October 31, 2012
As you know, I like to eat game of all kind. The best wild boar I have eaten in a long time was served to me by my good old friend Ulrich Hillejan and his wife Elfriede when we visited them this summer near Muenster. The so called Muensterland is a very picturesque agricultural region right north of the former industrial heartland of the Ruhr.
Ulrich comes from a tranditional farming family which goes back a couple of hundred years (he keeps very impressive records). He inherited one of the traditional farm houses away from the manor house, just outside the nearby village.
His mother (I call her aunty Doris) prepared for us the leg of a young wild boar, shot by Ulrich’s younger brother Georg. Let me say from the outset that this was the best piece of game I have ever eaten. I asked her to tell me the secret of this delicacy. Her instructions were rather sketchy. I figured that mustard plays a central role. The meat needs to be rubbed carefully with a mustard-pepper-salt potion.
The following photos show what we had for dinner. Of course the side dish with the carbs consisted of good German potatoes.
The potatoes
The young wild boar’s leg
On the plate
And after….
Needless to say that we had various kinds of delicious wines with our meal. We started the extensive tasting with a white wine, a fresh Gruener Veltliner from Weingut Setzer, Austria. The Setzer winery was decoreated with the “winery of the year 2013” award.
The estate has about 30 ha under vines and produces a wide variety of wines. Main grape variety are Gruener Veltliner, and red Veltliner. Recently, Hans Setzer, owner-operater of the estate, was awarded with the “Vinter of the year award” for 2013. With its low (11%) alcohol content, this wine is wonderful for warm summer days. It is refreshing and shows great temperament.
Gruener Veltliner Vesper, Austria
Knipser Riesling, Pfalz
We followed up with a German dry Riesling by the well-known Knipser Estate in Laumersheim, Pfalz.In 2009 the winery was awarded the “vintner-of-the-year” award by Gault Millau.
The ‘2001 Laumersheimer Kapellenberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken’ was just the right wine to complement the meal. I like the minerally note and the tropical fruit aromas.
Barbera and Nebbiolo blend by Villa Contessa Rosa
Mid-term through the meal, we changed colour and switched to a red wine from Italy. Villa Contessa Rosa has currently about 70 ha under vines. The blend of Barbera and Nebbiolo, produced in the wine region Langhe, was also a good accompliment to the wild boar.
The meat from the forest animal and the red and Forest berry aromas from the wine went well together. Below you see the colour of the drop from heaven.
From here on I lost track of the wines we sampled in the course of the evening. There were a few more red wines, but honestly I cannot recall what they were and where they came from.
The generosity of our hosts knew no bounds, I might say (thank you again Ulrich and Elfriede). It was a terrific evening of reminiscing about the past and making plans for the future.
2 Comments | 
food and wine, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: Austrian wine, Barbera, delicious wines, dry riesling, food, game, Gault Millau, German wine, Gruener Veltliner, Hans Setzer, industrial heartland, Knipser Estate, Langhe, Laumersheim, Nebbiolo, owner operater, Pfalz, restaurants, Riesling, Villa Contessa Rosa, vintner of the year, Weingut Knipser, Weingut Setzer, wild boar | 
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Posted by themanfrommoselriver
October 29, 2012
My own flash mob in Bangkok
About a week ago history was made when the first “wine flash-mob” was conducted in Koblenz, and a much smaller one in my home town Trier. I learned it from facebook, and I wished I were there.
Funny is that the word flash of the term “flash-mob” sounds like “Flasche” which translates into German as “bottle”. So it is a “bottle mob”. Indeed about 200 wine lovers followed the invitation in Koblenz and congregated at the “German corner” (Deutsches Eck), a public square, where Rhine and Mosel river merge.
It was maybe the last warm autumn’s day (according to the organizers 21 Celsius) with blues sky, coloured leaves on trees, soft air with the hint that winter was not far away. Jan Wilhelm Buhrmann and Marco Pusceddu from the wine bar “Gavino” in Koblenz had invited to this un-usual event.
The event was part of an initiative by the German Wine Institute (DWI) to promote German wine. The title of the campaign was “become a wine spotter” (or discoverer) and it was conducted in the third week of October. In more than 400 restaurants all over Germany various events were held to promote German wine.
The bottle flash mob in Koblenz, planned for only 20 minutes, muted into a two hour public tasting and wine sharing where German “Gemuetlichkeit” reigned. Great stuff. I hope I can be there when they do it next time.
1 Comment | culture, wine, wine regions | Tagged: climate, flashmob, German wine, german wine institute, Jan Wilhelm Buhrmann, Koblenz, Marco Pusceddu, Mosel, nature, Rhine, science, transportation, Trier, wine, wine bar Gavino | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
October 28, 2012
2009 Spaetburgunder Auslese Trocken
The Ahr wine region is well known for producing outstanding Pinot Noir wines in Germany. During a visit this summer we bought a bottle of ‘2009 Spaetburgunder Auslese dry’ from the Mayschoss Vintner Co-operative.
The co-operative is the oldest in Germany. In 2012 one of it’s wines was awarded the best “Blanc de Noir of Germany” title by the food magazine „Der Feinschmecker“ (5/2012 edition). We visited the cellar door in August and had a guided tour which was very lovely.
Recently I tasted the Mayschoss Pinot Noir together with my friend Juergen. The wine has a beautiful dark red colour. The black fruit aromas with a tiny hint of peach are lovely. The wine is medium-bodied, smooth and shows a fine balance. We drank it on a Sunday morning, just like that without food, what we call in Germany a “Fruehschoppen”, a drink (glass of wine or beer) taken after church, and before going home for lunch.
Thanks Juergen and Elisabeth for the excellent company.
Steep slopes at the Ahr river
Leave a Comment » | wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: Ahr, food, fruit aromas, German wine, Mayschoss, Pinot Noir, restaurants, Spaetburgunder, Winzergenossenschaft Mayschoss | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
October 19, 2012
View of the cathedral and the vineyards towards Olewig
I just left my beloved Trier behind me. Now I am in Berlin, the capital of the Federal Republic which is far to the east from my native land. From Trier it is easier to reach Paris than Berlin. And the Mosel river comes from France before forming the frontier between Luxemburg and Germany.
It is a splendid town, small and beautiful. Traces of the Roman empire can be found everywhere. Come and visit.
Leave a Comment » | culture, wine, wine regions | Tagged: architecture, Augusta Treverorum, Mosel, Mosel river, Roman history, Trier | Permalink
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October 12, 2012
In the last week of September three of my favourite German wineries were honoured by the Wine & Spirits Magazine, and included in the top 100 list of the best wineries of the world in 2012.
The three wineries are the following:
1. Dr. Loosen, Bernkastel, Mosel
The winery has been in the Loosen family for more than 200 years. Ernst Loosen took over in 1988, and, as they say, the rest is history. Dr. Loosen is maybe one of the best known German vintners in the international wine scene. I was so happy when Barrique, my local wine shop in Healesville, Victoria was carrying Dr. Loosen wines.
Address:
Winery Dr. Loosen,
St. Johannishof
54470 Bernkastel, Mosel
Tel.: +49-6531-3426
info@drloosen.com
www.drloosen.com
2. C. von Schubert, Mertesdorf, Ruwer, Mosel
This winery has also a long tradition. The “Grünhaus”, as the estate is also known, was already mentioned in ancient documents in 966 when it belonged to the Benedictine monastery of Saint Maximin in Trier.
Carl von Schubert, the current owner-operator, belongs to the fifth generation of the von Schubert family. The estate produces outstanding wines and was awarded many national and international prices. I tasted some of the Maximin Grünhäuser 2011 vintage dry Riesling wines during our summer vacation
Address:
Dr. Carl von Schubert
Hauptstr. 1
54318 Mertesdorf
Tel.:+49-651-5111
Fax: +49-651-52122
info@vonschubert.de
www.vonschubert.com
3. Robert Weil, Kiedrich, Rheingau
The winery was set-up in 1875. The founder was the university professor Robert Weil who taught German at the Sorbonne in Paris. The Franco-Prussian war of 1870/71 forced him to return to his native Germany. He settled down in Kiedrich, Rheingau and extended his vineyards and laid the foundation for today’s estate. In 2010 I found some bottles of the Robert Weil 2008 vintage in a Bangkok wine shop. Delicious.
Address:
Winery Robert Weil
Mühlberg 5
65399 Kiedrich, Rheingau
Tel.: +49-6123 2308
Fax: +49-6123 1546
info(at)weingut-robert-weil.com
www.weingut-robert-weil.com
3 Comments | wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: Bernkastel, best winery, Best winery 2012, C. von Schubert Winery, Dr. Loosen Estate, food, German wine, kiedrich rheingau, Kiedrich., Maximin Grünhäuser, Mertesdorf, Mosel, restaurants, Rheingau, Rhine, Riesling, Robert Weil Winery, Ruwer, Top Winery 2012, wine, Wine & Spirits Magazine | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
October 10, 2012
The Mosel river near Schweich
I am rapping things up here in Bangkok. Only two more days to go. Friday night I will be on the midnight flight to Germany. After about 11 hours on the plane, I will land in Frankfurt early in the morning. I might have a coffee and breakfast at the train station.
Then I will catch a train to Tier, my home town to see my parents. The train ride will be wonderful regardless of the weather. Autumn might extend its magic with colourful leaves in red, brown and yellow.
First, my trip will lead me along the Rhine river, then I’ll change trains in Koblenz. The next leg of the journey will be along the Mosel river. Some of the views will be spectacular.
I will admire the vineyards of both valleys, the Rhine and the Mosel. On the hilltops will be castles here and there. The slopes are steep, and I will think of all the hard work the vintners put into their vineyards. How can one work these terrible steep slopes? Backbreaking work, done for generations.
Vineyards and wine production have been a feature of the place for more than 2.000 years, incredible. I will have only about 24 hours there before I will move on for a business trip to Berlin.
Saturday night I will patronize my favourite wine bar, Weinsinnig. It will be my cellar door so to speak since I plan to pick up a few bottles of my favourite Mosel wines. There will be certainly a crisp Riesling among them.
I very much look forward to going home.
1 Comment | culture, food and wine, wine, wine regions | Tagged: German wine, Koblenz, Mosel, Mosel river, mosel wines, nature, outdoors, Rhine river, Riesling, Schweich, steep slopes, travel, Trier, trip to berlin, Weinsinnig, wine | Permalink
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October 9, 2012
Delicious seafood soup
When a little boy, my Australian nephew Nick, had written in a guest book “great place, crap food”. I was reminded of this great line the other day when we tried to enjoy a wonderful Jamie Oliver seafood dish with a mass produced, cheap industrial wine. We adapted this seafood soup from Los Angeles to accommodate Thai conditions.
Yellow tail SB from Australia and New Zealand
We knew what we were in for. I was not surprised that this wine by yellow tail was of low quality. The Shiraz from the same series, I would call “very drinkable”. The Sauvignon Blanc is also “drinkable”, however, I would omit the word “very”. Anyway.
But a good thing happened nonetheless, and that was the big surprise for me. Because of the high quality of the food, the wine was, shall I say “augmented” beyond belief. It became quite drinkable.
Yellow tail Sauvignon Blanc
The bottle does not carry a production or vintage year. The blend is an Australian & New Zealand one, with grapes coming from both places. I do not know if the producer is doing himself a favour with this kind of wine. The fact that it is on the market is proof that there is demand, and therefore there should be supply.
After all, it was my choice to have this wine with the seafood soup.
Cheers
Leave a Comment » | wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: Australian wine, food, restaurants, Sauvignon Blanc, seafood dish, seafood soup, travel, vintage year, wine, yellow tail | Permalink
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October 7, 2012
Leone Catani – Nero d’Avola
Well, how should I say it? I cannot afford for every day drinking the wine on offer in 0.7 bottles any longer. Wine prices in Thailand are just too high.
Instead, we have taken to some cheap stuff. I know, that ‘life is too short to drink cheap wine’. However, some of the cheap stuff is actually quite drinkable.
The above wine is one of them, easily available in any super-market in Bangkok. Value for money, so to say, and in a two litre bottle. I feel like in the good old student days.
It is not worth to try to identify the producer or the location. No, just enjoy a drop of red for “the time in between”, I would like to call it.
Cheers from Bangkok.
18 Comments | wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: Bangkok, cheap wine, drinking the wine, Italian wine, Leone Catani, litre bottle, nero d avola, Nero d'Avola, red wine, Sicilia, Sicily, Thailand, travel, wine prices | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
September 30, 2012
Mother’s roe deer dish
Reminiscing about the past is one of the privileges of the not so young. A Sunday lends itself to such action, especially when considering the traditional German Sunday lunch.
Roe deer on noddles
While in my mothers house a few weeks back during our summer vacation, we were treated to roe deer goulash with noddles and salad. My friend Heinz, a passionate hunter, had reserved this particular piece of meat for me. He knows that I love game, especially meat of young animals.
Needless to say that this piece of roe deer was super delicious. When asked how they cook it, I can never quite figure out the recipe. Just simmering for a long time in a pot with some onions, is all what I could extract from the uttering of my mum. Well, I will have to prepare such a dish myself, one day and see.
The choice of wine was a foregone conclusion. Just a couple of days earlier we had visited the winery of the Schäfer-Fröhlich family in the village of Bockenau, Nahe.
In 1995 Tim Fröhlich took over the management of the vineyards and winery from his father. Today the estate has 16 ha under vines, some in the best locations in the vicinity (for instance Monzinger Halenberg, Monzinger Fruehlingsplaetzchen and Bockenauer Felseneck). His fine Riesling wines have won wide acclaim in the world of German wine. In 2010 Gault&Millau selected Tim for its “vintner-of-the-year award”.
The ‘2011 Bockenauer Riesling dry’ is a young wine. It comes from the hill just behind the winery. On the label it says “Schiefergestein” which means the the vines grow on blue and grey slate. I loved the lime and citrus aromas. The wine has great character, is fresh and exuberant. Its fine acidity shows great balance. This elegant Riesling has a long finish and might gain even more complexity when aged. No chance to age for this bottle, though. We needed it with the deer dish on that Sunday to bring absolute enjoyment to the Adam family.
PS: If you want to know where the grapes for this were grown, please visit Weinlagen-Info.de. My wine blogger friend, the winegetter, made me aware of this handy tool to find the vineyards and places where the grapes come from.
2 Comments | food, food and wine, Vineyard profile, vineyards, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: Bockenau, Bockenauer Felseneck, dry riesling, food, Gault&Millau, German Riesling, German wine, grey slate, hunting, Monzinger Fruehlingsplaetzchen, Monzinger Halenberg, Nahe, restaurants, Riesling, Riesling wines, roe deer, Tim Fröhlich, travel, vacation, Weingut Schäfer-Fröhlich | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
September 28, 2012
Our vegetable soup
As you probably know summer days in Germany can be chilly. This is not a big deal because the appropriate food is easy to find. How about a real vegetable soup? Not one out of a tin but with real veggies, cut into small pieces and cooked with just the best stock. And how about some home made bread as well?
Sounds yum. I tell you.
But what about a wine? Should it be red? Should it be white?
Well, my choice was a young and fresh Riesling from the Rheingau. From my recent visit of Schloss Johannisberg, Rheingau I had brought a bottle of ‘2011 Schloss JOhannisberg dry Riesling’ from the “Gelblack” series.
I got the bottle from the cellar door for 13.70 Euro/bottle. The alcohol content is 12.5%, residual sugar is 7.9 g/l, and total acidity is 7.5 g/l. The colour is a beautiful straw yellow. It shows lush aromas of green apple and tropical fruit. The acidity is charmingly fresh and zesty.
We gave the wine no chance to age and show it’s long-term potential. The young fragrant Riesling complemented the creamy soup with its carrots, cellery and other fresh garden-vegetables very well.
Cheers and enjoy!
1 Comment | food, food and wine, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: dry riesling, food, garden vegetables, Gelblack, German wines, restaurants, Rheingau, Riesling, Schloss Johannisberg, travel, vacation | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver
The Man from Mosel River 