Gerolstein, March 29 2009. "A good wine deserves a suitable water", thus the motto behind Gerolsteiner's successful active involvement regarding the subject of "mineral water and wine", which Germany's leading mineral water brand has been committed to for the past four years. Working in cooperation with the German wine and sommelier school (DWS) and the VDP, the association of German special quality vineyards, Gerolsteiner has developed a package of measures that offers support in regards to product choice and advice to the gastronomy, hotel businesses and wine-oriented beverage wholesale companies.
This year Gerolsteiner is going to extend its program by the additional subject of "foods": In the seminars participants can experience how food harmonizes with wines and Gerolsteiner mineral waters, how the various things affect and complement each other.
Qualified advice on water and wine gives boost to the gastronomy business
"Mineral water and wine represent a seminal and far from fully exhausted business segment for the gastronomy and hotel business", emphasizes Axel Dahm, head of the executive board of the Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG. "Choosing mineral water requires a similar amount of care as choosing wine. With Gerolsteiner Sprudel, Medium and Naturell, all of which differ in regards to carbonic acid content and the level of mineralization, we are able to offer an excellent mineral water suitable for any wine, and capable of ideally emphasizing its character. Within the scope of our quality initiative we are able to show how the gastronomy and the hotel business can boost their beverage sales via the subject of "harmony between water and wine". The concept is popular: In 2008 there were in excess of 300 participants."
The culinary concept of Gerolsteiner's seminars
"The program's success was an incentive for us to take the seminar's concept one step further in 2009: The aim is to match wines and mineral waters in combination with food in such a way that each of them adds to the other", explains Axel Dahm.
Alexander A. Kohnen, director of the German wine and sommelier school, explains the concept: "The "wow"-effect triggered by the water and wine concept in our target group was huge." With the added food-aspect a very special pleasure experience arises. Take the appetizer for instance: "Gerolsteiner Medium with its reduced carbonation supplies wines that are lacking in acidity a certain vigor and freshness. Silvaner for instance is such a wine: It is a spicy wine, but it lacks acidity. As an appetizer that would ideally suit a Silvaner we suggested a tomato and orange couscous with guinea fowl breast. Tomato and orange add acid, coriander emphasizes the spiciness of the wine. In this combination Gerolsteiner medium emphasizes the harmony between the wine and the appetizer."
It is by now common knowledge - according Kohnen - that wines with a lot of tannin harmonize especially well with soft still waters such as Gerolsteiner Naturell. Sweet wines on the other hand require a well-carbonated mineral water such as Gerolsteiner Sprudel, which has a refreshing effect and elegantly accents the sweetness of the wine. Dry white wines find an ideal counterpart in Gerolsteiner Medium.
Working as a team with Detlev Ueter and Yvonne Heistermann, Kohnen created suitable menues to go with the drinks. Ueter is head chef and head of the cooking and service school "à la carte" of the Gastronomic Educational Center in Koblenz. As a sommelier and experienced DWS-lecturer Yvonne Heistermann heads the Gerolsteiner seminars.
Gerolsteiner also conducts the seminars as customer specific events. Besides the mineral and wine tasting and an introduction to the "harmony of wine, water and food", there is also information on Gerolsteiner mineral water, on the German wine market and on current wine trends.
Gerolsteiner offers orientation in the water-wine-world, for professionals and for laypersons
Besides the seminars, Gerolsteiner, DWS and VDP have also developed information material. Thus the brochure "The harmony between mineral water and wine" offers comprehensive know-how regarding the various aspects of the subject matter. A gastronomy folder was designed to give quick guidance in the wine-water-world.
Consumers can get an overview of what Gerolsteiner mineral water goes best with which wine by visiting the website www.gerolsteiner.de. Additionally, there is an animated map of Germany offering extensive descriptions of the VDP-vineyards in the various German wine regions. There are meanwhile over 100 VDP-vintners who showcase their vineyards on Gerolsteiner's "Water and Wine" websites. The regular presentation of the ?wine of the month? stimulates people's appetites. Tasting comments by the DWS regarding the chosen VDP-wine and a recommendation of a suitable Gerolsteiner mineral water complete the sensuous variety.
These Gerolsteiner activities toward supporting the gastronomy seamlessly integrate into the company's new image and information campaign, which is putting the main focus of all communication on the quality of Gerolsteiner's mineral water in 2009 - in accordance with the company's maxim "The water with a star".