Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Loosen Spearhead Global Riesling Coalition and Events
Woodinville, Wash.
In an effort to increase the appreciation of Riesling around the world, Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Loosen estate recently spearheaded a coalition of prominent Riesling producers and organizations that will host Riesling events in key Riesling countries around the world on a rotating basis.
In 2007, Chateau Ste. Michelle of Washington state and Dr. Loosen estate of Germany created Riesling Rendezvous, an international Riesling event designed to bring together leading producers, experts and enthusiasts from around the world to explore the diversity of Riesling. Riesling Rendezvous was held in 2007, 2008 and July 2010 in Seattle, Washington and is the largest Riesling focused event in the US. It was at the most recent Riesling Rendezvous, that Chateau Ste. Michelle and Ernst Loosen met with Riesling organizations including the International Riesling Foundation, VDP-Rheingau (regional branch of the VDP, Association of German Pradikat Wine Estates), Frankland Estate and Wines of Germany to come up with a schedule of international Riesling events in the US, Germany and Australia every year.
Moving forward, Riesling Rendezvous will take place in Seattle every three years on a rotating basis with the Frankland Estate International Riesling Tasting, in Australia, and the International Riesling Symposium, in Germany, hosted by the VDP-Rheingau.
“Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Loosen have hosted Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle three times now and we think it is a natural step to work with other groups to support Riesling events in key Riesling regions around the world,” says Ted Baseler, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates president and CEO. “Each event will have a different perspective based on the host region and organization which will give Riesling enthusiasts and producers a unique experience each time.”
The International Riesling Foundation (IRF) will serve to support and promote all Riesling events. The IRF is an international organization, representing top producers in the world’s major Riesling producing countries and regions. The calendar of international Riesling events is available at its website at drinkriesling.com.
“Worldwide, the overall quality of Riesling has improved dramatically in the past 20 years,” says Ernst Loosen, “but we still have a long way to go to get Riesling back to the high regard it held in the early 20th century. We see these three events as the global pillars of an on-going effort to firmly establish the commitment to top quality among producers, to educate and inspire members of the wine trade, and to introduce all levels of wine lovers to this amazing grape.”
Judi Cullam, owner of Frankland Estate added, “This level of global cooperation for one varietal or wine group has never been seen or achieved before, we believe this will give even more weight to encourage wine lovers to celebrate the diversity and quality of the world’s most exciting white wine.”
“Many treasure Riesling as the world’s most precious white wine varietal,” says Wilhelm Weil of Weingut Robert Weil. “As such, we felt the time has come to hold a symposium in the Rheingau to celebrate Riesling in its German-speaking homelands. We need to move forward together with uncompromising quality standards – from protection of our precious terroirs and vineyard management to cellar technique to marketing measures – to safeguard and further develop Riesling’s current position. The IRS (International Riesling Symposium) would take this road in future together with our friends from the U.S. and Australia as the ‘Riesling Coalition’.”
RIESLING EVENTS:
Frankland Estate International Riesling Tasting – February 2012, Melbourne, Australia
Riesling Rendezvous hosted by Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen estate – July 14-16, 2013, Seattle, Washington, USA
International Riesling Symposium sponsored by VDP – Rheingau – 2014 Germany
RELATED WEBSITE LINKS:
Riesling Rendezvous - rieslingrendezvous.com
International Riesling Foundation - drinkriesling.com
Frankland Estate - franklandestate.com.au
Dr. Loosen Estate - drloosen.com
Weingut Robert Weil - weingut-robert-weil.com
Wines of Germany - germanwineusa.com
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For further information:
Lynda Eller
Lynda.Eller@smwe.com
