Der klitzekleine Ring hits the VDP
Steep slope rescue on behalf of Riesling
11 August 2012
Werner Elflein
Image: Deutsches WeininstitutThe Bernkasteler Ring, also known as the Kleiner Ring, was founded in 1899 as an association of winery owners from the Middle Moselle. Since 1901, it has organized wine auctions for its members. It is thus the oldest society in the region to hold wine auctions. Today, the Bernkasteler Ring also includes estates on the Saar and Ruwer rivers.
A few years later, in 1908, the Großer Ring formed as a second large winegrowers' association, which first auctioned wines in 1910. The Großer Ring later gave rise to the regional Verband Deutscher Naturweinversteigerer, now the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP).
A completely different approach is taken by Der klitzekleine Ring, founded in 2005. As the name suggests, the group, which currently comprises ten wineries, does not take itself too seriously. Nor are there any commercial interests at the forefront. Rather, Der klitzekleine Ring has taken up the cause of preserving the steep slopes of the Middle Moselle. “Steep slope rescue on behalf of Riesling” is the motto of the association, which is currently focusing on the Traben-Trarbach/Kröv area.
Some of the member wineries have drawn attention to themselves in recent years with excellent wine qualities and by no means have to hide behind the prominent flagships of the Middle Moselle. Their names can now justifiably be mentioned in the same breath as the region's top estates. In addition to established wineries such as Martin Müllen, Weiser-Künstler and Vollenweider, up-and-comers such as Ingmar Püschel and Olaf Schneider (Weingut O.) are increasingly making a name for themselves. With the Staffelter Hof, whose history goes back to the year 862, Germany's oldest still existing winery is also a member of Der klitzekleine Ring.
For our blind tasting, we selected 20 wines from eight wineries of Der Klitzkleine Ring and the joint project “Bergrettung” as well as – for the sake of purely sporting competition – four wines from winemakers of the VDP. David versus Goliath, we thought a few times in one or the other direct confrontation. To be fair, however, we have to note that at the top, both rings were at eye level.
The wines at a glance
Grans-Fassian
Römerstraße 28
54340 Leiwen
Germany
Phone: +49 6507 3170
Fax: +49 6507 8167
Internet: www.grans-fassian.de
E‑mail: weingut@grans-fassian.de
2010 Trittenheim Apotheke Riesling Spätlese
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 3529042 9 11 • 7.5 % vol alcohol
Louis Klein
Enkircher Straße 20
56841 Traben-Trarbach
Germany
Phone: +49 6541 6246
Fax: +49 6541 5744
Internet: www.gut-fuer-genuss.de
E‑mail: weingut@klein-wein.de
2010 Wolf Goldgrube Riesling Auslese
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2601439 17 11 • 8 % vol alcohol • bottled under the former name Kirchengut Wolf
Der klitzekleine Ring
Robert-Schumann-Straße 208
54536 Kröv
Germany
Phone: +49 6541 3708
Fax: +49 6541 3933
Internet: www.klitzekleinerring.de
E‑mail: info@klitzekleinerring.de
2011 Riesling “Bergrettung” Qualitätswein trocken
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2588778 1 12 • 12 % vol alcohol
2007 Riesling “Bergrettung” Auslese
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2588778 2 08 • 8 % vol alcohol
Schloss Lieser
Am Markt 1-5
54470 Lieser
Germany
Phone: +49 6531 6431
Fax: +49 6531 1068
Internet: www.weingut-schloss-lieser.de
E‑mail: info@weingut-schloss-lieser.de
2009 Lieser Niederberg-Helden Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
Großes Gewächs Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter e. V.
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2589314 8 10 • 13 % vol alcohol
Melsheimer
Dorfstraße 21
56861 Reil
Germany
Phone: +49 6542 2422
Fax: +49 6542 1265
Internet: www.melsheimer-riesling.de
E‑mail: mail@melsheimer-riesling.de
2011 “Molun 1143” Reil Mullay-Hofberg Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2598379 16 12 • 12 % vol alcohol
2011 Reil Mullay-Hofberg Schäf Riesling Spätlese
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2598379 5 12 • 7.5 % vol alcohol
Martin Müllen
Alte Marktstraße 2
56841 Traben-Trarbach
Germany
Phone: +49 6541 9470
Fax: +49 6541 813537
Internet: www.muellen.de
E‑mail: info@muellen.de
2009 Traben Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese trocken
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2588656 26 10 • 12 % vol alcohol
2009 Trarbach Hühnerberg Riesling Spätlese * trocken
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2588656 27 10 • 13 % vol alcohol
2011 Trarbach Ungsberg Bikiniblick Riesling Qualitätswein
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2601561 1 12 • 11 % vol alcohol
2011 Trarbach Ungsberg Riesling Spätlese
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2601561 4 12 • 9 % vol alcohol
2011 Trarbach Ungsberg Riesling Kabinett
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2601561 3 12 • 9.5 % vol alcohol
Joh. Jos. Prüm
Uferallee 19
54470 Bernkastel-Kues
Germany
Phone: +49 6531 3091
Fax: +49 6531 6071
Internet: www.jjpruem.com
E‑mail: info@jjpruem.com
2007 Wehlen Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2576511 34 08 • 7.5 % vol alcohol
2011 Kröv Steffensberg Riesling Spätlese
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2601560 1 12 • 9 % vol alcohol
2010 Kröv Steffensberg Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2601560 1 11 • 12 % vol alcohol
2010 Kröv Steffensberg Riesling Beerenauslese
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2601560 3 11 • 6 % vol alcohol
Staffelter Hof
Robert-Schuman-Straße 208
54536 Kröv
Germany
Phone: +49 6541 3708
Fax: +49 6541 3933
Internet: www.staffelter-hof.de
E‑mail: info@staffelter-hof.de
2011 Dhron Hofberg GeGe Riesling Spätlese
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2588503 13 12 • 13 % vol alcohol
2008 Kröv Steffensberg Riesling Spätlese
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2588503 17 09 • 7.5 % vol alcohol
Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch – Erben Thanisch
Saarallee 31
54470 Bernkastel-Kues
Germany
Phone: +49 6531 2282
Internet: www.thanisch.com
E‑mail: sofia@thanisch.com
2008 Bernkastel Doctor Riesling Spätlese
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2576242 6 09 • 8 % vol alcohol
Vollenweider
Wolfer Weg 53
56841 Traben-Trarbach
Germany
Phone: +49 6541 814433
Internet: www.weingut-vollenweider.de
E‑mail: mail@weingut-vollenweider.de
2011 Wolf Goldgrube Riesling Spätlese Gold Capsule
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2576801 3 12 • 8.5 % vol alcohol
2010 Wolf Goldgrube Riesling Qualitätswein trocken
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2576801 10 11 • 13 % vol alcohol
Weiser-Künstler
Wilhelmstraße 11
56841 Traben-Trarbach
Germany
Phone: +49 6541 819943
Internet: www.weiser-kuenstler.de
E‑mail: weingut@weiser-kuenstler.de
2011 Enkirch Ellergrub Riesling Spätlese trocken
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2601562 10 12 • 12 % vol alcohol
2011 Enkirch Ellergrub Riesling Spätlese
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2601562 5 12 • 7.5 % vol alcohol
2010 Enkirch Steffensberg Riesling Auslese
Germany
Mosel • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 2601562 3 11 • 7.5 % vol alcohol
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. |