One of Erica’s many strings to her bow as a WSET educator is being a VDP ambassador. She organised three VDP winemakers from the Ahr and Mittelrhein regions in Germany to discuss and showcase two of each of their wines. This was an excellent opportunity for the Alumni Club to taste and learn about VDP wines.
Hilke Dahlem (VDP’s co-managing director) introduced the masterclass by discussing the VDP association, history and its high standards.
Founded in 1910, the VDNV (Verband Deutscher Naturweinversteigerer e.V) is the world’s oldest association of Premium Winegrowing Estates and it is one of the most dynamic. This association has survived two world wars and nearly being written off on the international market as ‘sweet and cheap’ due to a massive influx of high yields and high must weights dominating the market with sweet and inexpensive wines.
The restoration of the lost reputation of the grand German wines became the mission of VDP (Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter) now known from 1975. The wine law of 1971 pushed for VDP’s own classification system which focused on the grape sugar content and must weight. This laid foundations for the reputation to be restored by the promotion of quality high standard, demand for an environment friendly cultivation and bearing the VDP.Eagel on their wine capsules.
This association is currently made up of 202 wine estates. So, let us take a closer look into three of these estates:
Cecila Jost from Weingut with Toni Jost, Mitterrhein
Meyer Näkel from Weingut Meyer-Näkel, Ahr
Alexander Stodden from Weingut Jean Stodden, Ahr
Each delivering an online masterclass with grape varieties including Spätburgunder, Weißburgunder and Riesling.
Cecilia Jost, Weingut Toni Jost, Mitterhein
Cecilia’s winery in Bacharach, Mitterrhein has been operating for over 180 years with the influence of Peter Jost consistently looking to improve it. Under his guidance, the winery was accepted into the association of VDP. Today, Cecilia Jost 7th generation owner runs the winery. The vineyard consists of 15ha which is situated on both sides of the Rhine: on the right bank of the Rhine in the Rheingau and on the left bank of the Rhine in the Middle Rhine Valley around Bacharach.
The vineyards are found on steep slopes in the narrow valley of the Rhine. This northern location allows the grapes to ripen slowly. The slate soils allow unique Rieslings and Spätburgunder to be grown. These slate soils have the key ingredients for the grapes to grow at optimal ripeness. Cecilia’s team are always striving to support as much diversity in their vineyards as they can by accompanying and intervening in a very minimal way to support nature.
Meyer Näkel, Weingut Meyer- Näkel, Ahr
Sisters Dörte and Meike Näkel, the 5th generation and first females to run the family business 20ha of Weingut Myer-Nakel. This winery is located in Ahr, Western Germany, full of valleys and narrow steams which are ideal grape growing conditions.
Weingut Myer- Näkel suffered from terrible floods in 2021 which caused catastrophic damage to the whole region and especially their winery where they lost 350 barrels of Spätburgunder. Remarkably, ten barrels were found in places such as being stuck on the roof of their neighbour’s house and as far as the Netherlands. Unfortunately, this barrel in the Netherlands was too badly damaged so only nine barrels survived. Wine from the nine barrels saved filled about 2000 bottles.
With the pure determination of the sisters and support of the local community helped the winery bounce back. This was mainly due to the strong bonds being formed within the Ahr community. Before the floods, the community was not so close, but the disaster brought everyone together and rallied together as much as they could to help to the locals and businesses get back onto their feet again.
Alexander Stodden, Weingut Jean Stodden, Ahr
Alexander Stodden copyright Bender
Alexander Stodden is the 5th Generation winemaker from the Weingut Jean Stodden, red-wine estate. The 10ha estate is nestled
in the Ahr Valley near Bonn Germany. The family has a long wine-making tradition and has been growing grapes in the Ahr Valley since 1578 by producing low yields and minimal handling in the winery allowing the wines to be made in elegance, depth, concentration and full of character.
Weingut Jean Stodden was also badly affected by the floods in 2021, losing infrastructure, their whole wine cellar and production hall. They were lucky enough to get the winery back up and running to achieve a 2021 harvest.
Alexander’s goal is: “To get a little better every year and to bottle the perfect Spätburgunder.” The 2025 vintage will only be 100% red grapes containing 92% Spätburgunder and 8% Frühburgunder.
The Wines:
2022 Weißburgunder trocken | VDP.GUTSWEIN, Mittelrhein 13.0% Vol.
The Wine Society £13.95 (GV)
- Pale lemon, medium plus intensity, youthful
- Off-dry
- High acid
- Med abv
- Medium minus body
- Medium Plus intensity
- Medium finish
Peach, apple, lemon/lemon juice/peel, blossom, honeysuckle, pear, steely/wet stone, grapefruit.
Good quality, drink now, not suitable for ageing (abv/bitter finish means needs young fresh fruit to carry alcohol).
2022 Recher Spätburgunder trocken | VDP.ORTSWEIN, Ahr 13.0% Vol.
ABS / Wall2Wall Wines £55.00
- Pale ruby, pronounced, developing (just)
- Dry
- Med plus acid
- Medium abv
- Soft/ripe low tannins
- Medium plus body
- Pronounced
- Long
Ripe red/black cherries (maraschino), red plum, raspberry, violet, cloves, charred wood/smoke, nutmeg, ginger, almond, slight earth, mushroom, vegetal
Outstanding, drink now with potential for further ageing (especially with the insane purity of fruit).
2021 Dernauer “Blauschiefer” Spätburgunder trocken | VDP.ORTSWEIN, Ahr 13.0% Vol.
The Wine Barn £34.70
- Medium ruby, pronounced, developing
- Dry
- Medium acid
- Medium alcohol
- Soft/ripe low tannins
- Medium body
- Medium plus intensity
- Medium plus finish
Red cherry/currant, cranberry, strawberry, red plum, blueberry, violet, nutmeg, toast, vanilla, wet stone, earth, game
Very good quality, drink now with potential for further ageing (less time than the Stodden due to less concentration) bravo for an extremely challenging and stressful vintage.
2022 HERRENBERG Rech Spätburgunder GG | VDP.GROSSE LAGE® Ahr 13.5% Vol.
Hedonism Wines £122.00
- Pale ruby, pronounced, youthful
- Dry
- Medium plus acid
- Full body
- Medium abv
- Medium tannins, fine/ripe sl grip
- Pronounced + (definition!)
- Long +
Ripe red cherries (maraschino), red plum, strawberry, raspberry, violet, blackberry/cherry, cloves, vanilla, charred wood/smoke, nutmeg, chocolate
Outstanding, drink now potential for ageing (very long time).
2021 KRÄUTERBERG Walporzheim Spätburgunder GG | VDP.GROSSE LAGE® Ahr 13.0% Vol.
The Wine Barn £111.50
- Pale garnet, pronounced, developing
- Dry
- Medium plus acid
- Medium plus body
- Medium abv
- Medium tannins, fine/ripe
- Pronounced
- Long
Red cherry, plum, current, strawberry, raspberry, violet, dried herbs, vanilla, nutmeg, coffee, earth, mushroom, game
Outstanding, drink now with potential for further ageing.
2019 Bacharacher Hahn Riesling Auslese | VDP.ERSTE LAGE® Mittelrhein 9.0% Vol.
The Wine Society £24.00 (50cL)
- Medium lemon, pronounced, developing
- Sweet
- High acid
- Pronounced
- Low alcohol
- Medium body
- Long
Pineapple, mango, apricot, dried apricot, nutty, almond/hazelnut/cashew, lime, lemon, orange, honeysuckle, orange blossom, nectar, honey, oily/petrol, marmalade, ripe melon, grape, ginger
Outstanding drink now with potential for further ageing.
During this masterclass we tried six exceptional wines. The Enjoy Discovering Wine Alumni Club developed a strong connection with the winemakers’ listening to their stories about their struggles with a natural disaster, and how enthusiastic they were about their wines. Being a wine enthusiast, I found this event very fascinating and also valuable towards my wine education learning about the VDP classification, viticulture and the different styles of German wines.
Stay tuned for the next Alumni tasting event in May where Erica and the Team will organise yet another exciting wine tasting experience.
If you have a minimum of WSET Level 2 wine qualification, you are welcome to join the Enjoy Discovering Wine Alumni Club, which meets online with wine makers and enjoys samples of their wines sent in advance. For more details: Alumni Club.
Guest writer: Danielle Nowakowska @runner_who_loves_wine
Photos supplied by: Erica Dent, Peter Bender and Marco Rothbrust
Tasting notes supplied by: Erica Dent
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