Hungry in Berlin

A smart salesman starts off with a heavy hitter. On this particular afternoon, Heribert Kastell‘s first punch was his 15-percent alcohol Chardonnay. Not that the HIB team isn’t a group of seriously seasoned, er, professionals — but having weathered this powerful white wine from this equally seasoned and extremely talented Rheingau winemaker, we were primed and ready for a serious afternoon of German wine discovery. How lucky we were that Kastell was our guide.

One of the most frequent refrains I’ve heard in my short time here in the hauptstadt is, “I don’t like German wine.” Which I typically translate to mean, “I don’t understand German wine.” German wine labels can be impenetrable and intimidating; grape varieties often unfamiliar; and flavors potentially off-putting, as the common misconception that all German white wines are cloyingly sweet still lives on. Enter Heribert Kastell. He makes his wines in a town called Bingen am Rhein in the Rheingau, Germany’s most northern wine-growing region — an area known more for its fancy castles rather than its approachable (or affordable) wines. In contrast, we met Kastell at the Havelpark megamall outside Spandau, at his impromptu booth in the center of the mall. Dressed farmer-style, in suspenders and a red-checked shirt, he handed out gratis bottles to passers-by after inviting them for a healthy (free) sip (or five). He gives fanciful names to his red blends, like “Harmonie” or “Creation.” His fan club (one 80+ year old artisanal honey maker said he “never missed” a Kastell visit) held court with a hunk of smoked ham and sliced baguette (no dry crackers here, a la Napa Valley). Often he’d just leave us with an open bottle or two, encouraging us to explore on our own. From the boozy, big-hipped Chardonnay we tasted a Weissburgunder (which, we learned, is *not* Chardonnay but Pinot Blanc) and a dazzlingly dry 2007 Riesling, just out of its tank, that was as refreshing and mouth-watering as lime sorbet on a hot summer’s day. His reds were just as much of a revelation: these were German reds with serious personality and some muscle that one would expect more from a Australian or South African red.

The bad news: Heribert Kastell wines are very hard to find outside events like the one we attended in Havelpark. He doesn’t make enough wine for retail; if you find yourself in Bingen, it’s best to just visit the estate. (He’s got an email address; another good way to find out when he’s visiting is to contact him directly.) The good news: There are great opportunities, even in weird megamalls, to discover wine in Berlin. If you’ve convinced yourself that you can’t be bothered with German wines, find a local store or salon that does tastings and see if you can’t be converted. (Here’s a starter list.) It’s people like Heribert Kastell and the dozens, if not hundreds, of quality small-producer types who are waiting to be discovered.

We’re going to do our best to get more wine discoveries here on the site; until then, happy rainy day drinking and share with us your wine finds below.

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