Restaurant review: Weintor, Palatinate, Germany

May 12, 2012

My parents in front of the German “Weintor”

My parents came to see me when I was in Karlsruhe for a business meeting a couple of weeks ago. They took me for a drive around the southern Pfalz region, which is a major wine producing area in Germany.

It was a beautiful day in spring with mild temperatures and fast moving clouds. After a short rain, the sun came out for a while.

We ended up at a small village called Schweigen-Rechtenbach to have a look at the German “Weintor”, literally translated as the “German wine gate”.

It was built in 1936 and marks the starts of the German wine route which ends in about 85 km further north in a village called Bockenheim.

The terrace

We planned to have lunch in the restaurant at the “Weintor”. The large terrace was very inviting but it was still too cold to sit outside.

The foyer

The stone building looks very traditional from the outside. However, the foyer of the restaurant has a kind of post-modern funky look, “retro” one could also call it.

The entrance to the restaurant

The inside of the restaurant

We sat near the fire place. The staff was very friendly, and convinced us to get started with a sparkling Pinot Meunier, or in German “Schwarzriesling”.

Sparkling Schwarzriesling – Pinot Meunier

This was followed by “greetings from the cook”: a delicious pate, which was just the right starter. It wetted our appetite.

Courtesy of the cook

I could not resist and ordered the house Riesling, a dry wine from the Pfalz region.

Dry Riesling from the Pfalz

My main dish was a trout with almonds, with potatoes and salad. Just wonderfully delicious. It was the right hearty meal which made me forget my jet-lag. I had arrived the very same morning from Bangkok and needed some stimulation to stay awake. That’s why I could not resist the ice cream either.

Trout with almonds

Dessert

Espresso

We had a jolly good time. The food was delicious, the staff extremely friendly, the spring outside inspiring and the company just great. I could not imagine a better welcome to Germany.

On our way out, I noticed the table with the informations about wine events and other local festivities. It was a pity that I could not stay a couple of days longer. The wine route through the Pfalz/Palatinate has so much to offer.

Address:
Deutsches Weintor Restaurant
Weinstraße 4
D-76889 Schweigen-Rechtenbach
T +49 (0) 6342 – 922 788 8
F +49 (0) 6342 – 922 788 9
www.weintor.de/restaurant.html

Leave a Comment » | culture, food, food and wine, Restaurant Review, wine | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver

Mosella – home of the best Riesling wines in the world

February 5, 2012

The Mosel valley with the hamlets Riol and Longuich

Maybe because it is Sunday, maybe because that lends itself to some introspection, maybe because I am abstaining from consuming wine for a couple of days, maybe because I have not been to my beloved Mosel for such a long time, maybe…who knows.

Anyway, on this beautiful tropical Sunday in Bangkok and while my Thai vintner friends in Khao Yai, about two-three hours north-east of Bangkok, are busy harvesting their grapes, I am exploring the writings of Decimus Magnus Ausonius (310-393 AD), a Gallic-Roman government official, educator of princes and poet who lived for some years in my home-town Trier.

The Mosel, photo taken from Nittel, the Luxembourg side to the left

Have you heard about Ausonius? No? Well, let me tell you that he was born in Buldigana, which it called Bordeaux today, and where he also died. He had studied rhetoric in Toulouse.

In 365 Valentinian I, emperor of the West-Roman empire, called Ausonius to Trier (yes, my home-town which was the capital of the West-Roman empire for a while) or Augusta Treverorum, as it was called in those days, to educate his eldest son, Gratian, the heir-apparent.

The wine village of Alken, Mosel river and castle

In 371 Ausonius published his impressions (early travel writing) from a trip in 368 which brought him from Mogontiacum (Mainz) through Bingium (Bingen) and Noviomagnus (Neumagen) to Augusta Treverorum (Trier). This work is know as “Mosella” and consists of 483 hexameters describing the land and its people along the road which now carries the name of the poet: Via Ausonius.

The “Mosella” is the only known poem from antiquity describing a single German river: the Mosel. In his poem Ausonius praised the beauty of the river, the lands surrounding it, the fertility of its soils and the industriousness of its people.

The poem has inspired endless other poets, writers and bards until the present times. I like for instance the CD “Mosella” with songs praising the Mosel region by the folk music group “Woltaehr”.

The Mosel river, photo taken from the train near Puenderich

So far so good, you might say, but what about the wine, the famous Riesling you adore so much?

Unfortunately, I did not drink that many Riesling wines from my native Mosel in 2011. I do not know how it happened. I must have explored other wines more often than usual.

However, the ones I tasted where really special and of the highest quality. I fondly remember my visits to Leiwen where I visited Grans-Fassian and St. Urbans Hof in November 2010.

Both wineries produce beautiful Riesling and other wines of the finest quality. Both belong to the association of the top German wine producers (Called VDP). Both win regularly awards. Usually the top wines are in the range of 88 to 96 Parker points, just so that you have a general idea.

Most of the wines I brought with me then, were consumed in 2011, either here in Bangkok or at my mum’s home in Trier. I admit they were the 2009 and 2010 vintages only.

I have written about the two wineries which you can find in earlier blog entries (Grans-Fassian, St. Urbans Hof).

Feel free to explore Riesling wines from the Mosel. It’s worth it.

1 Comment | culture, wine, wine regions | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver

The other day in Germany 2: 2008 Johannisberger Vogelsang Spaetlese dry Riesling by Trenz Estate

November 18, 2011

2008 Johannisberger Vogelsang Spaetlese dry by Weingut Trenz

This was the white wine served at the before mentioned business dinner in Germany. I just loved this fresh, crisp and bone dry Riesling from the Rheingau.

The ‘2008 Johannisberger Vogelsang Spaetlese dry’ by Trenz Estate is a wonderful wine, full of typical Riesling falvours, with a good body and a long finish. It has a Spaetlese ripeness and the elegant dryness of an exquisite German Riesling wine.

I had never heard of the producer, I must admit. Weingut Trenz is a family winery located in the heart of the Rheingau.

Johannisberg is one of the most famous locations (terroir) in this lovely wine region.

Michael Trenz is a vintner with “body and heart”, as we say in Germany. He carries the family wine-making tradition which goes back for about 105 years!

You should visit the place if in Germany. Enjoy the scenery and the wines.

I will, when coming from the airport the next time.

Address:
Weingut Trenz
Schulstraße 1
65366 Johannisberg

Tel: +49-6722–75063-0
Fax: + 49-6722–75063-10
E-Mail: info@weingut-trenz.de

Opening hours offuce and sales:
Mon. – Friday 8:30-12.00 h; 13.00 – 17:00 h
Sa. 10:00-15:00 h

Trenz Cellardoor
Tel: +49-6722 – 75063-11
Fax: +49-6722 – 75063-12
E-Mail: gutsausschank@weingut-trenz.de

Open:
Med. to Sa. from 17:00 h
Sun. and holidays from 12.00 h

Leave a Comment » | wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver

Riesling from the Nahe river

November 3, 2011

2010 Riesling S “Vom Buntsandstein” Pastorenberg by F.E. Schott

Very nice and very drinkable wines from the Nahe are wines from the F.E. Schott Family Estate in Wallhausen, Nahe. About a year ago, I have met Michael Schott, the family wine-maker, at a wine festival in a suburb of Berlin where he and his mother presented their wares to the German capital city’s consumers.

I had used the opportunity to sample some of the wines. Because of my maternal grand-father and my long connection with the Nahe wine region (about 4,200 ha under vines), I just cannot ignore the wines from this jewel of a wine region.

The Schott Family Estate Winery

The location (terroir) Wallhaeuser Pastorenberg is one of the five vineyard locations in Wallhausen and Bad Kreuznach the family cultivate today.

Since 2009 the brothers Michael and Benjamin have taken over the cultivation of the estate. benjamin is taking care of the vineyards and Michael is making the wine. Apart from Riesling, also Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc are grown. The red grape varieties include Dornfelder, Dunkelfelder, St Laurent and Pinot Meunier (Schwarzriesling).

The 2010 vintage was not bad. The ‘2010 Riesling S “Vom Buntsandstein” Pastorenberg’ is a dry wine which won a gold medal at the local winery associations wine awards competition. The price is very reasonable (7 Euro/bottle). It is an easy drinking wine for every day consumption.

You should visit the family (they are very nice people) winery when you are near Bad Kreuznach. Wallhausen (with about 224 ha under vines) is a very pictureque little place.

Address:
WEINGUT F.E. SCHOTT
An der Ruh 2
D-55595 Wallhausen – Nahe

Tel: +49-67 06 – 402
Fax: +49-67 06 – 6283
Mail: weingut@schottwein.de
www.schottwein.de

Leave a Comment » | Vineyard profile, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver

Riesling from the Nahe – 2008 Monzinger Halenberg by Emrich-Schönleber

October 21, 2011

I love to eat fish. Red snapper is a good one. That one can prepare it with mushrooms was new to me. Alas there is Marcella Hazan and her cookery book which are always an inspiration.

Dinner in the making

Mushrooms on the fish

Unfortunately, I messed up the pictures of the food on the plate. I do not know how it happened. At times I am just too stupid to handle my new camera, it seems. Sorry folks, you have to be content with the two pictures above. I assure you that the fish was delicious. We served it with a bean salad in onions but had also some peeled tomatoes as a salad. We did not need carbohydrates.

A delicious fish, I usually enjoy with a good wine, not always white, sometimes red, but tonight it was white. From my last visit to Germany I had brought a bottle of my favourite winery in the Nahe valley, Weingut (winery) Emrich-Schönleber in Monzingen, a small village next to where my grandfather used to live (Martinstein) and where I spent almost all my school holidays.

The winery Emrich-Schönleber is one of the best wineries in the Nahe region and in Germany. It is famous for its dry and off-dry Riesling wines, mainly from the locations Halenberg and Fruehlingsplaetzchen. I usually visit them coming straight from the airport during my annual sommer break or home leave as it is called.

It is hard for a German Riesling lover who resides in Bangkok to find good Riesling wines. I am spoiled in this, I know.

But look at this colour? Golden, pure, with a fragrance of delicious grape fruit and citrus flavours. It has some residual sugar, so it’s not bone dry but the wine is creamy and dense, round and full, with good structure and a wonderful long finish.

It stays on the palate. If you ask me, it could stay there for ages. I was in paradise for the duration of the meal and woke up to the hard reality: no more Riesling from Emrich-Schönleber in my wine fridge.

Sigh, life can be hard.

2008 Monzinger Halenberg R by Emrich-Schönleber

Address:
Weingut Emrich-Schönleber
Soonwaldstraße 10a
D-55569 Monzingen
Tel.: +49-67 51-27 33
Fax: +49-67 51-48 64
www.emrich-schoenleber.de

Leave a Comment » | food, food and wine, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver

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

Leave a Comment » | culture, food, food and wine, history and culture, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver

Along the Mosel river – impressions from a train ride

October 6, 2011

Taking pictures from a train usuallay did not work for me in the past. However, the other day when I visited the Mosel river and my home town Trier, I tried it again with my new digital camera.

The outcome is not too bad, I think. And this is why I want to share it with you here on my blog. Unfortunately, I did not catch famous terroir, single vineyard locations and/or famous wine villages and towns, just some no-name impressions.

In any case, this is maybe the best view one can get of the Mosel: exploring the region on a train.

I suggest to any tourist and casual visitor to this part of Germany to take the train from Koblenz to Trier and enjoy from the regional express train the sometimes spectacular views of the Mosel valley and its vineyards.

You can feel the speed of the train – above the ‘Autobahn’ bridge at Winningen

Most ‘grand cru’ locations are to be found on the steep slopes (right) but there are also flat parts with vineyards (left)

Train station in Bullay with the view of two Mosel bridges

Vineyards on steep slopes

An autumn feeling

Blue slate on the roofs of the houses along the Mosel

The river bed, train tracks, and a country raod, all three have to find a space in the narrow Mosel river valley. That the vineyards are located on the steep slopes is not an accident. This is where the slate underground reflects the sunlight and keeps the vines warm for the optimal ripening of mainly Riesling grapes. The steep slopes are hard work for the vintners.

I love the Mosel. I find it extremely relaxing to sit on the train and watch the landscape along the winding valley.

Alternatively one can also visit the Mosel by pushbike or car. Every way of transport, every way of movement will bring new insights and offer other aspects of this magificent river landscape.

Leave a Comment » | culture, wine, wine regions | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver

Roast venison in Trier with a Merlot from Two Hills Vineyard

September 30, 2011

Whenever I visit my family in Trier, they spoil me with super delicious food, mostly game dishes. Heinz is a passionate hunter and he reserves only the best meat for me. This time young roast venison was on the agenda = my plate. I tell you, it was awesome.

The young roast venison

Venison with vegetables and egg noodles

2001 Merlot from Two Hills Vineyard

I washed the venison down with a ‘2001 Two Hills Merlot’, which is still a drinkable wine. The softness of the Merlot tannins went well with the savoury taste of the young game.

2 Comments | food, vineyards, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver

Ruwer Riesling – Van Elkan semi-dry, slate Riesling, Mertesdorf

September 18, 2011

Many of my friends in Trier just love off-dry Riesling wines. One of them is my old high-school friend Juergen Olk who lives in Eitelsbach.

When we visited him and his family in July he produced this wonderful bottle of Riesling from the Ruwer valley. The Ruwer river is a tributary to my beloved Mosel.

I did not know the Van Elkan winery. Although I am not that much a lover of semi-dry (or semi sweat) wines, I must say that I liked this wine.

Christina and Marco van Elkan started their venture into the wine industry in 2003. Their philosophy of low yields and minimum intervention pays off. The quality of their wines is already well recognized.

2010 Van Elkan semi-dry, slate Riesling

The van Elkan wines are reasonably priced (7.00 to 9.80 EURO per bottle).

I wonder what the dry wines of the van Elkan family estate taste like. Something to explore further.

Address:
Christina and Marco van Elkan
Rieslingweg 1
54318 Mertesdorf
Tel: +49-651-9954475
Fax: +49-651-9954476
info@vanelkan.de
www.vanelkan.de

1 Comment | vineyards, wine, wine regions, wineries | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver

How to say good bye to Germany – would a Riesling do?

September 17, 2011

A wine cooler at Frankfurt Airport

We left Germany in style, will say, we had a bottle of German Riesling while waiting for our plane to Bangkok.

A bottle of ‘2010 Frankhof Weinkontor Riesling’ was my choice. I had never heard of this producer.

Later I found out that it belongs to the Steigenberger Hotel chain. In 1873 a wine cellar was founded in the basement of the Frankfurter Hof hotel. Albert Steigenberger bought the place in 1940 and made it his flagship hotel.

2010 Frankhof Weinkontor Riesling

The wine is a good specimen representing German Riesling quite nicely. It is nothing special though, just a good Riesling, fresh and full of lemon flavours, in short the way I like it.

But the fact that we had a good Riesling served in a wine cooler relaxed us somehow. We could conclude our summer holiday in a setting which reminded us about the many great wines we had tasted, the places we had visited and the people we had the great opportunity to meet.

Summer 2011 was wonderful for our family; we had a great time in Canada and Germany.

Leave a Comment » | wine, wine regions | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by themanfrommoselriver

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »