Introduction
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INTRODUCTION TO GERMAN VINES & WINES THE CHOICE OF FINEST PREMIUM ESTATE WINES Coordinated by MO-RHE-NA GmbH / Germany THE WINE EXPORT ASSOCIATION www.mo-rhe-na.com COMPANY PROFILE The MO-RHE-NA Wine Export Association has been founded in 1982 by independent wine-estate owners as Germany´s first over regional wine-export-association. The present shareholders and also main affiliated estates of the MO-RHE-NA (an abbreviation of MO sel- RH ein- NA he) group are the “ ULRICH LANGGUTH ” Estate, MOSEL and the “ HANS LANG ” Estate, Rheingau. The main policy of MO-RHE-NA Wine Export Association and its associates is to promote excellent German ESTATE bottled wines. The estate brands are being offered in exclusivity for certain defined markets world-wide. MO-RHE-NA offers their wine friends the following service: 1. The direct link to more than 25 selected Fine Wine Estates from the wine growing regions of MOSEL, RHEINGAU, RHEINHESSEN, NAHE, PFALZ, FRANKEN, SACHSEN, BADEN, WÜRTTEMBERG and HESSISCHE BERGSTRASSE– outstanding qualities from almost all wine growing areas of Germany with the possibility to mix and to consolidate. Below you´ll find a list of some of our key partners: . MOSEL Ulrich Langguth , Traben-Trarbach Villa Huesgen, Traben-Trarbach Losen-Bockstanz, Wittlich Studert-Prüm (VdP), Wehlen Dr. H. Thanisch, Wittlich Hubertushof, Trittenheim MOSEL-SAAR Vereinigte Hospitien, Trier Bischöfl. Weingüter, Trier MOSEL-RUWER Maximin-Grünhaus, Mertesdorf SAAR Reverchon, Konz-Filzen RHEINGAU Hans Lang , Eltville-Hattenheim Ottes, Lorch Schloss Vaux, Eltville RHEINHESSEN Spiess - Riederbacherhof, Bechtheim Geil, Eimsheim Braun, Nierstein Becker-Landgraf, Gau-Odernheim Staatl. Weinbaudomäne, Oppenheim PFALZ Anselmann, Edesheim Aloisiushof, St. Martin Merk ( Organic ), Ellerstadt Staatsweingut Neustadt HESSISCHE BERGSTRASSE Bergstraesser Winzer eG, Heppenheim NAHE Bgm. Schweinhardt, Langenlonsheim Staatsweingut Bad Kreuznach BADEN Markgraf v. Baden, Schloss Salem Kilian Hunn, Gottenheim WÜRTTEMBERG Amalienhof, Heilbronn Graf v. Bentzel Sturmfeder, Schozach FRANKEN Brennfleck, Sulzfeld Deppisch, Erlenbach SACHSEN Schloss Proschwitz, Zadel 2. One service Partner for consolidation, invoice and future promotional/teaching support. 3. In addition the outstanding MO-RHE-NA brands such as the WINE DIVA and MO-RHE-NA´s SCHEUREBE SPÄTLESE , both in royal-blue bottle, the fabulous RIESLING EISWEIN in yellow bottle or the fine B.A. (Beerenauslese) make the portfolio of our wines even more interesting. Our central office address is: MO-RHE-NA GmbH Att. Mr. Patrick Ulrich Langguth, Managing Director P.O. Box 1370 – Rissbacherstrasse 1, 56841 Traben-Trarbach / Germany Phone: +49 6541 9041 Fax: +49 6541 4557 e-mail address : [email protected] Web: www.mo-rhe-na.com RHEINHESSEN The Wine Estate History: The estate is family owned since 1760. It is owned by Wilfried Geil and his son Thomas, oenologist, who is responsible for the vineyards and the cellar. Size of the planted 20 hectares Vineyards Location of the Vineyards EIMSHEIM village: Sonnenhang, Römerschanze, Hexelberg METTENHEIM village: Michelsberg, Schlossberg, Goldberg BECHTHEIM village: Gotteshilfe Soil: Deep loess, chalk and partly loam Grape varietals grown: RIESLING 32%, SILVANER 30%, Müller-Thurgau 13% Gewürztraminer 4%, Huxelrebe 4%, Pinot Gris 3%, Scheurebe 3% RED grapes: Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) 4%, Portugieser 4% The Estate Policy: To apply the greatest care and attention to a limited pruning, the latest possible grape selection and to achieve the highest possible sugar reading. Temperature controlled fermentation. 1. Wine-Growing District Germany 1.1 There are 13 specified wine-growing regions, each of slightly different climatical and geological conditions with their own specific culture, history and picturesque landscape. A wide range of them are located in the proximity of a river and the wine takes on the river’s name. The rivers are: AHR, MOSEL, SAAR, RUWER, NAHE, RHEIN, ELBE, SAALE, UNSTRUT The regions of some wines and their originating names: FRANKEN, HESSISCHE BERGSTRASSE, MITTELRHEIN, PFALZ, RHEINHESSEN, RHEINGAU, SACHSEN, WÜRTTEMBERG. Most of the wine-growing areas are located in south-western and southern parts of Germany, apart from two smaller eastern regions. 1.1.2 The mild CLIMATE in these regions enables grapes to ripen gradually and to retain their acidity as they develop sugar. In Mediterranean wine regions the weather conditions are more stable then in Germany where the summers are not always the same in temperature and rain fall and consequently the quality and quantity of grapes harvested vary with the weather every year. Nevertheless due to raising temperatures the past 15 years, nearly every vintage in Germany has been good or even very good. The rivers have a positive influence on the ripening procedure by heat retention and reflection, humidity and the mist and fog later in the year that rise from the rivers and protect the grapes from early frost. The soils influence the body and flavour of the wine. Long ripening periods enhance the content of minerals and trace elements in the wine. Depending from the region, the soil can be of volcanic origin, slate, marl and shell limestone or loess and loam characteristics providing a specific flavour, taste and bouquet to the wine. 1.2 The MOSEL cuts right through the Hunsrück and Eifel mountain and forms a beautiful hilly landscape. Spectacular loops mark the sites where the slate has resisted the power of the river. The MOSEL, SAAR, RUWER region is considered to be one of the most beautiful and historical wine country of Germany. Scores of wine-related Roman artefacts and press houses unearthed throughout the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer-region bear witness to 2,000 years of viticulture. The Mosel Wine Road runs parallel to the rivers and passes through dozens of wine villages with famous vineyards such as the Doctor in Bernkastel, the sun dial sites of Zeltingen, Wehlen and Brauneberg and Goldtröpfchen in Piesport. Walking along the “Moselhöhenweg” you can enjoy breathtaking views from its heights on both sides of the Mosel. Alternatively you have plenty of possibilities to savour the landscape and wines with delicious traditional food in a river cruise. The heart of the RHEINGAU borders the Rhine on its east-west course from Wiesbaden to Rüdesheim, with a broad ribbon of vineyards lining the hills from the river up to the forested summit of the Taunus hills. There are three well-marked “Rheingauer Riesling” routes that lead you right through numerous wine villages, most of which have open-air tasting stands and annual wine festivals. Wine estates and historical sites are the backdrop for many upscale culinary and cultural events, such as the Rheingauer Gourmet Festival in March, Schlemmerwochen (gourmet weeks) in late April/May, Glorreiche Rheingauertage (glorious Rheingau days) in November and summer-long-program of outstanding concerts during the Rheingau music festival. Kloster Eberbach, a 12 th century Cistercian monastery is the site of prestigious wine auctions in spring and autumn. Near Eberbach you will find Schloss Vollrads mentioned very early for a Cabinet (Kabinett) cellar for storing wines of superior quality, while the Prädikat Spätlese originates from Schloss Johannisberg, where a late harvest in 1775 set the stage for the rich, ripe Botrytis wines for which Germany is renowned. The NAHE is a quiet region in the Hunsrück hills between the Mosel and Rhine valleys. The wine areas mainly follow the course of the Nahe river. Bad-Kreuznach is the largest town and an important wine-growing center. Further down south you can find the dramatic porphyry cliffs of Rotenfels and Rheingrafenstein at the pretty spa of Bad Münster am Stein. Whether for relaxation or walking and cycling through historic towns and castle ruins or health purposes the Nahe offers you various possibilities. The town Idar-Oberstein is the center of Germany’s precious stone industry. The mineral rich soils yield a broad spectrum of fuller-bodied, hearty, mild and fragrant wines. 2. Grape Varieties The grape diversities produce a wide range of wines to compliment many tastes in around 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) of vineyards throughout Germany. One of the most famous and precious wine is the Riesling, described below, under paragraph 3). Also very appreciated is the MÜLLER-THURGAU or RIVANER, crossed by Prof. Dr. Müller of the Swiss canton Thurgau in the Rheingau area in 1882 between Riesling and Gutedel. It is a widespread grape along the Mosel and Rhine and in Baden. It ripens early and consistently yields good quantity. The wines in general are of flowery taste with a slight Muscat tone and not very acidic, best to drink while young. Once the most widely planted grape of Germany is the SILVANER, assumingly originated in the Danube river valley or Transylvania. Its wines are sleek from Rheinhessen, earthy from Franken, full-bodied, powerful from the Pfalz and Baden region and quite neutral in bouquet and flavour along with a fine-fruity acidity, best to be consumed within two years of the harvest. The GEWÜRZTRAMINER, named after the Tyrolean village of Tramin, once grown along the upper Rhine, region of Baden, and in the Pfalz. The pink skinned grape’s flavour is spicy and its perfumed bouquet reminds of the scent of roses. This kind of wine is rare, not least because yields vary and are never very high. There are different kinds of PINOT wines. The PINOT GRIS grows in the Pfalz and Rheinhessen and Baden mainly and is powerful, mouth filling with a relatively round acidity. The PINOT made from white grapes, also called BURGUNDER, is a medium to full-bodied wine with a fruity bouquet and refreshing acidity - therefore an excellent dinner wine! The PINOT NOIR or SPÄTBURGUNDER is a classic among red wines, originated in Burgundy and came to Germany in the Middle Ages. Grown in Rheingau, Baden, Pfalz, Rheinhessen and Württemberg, the Pinot Noir is a mouth-filling, velvety smooth wine with a slightly sweet, fruity acidity.