Weingut Ratzenberger / Fam. Ratzenberger
The most beautiful way of traveling to Bacharach on the Rhine is by boat, passing the famous Loreley cliff. To the left and right of the Middle Rhine, medieval castles and picturesque villages follow in quick succession. Bacharach is one of the most beautiful towns in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Once there, the locality of Steeg can be reached on foot within half an hour or by car in just five minutes.
Steeg is located within a narrow valley of the same name, situated at a 90-degree angle to the Rhine. The steep vineyards, covered mostly with Riesling, with names such as St. Jost, Posten, Kloster Fürstental or Wolfshöhle, benefit from perfect southern exposure. The dangerous and strenuous nature of winemaking is clearly illustrated here, with a slope angle of up to 70%! On reaching the top, after a short break you can savour the view over the mighty river and all the way over to Burg Stahleck.
Various types of slate form the ground on which the Riesling wines evolve with different characters, from fresh “feinherb” wines, Spätlese (late harvest) bottlings with subtle sweetness, to complex Grosses Gewächs, which reveal their full potential with advancing age. In Jochen Ratzenberger’s dark rock cellar, slumbering bottles of old vintages impressively prove this point. And there's a wonderful Riesling sparkling wine which is produced using traditional methods and is riddled by hand – a true discovery for novices and connoisseurs alike. Last but not least are the sumptuous Eisweine (ice wines), precious nectars which nature only provides once every few years in tiny quantities.
For three generations, everyone in the family has contributed to the estate, especially during harvest time. The Ratzenbergers also have two charming holiday apartments, far away from mass tourism, that can be rented for wonderful hiking holidays. www.weingut-ratzenberger.de
Sparkling wines from Weingut Ratzenberger / Fam. Ratzenberger
White wines from Weingut Ratzenberger / Fam. Ratzenberger
Sweet wines from Weingut Ratzenberger / Fam. Ratzenberger
from Weingut Ratzenberger / Fam. Ratzenberger
Producer
Bodega Rafael Palacios S.L.
He wanted to prove to the world that he could produce the best white wine in all of Spain -- and he succeeded!
Viñedos Terranoble
Soon after their arrival, the first Spanish colonists were already remarking the ideal vine growing conditions in Chile. In this country of great contrasts, embedded between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, the many wine regions differ significantly through micro-climate, topography and altitudes, and geological properties. TerraNoble owns vineyards in three different regions and so can provide different varieties with the most suitable growing conditions.
Domaine de Ferrand
Philippe Bravay represents the fourth generation of the family that owns Domaine de Ferrand. The winery can be traced back to the 17th century. Philippe’s parents sold the grapes to wine merchants. But he decided to press and bottle his own wine.