Almost exactly five years ago, I became e-acquaintances with Nik Weis of St. Urbans-hof in Germany’s Mosel Valley. Then, just a few weeks ago, sitting on a Frankfurt-bound plane and preparing to attend a weekend of VDP auctions, I received my finalized schedule. St. Urbans-hof was listed. Thrilled, I emailed Nik immediately. It was 1.30 am in Germany, yet Nik responded within minutes. I was dismayed. He was in Canada.
Read MoreGenuinely great wine inspires. Almost always, so do the people who craft them. The history of Weingut Künstler, now guided by the husband-and-wife team Gunter and Monika, began in 1648. This history did not, however, begin in Germany’s Rheingau. Rather, it began in the Czech Republic, where the Künstler family made wine for centuries…until the end of World War II.
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