Friday, May 30, 2014

Sommelier Spring Class- Germany~

Sommelier Spring Class 25th – 29th April 2014


                First of all I would like to express my big thanks to the Sommelier Association of Malaysia (SOMLAY) and German Wine Institute (DWI) in organizing this beautiful trip for me. It was a real eye opener to German wines and a great vineyard exploration. The whole trip was well organized in terms of lodging, time management as well as detail programmed. I would say without any of the efforts and good communication between the winery and German Wine Institute (DWI) this trip will not be that sound and successful. What impressed me the most is the amount of winery we get to visit and the friendliness of the wine producers. We were showed to their house, winery and even get to know their friends and vineyard dogs. I have great exposure to the land and soils types, where each of them can bring so much different to the vines thus affecting the outcome.  The best day was the walk in Nahe region, we were walking through the wine trail on few vineyards, Niederhausen in particular were so steep with different soils types, from porphyr to schist and were planted with different grape varieties. This shows that how much love and research being done before any planting on the respective terroir.
There were 34 of us in this spring class. On the third day 27th April we were divided into 3 groups to visit different regions. I was in the Rheinhessen group, travelling to Rheingau and Nahe in the next day. It was a good experience besides getting into the vineyards and touching the grapevine, I do make some friends from all around the world. These sommeliers from the European country are willing to share their experience and wine culture in their country making this trip more worthwhile.
Before it ends, I bought a couple of German Riesling and Spatburgunder from respective winery before flying back. If time permits, I will definitely be back to Germany in future with hope visiting other winery and wine regions.

Timeline of the trip
25th April 2014
1500 hrs – 1600 hrs
Touchdown Frankfurt airport. Waiting for delegates from China, organizing driver from DWI drove to IBIS Hotel, Mainz

1800hrs
Departure to Bodenheim for “ Welcome Evening” in Weingut Kuhling-Gillot – Rheinhessen
Dinner with winery owner- Caroline Spanier-Gillot with the wines from Kuhling-Gillot and her husband wines, Battlefield-Spanier
26th April 2014
0900 hrs
Departure to Geisenheim University (famous eonology university)
1000hrs
Wine Growing & Terroir seminar by Prof. Schultz, President of Geisenheim University
1130hrs
Wurzelwerk & Winzers Beitrag comparative tasting of three vitners by Johannes Hasselbach & Max von Kunow
1300hrs
Open tasting of Riesling & Pinot Noir of various regions & terroir in Germany
1500-1700 hrs
Vineyard walk with explanation and tasting in vineyard with winery Balthasar Ress, Hattenheim by Stefan Ress. Stefan is outgoing, funny and generous enough to let us taste its 1999 Rudesheim Berg Rottland Riesling Auslese
1800hrs
Back to hotel
1930 hrs
Culinary experience, German food with VDP wines in Kupferbergtassen hosted by Hilke Nagel VDP and her team
Went down secretly to 7 level underground sparkling wine  (Sekt) cellar in Kupferbergtasse, winery since 1850




27th April 2014
1100hrs
Seminar at Mainzer Weinbrose
Ageing Potential of German Wines.  Tried the oldest Reisling ever, 1959 Heissche Stattsweinguter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger  Riesling Beerenauslese
1200-1600hrs
Visit VDP fair Weinborse Mainz 2014. VDP fair tasting of recent release of 2013 vintage. All tasted fresh from 2 weeks of bottling.

1700hrs
Visit and tasting at Weingut Johanniger in Biebelsheim. Hosted by winemaker aand owner, Markus Hass. Markus explained us his biodynamic approach and philosophy behind his winemaking.  He also showed us on manual disgorgement process in his underground cellar.
1900hrs
Dinner at Johanniger estate, NICKL’s Speisekammer. Fresh white asparagus as main course. White asparagus season now. End the dinner with more Riesling and Riesling marc/grappa.










28th April 2014
1000hrs
Nahe wine tour with Laura Dreher
1100hrs
Winetasting at Weingut Sinss , Nahe
1400hrs
After traditional German’s sausages lunch, we walk from Sinss winery via wine trail to Niederhausen.
Great exposure to the terroirs, beautiful sceneries, steep vineyard and we were told all different soils are planted with different grape varieties. It’s amazing to know  that 2km walk in wine trail we were exposed to 6-8 different soils types.
1530hrs
Winetasting at Weingut Jakob Schneider hosted by Jakob Schneider. One of the oldest winery and the first winery to bottle their own wine in Nahe.
 Jakob is friendly enough when we request to try some old Riesling from his cellar. He ran down to the cellar and pick up few old ones. 1989 Rosenberg Riesling Auslese is one of the marmalade, juicy stuff he pulled the cork for us.
1630hrs
Departure to Guldental
1700hrs
Cooking class and winetasting of various Nahe wine at Der Kaiserhof.
Sommeliers have to cook their own dinner under the guidance of the chef owner of Der Kaiserhof. Great experience for all where we gel in like a team in kitchen, everyone has their own apron and station to prepare the foods. More Riesling and Pinot noir for dinner.


29TH April 2014
0800hrs
Check out at IBIS hotel
0830hrs
Departure to Siefersheim.
Winetasting and lunch at Weingut Wagner Stempel, Rheinhessen.
We were shown the difference of Riesling from Hollberg and Heeerkertz vineyard.
1200hrs

Departure to Frankfurt airport. Return flight at 1700hrs.









Goodbye by now Germany, I will see you again soon!

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