Ahrweiler Spätburgunder 2021

The Ahrweiler Spätburgunder 2021 by Bertram-Baltes is a dry Pinot Noir from the steep slopes of the Ahr valley, drawing its stature from freshness rather than alcohol. At 11.0% ABV, it reflects an early-harvested, unenriched style that Julia Bertram and Benedikt Baltes have pursued since their first vintage in 2014: light-footed, but not lightweight.

The steep slopes of the Ahr valley around Ahrweiler and Dernau demand entirely manual labour, with some parcels reaching gradients of up to 70 percent. The weathered slate soils store the day's warmth, while cool nights rolling in from the valley preserve freshness. The estate farms around 4 hectares, fully organic since 2020, with yields of 30 to 40 hectolitres per hectare.

Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), hand-harvested and spontaneously fermented in local oak barrels; the barrels come from German coopers using Franconian oak. No enrichment, no fining, bottled unfiltered.

Muted cherry red with violet highlights. On the nose, sour cherry, wild raspberry, small pale berries and elderberry, plus dark, sweet blossoms. On the palate, fruity and mineral, playful yet taut and precise. Serve lightly chilled.

With salt-crust beetroot with argan oil, with pan-fried pikeperch with blood sausage on pointed cabbage, or with ham puff pastry with mountain cheese and dandelion.

The 2021 vintage coincides with the Ahr flood, which struck Dernau with full force: flooded cellars, barrels swept away, lost vintages. Julia Bertram and Benedikt Baltes rebuilt the estate without ever compromising on quality. Their first vintage, in 2014, immediately earned them the "Discovery of the Year" award; they represent the fifth generation of a winemaking family from Dernau.