One of the best in Germany Wine bar in Oberkassel gets high marks in renowned wine guide
Oberkassel · The rustic “Kinkel-Stuben” in Oberkassel has been a popular destination for wine lovers for decades. A renowned wine guide has once again singled out the Schrempp family's wine bar as one of the best in Germany.
"If you are looking for wine rarities and proven top wines, this is the place to be.” These are the ten words written in the current issue of the renowned Falstaff Wine Guide, giving the Schrempp couple an excellent testimonial for their quaint “Kinkel-Stuben” wine bar and eatery. It is located on a street in Oberkassel named after the poet and theologian Gottfried Kinkel. Bärbel and Lothar Schrempp took over the wine bar in 1979 and have since built up and expanded their good reputation. Falstaff Wine Guide lists it among the leading wine bars in Germany, and also praises the gastronomy.
"A distinction like this means a lot to us, because it is based on the recommendations of our customers," says Lothar Schrempp. The wine bar was awarded 93 out of 100 possible points in the rating system of the Austrian gourmet and wine magazine, highly valued by gourmet lovers. “The Falstaff Guide rates inns and restaurants in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. We are of course proud and pleased that we are making a good showing with the “Kinkel-Stuben”, there is some competition out there," says Schrempp.
Behind the counter in Oberkassel for 43 years
For decades, Schrempp has been on the road when it comes to wine, mostly professionally, and most of that time in Bonn. "I moved here because of my wife back then, and every day, it has proven to be a good decision.” At the end of March, it will be 43 years that the Schrempps have been running their wine bar. "We started at a time when much of the wine business in Germany only revolved around the question: red or white?" says Schrempp, smiling. "Today, many people's horizons are much broader, and wine is a widespread cultural asset."
Nowadays, Lothar Schrempp has around 800 different wines ready for his customers in the cellar. His passion has always been German wines. "I used to do a bit of promoting, along the lines of: Look, we have wonderful wines here," he says. Native vines have long been part of the good-wine mentality in Germany. There is probably no other place where you can taste as many as in the “Kinkel-Stuben”.
100-year-old wine stored in the cellar
The wine collection currently dates back to 1921, and an extensive menu caters to connoisseurs and novice tasters alike. Lothar Schrempp is by all means the one who does the networking; in the past, he has traveled a lot, viewed his "resources" on location, always with a passion for being a good host and collecting wines: "To this day, I am well acquainted with vintners and distributors across the country. That's important if you want to offer a wide selection with the right quality.”
The majority of his customers do not necessarily come from the neighborhood, but sometimes from far away along the Rhine. "We are firmly rooted in Oberkassel, even if cars from Düsseldorf or Koblenz are always parked here," says Schrempp and smiles again. But what do people from near and far appreciate about the small wine bar, furnished with lots of wood and all kinds of lovingly selected small and kitschy items? "Probably precisely this ambience, which is simply not often found in today's gastronomic landscape," surmises the highly acclaimed host.
Orig. text: Alexander Barth
Translation: ck
