The last bottle in the estate cellar of the Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube Trockenbeerenauslese 1921 vintage has been sold for a record EUR 14,992 becoming the most expensive German riesling ever sold. This was the last bottle of the wine that remained in the Rarities Cellar of Gut Hermannsberg, a bottle that that is not only historical but also comes from an exceptional vintage. vintage. The neck of the bottle is decorated with a banderol, where one can read the ornamental script: Presented as a celebratory libation to honour the President of Germany, General Field Marshall von Hindenburg, at the liberation festivities in Cologne, on 21 March 1926. Bidding on the wine opened at 350 Euros, and ultimately found a new owner for 14,992 Euros. Estate GM and cellar master Karsten Peter could barely believe it: ‘That is an unbelievably high price, even for a one-of-a-kind item’. And this coming from the man who set a record price last year with his 2015 TBA which sold for 10,600 … [Read more...]
Sra Bua by Tim Raue: Showcasing the purity of flavours
Tim Raue is a Berlin institution. Famous for his two Michelin star restaurant by the same name, Raue also has another two restaurants in the German capital. One is La Soupe Populaire which serves primarily German and Prussian dishes and the other is the Sra Bua by Tim Raue which is located at the Kempinski Hotel Adlon. On a recent visit to Berlin, and given it was a Monday, the only Tim Raue restaurant that was open and which I could therefore visit was Sra Bua. It turned out to be a very good choice. You might ask why a German chef would open a restaurant whose culinary concept focusses on Thailand and Japan. And you would be right to ask that question. But Tim Raue's flagship restaurant is the answer. Because while it is non unusual for Asian chefs, especially Japanese, to serve French style cuisine in Europe, very few Europeans are well known for their 'Asian cuisine'. Raue is the exception. His two-Michelin star restaurant is known for the bold flavours. He loves to … [Read more...]
Wines from the Mosel
German white wine is probably the wine lovers best kept secret. It only takes a few tastings of a German Riesling, whether bone dry, semi-sweet, sweet or even in its ice-wine variety and you are likely to be hooked. Riesling ages incredibly well, is very versatile and changes character along the way. It is also extremely versatile with food. When the wine is not mass-produced, and mass production is probably one of the reasons why it had such a bad reputation, it can be brilliant. It also provides exceptional value for money. A good Riesling to me has unique qualities. It is fresh, vibrant and has a great perfume. The freshness can be surprising even when you are drinking an older wine. It is not uncommon to open a 10 to 15 year old dry wine and still find incredible freshness. The Mosel Valley is a beautiful and scenic region in Germany and exploring the vineyards and wineries is a great way to get a taste of German culture, its people and some wonderful wines. Most of the … [Read more...]