Before embarking on a family trip to Berlin I did a bit of research on the wine and food scene in this fascinating city. My interest was well and truly captured when I found out a wine bar (billed as one of the best in Berlin), just around the corner from my hotel was hosting the 'Winzerstunde'.

A Winzerstunde literally means winemaker's hour, but as it started at 5 pm and I left around 8 pm, the hour in this story needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Anyway, it is an opportunity for German winemakers to showcase their wines to an appreciative clientele in the 'new' centre of Berlin, called 'Mitte'. Weinbar Rutz is not only one of Berlin's finest wine bars, it also boasts a fantastic restaurant, as I was to find out the following evening. The place is relaxed and the emphasis is on great quality food, paired with fantastic wines, not only German I should add.

On to the winemaker in question, Max Müller I, based in Volkach in the heart of Germany's Franken region. The region is known mainly for white wine and the principal grape here is Silvaner. The second thing the region is known for is its bottle shape, the Bocksbeutel. In some ways that's rather unfortunate as it's also the shape that Mateus Rose is bottled in. Maybe that's the reason why we see so few Franken wines in the UK. Just remember the fact the bottle in Franken is green, not brown.

Anyway, the commitment of this family producer was obvious from the quality of the wines on offer. They range from the entry level wine called 'The Max' to the single vineyard Silvaner from the Volkacher Ratsherr and even a Riesling Beerenauslese. The former is a blend of Silvaner and Scheurebe and clearly aimed at export, obvious from the name and the fact a Bordeaux bottle is used. It is light, lemony and refreshing. Simple and elegant.

The 2005 Silvaner Spätlese trocken from a steep slope on the Volkacher Ratsherr I found to have a lovely expressive nose, wonderful mineral complexity. The peachy palate is very lively and elegant, as well as long. Unfortunately I live too far away to make buying at the cellar door an option for me, but if you happen to be in the area, at only €10 this is amazing value. The vineyard itself is what the Germans call a 'Steillage' (steep slope) and consists mainly of Muschelkalk a calcareous soil accounting for the wine's mineral content. (Think Chablis here) The climate is continental, but influenced by the proximity of the river Main.

Having had the opportunity to speak to Moni and Rainer Müller, the proud owners, I was convinced by their commitment to producing wines true to the area. All 200,000 bottles produced annually come from their own vineyards and it seems the entire family is involved.

The commitment of Weinbar Rutz to German wine in particular is exemplary. Jürgen Hammer, the sommelier, explained to me they don't actually stock any of the Müller wines but he is always happy to support a winemaker in gaining recognition through opening his door to them. It creates an incredibly friendly atmosphere. Returning on Friday night for a true gastronomic delight was nothing if not memorable. If you thought German cuisine was heavy (on pretty much everything) and the service was stiff and formal, let the team at Rutz prove you wrong. A must for wine-lovers visiting Berlin.

http://www.weinbar-rutz.de/index.html

http://www.max-mueller.de/

and for a cool hotel close by:

http://www.arcotel.at/velvet.htm