2011 Goldtroepfchen GC – A Riesling from the Mosel

February 11, 2013

Kettern 1

After a couple of weeks without a Riesling from my beloved Mosel, I came across a bottle of ‘2011 Goldtroepfchen Gran Crue’ by Weingut Lothar Kettner in Piesport, Mosel.

I had no idea where the bottle came from. I must have bought it in Bangkok, I thought. But right when I opened it, I knew it was what I needed to celebrate the New Years eve of the Chinese Year of the Snake, the spring festival, as it is also called.

The golden colour is intriguing. The aromas are infatuating. Green apples and white stone fruit came to mind. A Riesling from the Mosel, a wine I adore. What wine would be better to prelude the New Year?

Kettern 2

Faith – Love – Hope is the motto of the family winery Weingut Lothar Kettern in Piesport, Mosel. This is represented by the three symbols in the logo of the winery: the cross, the heart and the anchor. The vintner tradition runs in the family for about 200 years. The son of Lothar, Philipp Kettern, also know as ‘the wine pirate’ is now running the estate.

Kettern 3

The Kettern family only grows Riesling grapes. Steep slopes, with cooler climate, are the preferred vineyard locations, so that vintage is late. Low yields, perfection regarding leave removal and environment friendly techniques are the key to success. The wines are hand crafted in the true sense of the word.

I will have to see that with my own eyes, next time I visit my beloved Mosel.

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2012 in review

January 2, 2013

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

19,000 people fit into the new Barclays Center to see Jay-Z perform. This blog was viewed about 72,000 times in 2012. If it were a concert at the Barclays Center, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

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My favourite wine bar in Trier: Weinsinnig

November 20, 2012

Selecting the wine

If you want to imagine me happy, imagine me in “Weinsinnig”, my favourite wine bar in Trier, Mosel.

Manuela Schewe and her team are doing a great job. I just love, that the wine bar is also a kind of cellar door for quite a few wineries. Most of them do have a cellar door of their own. However, with Weinsinnig they have a cellar door right in the middle of town.

I love this concept.

Among the wine producers you can find: Winery

Bender
Deutschherrenhof
Heymann-Löwenstein
Jakoby Pur
Lauer
Markus Molitor
Maximin Grünhaus
Nick Köwerich
Pauly
Philipp Kettern
Stephan Steinmetz
Van Volxem
Von Hövel and
von Othegraven

The selection of these, mostly local, wineries guarantees to the wine lover that he or she can choose from a broad range of different wine styles, varieties, terroir and even wine regions.

So far I was not able to try all of them as yet, but believe me I am working on it whenever I visit my lovely Trier. Stay tuned.

Cheers

Address:
WEINSINNIG
Weinbar & Verkauf
Palaststraße 12
54290 Trier
Tel.: +49-651-979 01 56
info@weinsinnig.com

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Thai cooking

October 4, 2012

I am in the North of Thailand right now. To be pricise, Chiang Mai, the former capital city of the Lanna Thai kingdom. I will use my spare time after work to explore the local cuisine.

What you see above is my Thai cooking certificate which was given to me after the successful completion of a Thai cooking class in Hua Hin last year. I guess I forgot what I have learned; my inate nature is not the one of the cook. I am more of a gourmet; the one who enjoys the eating rather than the preparation of food.

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Country inns in Germany: Forsthaus Altenhof, Trier

September 10, 2012

The city of Trier – photo taken from Kockelsberg

During the month of July, we spend some glorious days in my home town Trier. On a splendid Sunday, wen went to have brunch with music at a country inn called Altenhof, at the edge of the forest surrounding the city.

A leisurly walk through a lovely forest (mainly sweet chestnut trees) of about one or one and a half hours will get you there.

Signpost in the forest

So what is the place like, you might ask? Well, it is a former forester’s lodge cum country inn, which was built in 1874 on the site of an old farm going back to 1406.

Country inn – Forthaus Altenhof

In my youth the place was a popular destination for family outings to enjoy a drink or two in the company of family and friends.

We went there for a breakfast brunch with music. The duo Wollmann and Brauner was playing blues and jazz.

We got there quite early, and the garden of the Altenhof was still empty. But it should fill up fast. Many families made the pilgrimage and brought their young children as well as their old parents along. In the early afternoon, it was difficult to find an empty table.

Wollmann and Brauner Duo

We were craving for some blues our most favourite music, reminiscing about lovely live music events in Yarra Glen and Healesville, Victoria. The two musicians did not disappoint us. They played among others some of the classic songs from Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton; so just the right stuff. It was great music and we had great fun.

Viez – local apple & pear cider

One of the specialities is the apple and pear cider called Viez in the local German dialect. I love it. It is usually very dry (one could say sour), and so it should be.

Riesling by Weingut Linden

My wife preferred the Rieslnig wine on offer by Weingut Linden, Mosel. The ‘2010 Riesling Spaetlese dry’ is a very solid wine, and displays the wonderful character of the Mosel terroir and climate.

Riesling Spaetlese

We also had food, hearty German delicacies. Unfortunately, I have no photo of the various dishes we consumed from morning to afternoon. But rest assured you get value for money. These were the best prices offered to me while I was in Germany.

It was such a pleasant day. The ambience was just wonderful. Everybody was relaxed. Because of the spatious surroundings, children could play ball, horse rider could tether their horses, people could walk around etc. If you have the time and opportunity visit this extraordinary place.

Address:
Forsthaus Altenhof
Aacher Weg 86
D-54293 Trier

http://www.altenhof-trier.de

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As they say: it’s never to early for a Frueh Koelsch

September 5, 2012

Cheers – ‘Es ist nie zu frueh’, is the slogan of the Frueh Brewery in Cologne

Our family holidays in Germany are what a Thai colleague of mine called “edu-tainment”, we combine fun with some educative elements.

Since my twin daughters are very interested in history and culture, it was inevitable that we should end up visiting Koeln/Cologne just about 200 km north of my home town Trier.

After our walk through the historic city centre, we needed nurishment. A good place to experience the local food and the local culture is the outlet of the Frueh Brewery right in the centre of town.

‘It’s never to early’ for a beer by Frueh

‘Koelsch’, as the beer is called, is a speciality of Cologne. There is even a ‘Koelsch Convention’ specifying how this beer has to be brewed and what quality criteria it must fulfill.

So what is ‘Koelsch’ you might ask?

‘Koelsch’ is a pale and hoppy top-fermenting beer. The beer is warm-fermented and cold-conditioned. It is rather light, less bitter than most other German beers and therefore very refreshing ; in summer as well as in winter, I might point out. During my university time in the neighbouring city of Bonn, I had ample time to sample various brands of ‘Koelsch’.

The beer is served by a so called ‘Koebes’, the local name for an excusively male waiter. They are easily recognized by their dark blue aprons. Be prepared for a culture-clash of some sort. But do not worry, in the end they are very friendly and very proud of their heritage.

Herring with potatoes

German cullinary delights are many. I opted for a fish dish, a marinated herring with potatoes. I tell you it was super delicious.

In case you visit Cologne and you want to experience something authentic, go and check out the Frueh Brewery.

Address:
Cölner Hofbräu P. Josef Früh KG
Gastronomie und Verwaltung
Am Hof 12-18
50667 Köln
Tel.: +49-221 / 2613 – 0

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Roman Villa Urbana in Longuich, Mosel

August 27, 2012

Vineyards near Longuich – Opposite the steep slopes of the Mosel

The cultivation of grapes along the Mosel river and its tributaries Saar and Ruwer is more than 2,000 years old. For the Romans wine was an important commodity. All along the Mosel river one can find traces of the Roman wine industry, among them wine presses and fermentation tanks, vineyard implements, residues of grapes, statues of gods and godesses etc.

Among the treasures are the ruins and foundations of many Roman rural villas. One of them can be found in Longuich-Kirsch, just a few kilometers downstream from my hometown Trier. Various types of these villas can be distinguished. Some of them contain large mosaics as the villa in Nennig.

The villa in Longuich is a “villa urbana”, the seat of a retired high official. It is very large (110 x 28 meters). It was built in the 2nd century after Christ and includes an extensive Roman bath consisting of a Caldarium (hot bath), Tepidarium (warm bath), Sudatorium (sauna), Frigidarium (cold bath) and Praefurnium (fire and heating system).

The foundations of the villa were accidentally discovered during land consolidation and reconstruction work in 1984. Next to the villa some agricultural buildings we found as well.

The villa urbana was restored and is today open to the public. Various billboards inform the casual visitor about various aspects of roman life including the two thousand years of grape and wine production.

Imagine that so long ago people were working in vineyards and wineries in the very same places where also todays wine is produced. Amazing. The work was even harder than today, I guess.

The production techniques of the Romans are well researched. The billbords explain todays challenges and how they were mastered recently. I loved the way ancient history was linked to contemporary modern life. I highly recommend visiting these villas. The view over the valley and its vineyards is another great experience.

Fortunately, the vineyards in the vicinity of the villa are still productive, and many wineries and vintners are happy to welcome visitors and introduce them to their excellent Riesling wines.

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2011 in review

January 30, 2012

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

Madison Square Garden can seat 20,000 people for a concert. This blog was viewed about 66,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Madison Square Garden, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

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Wine village Kasel, Ruwer – Mosel Riesling at its best

October 7, 2011

This is the coat of arms of Kasel, a small village located at ther Ruwer river not far from my beloved Trier. The Ruwer river is one of the tributaries to the Mosel.

Originally our wine region was called ‘Mosel-Saar-Ruwer’ which named the two smaller rivers explicitely.

Grape vines all over the place

The slopes around Kasel are planted with grape vines

The Pauliner Landgasthof is part of Weingut von Nell

Von Nell Estate – Weingut von Nell

The newly refurbished Pauliner Hof is part of the Weingut von Nell.

We wanted to check it out and dropped in for lunch on a beautiful late summer’s day. The sky was blue and the Ruwer valley showed its most beautiful side.

I must say that I love this country inn right in the middle of Kasel, the lovely wine village.

During our high school days my brother Wolfgang and his friends used to help in vintage time and picked grapes at the steep slopes in the vineyards of the Von Nell Estate.

The interior of the inn is light and bright. The air well is covered by a glass roof and the subdivisions with rod iron and sheets of textiles give it a warm feeling. The big olive tree right in the middle of the restaurant gives the place a mediterranean flair. The service was excellent.

We had pork nuckle and a delicious mushroom dish, great German country food in my view.

Pork knuckel

The mushroom stew

My old folks

A shot of the wine list

I had an estate grown Riesling of course. The ‘2010 Kaseler Dominkanerberg Hochgewaechs’ was a very nice and fresh house wine, something for easy drinking and enjoyment with hearty country food. I just wish I would have access to it here in Bangkok (sight). Well, one cannot have it all.

The Ruwer valley is a true jewel, you should go there and check it out.

Address:
Pauliner Hof
Bahnhofstraße 41
54317 Kasel
Tel +49-651-9679090
Fax +49-651-96790916
www.restaurant-paulinerhof.de

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The program is out – 3. International Symposium on Tropical Wine

August 24, 2011

I have already announced and informed you about the 3rd International Symposium on Tropical Wine to be held from 12. to 18. November in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Now the first draft program is out. Gosh there are so many interesting sessions, international and national speakers, and exciting field trips on offer that I might not know where to go. I cannot attend all for them.

Have a look and check it out.

By the way, you should register, I have already done it.

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