Germany North - ITINERARY

A German Wine and Culture Tour - Riesling country!

Spend 10 days touring five wine regions, tasting fabulous wines in Rheinhessen, in the Rhine, Mosel, and Nahe valleys, meeting world-renowned wine makers, and delving deep into German history and culture:

Rheingau • Mittelrhein • Ahr • Mosel • Nahe • Rheinhessen 

 

   The Itinerary below is from our previous tour. Dates for the upcoming tour will be subject to change and locations may be subject to change.   
2024
Accommodation: 9 nights:
Night 1: Tuesday, August 27
Hotel Hilton in Mainz, a modern 4 star hotel right on the banks of the beautiful, mighty Rhein river in walking distance to everything: the historic old town, the market place with the 1000 year old cathedral, the birthplace and museum of Johannes Gutenberg founder of modern printing, shops and restaurants, and it is just a quick drive from Frankfurt airport.
 
Nights 2 + 3: Wednesday, August 28 and Thursday, August 29
Hotel Kronenschlösschen in Hattenheim, a historic, very elegant 4-star hotel in picturesque old town Hattenheim. Built in 1894, the hotel is idyllically situated in a private park with mature trees and lush flower beds close to the Rhine river. 
 
Night 4: Friday, August 30

Romantik Hotel Schloss Rheinfels in St. Goar, a 4-star-superior spa hotel located on a cliff high above the Rhine river opposite of the legendary Loreley rock. The hotel is part of the castle Rheinfels, the largest fortress ruin on the central Rhine. The view down to the gorge of the Rhine river is priceless. 

 
Night 5: Saturday, August 31

Mercure Hotel in Trier, a modern 4-star hotel near the heart of the city center and just across the street from the Roman Porta Nigra.

 
Nights 6 + 7: Sunday, September 01 + Monday, September 02

Romantik Hotel Bellevue in Traben-Trarbach, a 4-star elegant Art Deco spa hotel of the Belle Epoque times where the rich and famous of this bygone era stayed when they visited the Mosel. The hotel is situated directly on the banks of the Mosel river, with a spectacular panorama across the water. 

 
Night 8: Tuesday, September 03

Weinhotel Meisenheimer Hof in Meisenheim, a 3-star-superior gem of a hotel in the middle of the historic town center. Beautifully and tastefully restored, it combines state of the art accommodations with historic surroundings. T.he restaurant serves ambitious, exquisite meals

 
Night 9:  Wednesday, September 04

NH Hotel in Bingen, a 4-star modern business hotel beautifully situated at the confluence of the Nahe and Rhine rivers with stunning views across the Rhine to the vineyards and castles on the Rheingau side.

 

DAY 1: Tuesday, August 27

ALL DAY

Attending the "Weinbörse" in Mainz.

Compared with large, international trade fairs the annual VDP (Association of Germany's Premium Wine Estates) Weinbörse is “klein aber fein,” i.e. “good things come in small packages.” Here you can sample wines from all elite winemakers from all German wine regions. It is relatively easy for visitors to quickly locate the estate and/or region of interest. The exhibition area in the Rheingoldhalle is all on one floor and provides ample space for the tasting stands as well as the areas reserved for individual discussions. Exhibiting estates are organized according to region and alphabetically within their respective region, as is the catalogue listing the wines available. If you like Riesling this is the place for you. I quote the VDP: Riesling is enjoying a great renaissance worldwide – not least because it is an extraordinarily versatile varietal, and able to excel in dry, off-dry and lusciously sweet versions. It is highly prized for its food compatibility by leading chefs de cuisine, sommeliers and consumers alike. It is also recognized as an excellent, light and stimulating apéritif, and appreciated as an opulent dessert wine that is rich in nuances. While some 20% of Germany’s vineyards are planted with this noble grape, some 60% of VDP estates’ vineyards are devoted to this grape variety. This is also reflected in the wines on offer at the Weinbörse: well over 60% are Rieslings – truly the most comprehensive selection of Riesling wines of any trade fair in the world.

 

LATE AFTERNOON

Check-in at hotel Hilton in Mainz.

Time to relax after a day of wine tasting.

 

EVENING

Dinner (beverages on your own) at restaurant Heilig Geist in Mainz.

The Heilig Geist (Holy Spirit) is a very special place. A deconsecrated church with glorious, soaring vaulted ceilings sets the scene. This restaurant is just in a majestic location.

 DAY 2: Wednesday, August 28

MORNING

Vineyard tour, cellar visit and tasting at winery Joachim Flick (VDP) in Hochheim, Rheingau.

We start our wine tour with a visit to the easternmost wine village of the Rheingau region, the famous village of Hochheim am Main, the “Gate to the Rheingau”. In the 17th century Britain used the term “Hock” for Hochheim wines and later described all Rheingau wines as “Hock”. At that time, the wines of Hochheim were much more famous than Mosel wines and were more expensive than some of the finest Bordeaux. Thomas Jefferson visited the region in 1788 and described Rheingau Riesling as “small and delicate Rhysslin which grows only from Hochheim to Rudesheim”. He took 100 vines of Hochheim Riesling back to Monticello and tried to grow wines there. Hochheim was quite famous long before this and the region was known for producing quality wines in the Shakespearean era. Both ‘Hock’ and ‘Rhenish’ can be found in Shakespearean texts. Hochheim am Main is on the banks of the Main river, which flows west from Frankfurt, meeting the Rhein river at Mainz, on the other side of the river from Hochheim. Essentially the vineyards in this village are at the cross of these two rivers, which gives the terroir a distinctively different flavor than the rest of the Rheingau. The Flick family’s viticulture tradition in Hochheim goes back to 1775 to about the time when Jefferson visited Hochheim. In 1997 Rainer Flick, the current owner of winery Joachim Flick purchased a 700 year-old mill with a turbulent history – the Strassenmühle – and moved the winery to this location. Rainer is convinced that quality starts in the vineyard. He practices environmentally friendly viticulture and tries to make the most out of what’s possible with nature. The 47 acres of vineyards are planted with Riesling (81%), Pinot-Noir (10%), and Pinot-Blanc, Pinot-Gris, and Sauvignon-Blanc. Rainer owns the Monopol Grand Cru site Hochheimer Königin Victoriaberg. There is another interesting history to it: In 1845 Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert visited Hochheim and they were served the best wine from Hochheim and were shown the best vineyard site of Hochheim. In 1850 the English Court allowed the town of Hochheim to call this vineyard: Königin Victoriaberg. Since then the English Court orders this wine for special occasions, the last one was the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

 

LUNCH

Lunch with wines of Weingut Schloss Johannisberg at Schlossschänke Johannesberg in Geisenheim.

Schloss Johannisberg is the world’s oldest Riesling wine estate going back 900 years and it was here that the “Spätlese” was accidently discovered. For many centuries the estate was owned by the Prince-Abbot of Fulda, but changed hands several times during the Napoleonic wars and subsequent secularization. In 1816, Austrian Emperor Francis II, gave the estate to his Foreign Minister, Prince von Metternich, as a thank you for his successful negotiations in the reorganization of Europe during the “Congress of Vienna”. The last resident of the Metternich family at Schloss Johannisberg, Tatjana Princess von Metternich was a patron of the arts in the Rheingau and beyond and revived the castle to its former gory after the destructions during World War II. After her death in 2006, the Oetker family (yes, that's the one that produces baking helpers and puddings) bought the estate. Current estate manager is Stefan Doctor who fabulously manages the domaine and honors the long traditions at Schloss Johannisberg by focusing rigorously on quality. The Johannisberg wines show substance, considerable volume, and a spicy fruitiness paired with pronounced acidity. We will enjoy the wines with lunch at the Domaine’s wine tavern overlooking the vineyards and the Rhine river.

 

AFTERNOON

Cellar visit and tasting at winery Geheimrat J. Wegeler (VDP) in Oestrich-Winkel, Rheingau.

For this visit we travel to the opposite end, the westernmost end of the Rheingau region and we will experience a totally different terroir. This historical wine estate Geheimrat J. Wegeler with its picturesque courtyard is in the center of the little wine village Oestrich. The esteate was acquired by the Wegeler family in 1882. Today the proprietor is still the Wegeler-Dreiseberg family. The 119 acres of vineyards are planted 100% with Riesling and are in top locations in Oestrich and Rüdesheim, such as the famous Rüdesheimer Berg Schlossberg, Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck, Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland, and the Winkeler Jesuitengarten. The tasting of these wines will be very interesting in comparison to the Hochheim wines we tasted this morning.

 
Cellar visit and tasting at winery Robert Weil (VDP) in Kiedrich, Rheingau. (VDP), Rheingau.

With 185 acres under vine – 99% is planted with Riesling-, winery Robert Weil is one of the largest and most prominent estates in the Rheingau. This estate with its chateaux character is a symbol of German Riesling culture. The historical manor house, the ultra-modern cellars and the vinothek stand side by side in a beautiful park – the same synthesis of old and new that is reflected in the estate’s philosophy of excellent, terroir-focused winemaking where tradition and contemporary oenological know-how are in harmony. 

 

EVENING

Check in at Hotel Kloster Eberbach in Kloster Eberbach. 

Enjoy the tranquility at this ancient monastery.

 

DINNER

Dinner with wines of Weingut Kloster Eberbach at Klosterschänke Eberbach.

The Cistercian monk Bernard of Clairvaux from Burgundy founded the winery when he establishing the Abbey. In medieval times Eberbach Abbey was the largest winery in all of Europe with 750 acres of vineyards. Today Eberbach Abbey is one of the five State-owned wineries (the State of Hesse is its proprietor) and with 500 acres the largest winery in Germany. The estate’s holdings in highly esteemed vineyards in the Hessische Bergstrasse and the Rheingau wine region are unparalleled. 

DAY 3: Thursday, August 29

MORNING

Guided tour of the Eberbach Abbey.
visit of Eberbach Abbey with ombiasy pr 2016 wine tour

One of Europe's best-preserved and important medieval monasteries lies in a valley near the town of Eltville in the Rheingau. Still a world-class winery today, the Eberbach Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery, founded in 1136 by Bernard of Clairvaux as the first Cistercian abbey on the eastern bank of the Rhine river. Its Romanesque and Gothic buildings are very impressive. We will do an in-depth tour of the Abbey, including a visit of the lay brother’s dormitory where every year the famous auction of premium German wines takes place. A very special treat will be a peek into the treasure chamber, where century old wine bottles are still stored and where the movie “The Name of the Rose” with Sean Connery was filmed in 1986. will get an in-depth tour of the Abbey, including the visit of the old monk’s dormitory where every year the famous auction of premium German wines takes place. A very special treat will be a peek into the treasure chamber, where century old wine bottles are still stored and where the movie “The Name of the Rose” with Sean Connery was filmed in 1986.

 

LIGHT PICNIC LUNCH

Lunch at Schwarzes Häuschen in the Steinberg vineyard of Kloster Eberbach.

The Steinberg vineyard is a “Clos” – a vineyard totally surrounded by a stone wall. It is the largest “Clos” in Germany and one of the very famous Riesling vineyard sites. The monks constructed this vineyard according to the Burgundy prototype.

 

AFTERNOON

Cellar visit and tasting at winery Baron Knyphausen (VDP) in Erbach, Rheingau.

The winery Baron Knyphausen goes back to one of the oldest viticultural enterprises in all of Germany. The Draiser Hof -home of the winery- was built in 1141 by the Cistercian monks of the Eberbach Abbey to cultivate the monastery’s vineyards and fields in Erbach and Eltville. In 1818 the Baron zu Knyphausen family purchased the estate and the vineyards. The holdings include the famous Erbacher Marcobrunn, one of the top terroirs in the Rheingau, if not the world. Almost 60 acres are under vines and planted mostly with Riesling (85%), and with 10% of Pinot Noir and 5% with indigenous grapes such as red Riesling.

 
Cellar visit and tasting at winery Kaufmann(VDP) in Hattenheim, Rheingau. 

Winery Kaufmann was founded by Hans Lang in 1953, in the post World War II era. The son of the founder converted the winery to organic viticulture and became member of the Ecovin Association for Organic Viticulture in 2012. With no heir interested in continuing working in the winery in 2013 the Lang family sold the estate and Urban Kaufmann and Eva Raps purchased the winery. Urban comes from Switzerland and ran one of the best Appenzeller cheese companies. Eva used to be the Managing Director of the VDP. I quote Urban:”To produce top cheeses was important to me, today Riesling, white Burgundy grapes and Pinot-Noir are the focus in my life. There are magic moments to take care of these grapes in the vineyard and in the cellar from the fermentation phase until bottling.” And Eva:”To implement the VDP’s philosophy of quality management right here in my own winery is an awesome experience”. Dry wines have a long tradition at the estate and account for 90% of the portfolio. Eva and Urban took the conversion to environmentally friendly winemaking to yet another level: in 2017 they were certified biodynamic by Demeter.

 

EVENING

Wine pairing cheese fondue dinner at winery Kaufmann.

Given the fact that Urban Kaufmann is Swiss and loves cheese a gastronomic specialty at the winery is pairing Kaufmann wines with cheese fondue.

DAY 4: Friday, August 30

MORNING

Cellar visit, vineyard tour, and tasting at winery Laquai in Lorch, Rheingau.

Today we are travelling to Lorch to the very end of the Rheingau region where it touches the Mittelrhein region. The Rhine river left its east to west direction, took a turn to the right and flows now south to north again. Lorch is a unique place: it sits on one of the narrowest parts of the Rhein river where the Taunus mountain range plunges nearly 60 % down into the valley. The sun's rays strike with all their power on the slate soil rich with minerals. In Lorch the Laquai family has a long tradition of producing wine, going back to 1716. In 1990 brothers Gilbert and Gundolf Laquai started to revitalize extremely steep vineyards and introduced the terrace system. They became pioneers in the Rheingau of planting the slopes horizontally instead of vertically. The embankements of the terraces leave enough room for the development of healthy fauna and flora to help grow healthy vines that give healthy fruit. Their wines reflect the soil: the Rieslings have an herbal, mineral character; the Pinot Noir shows Cassis and Cherry, herbal notes, strong tannins and a long finish.

 
Departure from the Rheingau region and drive to the Mittelrhein wine region.

This journey to Bacharach involves a ferry ride across the Rhine river. There is no bridge across the Rhine river for some 70 miles between Mainz and Koblenz to not destroy the beauty of the Rhine valley.

 

LUNCH

Lunch (beverages on your own) at restaurant Altes Haus in Bacharach.

Bacharach is an incredible beautiful, romantic 1000 year old wine village. Its castles, church spires, medieval city wall, and half-timbered houses on the shore of the Rhine rive is pure “Rheinromantik”. Bacharach is also the birthplace of the world-famous designer Michael Thonet and there is a museum commemorating the famous son.

 

AFTERNOON

Visit and tasting at winery Ratzenberger (VDP) in Bacharach, Rheingau.

The grandfather of the current owner, Jochen Ratzenberger, purchased this 300 year old wine estate in 1956. It lies in a breathtakingly beautiful narrow valley bordered by extremely steep vineyard sites. The winery is also very beautiful with vast, historic vaulted cellars. A significant portion of the 35 acres of vineyards are planted with vines more than 50 years old, which give the wines substance and at the same time elegance. Jochen Ratzenberger also produces some very delicious Sekt, which is kept on the lees for at least 30 months.
Did you know that the Germans are world champions of sparkling wine (Champagne, Crément, Sekt, Cava, Prosecco) consumption?

 
Boarding the boat in Bacharach for a cruise on the Rhine river.
river cruise on romantic rhine river with ombiasy pr wine tours

Cruise on the Rhine, passing the famous Loreley Rock and the slopes of the Mittelrhein wine region. Time to indulge in the breathtakingly beautiful view of the Rhine River and its banks dotted with castles, forts, and ruins dating from the middle ages. The Middle-Rhine valley is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

 

EVENING

Debarking in Boppard. Check in at the beautiful Belle Époque Hotel Bellevue in Boppard.

This hotel dates from the end of the 19th century and has seen the aristocratic visitors from all over Europe when they visited the famous Rhine river. Enjoy the view on the Rhine river and observe the cargo boats traveling upstream and downstream. 

The evening is free for you to explore the quaint little town of Boppard or to stroll along the majestic Rhine river. Dinner on your own.


DAY 5: Saturday, August 31

MORNING

Guided tour of Burg Eltz - Eltz Castle.

Eltz Castle is a truly fairy-tale medieval castle surrounded by dense forests in the hills above the Mosel river. It was built more than 850 years ago by the Eltz family and is one of the few castles that have never been destroyed. Here you can experience the Middle Ages and nature in its purest form. Today the Countess and Count Eltz, descendants of the same family that lived here in the 12th century - 33 generations ago -  live here and are doing everything to preserve their ancestral home.

 

LUNCH

Lunch (beverages on your own) at Weinhaus Berg in Bremm, Mosel.

We will enjoy lunch right on the banks of the Mosel river.

 

AFTERNOON

Cellar visit, vineyard visit, and tasting at winery Reinhold Franzen in Bremm, Terrassen-Mosel.

The Franzen family has been making wine in Bremm for centuries. It is here where you find the steepest vineyard world-wide, the Bremmer Calmont (68 degree incliniation). And it is the Franzen family who worked hard to preserve this extraordinary terroir of oxidized red Devonian slate and Quarzite. In the 1800 and 1900s, the entire Calmont -50 acres- was planted with Riesling vines and the wines belonged to the most expensive and sought-after bottles of the world. Phyloxera and two world wars ruined the market for German wines, and  a younger generation did not deem it worthwhile to work in the very steep vineyards. By 1980, the only 9 acres vineyards left on the Calmont were vineyards down by the road along the Mosel and the entire mountain was covered in roses and wild vines. In 1999, Ulrich Franzen decided to start buying up as much Calmont as he could. He was able to purchase 112 contiguous parcels, from 112 different owners. Within three years he planted 7,900 Riesling vines into the steep slate ground. This gave him 1.2 ha in the heart of the Calmont, an amphitheater-shaped section near the center of the mountain, facing south. Today, the winery is run by the young couple Kilian and Angelina Franzen. They belong to Germany’s young, very ambitious winemakers who have their own philosophy of winemaking. The grapes are crushed by feet in large boxes and macerated for 2-4 hours.  Then they are pressed, and settled for 12 hours prior to fermentation.  All ambient yeast ferments here, and nearly all the wines go through malolactic fermentation.

 

Visit and tasting at winery Jos.Jos. Prüm in Bernkastel-Wehlen, Middle Mosel.

The contrast could not be bigger between our previous winery visits and a visit to this world-famous estate on the banks of the Mosel river. At the J.J. Prüm winery all wines are Rieslings and all are sweet. The wines are of great aristocracy, and are renowned for their precision, focus, finess, and legendary ageing potential, regardless of the way how they achieved their level of sweetness (by chaptalizing or adding sweet reserve or through noble rot). Viticulture traditions in the Prüm family go back to the 17th century, although the J. J. Prüm estate as we know it today, only came into being in 1911 when the property was divided up between seven heirs. Third generation Dr. Manfred Prüm, is the winemaker and owns the estate together with his brother Wolfgang Prüm and his daughter, fourth generation Dr. Katharina Prüm. To describe what winemaking in the Mosel region means, I like to second what Katharina once said: “The Mosel region boasts the coolest climate for wines in the entire Europe, which has both its advantages and disadvantages. Riesling grapes have a longer maturation time on the vines, resulting in more natural acidity and freshness but it’s also harder to achieve ripeness”.

 

EVENING

Check-in at Christiana's Wein & Art Hotel in Bernkastel-Kues, Middle Mosel.

 

 
DINNER: Wine-pairing dinner at winery Richard Böcking in Traben-Trarbach, Middle Mosel.

The Böcking family has been influential in wine business in Traben-Trarbach since the 17th century.  At the turn of the 20th Century, Traben Trarbach, along with Bordeaux, were the largest wine trading towns in Europe. During this period the Böckings acquired Ungsberg and Schlossberg, in Trarbach, and Geyerslay in Wintrich, along with the present day Juffer and Juffer-Sonnenuhr, in Brauneberg; these are all vineyards with a reputation for exceptional quality. During the 20th century the hay-days were over and a steady decline can be observed. In 2010 it seemed wise to sell the estate but a new generation of Böckings hailing over from the United States invested heavily into the winery and a re-awakening of the historic wine estate took place. Today winery Richard Böcking again produces stunning Riesling wines in the best Mosel tradition. We will taste the wines and have a traditional German meal with matching wines in the 14th century Knights Hall. This is the largest secular building from the Middle Ages on the Mosel with a spectacular romantic ambiance of a bygone era.

 

DAY 6: Sunday, September 01

MORNING

Visit and tasting at winery Dr. Loosen in Bernkastel-Kues, Middle Mosel.

The Dr.Loosen winery has been in the hands of the Loosen family for over 200 years. Located just outside of Bernkastel, it is one of the larger producers in the Mosel region with 130,000 bottles produced annually. In the US the winery is particularly known for its sweeter style Rieslings of top quality. Ernst Loosen is the current owner and while most often associated with the sweet-style, low alcohol wines very often to be found on the shelves of wine stores in the US, he is producing top dry Rieslings on the Premier and Grand Cru (GG) level, which he recently introduced to the market in the US. He also produces white and red wines in the Pfalz in Germany (J.L.Wolf winery) and in the US in Washington state (Chateau St. Michelle) and in Oregon (J. Christopher wines).  

 
Sightseeing in Bernkastel-Kues.
river cruise on romantic rhine river with ombiasy pr wine tours

We have time to take a look at the famous “Bernkasteler Doctor” vineyard. Stroll through this incredibly picturesque village to admire the half-timbered houses.

 

LUNCH

Lunch (beverages on your own) at restaurant Ratskeller in Bernkastel-Kues.
 

AFTERNOON

Cellar visit and tasting at winery Haart (VDP) in Piesport, Middle Mosel.

The Haart family’s viticulture tradition goes back to 1337. Weingut Haart is one of the oldest wine estates in the Mosel valley, and one of the few that was not owned by the church or aristocrats. Today it is Johannes Haart who manages the estate. In 2007 his father Theo was awarded the “winemaker of the year” award of the wine guide Gault-Millau Germany. Signature wine of this estate is the “Piesporter Goldtröpfchen”. Anyone who loves the James Bond movies might remember that in “Goldfinger” James Bond enjoyed a bottle of the “Goldtröpfchen”.  Johannes cherishes the family’s wine making traditions but pushes further towards ecological sensible winemaking. He stays away from pesticides and encourages beneficial organisms such as an insect hotel in the vineyard. The wines of this winery are impressive for their tremendous freshness and ageing potential. 

 
Wine presses from Roman times.
river cruise on romantic rhine river with ombiasy pr wine tours

On our way to the hotel we will make a short stop to take a look at two 2000 year-old wine presses from Roman times. This presses in close proximity to each other and at the edge of the world famous wine site “Piesporter Goldtröpfchen” were only discovered in 1985 and 1991 when road building measures for land consolidation were undertaken.

 

EVENING

Check in at Hotel Krone Riesling in Trittenheim, Middle Mosel.

Enjoy this phenomenal location right at the Mosel river.

 
Dinner at Restaurant Krone Riesling (beverages on your own).

 


DAY 7: Monday, September 02

MORNING

Guided bus tour of the Roman city of Trier.

Trier sits on the banks of the Mosel River and is the oldest city in Germany. In Roman times it was the largest city north of the Alps, and for some years it even became an imperial city. This 2000 year old city is a treasure trove of Roman and German history, and pagan and Christian culture. There is so much to see in Trier, but the famous landmarks from Roman times are a must: the Porta Nigra, the amphitheatre, and the imperial thermal baths. The most eminent citizen of Trier in modern times was Karl Marx, who was born and raised here.

 
Cellar tour and tasting at winery Peter Lauer (VDP) in Ayl, Upper Mosel, Saar Valley.

The Saar, a tributary to the Mosel river gives name to one of the 2 unique sup-regions of the Mosel wine region where crisp, more masculine Rieslings are made. Frank Schoonmaker wrote 1956 in ‘The Wines of Germany’: “In these great and exceedingly rare wines of the Saar, there is a combination of qualities which I can perhaps best describe as indescribable – austerity coupled with delicacy and extreme finesse, an incomparable bouquet, a clean, very attractive hardness tempered by a wealth of fruit and flavor which is overwhelming.” Florian Lauer, currently the head at the 100% Riesling winery Peter Lauer (20 acres), which was founded in 1830, produces exactly those kind of wines. His specialties are dry and just slightly off-dry Rieslings. The wines are spontaneously fermented with their natural yeasts.  For many years Florian Lauer fought the wine law of 1971. We all have heard of the “Ayler Kupp”. This was once the filet piece -the Grand Cru site- of the Kupp mountain. Other parts of the mountain had different names to distinguish between the various terroirs. The wine law of 1971 abolished the traditional, historic terroir thinking, merged vineyard sites, and reduced the number of single vineyards from 35,000 to 5,000. The entire mountain now was named “Ayler Kupp”. It has been Florian’s mission to keep the old vineyard names alive. He has been fighting for this since his first vintage in 2005. The EU regulations forced an update to the law in 2014 and finally he now can legally use the older vineyard names such as Unterstenberg, Stirn, Kern and Neuenberg. The new VDP classification is also a renaissance of the terroir principle. 

 

LUNCH

Wineparing lunch at Weinrestaurant Ayler Kupp at winery Peter Lauer. 
 

AFTERNOON

Departure from the Mosel wine region and drive to the Nahe wine region.

We have to cross the Hunsrueck, a lower mountain range that sits between the Mosel and the Nahe valleys. This is one of the least populated areas in all of Germany.

 

EARLY EVENING

Check in at the SPA Parkhotel Kurhaus Bad Kreuznach in Bad Kreuznach, Nahe.
 

The evening is free for you to enjoy this beautiful spa hotel. Take a dip into the Thermal hot spring waters, or head out to town where you find a medieval bridge built in 1300 crossing over the Nahe river. This is one of the few remaining bridges in the world with building constructed on it. Dinner is on your own. 


DAY 8: Tuesday, September 03

MORNING

Visit and tasting at winery H. Dönnhoff (VDP) in Oberhausen, Nahe.

The Dönnhoff family has been making wines for more than 250 years, but a new era started when Helmut Dönnhoff began making wine in 1971. He started out with a vineyard of 10 acres, and through careful acquisition he now cultivates 60 acres of the best vineyards in the Nahe valley. Helmut Dönnhoff has become a living legend of German wine and is celebrated as one of Germany’s very best producers. He is committed to making the most out of the terroir to attain the ultimate in quality. The majority of the grapes planted are Riesling, but Dönnhoff also produces outstanding Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. We will have the honour of learning from Helmut Dönnhoff about his philosophy of wine making and will taste the wines under his guidance.

 
Cellar visit and tasting at winery Dr. Crusius in Traisen, Nahe.

This A lot has happened since the Crusius family settled in Traisen in 1576 to start a mixed agricultural and winegrowing farming estate. In the 1950s, Hans Crusius transformed the farm into a wine estate covering 18.5 acres. Today the winery has 50 acres planted with vines and is one of Germany’s top wine estates. The Gault & Millau wine guide for Germany rated winery Dr, Crusius with 4 out of 5 grapes. Owner is Dr. Peter Crusius, the son of Hans Crusius. The vineyards are predominantly planted with Riesling (60%), some white Burgundy varieties (30%) and several varieties of red wine (Pinot noir précoce and Pinot noir 10%). Their top vineyard sites include the spectacular “Traiser Bastei”, which is with just 3 acres one of Germany’s smallest top vineyard site, and the very steep “Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg”. 

 

LUNCH

Lunch (beverages on your own) at restaurant 3 Buchen, Golfclub Nahetal, in Bad Münster-Ebernburg.

After two morning winery visits we will enjoy the peaceful country-side ambiance of this restaurant.

 

AFTERNOON

Check in at the NH Hotel in Bingen.

Time to relax and to soak in the gorgeous view towards the vineyards of the Rheingau on the other side of the Rhine river.

 
Vineyard visit and cellar visit at winery Kruger-Rumpf in Münster-Sarmsheim, Nahe.

“In our family, viniculture has been a tradition since 1708 - a tradition that we have been cultivating in our vineyards as well as in our manor house which was built back in 1830” says Georg Rumpf. Today, the vineyard area totals about 50 acres and the annual production is 14,000 cases. Georg Rumpf has taken over the winemaking at Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, while his father Stefan now focuses more on sales, and his mother Cornelia manages the restaurant. I always loved the wines of this estate. They were a bit under the radar but recently wine critics paid attention to this estate and ratings keep soaring. 

 

EVENING

Dinner with wine pairing at winery and restaurant Kruger-Rumpf (VDP) in Münster-Sarmsheim, Nahe

The wines, gourmet regional food, the hospitality and warmth of the family, and the ambiance in this lovely estate where modernism is perfectly combined with tradition, are outstanding.

DAY 9: Wednesday, September 04

MORNING

Cellar visit and tasting at winery Bischel (VDP) in Appenheim, Rheinhessen.

This is a relatively young winery by German standards and one of the rising stars of Rheinhessen. Current owners are the “Bischel brothers” Christian and Matthias Runkel. They belong to the group of young, very ambitious winemakers who want to bring German wines, and of course particularly wines from Rheinhessen back into the first league of wines world-wide. Their grandfather founded the winery in 1960. Today the winery has 47 acres of vineyard in top sites in Bingen (Scharlachberg), in Appenheim (the famous Hundertgulden), and in Gau-Algesheim (Johannisberg, Sankt Laurentiuskapelle), all in northern Rheinhessen. Year after year the brothers took steps to radically improve the quality. Besides sustainable vineyard management they reduced yields and only use hand selected, perfectly ripened grapes that are spontaneously fermented with the natural yeast from the vineyards. The wines are aged in steel tanks and oak casks and the best Pinots are matured in French barrique and tonneau barrels. Besides stunning Riesling they produce a gorgeous Pinot-Blanc with an enchanting bouquet of flowers and vanilla, and wonderful, elegant, Pinot-Noirs. Their efforts were awarded with being asked to join the VDP. As of January 1, 2019 they are the newest member of the VDP.

 

LUNCH

Winery visit and lunch with wine pairing at winery Louis Guntrum in Nierstein, Rheinhessen.

The family roots go back to 1648, to the small village of Wörrstadt in Rheinhessen. Ever since, the Louis Guntrum family has been growing grapes and making wine. The 8th generation, Louis Jean George Guntrum, built today's estate building in 1923. It impresses with its stunning location right on the banks of the Rhine river between Nierstein and Oppenheim. Today, the winery is owned and managed by the 11th generation, Louis Konstantin Guntrum. He will show us the winery and will later be joined by his wife Stefanie who will prepare a wonderful luncheon for us. During the luncheon Stefanie and Konstantin will answer any questions you may have on their wines.

 

AFTERNOON

Arrival at Frankfurt International Airport.

DAY 10: Thursday, September 05

MORNING

Visit and tasting at winery H. Dönnhoff (VDP) in Oberhausen, Nahe.

The Dönnhoff family has been making wines for more than 250 years, but a new era started when Helmut Dönnhoff began making wine in 1971. He started out with a vineyard of 10 acres, and through careful acquisition he now cultivates 60 acres of the best vineyards in the Nahe valley. Helmut Dönnhoff has become a living legend of German wine and is celebrated as one of Germany’s very best producers. He is committed to making the most out of the terroir to attain the ultimate in quality. The majority of the grapes planted are Riesling, but Dönnhoff also produces outstanding Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. We will have the honour of learning from Helmut Dönnhoff about his philosophy of wine making and will taste the wines under his guidance.

 
Cellar visit and tasting at winery Dr. Crusius in Traisen, Nahe.

This A lot has happened since the Crusius family settled in Traisen in 1576 to start a mixed agricultural and winegrowing farming estate. In the 1950s, Hans Crusius transformed the farm into a wine estate covering 18.5 acres. Today the winery has 50 acres planted with vines and is one of Germany’s top wine estates. The Gault & Millau wine guide for Germany rated winery Dr, Crusius with 4 out of 5 grapes. Owner is Dr. Peter Crusius, the son of Hans Crusius. The vineyards are predominantly planted with Riesling (60%), some white Burgundy varieties (30%) and several varieties of red wine (Pinot noir précoce and Pinot noir 10%). Their top vineyard sites include the spectacular “Traiser Bastei”, which is with just 3 acres one of Germany’s smallest top vineyard site, and the very steep “Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg”. 

 

LUNCH

Lunch (beverages on your own) at restaurant 3 Buchen, Golfclub Nahetal, in Bad Münster-Ebernburg.

After two morning winery visits we will enjoy the peaceful country-side ambiance of this restaurant.

 

AFTERNOON

Check in at the NH Hotel in Bingen.

Time to relax and to soak in the gorgeous view towards the vineyards of the Rheingau on the other side of the Rhine river.

 
Vineyard visit and cellar visit at winery Kruger-Rumpf in Münster-Sarmsheim, Nahe.

“In our family, viniculture has been a tradition since 1708 - a tradition that we have been cultivating in our vineyards as well as in our manor house which was built back in 1830” says Georg Rumpf. Today, the vineyard area totals about 50 acres and the annual production is 14,000 cases. Georg Rumpf has taken over the winemaking at Weingut Kruger-Rumpf, while his father Stefan now focuses more on sales, and his mother Cornelia manages the restaurant. I always loved the wines of this estate. They were a bit under the radar but recently wine critics paid attention to this estate and ratings keep soaring. 

 

EVENING

Dinner with wine pairing at winery and restaurant Kruger-Rumpf (VDP) in Münster-Sarmsheim, Nahe

The wines, gourmet regional food, the hospitality and warmth of the family, and the ambiance in this lovely estate where modernism is perfectly combined with tradition, are outstanding.