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Staatlicher Hofkeller and Würzburg ResidenzImage: Deutsches Weininstitut
Staatlicher Hofkeller and Würzburg Residenz. The history of the Staatlicher Hofkeller dates back to 1128. In exchange for a plot of land in Zell am Main to found a monastery, the Würzburg bishop Embricho received a farm with vineyards from two brothers named Johannes and Heinrich – surnames were not yet common at the time. In the course of secularization, the winery, which was henceforth run under the name Fürstbischöflicher Hofkeller, became the Königlich Bayerischer Hofkeller, which passed to the Free State of Bavaria after the revolution of 1918 and the end of the monarchy. Since then, the winery has officially been known as the Staatlicher Hofkeller, and since the early 18th century, it has been housed in the Würzburg Residenz, built by the famous baroque architect Balthasar Neumann. The residence with its extensive, labyrinth-like cellar passages was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981. The Staatlicher Hofkeller currently cultivates around 120 hectares of vineyards.

Our Latest Ratings

Natural wineorange/amberdryGrauer Burgunder

2022 Gigemantel Grauburgunder Landwein

Thomas Harteneck, Schliengen

Germany

Badischer Landwein • Geschützte geografische Angabe (g. g. A.)

Lot number 229 24 • 14 % vol alcohol

17.5🯅

Tasted on 12 August 2026 by Werner Elflein

Salmon-pink. A delicate, caramel-like bouquet typical of Pinot Gris, with notes of toasted nuts, dried apricot and honeydew melon. An expressive example of the grape variety, which packs the power of 14 % alcohol into its body whilst still appearing very elegant. Juicy fruitiness and sweetness from the extract. Ripe, moderate acidity. Outstanding length. A hint of salted caramel on the finish.

18🯅

Tasted on 12 August 2026 by Julia Elflein

WineredsweetZweigelt

2022 Zweigelt Schilfwein

Angerhof Tschida, Illmitz

Austria

Burgenland

Staatliche Prüfnummer E 1952 24 • 7.5 % vol alcohol

18🯅

Tasted on 11 August 2026 by Werner Elflein

A transparent, light Bordeaux red with a delicate hint of violet. A fruit-driven bouquet with a broad palette of aromas, comprising a mix of fresh and dried fruits – predominantly red, but also some dark fruits. Alongside blackcurrant, sweet cherry and cocktail cherry, notes of raspberry, blueberry and black plum are also discernible. A distinct note of forest honey. As the nose moves away from the rim of the glass, the fruit becomes more subtle and delicately spicy nuances come to the fore. On the palate, this Schilfwein captivates with impressive elegance and clarity, a velvety texture, harmonious acidity and a sweetness that is not overly rich. Excellent length. A fairly subdued finish with hints of light nougat and toffee.

WinereddryBlauer Spätburgunder

2023 Spätburgunder “Tradition” Qualitätswein trocken

Dr. Heyden, Oppenheim

Germany

Rheinhessen • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)

Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 4387434 28 24 • 12 % vol alcohol

16.5🯅

Tasted on 9 August 2026 by Werner Elflein

A transparent, pale garnet red. It has now shed the reductive notes of its youth. A delicate Pinot aroma with good oak support and an intense bouquet of red fruit compote, with the aromas of fully ripe sweet and sour cherries standing out. Alongside this, a hint of cassis. A highly elegant Pinot Noir with the finest, velvety and coarse-grained tannins, which, given its modern interpretation of the grape variety, raises the question of why it bears the suffix “Tradition”. Stable acidity. Spicy. A core of sweet extract. Very good length and persistence.

16.5🯅

Tasted on 9 August 2026 by Julia Elflein

WinewhitedryGrauer Burgunder

2023 Zell-Weierbach Grauburgunder Granit Qualitätswein trocken

VDP.ORTSWEIN ®

Freiherr von und zu Franckenstein, Offenburg

Germany

Baden • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)

Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 506 18 24 • 12 % vol alcohol

16🯅

Tasted on 6 August 2026 by Werner Elflein

Straw-yellow in colour with bright highlights. A fruit-driven bouquet of apricot and pear with a floral touch and hints of walnut. Subtle green herbal notes in the background. Juicy and smooth on the palate. Elegant acidity. Full-bodied yet rather light on the palate. Very good length and persistence.

WinewhitedryWeißer Riesling

2021 Erbach Marcobrunn Riesling Qualitätswein trocken

VDP.GROSSE LAGE ® / VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS ®

Künstler, Hochheim am Main

Germany

Rheingau • Geschützte Ursprungsbezeichnung (g. U.)

Amtliche Prüfungsnummer 40060 60 22 • 13 % vol alcohol

20🯅

Tasted on 5 August 2026 by Werner Elflein

A deep yellow-green colour with luminous highlights. A highly complex bouquet with the first, very subtle hints of maturity. Hints of stone fruit, particularly peach, and dried herbs. Probably due to the cool-climate vintage, this wine exhibits a tropical component that, whilst not necessarily typical of the vineyard site, is distinctly pronounced, with aromas of passion fruit. Delicate, exquisitely refined and elegant on the palate, with vibrant minerality. Energetic and full of tension. The ripe peach fruit is now in full, juicy splendour. Magnificent balance. With a lightness that effortlessly masks the 13 % alcohol. Delicate extract sweetness. Outstanding length and persistence. Unobtrusive perfection.

20🯅🕓

Tasted on 11 March 2024 by Werner Elflein

WinereddryFurmint

2023 Furmint vom Sandstein Landwein trocken

Herrenhof Lamprecht, Markt Hartmannsdorf

Austria

Steirerland • Geschützte geografische Angabe (g. g. A.)

Lot number 02/24 • 11.5 % vol alcohol

17🯅

Tasted on 1 August 2026 by Werner Elflein

In 2009, Gottfried Lamprecht began cultivating Furmint once again as a single variety, rather than as part of a blended wine. Pale lemon-yellow. A delicately smoky, reductive bouquet with vegetal notes, particularly of dried tomato with Italian herbs, floral hints and aromas reminiscent of a freshly mown meadow in midsummer and dried straw. In the background, hints of pink grapefruit, lime and blanched almonds. Light-bodied yet with great aromatic intensity on the palate. Very moderate, well-integrated acidity. Deep minerality. Maintains good presence right through to the finish. Subtle and elegant. Outstanding length.

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.

Our Latest Posts

Satire

Wellness for the Vineyards

Massage Techniques for Vines are Revolutionising Viticulture
Image: weinfreaks.de
In spring, even before the vines begin to bud, the first seasonal workers are already busy tending the vines in the Saar vineyards. At the famous Scharzhofberg, the focus is not on pruning or tilling the soil. Instead, you see the workers bent over the vines, massaging the wood with their hands just a few centimetres above the root zone.
Facts

The Rescue of Moselle Apollo and Steep-Slope Viticulture

Melanargia and Deutsche Umwelthilfe Have Lost at the Court, Rescue Measures for the Moselle Apollo are Effective
Image: Detlef Mader
At the end of 2023, we reported for the first time on the serious threat to the Moselle Apollo butterfly. In April 2025, a report was published on the feared imminent extinction of the unique knight butterfly and the absurd lawsuit brought by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Melanargia – Rheinisch-Westfälischer Lepidopterologen (AGL) and the Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) for a ban on helicopter spraying in steep-slope viticulture on the Moselle, which has since been rejected by the administrative courts in four rulings. Therefore, there are now renewed hope.
Facts

When Wine Disappears

On the Erosion of a Culture of Enjoyment
Image: Pixabay
Wine is more than just a matter of taste or fashion. It is a structural element of everyday life and has long been embedded in social rituals and cultural habits. In the post-war period, especially from the 1950s onwards, wine became a symbol of stability, routine and prosperity. The integration of wine into everyday life was not a luxury phenomenon, but rather an expression of the social and economic conditions of the time, which were characterised by predictable career paths, stable incomes and clear social milieus.
Comment

Dry January

Moral Imperative or Cultureless Dogmatism?
Image: Pixabay
At the beginning of each year, the collective abstinence parade known as Dry January begins anew. A whole month without alcohol, marketed as an act of self-control, as a contribution to physical regeneration, as a signal of a “sensible lifestyle”. Those who opt out of this ritual quickly find themselves under pressure to justify their decision. What appears to be a voluntary health initiative, however, on closer inspection turns out to be a media-driven standardisation project that suppresses enjoyment, culture and differentiation in favour of simple messages.
Obituary

Remembering Hans-Günter Schwarz

On the Death of the Legendary Winemaker
Image: Wikipedia
Germany's wine world is in mourning. Hans-Günter Schwarz passed away on 21 November 2025 at the age of 84. For decades, Schwarz was arguably the most prominent figure in the German wine scene. He established the international reputation of the Müller-Catoir winery and trained many young winemakers to become top producers. His achievements remain unrivalled to this day.
Comment

Terroir and Misunderstanding

Why the Grape Variety Matters
Image: weinfreaks.de
“A spectre is haunting the world of wine. Its name is terroir.” [translated] With these words, Reinhard Löwenstein once opened his famous essay “Vom Öchsle zum Terroir” (From Oechsle to Terroir), published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in October 2003. The article was preceded by years of discussion that had shaped the German wine scene since at least the late 1990s. Löwenstein's essay was of enormous importance to the discourse at the time. In many respects, it is still highly topical. Nevertheless, the headline itself contains a serious misunderstanding.
Tasting

Bordeaux: 2022 a Vintage of the Century?

Great Wines despite Great Drought
Image: weinfreaks.de
Apostrophising a vintage as the vintage of the century even before a centenary has passed may seem premature. However, with regard to the 2022s from the Bordeaux region, the assessment that exceptional wines were produced in that year is undoubtedly anything but bold. Of course, not all châteaux were able to triumph. Moreover, the 2022 was anything but a sure-fire success. The course of the vintage presented the winemakers with major challenges. However, in many cases, the result in the bottle can be downright inspiring. We tasted a cross-section of the vintage on the occasion of the presentation of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux at this year's ProWein.
Comment

ProWein in Decline

Large Drop in Exhibitors and Visitors at the International Wine Fair in Düsseldorf
Image: Messe Düsseldorf
In its press release, Messe Düsseldorf celebrates ProWein 2025 (16–18 March) as a success. However, the facts speak a different language. Only 4200 exhibitors, 20 per cent fewer than last year, were spread across the eleven exhibition halls. The number of visitors also fell, by a good ten per cent to 42000 compared to 2024. While the trade fair continues to emphasise the outstanding importance of ProWein for the international wine industry, the exodus of German wine producers in particular has reached a new dimension. Only around 900 exhibitors came from Germany in 2025.

A selection of our previous posts

Tasting

Turning One into Three

Kilian Schmitges' Three-Barrel Experiment
Image: weinfreaks.de
Middle Mosel winemaker Kilian Schmitges from Erden embarked on an unusual experiment in autumn 2016, distributing the grapes from his best dry Riesling evenly across three different containers. What makes it special: In addition to a steel tank and an oak barrel, a granite barrel was also used. While the three wines (labelled Steel, Stone and Wood) were still very similar in the first year after bottling, they now reveal significant differences as they mature. Initially, the stainless steel version was ahead of the granite version, but with the appropriate time lag, we have a completely different ranking.
Comment

Region Badstube?

Major Vineyards in the New German Wine Law
Image: Pixabay
The major vineyards (in German: Großlagen) were and are a nuisance. They disguise themselves as single vineyards and thus pretend to be something they are not. In fact, Großlagen usually extend over several villages. For example, the grapes for a Piesport Michelsberg do not only have to come from Piesport, but can also come from Rivenich, Neumagen-Dhron or Trittenheim. Quite rightly, the Großlagen are labelled as deceiving consumers.
Comment

Naturals Conquer the Wine World

Formerly Critically Eyed, Now Established
Image: Deutsches Weininstitut
Today, natural wines, also called naturals, form an independent and recognised wine category. Hardly anyone would have seriously expected that this would one day be the case ten or twenty years ago. And rightly so. For a long time, many of the wines were simply faulty. In the meantime, however, the picture has changed decisively. A comment by Werner Elflein.
Tasting

The Single Vineyards' Common Thread

Geological Diversity in the Tesch Winery
Image: Deutsches Weininstitut
The Tesch winery in Langenlonsheim can look back on a good three hundred years of history. The winery is a prime example of the successful synthesis of tradition and modernity. The microbiologist, who holds a doctorate, consistently cut off old habits. He banned the obsolete natural cork in favour of a screw cap and left the regional association of the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter on the Nahe because his marketing concept did not fit the ideology of the elitist association. However, Tesch is by no means an avant-gardist. Rather, he knows how to present his dry Rieslings in a contemporary style. These, in turn, show no stylistic ingratiation with the zeitgeist. On the contrary. Soils, exposure of the vineyards, microclimate and vintage are reflected unadulterated in the six single vineyard wines.
Tasting

25 Vintages Estate Riesling

Robert Weil Impresses with a Vertical of a Special Kind
Image: weinfreaks.de
In case of the Robert Weil estate, most wine journalists agree: it is one of the best Riesling producers in Germany. However, there was and is not only praise in the wine scene. Especially in the area of litre wines and estate Rieslings, there is always criticism of fillings that do not meet the high standards of the house. An on-site tasting in August 2018 at least answered the question of what excellence the winery is capable of.
Tasting

It Cannot be More Rotliegend!

The Renaissance of the Rhine Front
Image: weinfreaks.de
The vineyards of the Roter Hang have probably the greatest potential within Rhinehessen to produce great and individual wines. From Nackenheim to the Nierstein district of Schwabsburg, a formation of Rotliegend runs through the vineyards of the Rhine front, giving the wines, especially the Rieslings, their distinctive and sometimes highly individual character. In the 19th century, the wines from the Roter Hang enjoyed worldwide renown and fetched top prices at international auctions. Afterwards, however, viticulture on the Rhine front fell more and more into a largely home-made crisis. For some years now, however, the winegrowers of the Roter Hang have been increasingly pushing their way back into the limelight.
Tasting

Cool Styria

White Wines from Austria's Southeast
Image: Pixabay
In Styria, south of Graz, the majority of white grape varieties grow on 4200 hectares of vineyards. The cool hilly sites produce elegant and highly mineral wines that do not appear fat and correspond to what many wine lovers appreciate. Sauvignon Blanc in particular sets international standards. Mind you, we do not mean the representatives of the Steirische Klassik, which often look like overseas Sauvignons in terms of style, but rather selected terroir and site single vineyard wines that are more reminiscent of the French Loire than of New Zealand, without sacrificing their distinctive flavour. In addition, great wines are also produced from the Chardonnay called Morillon here.
Tasting

90 Percent Riesling

The Ruwer Trumps
Image: Deutsches Weininstitut
The vineyards in the Ruwer valley belong to the Moselle wine-growing region, which was still called Mosel-Saar-Ruwer until the law was changed in 2006. Riesling dominates the steep slopes. A proud 90 percent of the area is planted with the noble white wine grape. Nowhere else is the proportion of Riesling in the grape variety list higher. Although the filigree and subtle Rieslings from the Ruwer are very similar to those from the Moselle and Saar, they have their own distinctive character. As a result of a longer growing season and lower average temperatures compared to the Moselle Valley, the Ruwer Rieslings are much more acidic and have a pronounced green herbaceous aroma, especially in cooler years.