Good and bad news from DRS Duty Free

The bad news is that the Schloss Proschwitz selection has contracted. For the first time, their lovely Elbling was not available. Bedauernswert!

Over the corridor though at a shop selling souvenirs, a range of what looked like rip-off wines at inflated prices from a certain Schloss Wackerbarth around the E.20 mark.

Back home, these wines were a very pleasant surprise indeed. Worth the price. You never know.

Warming to Schloss Wackerbarth, we looked at the website and discovered some fascinating things about the property. It is sited in the town of Radebeul which is practically a suburb of Dresden albeit one with its own Opera House!. Its history goes back to August the Strong in the 18th century. The owner then August Christoph, Graf von Wackerbarth was also the builder of the Fauenkirche in Dresden. Wackerbarth had an adoptive son called Joseph Anton Gabaleon von Wackerbarth-Salmour. On his death and according to his adoptive father's will the estate was auctioned and the proceeds given to the poor.

It then went through all manner of incarnations before becoming a state enterprise last century. It underwent a big refurbishment in 2000 and re-opened in 2002 at the first European  'Erlebnisweingut' which might be translated at 'Vineyard Experience'.

The vineyard is 104 hectares large and employs 120 people. Varieties grown include

White

Bacchus
Goldriesling
Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris)
Kerner
Mueller-Thuergau
Riesling
Scheurebe
Silvaner
Traminer
Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc)




Red

Blaufraenkisch

Dornfelder
Fruehburgunder (Pinot Noir Precoce)
Regent
Spaetburgunder (Pinot Noir)