Blanc de Noir Sekt Brut Nature 2019

A sparkling wine that stakes its identity on origin and craftsmanship rather than fruit. Radiant straw yellow, pale to greenish highlights, a fine-beaded perlage with mousse that fades quickly. Striking, sinewy, uncompromisingly dry.

The Ahr, with its weathered slate soils that store the day's warmth while cool nights preserve freshness. Julia Bertram and Benedikt Baltes farm around four hectares on the steep slopes of Dernau, Ahrweiler and Mayschoss, with some parcels reaching gradients of up to 70 percent, all worked by hand and fully organic since 2020. The grapes for this sparkling wine come from selective picking within the top sites.

Single-varietal Pinot Noir. The grapes go straight into the basket press after harvest and ferment spontaneously. The base wine matures for a year in used 500-litre German oak barrels. After the second fermentation come 36 months on the lees; this batch was disgorged in November 2023, with no dosage.

The nose opens with wet stones after a mild summer rain, followed by dried herbs: oregano, sage, a hint of mint, distinct sorrel and lemon balm. Add to that tart raspberries, red and white currants, fennel and coriander seed, white pepper and a smoky trace. The palate opens with the richness of three years on the lees, then the acidity kicks in and sweeps everything clean. Earthy, mineral, with a saline finish; the tart fruit returns on the finish, the herbs even more pronounced.

Runner bean and pea salad with mint and chilli, cured char with dill yoghurt and toasted pine nuts, roasted celeriac slices with basil pesto and shaved Parmesan.

11.5% vol. The house rule: no chaptalisation, no fining, spontaneous fermentation in local oak. The couple bottled their first vintage in 2014 and were named discovery of the year.