The Schäfer-Fröhlich winery is known for its philosophy focused on origin and terroir. Tim Fröhlich strives for wines that possess finesse, elegance, and a clear expression of their place of origin, and is convinced that Riesling is best able to reflect this.
The Riesling Kabinett Dorsheimer Pittermännchen 2021 from Schlossgut Diel, which we tasted three years ago, was excellent. This time, we tasted a Riesling Auslese 2023 from the winery’s Dorsheimer Goldloch vineyard. Although the two vineyards border each other, the grapes thrive on different soils. While slate is the dominant characteristic of the Pittermännchen vineyard, the spicy, often slightly smoky nose of the Goldloch vineyard is likely due to the bedrock beneath the heavily gravelly loam soils. With a slope of up to 55%, the vineyard demands a high level of work. On the other hand, this incline, combined with the south to southwest exposure of the vineyard, ensures excellent sun exposure, which promotes ripening.
I wanted to get quinces from Hans. But of course Hans had a few wines up his sleeve to taste, including a Riesling Kabinett 2021 from Schlossgut Diel. I knew the winery from the dry wines, as it produces Große Gewächse from the three adjacent Große Lagen Pittermännchen, Goldloch and Burgberg. Despite their proximity, these large layers have very different soils. From the ferrous clay soils of the Burgberg interspersed with quartzite to the gold hole on gravelly … Read more ...
The warning, “Careful! The Zwölberich Orange by Nature Gewürztraminer Auslese noble sweet is not a typical white wine, but a so-called Orange Wine” first made me aware of the wine I tasted. The additional note “fermented on the mash” did the rest: my curiosity about what a sweet wine of an aromatic variety is like after this mash fermentation was aroused.
There are probably very few wineries in Germany, which only own VDP classified Grosse Lagen. Gut Hermannsberg only has
The Schäfer-Fröhlich winery has been family-owned for over 200 years and is still a business in which the whole family contributes their work. In addition to the two monopoly vineyardss Stromberg and Felseneck in Bockenau, the Monzinger vineyards Frühlingsplätzchen, Halenberg and Kupfergrube as well as the Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg are managed.
My first encounter with the Jakob Schneider winery was enjoying its dry Riesling called Magnum. In consequence of this good experience I ordered a sample package of wine from the winery. The winery located on the wine growing region Nahe was founded in 1575 and has been family-owned ever since. Jakob Schneider Junior, who returned to his parents’ winery in 2007 after graduating from Geisenheim, is responsible for both the vineyard and the cellar work. Ten years later he was awarded Gault Millau as Aufsteiger des Jahres ( climber winemaker of the year) and currently has four Gault Millau grapes.
Martin always serves one Dönnhoff wine, and there were even two at the last invitation. Grilled tuna and monkfish were accompanied by a Riesling Tonschiefer 2018 and the Riesling Niederhäuser Herrmannshöhle Auslese Goldkapsel 2015 of the winery was an excellent match with Erika’s dessert, a vanilla cream with berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries).
On the western edge of the wine-growing area Nahe, in Monzingen there is the winery Emrich-Schönleber, existing since more than 250 years, since 1994 member of the VDP. On about 19 hectares of vineyards flourishes predominantly Riesling (85%). The Riesling wines of the winery are among the best of Germany – often they are very filigree and show a good minerality. In addition to the care of soil and vine, responsible for the classic, excellent wines, also a balanced … Read more ...
Hans had already opened some excellent wines to the excellent French dinner, including, for example, a 2013 Chevalier Montrachet from Domaine Leflaive and a 2005 Le Pavillon from Chapoutier. For cheese and dessert he had selected matured sweet wines, from German predicates such as Spätlese on Vin Doux Naturel to Madeira – all excellent.
1994 Niederhäuser Herrmannshöhle Spätlese, Dönnhoff
Quince, pear and white peach on the nose, delicately smoky. Very fresh on the palate, prominent acidity, mild fruit, juicy, lean, … Read more ...