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This was a first for us: taking three Sommeliers from three top bay area restaurants to the primary German vineyard regions in one very compact and intense week. We had previously only included a few select clients who had asked to go along to our annual spring and autumn trips and, in fact, another very good client and childhood friend of mine, one Peter Funsten, joined us for his inaugural visit to these awesome vineyards. Alan Murray of Masa’s restaurant in San Francisco, Emily Wines (that’s really her name!) of the Fifth Floor restaurant also in the city, and Andrew Green of the Village Pub in Woodside, all made their first pilgrimage to these great German vineyards. We all met up in the greater Frankfurt Airport on Saturday April 23rd and convened for a delicious dinner at Hotel “Zum Krug” in Hattenheim. Then on Sunday morning it was time to dive in hands and feet as we attended the annual Mainzer Weinborse across the Rhine which is a very large gathering of V.D.P wineries from all over Germany that, for the most part, features wines from the most recent harvest which meant 2004. It is a very rigorous two day event that allows you to cover a lot of ground in terms of sheer variety of wineries without having to get in your car and drive all over creation going door to door. Practically speaking, with jet lag wearing you down, tasting for about three to four hours is about all we could handle as palate fatigue and Riesling’s high acidity take their toll. 

After the Monday part of the Mainz tasting, we were invited by Dieter Grainer of the Staatsweingut Eltville to visit the ancient cellars of Kloster Eberbach situated in a small valley just above the town of Hattenheim. We arrived a little late for our 4:00pm appointment only to find the courtyard and hallway above the cellars inundated with muddy water. Unfortunately, Dieter had prepared three very special old wines for the six of us to taste but due to a clogged underground spring (of which there are two underneath the monastery) and excess water from recent rains, the cellars were only fit for skin divers! Fortunately, the damage was later reported as minimal and no bottles of old wine were lost. Thank God! They have an amazing array of old wines dating back to about 1840. The 12th Century Cistercian Monastery, where the movie “The Name of the Rose”was filmed, was totally unaffected by both World Wars due to its remote location. Oh well, next time…

Our Spirits were revived that evening by a traditional Bavarian meal of “Schweinehaxe”- roasted pork loin on the bone with very crispy skin – naturally accompanied by lots of draft beer. 

Tuesday took us to the Rheinhessen and visits to the Gunderloch and Keller estates whose wines are completely different in style and terrier having only Riesling in common. We’ve invited Klaus Peter Keller to come over next May to show his new wines. A visit to the great Weil Estate in Kiedrich that afternoon was, as always, very special. We began with a 1983 Kiendrichs Gratenberg Kabinett, which was still very fresh and lively, and ended with their gargantuan 2003 T.B.A with 316 degree oechsle – the richest late harvest Riesling I’ve ever tasted. It literally pours like maple syrup! That evening was enjoyed immensely at the one-star restaurant in Wiesbaden called “Ente” or “Duck.” This is truly a marvelous restaurant with some 20,000 different wines in its cellars. We were treated like Kings and Queens and warmly greeted by Chef Gerd Eis and spoiled rotten by sommelier Kai Schattner. 

Wednesday took us bright and early to the Nahe and Helmut Dönnhoff whose 2004s were, as always, state of the art and classic to say the least! After lunch at a Würstel sausage stand in Bingen where we met the ferry to Rüdesheim, we were welcomed by Dr. Rowald Hepp at Schloss Vollrads. It is without a doubt one of the most glorious estates in the Rheingau and continues to produce equally glorious Rieslings. We tasted a combination of wines from 2003 and 2004 (some of which were still fermenting!) Next came the tiny Fred Prinz winery in Hallgarten which is the newest member of the V.D.P. estates group. His 2004s were textbook Rheingau Rieslings with marvelous fruit and structure. Last but not least was the other venerable old estate of Schloss Johannisberg whose new director is the young, vivacious Christian Witte. We were given a wonderful tour of the cellars, private tasting in a room of the privately inhabited Schloss (Chateau) where I’d never in all these years set foot. Next to Kloster Eberbach, these are also incredible old cellars with old stocks of wine going back two centuries! After a splendid tasting of 2003s and 2004s, Christian hosted us at the estates restaurant, which has a spectacular view of the Rhine and its verdant valley. The meal was capped off with a bottle of 1971 T.B.A. They must think we like aged Riesling! 

Thursday was another very full day that began very early as it was off to the Mosel and to the town of Winningen where the Knebel estate is located. Beate Knebel showed us her lovely creations from 2003 and 2004 and gave the group a tour of her dizzily steep, terraced vineyards that would make a mountain goat woozy. We’ve also extended our invitation to her for a visit next May. Next it was time to visit one of the true jewels of the Mosel – Willi Schaefer in Graach. He and his wide will visit San Francisco in August during which we will have a very special dinner on August 18th featuring his wines as well as those of another Mosel estate. After sampling numerous 2004s including the Spätlese and the Auslese Goldkapsel that we purchase annually at the Trier Auction, Willi generously treated us to a half bottle of his 1971 Graacher Domprobst B.A.-uncannily fresh, youthful and vibrant with the classic bright golden color tinged with green that tells you that something truly special is happening in your glass. 

Next we decided to show our wine experts one of Germany’s best known and greatest estates- Joh. Jos. Prüm in Wehlen. Dr. Manfred Prüm greeted us at 6:00pm and ushered us into the dining room where we were accompanied by his oldest daughter and his wife. Unfortunately, he insists on showing his wines at very cool temperatures and his inability to complete a sentence in under two minutes makes for a very drawn-out and rather dull visit. His 2004s were totally closed up and heavily sulfured while the 2003s were showing a one-dimensional sweetness and little else which was very unexciting. His wines typically need several years bottle age to show any promise but why do everyone else’s wines taste good when they’re young? As we were due to meet Werner and Renate Rosch at the Waldhotel Sonnora (three stars Michelin) 40 minutes away for 8:30 dinner, we were not treated to the usual older bottle (or more typically bottles) of classic Prüm Riesling. That’s OK because the dinner at Sonnora was spectacular and we were at the table until 1:00am and drank 1955 La Tache next to 1955 Assmannshäuser Hollenberg Spätburgunder from the Staatsweingut in honor of Werner’s upcoming 50th birthday. 

Friday morning was upon us a bit early after the previous night’s extravaganza and we arrived at the Fritz Haag estate an hour late but still managed to sample the range of 2004s in short order. Wilhelm and new manager, son Oliver, took great care of us as usual and the wines are typically excellent. 

Then came one of the week’s highlights – tasting and lunch at the Dr. Loosen estate in Bernkastel. Ernie Loosen’s sheer enthusiasm is indeed infectious. If you weren’t excited by Riesling before you showed up, you were certain to be by the time he’d shown you his wide range of terroir-specific, fruit-driven classic middle Mosels. In fact, we tasted over 20 of his 2004s and they are to a wine beautifully made and superbly balanced. The tasting took a while because we were with another small group but this was followed by a very simple lunch in a space where the offices used to be overlooking a small garden and the river. It was truly idyllic! We had some nice burgundies with lunch and got a sneak preview of the 2003 Erdener Prälat Auslese Lange Goldkapsel which is as usual a T.B.A in Auslese clothing which was, until recently, still fermenting. It will be offered in Trier this September. Ernie will be the other Mosel vintner who will partner with Willi Schaefer on August 18th at the Fifth Floor Restaurant. 

Werner Rosch received us patiently as we were by this time behind schedule by nearly two hours. Nevertheless, his 2004s were wonderful and as usual reasonably priced. He opened a 1994 Trittenheimer Apotheke Auslese three stars which was still very youthful, fresh, and very minerally. By this time, a stomach virus that had become evident the previous day was, despite much Advil and many vitamins, taking its toll on me and when we pulled into Mertesdorf and the Hotel Weis, I was forced to forego the Von Schubert tasting across the road and the ensuing von Beulwitz tasting and dinner. Crash! I went straight to bed. 

The next morning I was able to have breakfast and pull it together enough to get us down to the Saar and our last two estates: Von Othegraven (Kanzem) and Von Hövel (Oberemmel). I’d last visited the property in 1976 and now the niece, Dr. Heidi Kegel, and her husband are in control. We were shown a fabulous range of wines and very thoughtfully in honor of my first visit a 1976 B.A. was opened which was a classic Saar displaying layers of mineral fruit and the typical Saar acidity that no doubt has so perfectly preserved the wine. Afterwards, we strolled through the beautiful botanical gardens that surround the large house and are situated at the foot of the imposingly steep Kanzemer Berg Vineyard. 

Last but by no means least came my first ever visit to the Von Hövel estate in nearby Oberemmel. The very jolly, gregarious Eberhard von Kunow has been inviting me for several years now and finally the opportunity presented itself. It’s too bad I felt so lousy but luckily it didn’t preempt my ability to taste his typical, steely Saar Rieslings which feature wines from the great Scharzhotberger Vineyard and the Oberemmeler Hütte. He also tasted us on a tiny vineyard from Kanzem called Kanzem Höecker which I’d never even heard of much less tasted. It was really wonderful and structured like fine lace; the epitome of sheer elegance and finesse. Look for his wines on future offerings – they are super! 

The worn out and weary winetasters then headed back to the Rheingau and our farewell dinner at “Zum Krug” where it all began. Stefan and Nina Gerhard along with our agent Agi and Monika Ress joined us for what I heard was another splendid meal but I sadly was only able to force down a small bowl of soup before bidding the assembled “Gute Nacht” and went off to bed. All in all, however, the trip was a great success and we look forward to showing another group of sommeliers around next year.