The comedian Al Murray went on a tour of Germany to explore the culture of that land before it got hijacked by the Nazis ("don't mention the war!"), and took a detour to one of the oldest wineries in the Rhine valley, where he meets Dieter Greimer, its managing director:
I've been invited to Kloster Eberbach, the location for The Name of the Rose and the largest wine estate in Germany. It's a monastery whose wine-making tradition dates back to the 17th century. Even Bismarck bought wine here. Bond and Bismarck, there can't be many places that can make claim to those visitors.
...
So tell me about this building - this is an extraordinary space.
We're here in the hospital of the Kloster Eberbach, it's the oldest Gothic building in Germany, it was built in the year 1220. So it's really a true old building.
How long has wine been stored here?
Well, after the Thirty Years' War, in 1635, the monks started making wine here, in this cellar, because wine has become very important for the monastery.
...
So let's start with the dry Riesling from the year 2008, from the Baiken vineyard.
Mmm...That's delicious.
It's fruity, it's dry, crisp, it's elegant.
Yeah. Mmm. It's very, um, quaffable, I think that's the word. Yeah, very nice, yeah. Mmm. Oh, I could do this all day... Well, you do!
Well, someone's got to do it, someone's got to do it.
The next wine, perhaps, is a Pinot Noir, from our single vineyard, the Hollenberg vineyard, which is our most precious single vineyard for Pinot Noir.
Now I have drunk more than my fair share of Pinor Noir, but never a German one, so, umm... I'm not supposed to really guzzle it.
It's a good sign.
It's a good sign. Um, going back in time...
Last, but not least, the year 1959, a very special year, a very very special vintage...
[This was the 800 euro bottle I was waiting for.]
The colour's incredible.
Yeah, that's very typical. So, 51 years old.
Yes, I could drink that all day long.
Well, if you can afford. It's very pricey.
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