Wine Tasting at the German Embassy.

I was invited by the ambassador to a German wine tasting at the German Embassy in DC.

OK - that is completely not true. It was hosted by GiraMondo wine adventures and open to anyone with $74! But it really was held at the German Embassy and the focus was the white wines of Germany (naturally).

The event consisted of a festival when one could sample a selection of white wines (and one red) and a German wine tasting class taught by a wine consultant from the nearby MacArthurs Beverages (Addy Bassins). The class was really good as the speaker had a specific knowledge of German wines, and more importantly, a passion for German wines. The actual "festival" was mediocre as the wine-pourers did not have much knowledge of wine (they kept asking "which one did you like the best" but couldn't answer any questions about the wine).

I'll list the wines below but I only have comments on three of them.

CLASS

2007 Kuhling Gillot, Trocken (Rheinhessen): 100% Riesling

2007 Merkelbach, Kabinett, Urziger Wurzgarten (Mosel): 100% Riesling

2007 Strub Niersteiner, Spatlese, Paterberg (Rheinhessen): 100% Riesling

2007 Dr. Loosen, Auslese, Wehlener Sonnenuhr (Mosel): 100% Riesling - Outstanding! The only wine I remembered from the entire night. About $42 a bottle and I would spend my funds on this.

2007 Selbach, Eiswein, Himmelreich - (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer): 100% Riesling (Ice wine) - WOW! I great way to end the evening! I've never had ice wine before and this one packed quite a punch. About $72.


FESTIVAL

2008 Selbach, Spatlese, Saar (Mosel): 100% Riesling

2008 Hexamer Meddersheimer Quarzit, Rheingrafenberg (Nahe): 100% Riesling

2007 Hexamer, Kabinett, Darting (Pfalz): 100% Gewurztraminer - a bit sweet and didn't have much spice to it. Of course, I've never found a GW I've liked (except from Arista)

2008 Leitz Rudesheimer Klosterlay, Kabinett (Rheinhessen): 100% Riesling

2007 Kruger Rumpf, Spatlese (Nahe): 100% Scheurebe

2007 Friedrich Becker, Spatburgunder (Pfalz): 100% Spatburgunder (Pinor Noir): worst PN I've had in my life - maybe it needed some breathing time (I had the first taste from the bottle).

The actual "festival" was mediocre as the wine-pourers did not have much knowledge of wine (they kept asking "which one did you like the best" but couldn't answer any questions about the wine).

Unless they are volunteering their time to earn credits for some organization (as I do for my local high school), it always bugs me when the wine-pourers know little or, sometimes, don't even like wine.
Your post make me want to try some of the 2007 Dr. Loosen and,German wine in general, which I admit to knowing little about.

[David M. Bueker]

So David,

Did you not care for the wines you had no notes on? Some of htem are names I know well and have great respect for, so poor showings for wines from Selbach, Strub and Merkelbach would be a surprise to me. I won't comment on the Gewurz or Scheurebe since enjoyment of htose two grapes is very personal - I love 'em both, but many do not.

I was invited by the ambassador to a German wine tasting at the German Embassy in DC.

How is that old mother scratcher Klaus? Herr Scharioth still owes me $10.

2007 Selbach, Eiswein, Himmelreich - (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer): 100% Riesling (Ice wine) - WOW! I great way to end the evening! I've never had ice wine before and this one packed quite a punch. About $72.

I loves me some Eiswein. Given it's price point I don't drink too often but I've yet to be disappointed, even with some of the cheater (icebox) ones .

Being a volunteer “pourer”, it would truly surprise me if someone who has no interest in wine would even volunteer for an event such as this. The organization I belong to has quarterly meeting every year, and the last half of the meeting is dedicated to “education”. One of the requirements is that you visit the members’ wineries at least once a year. Usually at such events, the first segment of the event is only opened to people ITB or ”press”. Here you are told not to “disturb” the “taster” and allow him/her to concentrate, and only answer to the best of your ability any question he/she may ask you. Buy the time they open the event for “general admission”, most of the participants are just looking to get “some wine”, you could definitely tell the difference between those who are truly passionate about wine and those just looking to get “some wine”.

Salute

So David,

Did you not care for the wines you had no notes on? Some of htem are names I know well and have great respect for, so poor showings for wines from Selbach, Strub and Merkelbach would be a surprise to me. I won't comment on the Gewurz or Scheurebe since enjoyment of htose two grapes is very personal - I love 'em both, but many do not.

The festival tasting was was unstructured - you just asked what wine you wanted and they poured you a glass - no explanation, no discussion, nothing to write on or with. There were only two tables setup and people were crowding around you so just got your wine and moved on.

The class was a little better but it was rushed to get it done in 30 minutes (the first class ran 45 minutes so they wanted to get second one done before the end of the event). By that time, I had already had the 6 festival wines so my taste buds were losing focus!

So, the wines with no notes doesn't imply anything! I thought they did a great job of picking the wines (save the Spatburgunder) and all were good at their particular prices points. The ones with the notes were memorable. It's the presentation of the event, not the wines, that needed improvement (e.g., being hassled at the Asian food table because the German food section took the red ticket instead of the white ticket).

I went to a Pinor Tasting last night and it was well done! More on that later.

Dave

Nice embassy.

Was it the embassy of germany of the embassy of rhineland-palatinate? Just wondering if the wine lobby from the other federal states of germany just seem "not strong enough" to come up with maybe just 1 or 2 bottles.

the focus was the white wines of Germany

For me it just looks like the focus was on white wines of rhineland-palatinate, federal state of germany. No Baden or Rheingau wines on the list.

I am just wondering who pays these kind of wine marketing?

Embassy of germany? Embassy of rhineland-palatinate? Winemarketing Pfalz? Touristmarketing Pfalz? Winemarketing southern Pfalz? Wine marketing middle pfalz? Wine marketing Bingen, Wonnegau, Nierstein?

Or is it paid by the vintners whose wines are "tasted"?


......just wondering a bit..... I mean, as a vintner whose wines are not promoted at these tasting events I would not want "my" tax-money(that I have to pay for wine marketing events like that....77 - 440€ / hectar annually depending on wine growing region) to be spent for that.


OT:

Did you know that all german wine growing regions (except Baden) are in european wine climatic zone A (Baden = B)? Therefore, QBA wines can get sugar added up to 3.5% alcohol (climatic zone B = 2.5% alc).

The climatic disadvantages are that harsh, german wine exists on huge marketing funds (about 20 million € anually) to promote its wines. Whilst each vinter has to pay for these events, just some vintners wines are promoted over and over and over and over again.


But I am pretty sure everything is 100% correct - Rhineland-palatinate minister of viniculture (only federal state of germany to have one) is a lawyer.

[David M. Bueker]

So Richard - you clearly missed the Mosel wines.

And the allowability of chaptalizaiton for QbA is very well known and nothing new.

You seem (in your two posts today) to be irritated about something in regards to wines from the Pfalz. Care to explain your rather negative comments?

So Richard - you clearly missed the Mosel wines.

The Mosel is in the state of Rheinland-Pfalz.

Normally what happens for these events is that the Embassy will get in contact with either local retailers or wine distributors to get samples (paid for by the distributor in almost all cases) in the hope that they'll get exposure and residual sales. In this case it looks like the Country Vintner ponied up for most of it.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Bill

[David M. Bueker]

True Bill...thanks for pointing that out, though I still do not get the tone.

regards to wines from the Pfalz. Care to explain your rather negative comments?

Nothing negative to say about any wine or vintner mentioned above. I was just laughing (am not wondering about that no more) that there is another wine tasting event at the german embassy promoting just wine from rhineland-palatinate at a "german wine event". I have no prejudice about anybody in the wine making business (didn`t wrote industry).

Where I do have my prejudices is that vintners in germany are forced to pay for wine advertising and nobody just seem to know where this money is going to. Federal audit court criticised inappropriated usage of that sum. If there should be any international advertising campaigns they are very well hidden from the public. Personally I think this (+-) 20 million € annually are just thrown out of the window.

When a wine growing region huge (lol) as the Pfalz has the guts and money to maintain 3 organisations for wine marketing purposes there is no need to ask if there could be a way to spend this money in a more effective way. For me it looks like Pfalz is promoting against Mosel against Rheingau against Baden etc. From time to time rhineland-palatinate wine groing regions unite to diss his (inner country) contrahents (most likely Rheingau) by concealing.

Another point may be that I can`t vomit enough when I see stuff like this being build in the middle of the vineyards


This is the village of Maikammer, Pfalz, the area calls itself "garden of eden". There is a nice old sandstone villa behind the supermarket. Looked nice 1 year ago.



That is the other side of the garden of eden.


Nice sandstone rock formation in Hauenstein, Pfalz (no winegrowing there). There is another one on the rigth side, with another supermarket in front.


Let`s build some more of those metal & concrete hangars around every where, make lotta money outta it and move somewhere where it doesn`t look like in a rotten dream of master blaster from mad max. And build some bridges across rivers to get the f.outta here faster. We just double the propaganda budget and make some more of those pictures



Dumbasses living inside this area just don`t care anyhow.



P.S.
Hugh Johnson about some other piece of concrete, the high moselle bridge:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fFwUof6wvI