Producers Flashcards
Dönnhoff
Region?
Commune?
Top Wines/Vineyards?
Summary/Style
Nahe
Oberhausen
Norheimer Dellchen Riesling GG
Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling GG
Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Auslese Riesling Goldkapsel
Oberhäuser Brücke Auslese Riesling Goldkapsel
Oberhäuser Brücke Eiswein Riesling
Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg “Felsentürmchen” Riesling GG
- Helmut works the estate with his son Cornelius.
- Joined the VDP in 1990
- “we never speak of Riesling, we just name the sites.”; he considers his wine not a “Riesling” but a “Hermannshöhle GG,”
- picks late, from the middle of October into late November (Eiswein is picked in December), grapes are always hand-harvested.
- allows up to 5% of botrytized grapes into his dry wines.
- dry wines are aged in a mixture of stainless steel and stück or doppelstück; Eiswein/Auslese only see stainless steel.
- Since the 2009 vintage, sweetness levels in all of Dönnhoff’s wines have decreased, making them today more reminiscent of the wines from the early 1990s.
Joh. Jos. Prüm
Region?
Commune?
Top Wines/Vineyards?
Summary/Style
Mosel
Wehlen
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Rieslings: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese and Auslese Goldkapsel
Graacher Himmelreich Rieslings: Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese
Berkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese
- Run by father/daughter Dr. Manfred Prüm and Dr. Katharina Prüm (4th generation)
- Best known for their sweet wines with long aging potential, and the reputation of the property was built on their Goldkapsel Auslese wines and rare BA and TBA.
- They look at the different Prädikat levels not as quality differentiations but merely different styles of wine.
- J.J. Prüm is a member of the VDP.
- The majority of vines are ungrafted on very steep slopes (some reach a gradient of 80%!). Uses mostly ambient yeasts.
- Consider the wines unapproachable in their youth, mistaking the young wines’ aromas for SO2. However, Dr. Katharina Prüm asserts that these are due to the estate’s use of reductive fermentation and aging; she recommends decanting the young wines and notes that the wines show very differently after three to five years of aging.
Keller
Region?
Commune?
Top Wines/Vineyards?
Summary/Style
Wonnegau, Rheinhessen
Flörsheim-Dalsheim
“Hubacker," GG "Kirchspiel," GG "Morstein," GG "Absterde," GG "G-Max" inaugural vintage 2001 "Pettenthal," GG "Hipping," GG
Current head of estate Klaus Peter Keller has gained a cult-like following for his winemaking(with his wife Julia); took over winemaking in 2001 and the estate itself in 2006.
- Went to oenology school and then went on to apprentice at Rousseau and Lignier in Burgundy. His wife Julia trained at Müller-Catoir and with Robert Weil.
- Focus is on dry wines, but produces exceptional sweet wines in the Auslese, BA, and TBA categories; his 2003 Hubacker TBA Goldkapsel received 100 points from Gault-Millau in 2005.
- Young vines from the Grosse Lage sites are used only to make a second wine, Riesling von der Fels–“from the rocks.”
- Believes the most important aspect of a vineyard is not its exposition but the soil that lies therein.
- G-Max, is the most expensive dry Riesling produced in Germany; comes from old vines from unspecified Grosse Lage site(s); Keller keeps secret due to having past grapes stolen from the Hubacker vineyard.
- In 2012, Keller acquired two small parcels in Nierstein’s Roter Hang.
- Keller uses spontaneous fermentation and short skin macerations for the Riesling wines.
Egon Müller-Scharzhof
Region?
Commune?
Top Wines?
Summary/Style?
- Saar
- Wiltingen
Scharzhofberg Rieslings: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Eiswein
(Le Gallais) Braune Kupp Riesling (monopole)
- Jean-Jacques Koch purchased the Scharzhof farm in 1797.
- Monastery ownership previously existed there since 700 AD.
- After Jean-Jacques death; divided property between 7 children; one of his daughters, Elisabeth, married Felix Müller; they doubled their acreage by the 1850s property remained in the Müller family since.
- Run by Egon Müller IV, since 1991.
- Family also now owns a second property known as Le Gallais in Kanzem, thanks to an agreement made in 1954 by Egon III with the Le Gallais family
- Owns the monopole Braune Kupp in Wiltingen.
- They have been members of the VDP since 1910, and they grow only Riesling.
- Egon Müller is the only German member of Primum Familiae Vini.
- focus is on sweet wines; they do not make a trocken wine (?)
- They welcome the growth of botrytis in the vineyards (it’s even allowed into the eisweins), claim not to pick by must weight but by ripeness of grape flavors.
- Scharzhofberg vineyard is on a south-facing slope of pure slate and one of the cooler sites in Germany, acidity levels that are quite high; explains the estate’s penchant for sweeter, fruitier wines.
- The wines are fermented and aged in fuder, save for the TBA.
- Wines are known for their aging capacity; “If someone prefers to drink Riesling as young wine, it is not necessary to buy a Scharzhof. These develop their value only with time.”
Karthäuserhof
Region?
Commune?
Top Wines?
Summary/Style?
Ruwer, Mosel
Eitelsbach
Karthäuserhofberg, GG
Spätlese Trocken, Alte Reben
Auslese Trocken, Tyrell’s Edition
Riesling Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese Karthäuserhofberg
Riesling Auslese, Karthäuserhofberg, nr. 43, 49, 57
Riesling Beerenauslese, Karthäuserhofberg, nr. 53, 27, 29
Riesling Eiswein, Karthäuserhofberg, nr. 49
- Belonged to Carthusian monks till 1811; Napoleon put property to auction in Paris.
- The name Karthäuserhauf mean Carthusian.
- 70% estate is dry wines
- No use of chemical fertilizer and only use organic fertilizer (horse manur, bark mulch, compostable grains, shredded old vines); will use fungicides if necessary.
- Every second row has cover crops
- Cultured yeasts for extremely ripe grapes and/or botrytis-affected grapes, but hope for spontaneous fermentation for most wines.
- stay on lees until February
- small amount of sulphur is added upon racking
- Karthäuserhofberg is 19 ha and planted to 90% Riesling and 10% Pinot Blanc–which is kept to the southwest-facing portion of the vineyard where there is a higher proportion of clay.
Weingut Dr. Loosen
Region?
Commune?
Top Wines?
Summary/Style?
Mosel
Bernkastel
-Loosen lists only his six major vineyards on labels; all others labeled “Estate Wine”
-Bernkasteler Lay: 2.2 ha; blue slate
Graacher Himmelreich: 3.7 ha; blue slate
Wehlener Sonnenuhr: 6.7 ha; blue slate
Erdener Treppchen: 3.4 ha, red slate
Ürziger Würzgarten: 5.9 ha; red volcanic and slate
Erdener Prälat: 0.6 ha; red slate
- Currently run by owner and winemaker Dr. Ernst Loosen (pronounced loh-zen), since 1988.
- Focus is on showing differences between each vineyard, producing very concentrated wines from very low yields.
- Loosen traveled to wineries around the world before taking over; taking a more global approach to running the estate.
- not certified organic, but work mostly organically and do not use any chemical pest control or fertilizer
- focused on sweet wines for export market, now focus on dry wine with max 12.5 abv.
- GG wines aged in 1000-3000 liter oak barrels.
- partnered with Ste. Michelle for Eroica in WA and with J. Christopher of Willamette.
- VDP since 1992
- No botrytised grapes allowed into the Kabinett, Spätlese or Auslese.
Robert Weil
Region?
Commune?
Top Wines?
Summary/Style?
Rheingau
Kiedrich
Gräfenberg Riesling GG
Gräfenberg Rieslings: Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein
Turmberg Rieslings: Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese
Klosterberg Rieslings: Spätlese and Auslese
- estate started in 1867; managed now by Wilhelm Weil, great-grandson of Robert; he has been credited for bringing the quality of the estate back to its highest levels.
- vineyards planted at a density of 6,000 vines/ha; best vineyards are between 45-50 hl/ha, all hand-harvested—top Prädikat wines are picked berry by berry with 15-17 tries!
- For long hang time, he utilizes green harvesting, hard pruning, green cover, and canopy management.
- late-harvest wines ferment with ambient yeasts in 1200-liter stück and aged in same vessel.
- 20% of wines are fermented on skins, then blended into final cuvee.
Fritz Haag
Region?
Commune?
Top Wines?
Summary/Style?
Mosel
Brauneberg
Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel
Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Rieslings: Spätlese, Auslese, Auslese Goldkapsel, GG
- Wines from the Juffer and Juffer Sonnenuhr vineyards of Brauneberg.
- Fritz, ran the winery until his son Wilhelm took over, bringing great acclaim, named winemaker of the year by Gault-Millau in 1994 and retired in 2005
- Son Oliver and daughter-in-law Jessica now in charge of winemaking and management of the estate. (Wilhelm’s elder son, Thomas, runs and owns the Schloss Lieser estate).
- Since Oliver’s take over brought even more accolades to the estate, in 2008 awarded “collection of the year” by Gault-Millau, and in 2009 & 2017 by wein-plus.eu.
- Wilhelm once said Riesling is great only “when you want to take a bath in it” easy to enjoyed but not to be taken lightly.
- 60-70% of the estate’s production is dry. Nearly all vines are trained onto wires as opposed to pole-training.
Ökonomierat Rebholz
Region? Commune? Top Wines? Summary/Style? What does Ökonomierat mean?
Südliche Weinstrasse, Pfalz
Siebeldingen
Grosses Gewächs Riesling: “Ganz Horn” Im Sonnenchein, Im Sonnenschein, Kastanienbusch
Grosses Gewächs Weissburgunder: Im Sonnenschein, Mandelberg
Grosses Gewächs Spätburgunder: Im Sonnenchein”
Erste Lage Albersweiler Latt Gewürztraminer (Auslese)
Ortswein Riesling: “vom Buntsandstein,“ “vom Rotliegenden,” “vom Muschelkalk”
Ortswein Weissburgunder: “vom Muschelkalk,” “vom Lösslehm”
Orswein Spätburgunder: “vom Muschelkalk”
Sekt “Pi No” (Brut NV, Brut Rosé NV, “Gold” Vintage)
The Rebholz (translates to “vine wood”) family involved in winemaking since the 16th century, and has owned the estate in Siebeldingen for over a century. Gault Millau German “Winemaker of the Year” in 2002.
- Currently run by Hansjörg Rebholz
- One of the top producers of dry Riesling in all of Germany
- No chaptalization or süssreserv used.
- Certified organic; vineyards farmed biodynamically
- VDP member.
- Nearly all production is trocken (Riesling often has 4-5 g/l of RS.)
- Fermentation for Riesling occurs in stainless steel with cultured yeasts. Some pre-fermentation skin contact for both Riesling and Weissburgunder. Some wines, such as Spätburgunder and Chardonnay, may be labeled with an “R” to indicate aging in small barriques.
- Ökonomierat is govt. honorary title of agricultural counselor
Schäfer-Fröhlich
Region?
Commune?
Top Wines?
Summary/Style?
Nahe
Bockenau
Bockenauer Felseneck: Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Spätlese Goldkapsel, GG
Monzinger Halenberg: Spätlese, GG
Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube GG
Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg GG
- Tim Fröhlich, 3rd generation.
- Owns top vineyards in Bockenau, Monzinger, and Schlossböckelheim.
- Tim is one of the most praised German winemakers; won Gault Millau’s Newcomer of the Year award in 2005 and Gault Millau Winemaker of the Year in 2010–he is the youngest to ever win this award.
- Like other Nahe winemakers, Frank Schönleber and Helmut Dönnhoff, Fröhlich picks late in the season.
- Looks to harvest all of his grapes with must weight around 100°-103° oechsle–usually in early November for his basic wines and late November for the GGs.
- Only ambient yeasts are used, and adjustments to the must are never made (save for in 2010, when Tim de-acidified his Gutswein and Ortswein). Tim does a whole cluster press, then
- Lets skins sit for a 6- to 24-hour maceration before the wines ferment in stainless steel.
- The GGs rest on their lees until the following May, while the sweet wines are on the lees until June or July.
- All wines are filtered, but there is no fining before bottling.
Gunderloch
Region?
Commune?
Top Wines?
Summary/Style?
Nierstein, Rheinhessen
Nackenheim
Grosse Lage, Spatlese, Auslese, BA, TBA, and GG Rothenberg
Grosse Lage, Pettenthal, GG
- VDP since 1910
- 5th generation, Agnes and Fritz Hasselback took over in 1979
- Rothenberg TBA has been awarded 100 points by Wine Spectator for 3 times (1992, 1996, and 2001)
- long recognized as one of the top wineries in Roter Hang.
- 70% dry and 30% sweet, fame clearly derived from their sweeter styles.
- Strives for low yields ; average yield on GG falling between 20-25 hl/ha.
- Traditionally relies on cultured yeast and stainless steel fermentation.
Schlosskellerei Carl von Schubert-Maximin Grunhaus
Region?
Commune?
Top Wines?
Summary/Style?
Ruwer
Mertesdorf
Bruderberg Rieslings: Spatlese and Auslese
Herrenberg: Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, BA, TBA, and Eiswein
Abtsberg: Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, BA, TBA, and Eiswein
- Focus on monopole: the Maximin Grunhaus vineyard; run by Benedictine monks until late 18th century.
- Famous for Jugendstil (Art Noveau label).
- Monopole divided into three contiguous smaller crus, named Bruderburg (monks), Herrenberg (choirmasters), and Abtsberg (the abbots, considered a Grand Cru by Hugh Johnson)
- NOT a member of VDP
- Plants cover crops of herbs and grasses; uses predominantly organic fertilization.
- low yields at 45-55 hl/ha; everything hand harvested.
- Stefan Kraml winemaker since 2004
- ferments with ambient yeasts in either fuder or stainless steel, elevage in same vessels
- sources barrel wood from forest on their property and are made by a local cooper.
Schloss Johannisberg
Region?
Commune?
Top wines?
Summary/Style?
Rheingau
Geisenheim-Johannisberg
-Schloss Johannisberger monopole; soil is Taunus quartzite with a loam-loess topsoil.
Gelback (yellow seal)- QBA Rotlack (red seal)- Kabinett Grunlack (green seal)- Spatlese Silberback (silver seal)- Grosse Lage Rosalack (pink seal)- Auslese Rosa-Goldlack (pink-gold seal) BA Goldlack (golden seal) TBA Blaulack (blue seal) Eiswein
- Presumed oldest Riesling estate in the world
- owned by the Metternich family from 1816-1992 when sold to German food conglomerate Dr. Oetker.
- Focal point of the winery is palace built in 1716; has a cellar beneath the barrel cellar known as Bibliotheca Subterranea with 11,000 bottles dating back to the 1748 vintage.
- Yields are kept low
- Grapes are hand-harvested after the second week of October.
- Whole cluster pressed; fermentation with cultured yeasts in stainless steel or old stuck.
- Wines left on lees till bottling
- Makes barrels from wood grown in the forest of the property.
Dr. Bürklin-Wolf
Region?
Commune?
Top Wines?
Summary/Style?
Pfalz
Wachenheim
Forster Kirchenstück Grand Cru, VDP GG
Forster Pechstein Grand Cru, VDP GG
Wachenheimer Rechbächel Premier Cru
Ruppertsberger Gaisböhl Grand Cru, VDP GG
- largest family owned estate in Germany
- Bettina Bürklin took over the estate along with husband in 1990; it was Bettina who classified the vineyards along Burgundian traditions and converted to biodynamics.
- founding member of VDP
- biodynamic since 2005
- Cru wines are handpicked, with must weights of 95-98, up to 20% botrytis is permitted
- Whole-cluster pressed
- Orstwein/gutswein fermented and aged in stainless; PC and GC fermented and aged in oak.
- Past few years PC and GC using ambient yeasts.
- PC aged till May following harvest and GC aged till July following harvest
Georg Breuer
Region?
Commune?
Top Wines?
Summary/Style?
Georg Breuer
Rheingau
Rudesheim am Rhein
Berg Schlossberg Trocken Artist Series
Berg Schlossberg BA
Nonnenberg Trocken, Auslese, Auslese Goldkapsel
Terra Montosa (second wine from both Rudesheim and Rauenthal)
- Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Trocken Artist Series (artist changes every vintage; first vintage 1980)
- Bernhard (son of Georg) formed wineries reputation, died suddenly in 2004, leaving the winery in the hands of his daughter Theresa.
- Refused to name the sites Erste Gewachs and Grosse Lage; left the VDP and Charta in 1999.
- Refuses to use herbicides and employs organic manures in place of synthetic fertilizers.
- Average yield is 45 hl/ha, Riesling isn’t picked til October, hand harvest; no botrytis allowed in dry wines.
- Fermented with cultured yeasts, cru wines ferment and age in stuck and doppelstuck.
