Brew Hops & Wine Stops

At some point you have to put down the wine glass and pick up a stein. There's no better time to do this than Oktoberfest. Now that the city mayor of Munich burst open the barrel of beer and handed the Bavarian governor a frothy glass, Oktoberfest is in full swing, and with the great selection of Oktoberfest beers at ABC and authentic German food available at your local grocery store, you can enjoy Oktoberfest at home--no passport or plane ticket required!

I decided to celebrate with the Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest from Munich, Germany. They have been brewing beer since 1417, and it is still made in accordance with the German Law of Purity, established in 1516. (On a side note, Josephine Pschorr, the daughter of Gorge and Juliane Pschorr, married Franz Strauss and gave birth to the famous composer Richard Strauss.)

The Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest pours a dark amber color, and has a nice, rich maltiness with a clean, hoppy finish. It is an uncomplicated beer, with 5.8% alcohol, perfect for pairing with sausages and jager schnitzel with a side of spätzel and red cabbage with apples. 

For those of you that just can't put the wine glass down, I would suggest trying the 2013 "Joy" Spätlese ([SHPAYT-lay-zuh] meaning "late harvest") Riesling from Mosel, Germany. This wine was created by Brad Lewis and Johannes Selbach exclusively for ABC. It's a perfect match for pork dishes (think pork chops and apple sauce) with juicy apple and tropical fruit notes but not too sweet with moderate acidity to give it a refreshing finish.

Enjoying this wonderful time of year, doesn't get any easier than that.

Prost!

Heather Hitson, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine consultant - The Villages

I got a great surprise this last week while preparing for our last tasting of the year in Gainesville. We had a special guest visit Florida all the way from Germany—Hannah Selbach!  I have a special place in my heart for Riesling and she came in to tell everyone about this noble grape. Two weeks ago we got the email that said she would be visiting the stores throughout Central Florida. It is not often that our wine guests get a chance to see our stores in this quiet (yeah right) little town, but this time, not only did she meet our celebration specialists, she got to meet our great guests as well!

Hannah Selbach at ABC in Gainesville

She tasted six wines from her family, all from the Mosel region, each one a little different from the last:

Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese (available in limited stores)

Estate Riesling QbA

Estate Riesling Spatlese

Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese

Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett

Zetlinger Schlossberg Riesling Kabinett             

ABC does carry all of these wines. Just go to your local ABC and ask about our Selbach Rieslings. Combine the slopes of solid slate in which the vines grow, sprinkle in meticulous care in the vineyards, and add a liberal dose of restraint in the cellar as the wines are coaxed to their fullest height by the experienced touch of Johannes Selbach (Hannah’s father and winemaker). The wines positively sing with fruit, terroir and complexity.

One of the best things that I would love to teach everyone regarding Riesling is the difference between fruit and sugar. There are six harvests during perfect years in Germany and the first harvest is more subtle fruit than sweetness. Think pear and crisp green apple. I always think of biting into a Granny Smith with its slight pucker on the finish, that’s the way Mosel Kabinetts can taste. I would say that everyone needs to come in and bring the Noble grape back to its greatness in the states. Come in and try it for yourself! Maybe you might run into a winemaker on your way.

Kathleen Anderson, Northwest Florida wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinekat

So this week I take a step back from the teacher view and talk about a subject people don’t think much about…three grapes from Germany that are not Riesling! I know most people think sweet when they think German, but it does not have to be.  The trick for some is to remember that fruit, not sugar, can make wine seem sweet.

The first wine being Gewürztraminer, a fruity and yet spicy wine that comes from Germany.  The flavor profile is of peach, kiwi, and smoky minerality with ginseng.  One of my favorites we carry at ABC is Valckenberg.  This wine is something to enjoy with spicy food…think Creole or Asian!  If you like spice, come try this with whatever you enjoy.

The second is another white wine from Valckenberg:  Pinot Blanc.  This is a newer bottle that ABC is carrying.  Valckenberg, one of Germany’s best wine merchants, also has a winery and is a producer. This Pinot Blanc is a bright and fresh rendition of that variety. Dry, clean and focused, it has good weight and an appealing, slightly bitter finish. It is great for summertime sipping or pairing with a bowl of steamed clams.

With the third wine, we are going to go red.  Yes, I said red…Dornfelder! This is a red with something really different to show.  This grape has ample levels of rich, fruity black cherry and spice.  This is also a red that is great with a little chill and a bit of residual sugar for those who want a little sweet but not too much.  Again, the producer is Valckenberg.

So I think what I am trying to say is…go talk to your wine consultant about Valckenberg wines that are not Riesling but ARE German.  They are easy to drink, lower alcohol, fruity, and they all have a great price. Come see us soon…

Kathleen Anderson, North/West FL Wine Supervisor. Follow me on Twitter @abcwinekat.

So it's three days until Thanksgiving, and you've invited a house full of friends and relatives over for the big feast. You called the Butterball hotline for tips on cooking the turkey. Martha Stewart showed you how to create a fool proof pie as well as clever personalized place settings for your table. So you're all set...

But what about the wine? How can you possibly select one wine to go with the variety of tastes and textures you'll be serving? The short answer is you can't, so just relax and remember there are no rules to stress over. My only advice is to have plenty of wine on hand...nothing worse than running out of wine on Turkey Day.

Choosing wine for Thanksgiving Day is really about what you prefer and what you hope your guests will enjoy. Because everyone has different taste preferences when it comes to wine, I suggest you offer a variety of choices. Do your best to offer white wines with well-balanced acidity and red wines with fairly tame tannins that don't overpower the food. And of course don't forget some bubbly.

As for some personal recommendations, nothing gets your party started like sparkling wine. Contadi Castaldi Brut Rosé brings both elegance and phenomenal food-pairing versatility to your table.

Top quality German Riesling is always one of my favorite wines to serve with turkey, sweet potatoes and spicy herb stuffing. Sofia Thanisch crafts classic Rieslings with lip-smacking texture that are sure to please your most finicky guests.

For those who can't decide if they want to drink white or red, how about offering a rosé? Buoncristiani Rosé is a crisp, fruit forward, bone dry style. Another personal favorite is Giovanna Tantini's Bardolino Chiaretto. It is dry and crisp with fantastic ability to pair with all variety of foods.

Pinot Noir is a traditional favorite for Thanksgiving. Ojai Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir has everything I love about good Pinot: bing cherry, medium body and a floral, smoky perfume.

Our guests who shop our stores already know the great value and quality in the Block series wines. The Block 919 Zinfandel is complex and juicy able to stand up to the heartiest of dishes.

Choosing wines for your Thanksgiving dinner is nothing to stress over. Stop into your local ABC Fine Wine & Spirits store and let one of our wine consultants show you how easy it is to pair the perfect wines with your holiday celebrations.

Paul Quaglini, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Supervisor

Follow him on Twitter @abcwinepaulq

I was just reminded of an old wine travel memory today. I am in the middle of a store remodel and was setting the German wine section. Moving around bottles of Selbach-Oster and Dr. Thanisch reminded me of the travel to Germany years back. Not that many years, but certainly a lot of trips ago. We as a group would meet up with Johannes Selbach at the winery in Zeltingen and make the rounds visiting all of the top producers in this part of the Mosel. Each was an education in place and style, how the same grape, in the same soil and conditions, could create so many subtle differences in their wines—each wonderful, similar and different at the same time. I really enjoy German Riesling, especially from the slate covered hills of the Mosel... and most especially the Trocken and Halb-trocken wines. To be honest, I don’t remember all of the wines over the years, but what I do remember very clearly is the people. Each personality reflected in the wine. Sofia Thanisch at Dr. H. Thanisch, elegant and charming. I love the style of these wines. I also remember tasting with Ernst Loosen of Dr. Loosen, where both he and his wines are precise and focused.

Maybe most clearly I recall tasting with Manfred Prum at J. J. Prum. We would all sit in the parlor on 3 couches facing each other. Large rose bushes were located at the end of each couch. He would bring a wine (one of many, many wines on each visit) and inform us of its charms, then pour us a glass… not a sample, a glass. Then we would taste it, and the game would begin. We were accustomed to dumping the remainder out, but he supplied no dump buckets. He expected we would finish the wine, and when we did, he would leave to fetch the next wine. This could go on for a few hours. In the morning, we all learned quickly to sort of hide our glasses so he would think we were about done, then when he left, we would all, in unison, dump the half full glasses of delicious Riesling into the rose bushes. The rose bushes were very healthy, and the roses were very large!

At the end of these long days of Riesling, beer tastes pretty good! We would end up on the roof of Johannes’ house, where he has a grill, tables, chairs and recliners. Johannes would begin the hours long ritual of trotting out bottles of his wine first, then Bordeaux…then older wines and even older Rieslings. The food would begin with salads, onto fish and then sausages. Finally meats… many, many meats. Very late into the night this would last, until there was room for nothing else, not even a wafer thin mint.

Shayne Hebert, Central Florida wine supervisor. Follow me on Twitter @abcwineshayne

Starting tomorrow, you will be noticing a new name appearing on our blog!

As of April 1^st, Marie Griffin is retired from her career as Wine Supervisor at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, and we welcome Kathleen (Robinson) Anderson from her former position as Wine Consultant at our Lake Wales store as the new West and North Central Wine Supervisor! Kathleen’s expertise will be in German wines, just as Marie’s was, while also covering the regions of Austria and Alsace. Kathleen got her start in becoming a wine expert while she was living in New Orleans studying theater, working in the service industry to pay the bills. There she began working under Ralph Brennen, head of The Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, and eventually started attending wine tastings every Saturday—a method she found to be the best way to really learn about wine. When asked what her favorite wine is, much like asking a parent to pick their favorite child, Kathleen said It depended on the season or what she’s eating—in the winter she tends to have more reds, while in the summer she leans toward whites. Overall, she enjoys red blends and Pinot Noir, though. Least favorite wine? Kathleen admitted, “There’s not a wine I couldn’t drink.” Brave, Kathleen, very brave!

When she’s not drinking wine, Kathleen prefers craft beers, and a particular favorite is La Fin Du Monde (It scored a 96 rating with Beer Advocate… maybe she should be a Beer Consultant, too—in her spare time?) And if she wasn’t working for ABC as a Wine Supervisor, Kathleen thinks she would be in the acting business, perhaps doing stage managing. A stage manager who knows how to make a killer Pinot Noir reduction sauce, that is. While chatting with Kathleen I asked her one final question—if she was hosting a dinner party and could invite any three guests—dead or alive—who would they be? Her response: Robert Mondavi, JFK and Winston Churchill: “It would be an interesting conversation,” she added. We hope you enjoy your new position on the Wine Supervisor team, Kathleen! Happy travels!

Wine and place. Of course you can enjoy wine almost anywhere. You can enjoy it in the company of good friends, or you can enjoy it alone, perhaps while meditating on a thoughtful book or listening to music. You can enjoy it with a grand meal, or with a simple repast, or even all by itself. There are a thousand ways to enjoy a glass of wine and they are all good. But somehow the wine you taste while traveling, especially if it is a wine from the area you’re visiting, seems to come alive in a very special kind of way. It seems that while you are traveling your senses become more open to new experience, your taste buds are keener, and your enjoyment is so much greater. The following are a few travel pics from places that have brought out the best in wine for me.

The town of San Gimignano in Tuscany. Yes, it’s almost always crowded with tourists and the shops are certainly there to cater to them, but there is something about the place that entices me even more than the larger ancient towns and cities of Tuscany. I could sit for hours at an outside table, nursing a glass (or two) of Vernaccia di San Gimignano while watching the world go by. Perhaps because it’s more of a town than a city, or perhaps because the countryside all around it is so beautiful and inviting, the place pleases me greatly and the wine brings a warm smile to my face.

It might seem strange to associate the former summer retreat of Adolf Hitler (which he hardly ever visited – he was afraid of heights) with enjoyment. But the view from the Eagle’s Nest, high atop a mountain near Berchtesgaden in Germany close to the Austrian border, is simply stunning. What a place to enjoy a crisp glass of dry Riesling, forget for a moment the horrors of history and look to the mountains for inspiration and solace.

And then there’s Champagne. To sit in the private gardens (sorry, they’re not open to the general public) of the beautiful Belle Époque mansion of Perrier-Jouët in Epernay sipping on those brilliant eponymous bubbles can make you feel as if you have stepped into the color and beauty of an impressionist painting.

Nothing says Spain, to me, like flamenco and fino sherry. I’d listened to flamenco before on disc, but it wasn’t until I saw it live, saw the movement and the swirl of colors and the emotion, that I was hooked. Fueled by a copita or two of delicious fino sherry, I saw a roomful of restless tourists suddenly stop talking as they became entranced by the fire and passion of the dance.

These are just a few photos from my scrapbook and it only covers a few white wines. Maybe sometime ahead I’ll pair red wine and place. I suppose the real secret is to look at every place as a perfect setting for enjoying wine, even if it’s just your front porch or your kitchen or your back yard. If you make place
special, the wine will become special too.

Bill Stobbs, ABC Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebills

On my recent trip to Germany, one of our last stops was to the Ahr region. It's almost like a different world! The Ahr is one of Europe's northernmost wine regions; also, the smallest in Germany with its vineyards running along the Ahr River on steep, terraced cliffs of volcanic slate. This region is so far north that grapes wouldn't ripen without the step-slopes to protect and help the ripening with maximum sun exposure. Driving to the Ahr was absolutely breath-taking--the photos don't come close to showing the magnitude of these steep, steep vineyards.

At the end of the 17th century, Pinot Noir was brought here from Burgundy (Spatburgunder) which accounts for 50% of the area's grapes. Dornfelder, fresh steely Riesling and Muller-Thurgau are also grown here. 90% red and 10% white. Since the third century AD, wine has been cultivated here. We came upon a Roman excavation site where documents verified wine-growing in the year 770! Looking at the photos you can see why everything is hand picked.

Marie Griffin Wine Supervisor North-west Coast, Florida

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinemarieg

When visiting the Rheingau area in Germany a few months ago I had the opportunity to visit Schloss Schonborn, the oldest estate in Germany and one of the oldest in the world being run by the founding family (the 27th generation).  The roots of the family can be traced to the times of the crusades with the first mention of viticulture being in 1349. 

Documentation proves them purchasing hand-blown bottles in 1725, revealing the Schonborns were among the first to actually bottle their wines!

They also claim to have the oldest known drinkable wine in existence; a 1735 Johannisberger Riesling.  One bottle from the library cellars was auctioned in 1987.  NO.................I didn't buy it!

The bottle was auctioned in 1987, selling for $29,000 U.S. dollars!

The wine was tasted during recorking and resealing.  "The color was golden yellow, clear with minor deposit.  Fragrance was delicate and aromatic, reminiscent of sherry.  The flavor revealed a full-bodied, well matured (no kidding!) wine with dominate fruity notes."

Marie Griffin, Wine Supervisor

North West Coast Florida

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinemarieg

While in Germany in March we met with Johannas Selbach, who gave us an interesting overview of their "wine-growing" family, which they can trace back to the year 1600. 

Their riesling is grown on approximately 50 acres of steep south-facing mountain slopes that face the Mosel River.  The Selbach-Oster vineyards are located on some of the best vineyard land in the heart of the Mosel wine country, called"Mittelmosel."

More than 50% of their vineyards are still planted with very old, ungrafted vines, yeilding very concentrated fruit.

Selbach-Oster is ranked by the German and American press as one of the top 10 in the Mosel.

Their philosophy is to make the elegant, crisp, low-alcohol but full-flavored wine which the Mosel is famous for.

A great selection of these wines can be found at our ABC Fine Wine & Spirits stores and you can see for yourself how wonderfully they fulfill their mission.

Marie Griffin, NW/North Central Wine Supervisor

follow me on Twitter @abcwinemarieg

While attending the Dusseldorf Wine & Spirits trade show in March (Prowein), I experienced a number of great new wines. What a fantastic event! Wines from so many countries to try. But even though the event itself was a wine lover's dream, a visit to the Mosel afterwards completed the dream. We visited one of my favorite estates, Weingut Thanisch.

This story-book estate's vineyards overlook the medieval city of Bernkastel, on the Mosel River. It was founded in 1895 by Dr. Hugo Thanisch, a Prussian politician and his wife Katharina. The Riesling wines from the great "Berncasteler Doctor" vineyard are some of the most famous white wines in the world. According to a legend of the 14th. century, Bishop Boemond II (1354-1362) cured himself by drinking this wine and gave it the name "Berncasteler Doctor". Today the estate is managed by Sofia Thanisch, the great granddaughter of the founders, and the fourth generation of women to run the estate! ABC carries a variety of Thanisch wines at great retail prices.

Marie Griffin, Central NW Florida Wine Supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinemarieg

 German Riesling is always great to drink on its own,  any time of the day, but with certain foods, it's a match "made in heaven."  One example would be spicy Asian food, which has gained enormous popularity in recent years.  Choosing the right wine just takes a little common sense. 

High alcohol and spice fight!  Together, they burn, so it makes sense to choose wine low in alcohol for spicy food.  Sweet helps put out the fire, so, small amounts of residual sugar help calm the heat. Riesling hits both those points.

My selection today is the 2008 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Riesling Kabinett Trocken.

Marie Griffin, North/West Wine Supervisor

follow me on Twitter @abcwinemarieg

Besides traveling...What a great way to gain a better understanding of the wine industry than meeting wine makers and talking and tasting with them.  It truly is a love affair for all of us who get the opportunity to do this.  My "affair" will take place on March 4th, 5th, and 6th, when I'll be traveling to Düsseldorf, Germany to attend the Prowein International Trade Fair Wines & Spirits. 

Suppliers present their wines and spirits at their stands with passion, competence, and knowledge. They share their insight and know-how on current developments, such as sustainability and ecological viticulture, which are the global trend.  There is a special segment I'm looking forward to on: ecological and organic wines.

Seminars and expert talks on terroir, methods of cultivation, varietals, storage, styles and so much more will be going on. Look for posts next month on the trip with pictures, facts, and fantastic wines to look forward to.

Oh gosh......I almost forgot........a lot of tasting too!

Marie Griffin, Wine Supervisor North West Florida  

 Follow me on TWITTER:  abcwinemarieg                                                                                                             

Early last year I wrote a blog on the "horrible" hail that plagued parts of Germany, making many vineyard owners worry about their 2011 vintage.  I just received a vintage report from Klaus Dillmann, (Dillmann wines) and thought I'd pass the results of the vintage on. 

Though the hail that fell in late August was quite intense and received a fair amount of publicity, it was restricted to a fairly narrow storm path.  The 2011 vintage had cool, dry, sunny weather in September, which prevented the onset of rot following the hail, and also extended the necessary ripening time with just the right amount of rain, creating ideal conditions for quantity and quality.  Picking began the beginning of October to the middle of November.  An early start meant a long hang-time of more than 120 days.  There was very early bud-break and flowering with this vintage due to the unusually warm spring. The 2011 Riesling is expected to be a structured wine, with more integrated acidity and immediate appeal than the 2010 vintage.

2011 had almost no botrytis and very healthy grapes.  Conclusion:  2011 is a good Kabinett and Spätlese vintage with very few wines from the higher Prädikats.  They don't expect to make an Eiswein this vintage since it's January and temperatures are in the fifties! 

Mosel hillside vineyards

Enjoy the 2011 vintage when it arrives on our shelves.

Marie Griffin, Wine Supervisor, North/West Florida

Even though weather conditions were difficult in 2011, in parts of Germany, the Ecovin wine producers were satisfied with the outcome.  Spring brought summer-like conditions, resulting in early vine budding.  May started with "under -freezing- point" temperatures, which froze many young shoots at various sites.

The irregular summer months were filled with lots of rain which gave the wine producers a hard time fighting fungal infections. Weather really made the wine producers work hard for their money!  BUT........... just in time for the main harvest weather conditions improved, allowing for good fruit.  The warm, high pressure weather at the end of August and lasting into October was perfect for quality grapes.

The 2011 organic harvest was greater than last year and slightly above average.  A particular characteristic of the 2011 vintage is the moderate acidity that distinguishes it from the previous vintage.

Marie Griffin, Wine Supervisor N/W Florida

When you think of Germany and the beverages they consume, beer generally comes to mind.  They are the third highest in consumption of beer in the world, but believe it or not, they're the highest (per capita) consumers of sparkling wine in the world!  The Germans serve it at every occasion and also commonly serve it as an aperitif.

Sekt (German word for sparkling) is most commonly made from the Riesling grape, but some vintners have been very successful with Chardonnay and Rose' style sparklers made from Pinot Noir. When Sekt is made the traditional way, (it goes thru a second fermentation in the bottle and hand riddler over an 18 to 24 month period), it's called Winzersekt.  The majority (95%) of Sekt is made the Charmat method, where the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in stainless steel tanks and then bottled under pressure.  Remember, it was discovered that certain varieties of grapes show more fresh fruit characteristics if made the Charmat method, Riesling being one of them.  If CO2 is injected to make the bubbles, it may not be called Sekt, but is called Schaumwein.

A little history:  Sekt was discovered by a monk at the Haut-Villers Abbey in 1700.  In 1856 Adam Henkell began making Sekt.  A clever mixing of wines from different years and locations resulted in a blend which has the same character every year.  After the Second World War, Sekt was an unaffordable luxury for many, so Otto Henkell junior put Henkell Trocken into quarter bottles called a piccolo which held two glasses; very popular in the 50's. 

Give yourself a pleasant treat and try a German Sekt for the holidays!

Marie Griffin, N/W Florida Wine Supervisor

 
"Organic" is booming all over the world and that includes German viticulture. Organic wine 
production has almost doubled in the last four years here. 

Around 5000 hectares of German vineyards are farmed organically, which is about 5% of all winegrowing areas.  Many of the organic winegrowers have noticed that switching to organic production has improved the quality of their wines.

Organic farming method is nothing more than maintaining a vineyard in tune with the surrounding ecosystem.  NO artificial chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides or herbicides are allowed to be used.  Planting "cover crops" between the vineyard rows or even in the vine rows helps to retain the ecological balance in the vineyards.  Attracting beneficial insects is also used to retain the ecological balance in the vineyard.

(nesting aid for beneficial insects)                   ("cover crop" between vine rows)

There is no difference in taste between organic wines and conventionally made wines, mostly, because the cellar practices are the same.  The wines are just made from "organic" grapes.

Marie Griffin, Wine Supervisor, North/West Florida

The  Summer Solstice occurs in the Northern Hemisphere officially starting at 1:16 P.M. on June 21, 2011.  THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!  Personally, I think the date could be moved back a little.  Here in Florida, summer has been with us for months!--The temperature in Tallahassee as I write this is 103 degrees F!

The word solstice is a combination of Latin words meaning "sun" and "to stand still".  As summer days lengthen, the sun rises high in the sky til it reaches the point it appears to stand still. 

Such a celestial occurance demands special recognition.  I can think of no better way to celebrate the official beginning of hot summer days and nights than by "popping" the cork on a cold, thirst quenching bottle of German riesling such as the 2009 SELBACH RIESLING SPATELESE PIESPORTER GOLDTROPFCHEN.  I've had this wine quite a few times and find its juicy fruit and crisp refreshing acidity an appealing wine to celebrate the First Day of Summer.  (Any reason or special occurance is a good enough reason to open a good bottle of wine!  Happy Summer!

 Marie Griffin, NW Florida Wine Supervisor

The most obvious difference between '09 and '10 vintages in the Mosel was the quantity, which was down 35% in 2010.  This results in higher wine prices.

Quality difference was the higher acidity levels in 2010 making them seem drier and more austere.

2010 shows great minerality and characteristics of each vineyard.

2009 has more ripeness and fruity aromas.  2009 also has a unique creaminess on the mid-palate with good density, making it a special vintage that will hold together over the years.  The softness of the '09 was beneficial for the Mosel trocken wines, while 2010 is more tight and will take time to open up. 

The 2010 is is an ideal wine for the Mosel Riesling lover, like myself!  2010 challenged the winemaker with its outstanding acidity and greater presence of botrytis, which make exceptional higher pradikat wines like Spatelese and Auslese. 2009 was the year of the Spatelese.  2010 made the perfect Kabinett.                                                                   

Great Auslese Rieslings were made in both vintages in the Mosel. Bottom line: choose the vintage and style that fits your taste.  I love both vintages!

Marie, Wine Supervisor West/North West Coast

I started day one flying out of Tampa and heading to Frankfurt, Germany, with a group of people from around the world.  I left the states with the hopes of tasting wines that I knew very little about...Reisling.  As we touched down in Germany I didn't know what I was in for: 160 wines in 7 days.  We met up at the airport at 11am and went to the hotel in Worms (pronounced Vorms, which translates to Dragon).  After freshening up we went on a 2 hour walking tour around the city and ended up first at the statue of the Madonna. 

 
Those of you who have been in our stores know we carry the Valkenburg Madonna line of wine; well, the picture on the side of the bottle is of the statue on the estate.  This estate is known as the Liebfrauenstift estate. 
 
Something you may not know is that in 1400 monks built a monestary and a church which they dedicated to Our Dear Lady, together with a chapel, in which a Madonna statue stood.  The pilgrims who came to the church were allowed to try the wines that grew around the church and were said to proclaim that it was so good it could have come from the Mother herself--hence the name Liebfraumilch!
  
(Wine maker Tilman Queins)

While we were there we tasted wines and met the wine maker.  From there was a dinner at a local restaurant.  The next thing we knew we were told to be at the bus at 8am.  No rest if we wanted to get to ALL the estates represented by Valkenburg!  
 
 

Guest blogger Kathleen Robinson is the wine consultant at our Lake Wales store.