Successful Eiswein harvest We had three (almost) sleepless nights because of the temperature around -7? during the night. We couldn't keep our eyes off the thermometer in the hope that the mercury column goes down by another degree. Eiswein harvest would have been possible on December 19th or 20th, but it was not yet cold enough to get the concentration we need. Therefore, we returned to bed and waited for the next cold night. Yesterday, the 21st of December, it was finally cold enough. Our thermometer stood at -9?, as we went out in a small but strong troop to the vineyard, in order to bring in the sweet climax of the year. What started dripping from the wine-press two hours later was purely clear and fruity juice, from which a very fine, elegant eiswein can be expected. Now we are ready for Christmas!
[12.22.2007]
2006 Halenberg wins "German Riesling Prize" Wein-Plus, Eichelmann and Gault-Millau have already given highest scores to our Großes Gewächs from the Halenberg, yet winning the German Riesling Prize 2007 is the absolute culmination! At the awarding yesterday, the region of Nahe was represented by incredible five wines amongst top 10, and the triumphant winner was Emrich-Schönleber. Having been repeatedly one of Top 5 since 1993, we are now selected as the winner of the 1st place by the jury of the gourmet magazine Der Feinschmecker, which doubtlessly confirms our competence as an expert for great dry riesling wines. Again, our loyal customers have known this for ages and raided our wine stock completely - even before the first awards were officially announced. In a certain way, we are glad about it at least as much as the prizes!
[11.25.2007]
Winery of the Year - Eichelmann 2008 "Also in the last two years, Emrich-Schönleber was always one of the candidates for our award 'Best White Wine Collection of the Year'. But this year, we are fully convinced of our resounding decision to choose it as our Winery of the Year for the Best White Wine Collection." These lines are from Eichelmann-Weinführer 2008 that was published today with the ratings of 954 German wineries. The Großes Gewächs from the Halenberg has obtained 96 points and the title of "Best Dry Riesling". Eichelmann in his felicitations - "The wines are wonderfully rich in extract and mineral and of incredibly long lasting aftertaste."
[11.15.2007]
Harvesting an impeccable vintage On the 26th of June, I had the wish, but no true belief in that we would be able to wait to harvest riesling till so late as October. But it worked, and in this way, the grapes could profit this year from a extremely long time between blooming and harvest! Actually, the vintage 2007 seems to be impeccable in our eyes. An extremely long vegetative period, a summer neither too hot nor too humid, and again a fantastic autumn with nearly no rain at all. All this resulted in grapes that cannot be better - with high grade of ripeness and yet wonderful acidity. This year's harvest began on the 5th of October, and ended on the 24th with a traditional celebration. Compared to 2006, we could take more time in harvesting grapes and save the supreme discipline of "Großes Gewächs" for the very end.
[10.29.2007]
Interim report from vineyard We have been recently asked by many people who are concerned about how the vintage 2007 is doing, as it was so cold in the summer. My answer to the question is "Very well, because the vines react to the weather in a different way as we do." We had just about so much rain as the vines needed, and the relatively cool temperature had the effect of slightly slowing down the ripening process. It is absolutely positive for the fineness of aroma in later wines! Moreover, the chilly nights mid September resulted in the natural acidity well maintained in the grapes, which is now on a similar level as in 2004 or 2006. The health condition of the grapes is excellent, so that we have great fun going through our vineyards controlling the grapes at the moment. Under these circumstances, we can still leave the riesling grapes for another few days in the vineyards and will probably start harvesting around the 5th of October. In the meantime, we are grateful to every wine enthusiast for keeping his fingers crossed for us, so that our grapes can keep enjoying the best weather condition.
[09.25.2007]
It began 40 years ago It was the 1st of August 1967, when Werner Schönleber started his training to became a winegrower in his early days. 40 years have passed sinse then. Quite a lot of time, in order to gather experience with sharp eyes and attentive ears, to widen own knowledge and to optimize the procedures both on the vineyards and in the celler with a lot of feeling. It is this very kind of ability to get a feeling for every process, the sensiblity for the things that are going on in the earth, which all have an impact on the vines without exception, and, of course, the handling of the vines, the grapes and the wine that makes the difference in the end and creates the possibility of producing wines of strong character. We never forget: the nature remains always unpredictable and therefore exciting. You never finish learning it! I look back with gratitude, but I am also looking forward with plenty of curiosity. "Poke the fire, instead of keeping the ashes!" -Werner Schönleber- [08.01.2007]
Spring not gone yet The winter was hardly over, when the summer broke out. For the very first time, we could even sit down in the garden barefoot and in shorts at Easter. Also the vines felt the warm weather and grew quickly. Around mid June, the growth was even three weeks ahead of the many years' average! Therefore, we do NOT share the feeling of the people who are now complaining about the cold weather all over Germany. We are pleased that the vines get their spring time now and can slow down in growth for a couple of weeks! In this way, we might yet be able to have a "normal" timing for harvest, which we would greatly appreciate! [06.28.2007]
Project 2007: Recultivation of Halenberg "Lay" The bush encroachment of a valuable plot in Halenberg comes to an end after 30 years. From now on, you can witness the birth of a top vineyard step by step here [03.01.2007]
Excellent 2006 wines are waiting to be bottled As our stocks of 2005 wines are now really about to run out, our image concerning the bottling of the vintage 2006 becomes gradually clearer. They are already very good to taste, and the estimations of the wine experts sofar coincide with our own. It seems as if we had another incredible vintage in the cellar, which easily matches the quality of the last years. Some were already speculating that this could even exceed them. With this crazy vintage though, it is more important than in the last years, to choose carefully the winery of your faith. So much luck with the weather we had during the harvest in Monzingen, was not granted everywhere in Germany. God seems to love the Nahe... [02.24.2007]
Wine Spectator: 97 points for Halenberg Trockenbeerenauslese Our vintage 2005 has also been greatly appreciated by the American magazine WineSpectator. Rated at 97 points (out of possible 100), our Halenberg Riesling TBA is one of the best rated wines of the vintage. Followed by three other wines with 96 points! In total, ten of our Riesling wines obtained 90 or more marks: Frühlingsplätzchen Kabinett (90), Halenberg Spätlese (90), Frühlingsplätzchen GG (90), Halenberg GG (91), Frühlingsplätzchen Spätlese (92), Halenberg Auslese (94), Frühlingsplätzchen Auslese (96), Halenberg Auslese GK (96), Frühlingsplätzchen Beerenauslese (96) and Halenberg Trockenbeerenauslese (97). It means we have even surpassed the best results of the vintages 2004 and 2001.
[01.15.2007]
