The Maximin approach to bliss

[David M. Bueker]

Everything I have been told (some from reliable sources) says the estate QbA is normally Bruderberg. I have a photocopy of an old article about the estate somewhere that says it (the article was an interview with the cellarmaster) is Bruderberg. I will try to dig it up.

If you liked these wines, try to find the 2005s! The Ausleses from this year range from very, very good to stunning in my book! And you can still find them for less than $35 in Germany!

Fredrik, I couldn't agree more with what you've written about the 2005s !
Greetings, Dieter

Glad you liked it the wines, and sparked a slew of responses.

I'm a big fan of the estate myself, and plan to serve some of their wines at the wedding this summer.

Speaking of which, I still haven't gotten your RSVP

Von Schubert-Maximin Grunhaus is rare in my market, but I have a few bottles each of the 1998 Abtsberg Auslese 219 and 2001 Abtsberg Auslese 190 that I'm holding back. Have any of you tried them recently?

Thanks,
Bill

[David M. Bueker]

Von Schubert-Maximin Grunhaus is rare in my market, but I have a few bottles each of the 1998 Abtsberg Auslese 219 and 2001 Abtsberg Auslese 190 that I'm holding back. Have any of you tried them recently?

Thanks,
Bill

Nope, but I would still stay away for quite a while longer.

Von Schubert-Maximin Grunhaus is rare in my market, but I have a few bottles each of the 1998 Abtsberg Auslese 219 and 2001 Abtsberg Auslese 190 that I'm holding back. Have any of you tried them recently?

Thanks,
Bill

Nope, but I would still stay away for quite a while longer.

Will do David, but all of this Von Schubert talk has gotten me thirsty. I can't even find current release QbAs or Kabinetts here for more immediate pleasure. For being a midwest market, we usually have excellent access to German wine.

but all of this Von Schubert talk has gotten me thirsty.

My bad, but such are the dangers of participating in an online wine forum, nicht var?

This has been a really informative and great thread, I have learned alot.
Let's all open a bottle in the next week or so of one of our Grunhausers and trade tasting notes.
Just a thought.

Thanks
Michael

but all of this Von Schubert talk has gotten me thirsty.

My bad, but such are the dangers of participating in an online wine forum, nicht var?

Ich weiß, Keith! Aber Danke für deine Initiative!

This is one of the old walled monastic vineyards of the Cistercian order, just as was Clos de Vougeot in Burgundy. As there, the monks divided the vineyard into three parts.

The best portion was reserved for the abbot. In the Maximin Grunhaus estate, this is the Abtsberg (hill for the abbot). There is a similar name in French for the best part of Vougeot, but I don't remember it.

The second best portion was reserved for the abbot to give to the local barons, as a bribe not to raid the monastery. This is the Herrenberg (hill for the lords). Again, Vougeot had a similar setup.

The inferior vineyard plots, and the discard, unsuccessful barrels from the other plots, were kept for consumption by the rank-and-file monks. This was the Bruderberg (hill for the brothers). The Vougeot equivalent is that crap flat land right near the Route Nacionale. Grant you, Maximin Grunhaus Bruderberg is usually nothing to turn your nose up at--it's a fine German wine in its own right.

-Paul W.

I assume you were referring to the Clos de Vougeot when you mentioned walls and Cisercian Monks. The Grünhaus vineyards belonged to the Benedikt Cloister of St-Maximin in Trier - its vineyards were never to my knowlegde walled.

Thanks for the correction. I'd assumed they were Cistercians. Anyway, both monasteries did employ the setup of three separate vinifications for the abbot, local nobles, and the brothers.

-Paul W.