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Rhinehessian TrulliImage: Deutsches Weininstitut
Rhinehessian Trulli. Trulli are round stone houses whose roofs taper upwards and are usually pointed. They are mainly at home in the Mediterranean region, particularly in Apulia and Turkey. Since the 18th century, they have also been found in the vineyards of Rhinehessen and the northern Palatinate, where they served as shelters. Whether the trulli were built by Lombard migrant labourers based on the Apulian models has not yet been clarified. At five metres, the Laukhard trullo near Wendelsheim is the tallest trullo in the region. Our picture shows a trullo near Flonheim.

Our Latest Ratings

Natural winewhitedryWeißer Burgunder

2023 Weißer Burgunder “Interiora” Landwein trocken

Gut Steyerberg, Schweppenhausen

Germany

Nahegauer Landwein • Geschützte geografische Angabe (g. g. A.)

Lot number 2308 • 13 % vol alcohol

18.5🯅

Tasted on 8 October 2026 by Werner Elflein

A deep straw-yellow colour with golden-yellow highlights. A lively, delicately yeasty aroma of green pear with its skin, and hazelnut. Subtle hints of white and brown bread. On the palate, it is delicately creamy and complex, with wild, partly vegetal flavours and magnificent depth of expression. Delicate, elegant acidity. A finish with a slight vegetable character. A seemingly endless finish.

18🯅🕓

Tasted on 7 March 2026 by Werner Elflein

Natural winewhitedryAuxerrois

2022 “Jurakalk” Auxerrois Landwein trocken

Thomas Harteneck, Schliengen

Germany

Badischer Landwein • Geschützte geografische Angabe (g. g. A.)

Lot number 231 24 • 13 % vol alcohol

16.5🯅

Tasted on 4 October 2026 by Werner Elflein

Aged on the lees for 12 months. Matured in used barriques. A radiant white and yellow-gold colour. A mineral aroma of dried herbs and melon. As it breathes, tropical aromas become increasingly pronounced, primarily passion fruit. A hint of cinnamon in the background. Creamy body, compact complexity, elegant acidity. Very good length.

WinereddryBlauer Spätburgunder

2019 Lahr Kirchgasse Spätburgunder Qualitätswein trocken

VDP.GROSSE LAGE ® / VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS ®

Wöhrle, Lahr

Germany

Baden • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)

Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 410 21 21 • 13 % vol alcohol

17🯅

Tasted on 3 October 2026 by Werner Elflein

Let us get this out of the way straight away: you simply cannot do without a decanter at the moment with this wine. At least not in the first few hours after opening the bottle. A slightly cloudy cherry-garnet red. Medium clarity. A dense, woody, spicy bouquet of dried herbs with hints of blackberry, raspberry and red fruit compote. Alongside this, a touch of damp peaty earth. On the palate, as on the nose, it is very spicy with rather restrained berry fruit. Good acidity. Initially comes across as a little rough. After a good three hours, the wine transforms. It becomes increasingly refined and elegant, with fine-grained tannins. Dark nougat on the finish. Very good length and persistence.

WinewhitesweetMuskat Ottonel

2021 Muskat Ottonel Schilfwein

Angerhof Tschida, Illmitz

Austria

Burgenland

Staatliche Prüfnummer E 2598 22 • 8 % vol alcohol

18.5🯅

Tasted on 27 September 2026 by Werner Elflein

A sparkling amber-gold colour. A citrusy, extremely complex nose with tropical undertones of passion fruit, a hint of green apple, a subtle note of nutmeg and a touch of wild honey. Creamy, full-bodied fruit, highly elegant acidity, and a balanced sweetness befitting the predicate's classification. Juicy mango. Highly concentrated, with excellent length und persistence.

WinereddryPinotage

2020 Pinotage

Beeslaar Wines, Elsenburg

South Africa

Stellenbosch • Wine of Origin (WO)

14.3 % vol alcohol

17.5🯅

Tasted on 16 September 2026 by Werner Elflein

An opaque, dark cherry to black-red colour with a hint of violet. On the nose, delicate vegetal notes are accompanied by dark roasted aromas and dark fruits, particularly black cherry. Hints of walnut shell. Distinctive, still slightly astringent tannins on the palate. A touch of hazelnut, chocolate, cocoa and coffee. Roasted aromas return. Very good length. The finish reveals distinct extract sweetness and a hint of vanilla.

WinereddryBlauer Spätburgunder

2023 Hainfeld Spätburgunder Qualitätswein trocken

Bernhard Koch, Hainfeld

Germany

Pfalz • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)

Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 5035176 75 25 • 13.5 % vol alcohol

15.5🯅

Tasted on 14 September 2026 by Werner Elflein

A slightly cloudy, transparent pale cherry red. On the nose, slightly reductive and woody-spicy, with primary aromas of sweet and cocktail cherries, alongside hints of raspberry and cranberry. Delicate, elegant, yet slightly tart Pinot fruit on a solid foundation of acidity. Tannins that are partly fine-grained and partly sandy. Very good length. A hint of nougat on the finish.

Symbols
🯅The rating of the wine is based on a single taster. The taster is named in the context of the rating. The tasting was either open or blind. In case of a blind tasting, it is explicitly labelled as such.
🯅🯅The rating of the wine is based on two tasters. The tasters are named in the context of the rating. The tasting was carried out according to the four-eyes principle, in which both tasters agree on a joint rating.
🯅🯅🯅The rating is based on a tasting by our jury and indicates the Mean value calculated by us from the individual ratings of the tasters. Our mean value is based on the median.
⚖The wine was evaluated in a blind tasting. We have strict rules for blind tastings. The tasters do not receive any information that would allow them to identify the wines. The tasters are only given access to further information that goes beyond the subject matter if it is absolutely necessary for understanding the wines.
🕓We only had limited time to taste the wine  - typically during an open tasting event, such as a wine fair. It was therefore not possible to observe the development of the wine in the glass over a longer period of time. The informative value of our rating may therefore be limited under certain circumstances.
⛬The wine was tasted as a barrel sample or before an official test number (Amtliche Prüfungsnummer or Staatliche Prüfnummer) was issued. We only accept samples of unfilled wines in exceptional cases, and then only if we can assume sufficient stability in the bottle for a period of at least three months.
▲During our tasting, the wine showed conspicuous sensory characteristics. This does not necessarily have to be a wine fault. We categorise the quality and quantity of the abnormality and include it in the rating. Wine faults such as cork taint or an atypical ageing generally lead to a complete rejection.
Tastings that refer to the same bottle of a wine are visually summarised by a dotted line.

Our Latest Posts

Satire

Wellness for the Vineyards

Massage Techniques for Vines are Revolutionising Viticulture
Image: weinfreaks.de
In spring, even before the vines begin to bud, the first seasonal workers are already busy tending the vines in the Saar vineyards. At the famous Scharzhofberg, the focus is not on pruning or tilling the soil. Instead, you see the workers bent over the vines, massaging the wood with their hands just a few centimetres above the root zone.
Facts

The Rescue of Moselle Apollo and Steep-Slope Viticulture

Melanargia and Deutsche Umwelthilfe Have Lost at the Court, Rescue Measures for the Moselle Apollo are Effective
Image: Detlef Mader
At the end of 2023, we reported for the first time on the serious threat to the Moselle Apollo butterfly. In April 2025, a report was published on the feared imminent extinction of the unique knight butterfly and the absurd lawsuit brought by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Melanargia – Rheinisch-Westfälischer Lepidopterologen (AGL) and the Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) for a ban on helicopter spraying in steep-slope viticulture on the Moselle, which has since been rejected by the administrative courts in four rulings. Therefore, there are now renewed hope.
Facts

When Wine Disappears

On the Erosion of a Culture of Enjoyment
Image: Pixabay
Wine is more than just a matter of taste or fashion. It is a structural element of everyday life and has long been embedded in social rituals and cultural habits. In the post-war period, especially from the 1950s onwards, wine became a symbol of stability, routine and prosperity. The integration of wine into everyday life was not a luxury phenomenon, but rather an expression of the social and economic conditions of the time, which were characterised by predictable career paths, stable incomes and clear social milieus.
Comment

Dry January

Moral Imperative or Cultureless Dogmatism?
Image: Pixabay
At the beginning of each year, the collective abstinence parade known as Dry January begins anew. A whole month without alcohol, marketed as an act of self-control, as a contribution to physical regeneration, as a signal of a “sensible lifestyle”. Those who opt out of this ritual quickly find themselves under pressure to justify their decision. What appears to be a voluntary health initiative, however, on closer inspection turns out to be a media-driven standardisation project that suppresses enjoyment, culture and differentiation in favour of simple messages.
Obituary

Remembering Hans-Günter Schwarz

On the Death of the Legendary Winemaker
Image: Wikipedia
Germany's wine world is in mourning. Hans-Günter Schwarz passed away on 21 November 2025 at the age of 84. For decades, Schwarz was arguably the most prominent figure in the German wine scene. He established the international reputation of the Müller-Catoir winery and trained many young winemakers to become top producers. His achievements remain unrivalled to this day.
Comment

Terroir and Misunderstanding

Why the Grape Variety Matters
Image: weinfreaks.de
“A spectre is haunting the world of wine. Its name is terroir.” [translated] With these words, Reinhard Löwenstein once opened his famous essay “Vom Öchsle zum Terroir” (From Oechsle to Terroir), published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in October 2003. The article was preceded by years of discussion that had shaped the German wine scene since at least the late 1990s. Löwenstein's essay was of enormous importance to the discourse at the time. In many respects, it is still highly topical. Nevertheless, the headline itself contains a serious misunderstanding.
Tasting

Bordeaux: 2022 a Vintage of the Century?

Great Wines despite Great Drought
Image: weinfreaks.de
Apostrophising a vintage as the vintage of the century even before a centenary has passed may seem premature. However, with regard to the 2022s from the Bordeaux region, the assessment that exceptional wines were produced in that year is undoubtedly anything but bold. Of course, not all châteaux were able to triumph. Moreover, the 2022 was anything but a sure-fire success. The course of the vintage presented the winemakers with major challenges. However, in many cases, the result in the bottle can be downright inspiring. We tasted a cross-section of the vintage on the occasion of the presentation of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux at this year's ProWein.
Comment

ProWein in Decline

Large Drop in Exhibitors and Visitors at the International Wine Fair in Düsseldorf
Image: Messe Düsseldorf
In its press release, Messe Düsseldorf celebrates ProWein 2025 (16–18 March) as a success. However, the facts speak a different language. Only 4200 exhibitors, 20 per cent fewer than last year, were spread across the eleven exhibition halls. The number of visitors also fell, by a good ten per cent to 42000 compared to 2024. While the trade fair continues to emphasise the outstanding importance of ProWein for the international wine industry, the exodus of German wine producers in particular has reached a new dimension. Only around 900 exhibitors came from Germany in 2025.

A selection of our previous posts

Tasting

Virginia on the Road

The Development of a Young Wine Region
Image: Pixabay
Compared to the total area under vines in the United States, Virginia's viticulture may only play a minor role. In terms of quality, however, the wines of the state on the American east coast have become increasingly important in recent decades. Although Virginia's wines are still little known on the international stage, they are increasingly developing into important export goods. Virginia is still a young wine region. It was not until the late 18th century that European immigrants planted the first vineyards here. Among them was Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers and third president of the United States.
Satire

Warning Letters for Wineries

Do Vineyards Violate Personal Rights?
Image: Pixabay
Marcobrunn was the first Rheingau single vineyard to appear by name on a wine label. That was 1726. But now disaster is on the horizon. On behalf of a client from Munich, the Starnberg law firm Beuger & Winkel sent warning letters to several Rheingau wineries. The reason: 38-year-old low voltage electrician Marco Brunn believes his general personal rights have been violated.
Tasting

Horn at the Top

Michael Beck's Best Riesling from Seven Vintages
Image: weinfreaks.de
The origin was and is always the same. However, the name of the wine has changed several times over the years. Marketed in 2008 as a dry Riesling Spätlese from the Stadeck Spitzberg with the additions Alte Reben and vom Pelosol, since 2015 the Im Horn vineyard has adorned the label instead of the single vineyard under wine law. Michael Beck, owner of the Beck – Hedesheimer-Hof winery in Stadecken-Elsheim in Rhine-Hesse, has been doing without the predicate and other additional information for a good ten years now. A change that is primarily due to the spirit of the times. However, this transformation has never had any influence on the wine itself, which we were able to taste from seven different vintages.
Tasting

From Green to Scarlet

The Geologically Unique Vineyards of Prinz Salm
Image: Prinz Salm
As Germany's oldest family-owned winery, Prinz Salm looks back on a history dating back to the year 1200. Until the beginning of the 21st century, the winery concentrated on vineyards in and around Wallhausen. In 2008, Michael Prinz Salm-zu Salm took over the vineyards of the former winery Villa Sachsen in Bingen. This means that the current owner, Felix Prinz zu Salm-Salm, not only has top vineyards on the Nahe, but also in neighbouring Rhinehessen. The green slate in Wallhausen and the scarlet soil of the Bingen Scharlachberg are unique.
Tasting

It Does Not Always Have To Be Champagne!

German Sparkling Wine Producers on the Upswing
Image: Deutsches Weininstitut
Germany is and remains the world champion. Not in soccer, but in sparkling wine consumption. Around 3.2 million hectolitres of sparkling wine flow down German throats every year. This corresponds to a per capita consumption of 3.8 litres. It's not as good as beer, but it's not bad. No wonder that more and more wineries in the country are increasingly focusing on sparkling wine production and producing better and better sparkling wines. It is also no wonder that German sparkling wines no longer have to fear comparison with French champagnes in terms of quality.
Tasting

On the Trail of the Romans

The Resurrection of the Vinum Hadrianum
Image: Vinum Hadrianum
It was his grandfather who once awakened Piero Pavone's fascination for Roman history. In Pavone's hometown, the small town of Atri at the foot of the Abruzzi, the ancient Hadria, this history is still omnipresent and alive today. As a young man, Piero Pavone was initially drawn away from Atri to the big city. But twenty years later he returned to his roots, with the idea of reviving the Vinum Hadrianum, the wine from Roman times.
Tasting

Germany's first “Climate Vintner”

Our Discovery in the Kraichgau: David Klenert
Image: Pixabay
David Klenert is Germany's first “climate vintner”. His winery in Kraichtal-Münzesheim, founded in 2015, is not only certified organic, the young winemaker even goes one step further. His approach to improving the quality of the soil and thus helping to reduce global CO2 consumption initially led him to a farmer friend. From there he adopted ideas from regenerative agriculture, with the aim of gradually increasing the natural humus content of his vineyard soils from the current 1.5 to up to four percent. Depending on the soil type, this corresponds to a binding of an additional 70 to 130 tonnes of CO2 per hectare.
Tasting

Mosella Patria Vini Sicci

Moselle Rieslings with a Dry Flavour Profile
Image: Pixabay
A good 150 years ago, when Rieslings from the Moselle achieved higher international prices than red wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy, noble sweet top wines played only a secondary role. Auslesen, Beerenauslesen and Trockenbeerenauslesen were extremely rare. At the time, it were mainly Rieslings with a dry flavour that made the winegrowers of the Moselle, Saar and Ruwer successful. It was not until after the Second World War that the region gained great importance as a source of outstanding fruity and noble sweet wines. The production of great dry Rieslings largely came to a standstill. But after the end of the sweet wine wave, the focus is increasingly back on dry Rieslings. We look into the question of whether the Moselle region can resume its old tradition.