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By Manos Angelakis
The wines of Germany are the Rodney Dangerfields of the US wine market; they get very little respect compared to wines from France, Italy, and California. While wine consumption is increasing by almost double digits in the US, the main beneficiaries have been Australia, Chile, Argentina, and Spain. One of the reasons is that the very best German product is white wine, mostly Riesling, while the demand is for red varietals or Bordeaux-style blends.
 Germany is one of the most northerly of the wine-producing countries; the short hours of sunshine, the cold northern winds and morning frost are responsible for a late growing season. Harvests can extend from mid-October to mid-December. Well-designed vineyards cling to steep slopes (the angle sometimes approaches 60°), which makes for difficult cultivation and even more difficult harvests. In addition, the soil greatly varies, with blue or red slate, schist, or sandy gravel being the most common.
In my opinion, if a white wine would be placed on one’s table, a German Riesling is one of the best choices because of the grape’s versatility, aroma, and flavor. Depending on the winemaker’s taste, wine made from Riesling grapes can cover the entire gamut from highly aromatic to subtle aromas, very dry to very sweet. During our trip, we tasted the product of numerous wineries, both large and small, and no two wines  were alike. Fermentation is, primarily, in steel to avoid micro-oxidation and retain freshness and aroma, then aging is in old casks. Some producers vinify in German oak and age in French barriques, but the wine produced this way is a distinct minority.
Riesling should be served well chilled. Many of the Rieslings we tasted had low alcohol –- between 8 and 10.5%, which means there is considerable residual sugar. However, because the wine’s acidity is on the high side, the wines feel crisp and not cloyingly sweet. Even the ice-wines, dessert wines created to be very sweet, were refreshing.
Our visit encompassed three Riesling winemaking regions, Rheingau, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, and Rheinhessen and we visited some of the best producers. Rheingau and Rheinhessen are along the banks of the Rhine River and Mosel-Saar-Ruwer along the banks of the Mosel and its tributaries; the very best vineyards, the ones that produce collectible wines, are near the Mosel’s confluence with the Rhine. The microclimate of the hillsides near the rivers is optimal for the cultivation of very high quality grapes.
The majority of the wine we tasted was from the 2004 vintage. The 2004 growing season was a bit peculiar starting with the previous year’s dry end of season and lack of substantial rainfall during the winter; some inclement weather in April did not affect the vines because early summer was warm therefore blooming was a bit earlier than usual. A very warm September with cool nights was responsible for earlier than normal ripening and a longer ripening season of up to 130 days. The result is outstanding  wines.
During the tastings, we sampled wines as old as the 1971 vintage. Some of the older wineries have in their cellars bottles starting from the 18th century; many had lost their collections during WWII, so the oldest wines were from the late ‘40s.
In my opinion, Riesling is one of the wines that should be drunk quite young, perhaps within five or six years at most from bottling. The wine will remain fresh and fruity and will retain its aromas when it is closed with a high quality cork or, even better, a Stelvin® or Stelvin+® closure. I find the nose on some of the older Riesling vintages (over 10-12 years) rather objectionable; the taste is not affected and some of the residual sugar and acidity has subsided, really smoothing the wine, but the “petrol” or “acetone” smell generated with age I do not like – for the same reason I don’t like limburger cheese.
 Riesling’s quality classification on a label is rather elaborate with the grading of the wine depending on the amount of sugar in the grapes at harvest. Wines rated Kabinett denote first picking of ripe grapes. Spätlese means riper grapes, second pass in the vineyard. Auslese, even riper, select grapes, third pass. The next grade is Beerenauslese, with over ripe grapes, some exhibiting botrytis, usually fourth pass. Trockenbeerenauslese, meand over ripe grapes left hanging on the vine until the berries start to shrivel. These are very sweet and aromatic wines, usually presented as dessert wines. The last two grades are collectable, usually sold during yearly auction.
The first day we tasted the wines of Weingut Leitz and Weingut Spreitzer, both family-owned wineries with a long tradition of creating excellent Riesling wines. Even the Kabinett designated bottles showed a considerable amount of residual sugar. The most highly aromatic of all the wines we tasted throughout our journey, they  are exported to the US, UK and a number of other countries.
The second day we traveled to Weingut Robert Weil, where we had some subtle and exceptional samples. The tasting list included a 2004 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Erstes Gewächs wine, a sophisticated wine with elevated minerality. A very interesting selection was the 2004 Kabinett halbtrocken i.e. medium-dry, which was a downgrade at the end of harvest from an initial Spätlese grading. A nose of apricots, green apple, and pluots with a palate reminding of a dry mead. Their 2004 Eiswein was luscious and was from grapes harvested on the 21st and 22nd of December!
 The next winery was Weinbau Domäne Schloss Johannisberg, the most known name in German viticulture. It is the oldest German wine estate and famous for its honeyed late harvest (Spätlese), select harvest (Auslese) and Eiswein. There is a record of 6 Fuder (6,000 litres) yield from the vineyards, now part of the estate, in 817 A.D. For the tasting, we had all estate-bottled wines starting with a 2004 Grünlack - Spätlese trocken i.e. dry Riesling, which was described by the estate manager as a “bread and butter” wine. I actually liked this “bread and butter” wine and, considering the estate manager’s quote that “the basic wine has to be perfect, then all the specialty wines have to be better than that” I looked forward to tasting the rest of the samples. I was not disappointed.
 After a short Rhine cruise, from Rüdesheim to Bacharach we proceeded to our first Mosel winery, Weingut S. A. Prüm. The Prüm family has, since 1156, vineyards in several of the best locations of the Mittelmosel. Sebastian Alois Prüm (1794 - 1871), who established the S. A. Prüm winery, had six sons, and his heir, Matthias, seven children, amongst which the vineyards of the family were divided. The current owner/manager, Raimund Prüm, has elevated the estate’s product to be considered as one of the top German white wines. During our tasting, we also met the younger Prüm generation, Raimund’s daughter, who just joined the family business.
 The Blue Slate Riesling, a QmP, 100% estate-bottled, hand harvested Riesling, was my favorite amongst the dryer offerings with Essence Riesling following very close behind. Both are stainless steel fermented and have fresh fruit flavors with apricot, peach, and a hint of grapefruit predominant on the nose. They are favored by restaurants for their wine lists. On the sweeter side, the Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Beerenauslese was extremely nice with the over-ripe grapes imparting a light but very recognizable botrytis taste. The best though were the Wehlener Sonnenuhr Trockenbeerenauslese and Graacher Himmelreich Eiswein. Deep gold hued, with intense aromas of tropical fruit and honey and well-balanced acidity, these are legendary wines from an outstanding vintage.
The next morning Mrs. Sofia Thanisch-Spier, a fourth generation managing owner of the Thanisch winery, welcomed us to Weingut Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch – Erben Thanisch, an estate just across the Mosel River from two of Germany’s most celebrated vineyards, Bernkasteler Doctor and Bernkasteler Badstube. Mr. Armin Göring, CEO of the Deutsches Weininstitut accompanied us for this visit. Like  another famous widow (Veuve Clicquot), the widow of Dr. Hugo Thanisch took over the reins when her husband passed away in 1895 and guided the winery to further prominence. In parcels of these two famous vineyards plus Bernkasteler Lay and Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr, the grapes are selectively hand-harvested and in the estate, the wines individually matured in small casks and traditional oak barrels.
The tasting commenced with an almost dry 2003 Wwe. Dr. Thanisch Riesling, a pleasantly fruity and elegant wine and continued with a 2003 Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett Riesling that seemed to be a bit sweeter than the first, but also very elegant. We then proceeded with 2004 samples of both, a bit more aromatic that the 2003 samples, with green apple and peach on the nose and a crisp acidity. Following, we tasted four versions of the 2004 Bernkasteler Doctor Rieslings: a Kabinett, a Spätlese, an Auslese, and an Eiswein. With this sampling, it became very evident to me why the Doctor vineyard has achieved such a reputation in the wine-drinking world. All the wines were creamy and refreshing with high acidity combined with beautiful aroma, flavor, and a remarkable range, from dry to absolute sweetness.
 Our next stop was at another premium wine estate Weingut Studert Prüm-Maximinhof, resulting from joining the vineyards of the Studert family (vintners since 1581), to the Peter Prüm vineyards, and the estate house of the St. Maximin Abbey in Bernkastel-Wehlen. I was very exited to see the beautiful antiques with which the residence is furnished, as well as meeting Stephan and Gerhard Studert, the winemakers.
From my notes: 2004 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett and Spätlese, beautifully aromatic and vinified fairly dry. The Spätlese from the 2003 vintage was a bit hotter and slightly drier and will improve with bottle age (if one likes the slight “petrol” nose of a well aged Riesling). There was also the 2002 Maximiner Cabinett Trocken sparkling wine, an exceptionally tasty sparkler that can be a very nice aperitif. The 2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Trockenbeerenauslese, like the one from the S. A. Prüm winery, was an exceptional dessert wine.
 We took some free time to explore the town of Bernkastel-Kues, a “typical” town of the area that looks as if Disney built it. Crowded with tourists from around the world, the central square was a Babel of different languages as people congregated around the souvenir shops, wine stores, restaurants and other tourist establishments. There were a few antique stores, and in one, I saw a set of beautiful hand-painted pre-WWII KPM plates that I considered buying. Unfortunately, they did not accept credit cards! But in a wine shop, I found a hand-made, wine-travel box made to protect a bottle (375 ml) of ice-wine. Since ice-wine is quite rare and can be rather expensive, as much as €160 for some of the 2004 samples we have tasted, I purchased the box to store a bottle of ice-wine one of the vintners had given to me as a memento of my visit to his winery.
 Next stop was Schmit Söhne, a large producer and exporter of Riesling. The tasting took place in the open air amidst the partially restored walls of an ancient Roman villa. Schmit Söhne purchases grapes and bulk wine from growers they have long-term relationships, and vinify, blend, bottle and export the product. The tasting commenced with Ockfener Scharzberg Sect, a refreshing sparkling wine; then we proceeded to sample their 2004 Schmit Söhne Classic Riesling QBA, a dry wine with very subtle fruit on the nose, medium minerality, low acidity, and minimal residual sugar. The next sample was 2004 Relax Riesling QBA, similar to the Classic Riesling, in a very characteristic blue bottle popular in the US market.
The final stop for the day was at Weingut Selbach-Oster, another quality producer of elegant wines where Johannes Selbach, the winery’s owner conducted the tasting. This winery owns parcels in some of the best Mosel vineyards  including the Bernkasteler Badstube, Wehlener Sonnenuhr, and Zeltinger Sonnenuhr amongst others.
We tasted 2003 and 2004 wines as well as a 1993, 1995, and 2001 from different vineyards. The entire production was very good with the 2004 Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken, the 2004 Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett and the 2002 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Eiswein being outstanding. Vinification is at low temperature in steel, and aging in old German oak, so that no oak masks the purity of aroma and flavor.
A new day, and the first stop is Weingut Wittman, in Westhoffen. Another outstanding winery; cellars that date to practically the middle ages; stainless steel and German oak casks for fermentation and French barriques for ageing. The entire business plus a residence for the owners is in the middle of a wonderful semi-tropical garden with sculptures in the garden and cellars and modern artwork in the tasting room and office areas. Elisabeth Wittman, manages sales, Günter Wittman, takes care of the vineyards and Philipp Wittman, their son, manages the cellars. The entire family is involved in the business, hands-on. The main product is Riesling but they also produce a small quantity of Pinot Noir (a hobby according to Philipp) and Silvaner wines. All the grapes grow in ecologically and biodynamically cultivated vineyards and the wines are estate bottled.
The dryer wines were very impressive; crisp, fresh, aromatic and fruity with light minerality. Standing out: the 2004 AULERDE Westhofen Riesling Trocken Großes Gewächs and the MORSTEIN Westhofen Riesling Trocken Großes Gewächs are both spicy and considerably aromatic, the first steel fermented to retain the fruit aromas, the second cask fermented with vanilla from the oak and a lightly salty finish. Very interesting was the 2004 Albalonga Beerenauslese, quite sweet, created from a new hybrid, a cross of Silvaner and Rislana (another Riesling-based hybrid). The 2003 Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese was really nice with slight acetone on the nose, amidst peach and pear fragrances, and honey and apricot on the palate. The wines the Wittmans produce have a long fermentation period, that often continues into the year following the harvest, The majority of the dry wines are bottled in the spring; the specialty sweet wines later.
Next stop was at Weingut Gunderloch. We entered the tasting room through a courtyard full of bottle containers that were being prepared for the final 2004 bottling commencing the next day; all their wines are estate bottled. This is another of the older estates now  run by the fifth generation of the family. The main vineyard is Nackenheim Rothenberg situated on the bank of the Rhine. The hill’s steep slope faces to the southeast and is composed of red slate. The wines produced from this vineyard have concentrated peach and grapefruit flavor and a brilliant acidity. They are well balanced with a long mineral finish.
Of the wines we tasted, the 2004 Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Qualitätswein trocken was excellent; a wine made from very ripe grapes that have been fermented towards dryness in German oak. This vinification resulted in a lovely off-dry wine with a subtle aroma. Also very good were the 2004 Red Stone Riesling and 2004 Gunderloch Jean Baptiste. I loved the 2004 Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Auslese, a sweet and tart dessert wine made from 100% botrytis-affected grapes and very  characteristic of the genre.
The last winery visited was Weingut Freiherr Heyl zu Herrnsheim. Another premium wine producer with holdings in such significant first growth vineyards as Nierstein Pettental, Nackenheim Rothenberg, Nierstein Brudesberg and Oelberg. Mathildenhof, the estate building dates back to 1561, but its present form of a Tuscan villa was given in 1845. Full of antique furniture, furnishings, and decorative items, I was very impressed by their collection of pre-WWII KPM porcelains.
All the wines we tasted were from splendid to excellent. I cannot think of one weak link in the lineup. 2004 is an outstanding year for this winery, especially their noble sweet wines.
This was an outstanding end to an outstanding trip.
© September 2005 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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