships German wines to 40 countries and markets over 30 estates in the US. They may be the first German wine producer to use Alcoa’s innovative stopper as an alternative to natural corks and synthetic stoppers. Called Vino-Lok it is a glass stopper that has the appearance of a decorative stopper, but it holds firmly in the bottle opening and can be resealed– www.valckenberg.com
Dr. H. Thanisch/Erben Muller (Mosel). The name Bernkasteler Doctor originates from a legend about a German Archbishop who became ill and was cured by drinking this wine. Owned by Margrit-Muller Burggraef, granddaughter of Dr. H Thanisch and run by Barbara Rundquist-Thanisch. Also look for Bernkasteler Graben, Lay & Badstube.
Dr. H. Thanisch/Erben Thanisch (Mosel) - 16 acres including Bernkasteler Doctor, Lay & Graben. Founded in 1650 by Dr. Hugo Thanisch and today run by Sofia Thanisch-Spier, great-granddaughter of Hugo. The manor house was built in 1884 and the Art Nouveau label shows the town of Bernkastel and the Doctor vineyard. 100% Riesling and a member of VDP. (For an explanation of the two Thanisch’s see J.J. Prum above)
Grans-Fassian (Mosel) - Established in 1624 their 24 acres are 90% Riesling & 10% Pinot Blanc in the steep south-facing slopes in the sites of Leiwener Laurentiuslay, Piesporter Goldtropfchen & Trittenheimer Apotheke. The slate soil gives their wines a mineral and racy character. Owners Gerhard & Doris Grans have recently opened a restaurant on the property. Member of the VDP- www.grans-fassian.de
EDITORS NOTE_ Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter or The Association of German Pradikat Wine Estates (VDP) with over 200 members (representing 3% of total wine growing) must pledge to grow at least 80% of their estate’s acreage in traditional grape varieties. As of 2004 VDP estates are restricted to printing vineyard names on their labels from classified sites only (Grosses Gewachs- Great Growths). There is an additional sensory evaluation of the wines to supplement the government quality test.
