Spätburgunder
Ahr
2024 Spätburgunder, Sonnenberg, Neuenahr, Ahr, Jean Stodden
Good youthful vivid color, the oak is at first a tad obtrusive but the intriguing vanilla and incense spiciness goes a long way to compensate for that; on tasting this is rich in dark berry and cherry fruit, concentrated and intense to the extent that that initial hit of oak is integrated into the wine itself which delivers massively on flavor, the structure present, but taking a back seat in homage to the remarkable quality of the fruit. 95
2024 Spätburgunder, Rosenthal, Ahrweiler, Ahr, Jean Stodden
Vivid youthful ruby, this is fresh and fragrant with strawberry and cherry to the fore and a subtle vanilla touch of oak; it’s seductively ripe and rich in berry-fruit flavors with a smattering of vanilla from oak maturation; the tannins are nicely in check though still on the muscular, youthful side, the acidity bringing balance and finesse, the structure excellent ageing potential. 94
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2024 Spätburgunder, Herrenberg, Rech, Ahr, Jean Stodden
A youthful ruby garnet in color, this Pinot Noir from the house vineyard, a due-south steep slope on weathered greywacke slate, is fresh and fragrant with lovely strawberry and cherry fruity aromas shaded by a light note of oak vanilla in the background; it’s silky smooth when you taste with lots of ripe juicy cherry / strawberry flavors framed by a shading of oak vanilla and light, accessible tannins in an overall well-balanced, well-crafted style that’s almost approachable now but has plenty of time to develop in the bottle. 94
2024 Spätburgunder, Kräuterberg, Walporzheim, Ahr, Meyer-Näkel
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An estate run by Werner Näkel’s daughters Meike and Dörte this is finally recovering from the trauma of the devastating 2021 Ahr Valley floods. A tad on the oaky side, yet spicy, with attractively juicy ripe sweet berry and cherry fruit flavor, this is quite powerful with a firm building block of youthful tannins and fresh acidity, a sort of classic German Pinot Noir re-invented for modern times. 94
Rheingau
2024 Spätburgunder, Berg Schlossberg, Rüdesheim, Rheingau, August Kesseler
Brighter and more vivid than his Höllenberg, this Pinot Noir from August Kesseler, is fresh and fragrant with enticing berry-sweet fruit and a background hint of oak spice, there’s some richly concentrated and full-flavored dark berry and loganberry-like fruitiness here; it doesn’t fall into the potential trap of just becoming another dry red because of its seductive fragrance and beautifully ripe and juicy strawberry and loganberry fruit quality, the oak sub-threshold, the acidity and tannins merging behind the scenes in a wine of excellence with good ageing potential. 95
2024 Spätburgunder, Höllenberg, Assmannshausen, Rheingau, August Kesseler
Evolved garnet to the eye, almost Burgundian in that respect, not least perhaps because August uses Burgundy pièces, this fine Assmannshausen Pinot shows appealing fresh strawberry fruit in the aromas, the flavors are of ripe, sweet strawberries, a bowl thereof, quite seductively juicy in texture with a good density of berry fruit supported by refreshing acidity and light tannins; overall well-wrought and structured for the medium term. 94
Franken
2024 Spätburgunder, Schlossberg, Klingenberg, Franken, Rudolf Fürst
From vines grown in iron-rich red Buntsandstein, this is a bright youthful ruby, gorgeous aromatics, beautiful Pinot Noir fragrance of ripe cherries tinged with oak spice, a cola-spice note too, seductively ripe sweet raspberry and cherry fruit concentration, intensely flavored yet elegantly styled thanks to a real tannic finesse and juiciness of texture, the acidity holding it all together in a framework that’s as elegant as the fruit itself. What’s that song? ‘You’re beautiful.’ 95
2024 Spätburgunder, Hundsrück, Bürgstadt, Franken, Rudolf Fürst
Vivid youthful ruby hue, fine aromatics, sweet cherries and spice, super-juicy ripe fruit quality, seamless framework of lightness of tannin and juicy fresh acidity all framing a seductively ripe and juicy fresh, opulent cherry and strawberry fruit purity; whole bunch fermentation contributes to the sheer volume of flavor and structure, seemingly effortlessly put together. 95
2024 Spätburgunder, Centgrafenberg, Bürgstadt, Franken, Rudolf Fürst
A vivid youthful ruby color, fine aromatic complexity, rather lovely seductive Pinot Noir fruit with strawberry and cherry in the ascendant and underlining the fruit there’s a good structure of nippy tannins and fresh acidity to add dimension to a wine that’s not quite ready yet but in two years’ time should open up and stay that way for 5–7 years+. 94
Rheinhessen
2024 Spätburgunder, Pares, Hattenheim, Rheinhessen, J. Neus
Vivid in color, youthful, this Pinot from the Schmitz family of Mainz smells a bit like a good English pinot noir! Attractively dark cherryish, distinctly Pinot Noir, possibly two rather than three-dimensional, yet with a really nice purity of ripe dark cherry fruit flavor and no obtrusive oak; it’s really well-made and could do with a little time in bottle to settle down and develop further complexity. 94
Pfalz
2024 Spätburgunder, Sonnenberg KT, Schweigen, Pfalz, Bernhart
From its 23 hectares worked by Gerd and Sabine Bernhart at Schweigen at the southern tip of the Südliche Weinstrasse, this shows an attractively youthful color, lovely red berry fruit fragrance with a veneer of stylish oak spice and vanilla, good ripe and juicy strawberry fruit, very succulent, in a light framework of supple tannins and juicy acidity, making for an approachable style yet with good ageing potential too. 94
2024 Spätburgunder, Schild, Kallstadt, Pfalz, A. Christmann
A good youthful ruby, this Pinot Noir from the organic and biodynamic estate run by Steffen Christmann and his daughter Sophie is attractively fragrant with incense oak spice and berry fruit; and that fruit is youthfully vivid, deep dark berry fruit sweetness involved, supported by good succulent tannins and acidity in a wine with quite some time to go before it develops secondary flavors in the bottle; I would buy a case, drink a bottle and hang on to a few more for further enjoyment. 94
2024 Spätburgunder, Vogelsang, Neustadt, Pfalz, A. Christmann
Another fine Pinot Noir from the President of the VDP, this is quite evolved in color, super-fragrant with a juicy succulent raspberry fruit quality, melt-in-the-mouth tannins and refreshing acidity in combo that make for a seductively juicy and succulent pinot noir for which the name of Vogelsang, bird song, is not inappropriate, but which bird? A bird in hand, this is delicious Pinot Noir. Burgundy watch out! 94
2024 Spätburgunder, Felsenberg, Laumersheim, Pfalz, Rings
Good vivid color, super attractively ripe berry and spicy aromas, pure Pinot Noir, excellent ripe cherry and dark berry fruit quality, background oak bringing a nicely textured suppleness to the fruit which is further underlined by supremely juicy acidity; it’s not hugely complex, maybe that’s yet to come when the vines are older or there’s more bottle age, but it’s very well-crafted indeed and a delicious drink. 94
Württemberg
2023 Spätburgunder, Schupen, Stetten, Württemberg, Dautel
From an estate run by Geisenheim and Bordeaux-trained Christian Dautel, this is a good vivid ruby hue, showing pleasingly fragrant, ripe dark cherry and strawberry fruit richness; and it’s quite firmly structured by tannins and fresh acidity but suggesting that this youthful Pinot Noir has what it takes for further development in bottle. 94
2024 Spätburgunder, Lämmler, Fellbach, Württemberg, Rainer Schnaitmann
This Spätburgunder from Rainer’s 50-year-old steep parcels in the Lämmler arguably put Württemberg Pinot Noir on the map. Youthfully vivid in color, there’s a lovely spicy oak and raspberryish fragrance, and on tasting, a succulent and polished Pinot Noir with fine concentration of fruit with supporting melt-in-the-mouth tannins and juicy acidity; not trying too hard like some, those red fruit flavors linger before tapering to a fine finish, with vivacious acidity adding a dimension to the structure for good ageing potential. 95
Baden
2024 Spätburgunder, Bienenberg, Malterdingen, Baden, Bernhard Huber
I’ve always found Julian Huber’s (son of Bernhard) pinots to be a joy and this is no exception. Vivid youthful color, lovely red fruits fragrance, fresh, good volume of red fruits on mid-palate, richly concentrated, initially in danger of becoming just a dry red but the Pinot, albeit in vivid, modern style, comes through strongly both in perfume and flavor; as yet still youthful, it needs time in bottle to show what it can do. Look out for his Chardonnay too. 94
2024 Spätburgunder, Eichberg, Oberrotweil, Baden, Franz Keller
Friedrich Keller is not ashamed to reference red Burgundy with cellar master Uwe Barnickel at the helm to assist in his endeavour. A youthful ruby hue and attractive spicy fresh strawberry fruit fragrance,then on tasting plenty of succulent fruit in the middle with a beguiling strawberry and cherry juiciness supported by supple tannins and refreshing acidity in a seamless whole in which the oak is very much cast in a supporting role. 95
2024 Spätburgunder, Bassgeige Steinriese, Oberbergen, Baden, Franz Keller
Youthful mid-ruby color, attractive fresh berry fruit fragrance, a background hint of spicy oak, voluptuous and succulent red berry fruit quality in the middle ground, with that refreshing acidity and supple tannin combining in a seductively drinkable style; approachable now, but yet to develop further complexity in the bottle. 94
2024 Spätburgunder, Schlossberg, Achkarren, Baden, Franz Keller
A vivid youthful ruby hue, this is fresh, spicy and fragrant, with lots of intense strawberry and dark cherry succulence here with a suppleness of texture and juicy fresh acidity that make this wine so approachable now even though you know it will repay keeping for development in the bottle. 94
2024 Spätburgunder, Vorderer Winklerberg, Ihringen, Baden, Dr. Heger
Geisenheim-trained, third generation Joachim Heger, runs this estate in the warm, sunny Kaiserstuhl with his wife Silvia. Pale Pinot hue, and attractively fragrant, this has lots of juicy strawberry and cherry fruit stuffing and as such is a succulent and very approachable Pinot Noir in which the oak takes a back seat, just helping to round out some of the tannins, while the overall balance is excellent. 94
VDP Grosses Gewächs Sneak Preview: The view from the top of the tree
VDP Grosses Gewächs Sneak Preview: Riesling
