IDIG Königsbach Spätburgunder GG VDP Grosse Lage 2020 1500ml Magnum

The IDIG Königsbach Spätburgunder Grosses Gewächs 2020 from the Weingut A. Christmann in Gimmeldingen is a Pinot Noir of power and mineral depth, bottled in the 1.5-litre Magnum. In the glass, a muted garnet red with a violet core. The nose brings together sour cherry, cassis and wild raspberry with a chalky note, plus smoke and herbs.

The IDIG in Königsbach is the heart of the estate and one of the finest vineyards in the Palatinate. The vineyard has a near-monopole size of 4 hectares, a legacy of more than 400 years of ownership by the Palatine counts; today the Christmann family owns 95 percent of the classified area. The site slopes steeply to the south-southeast, with a gentle wind from the Klausental valley protecting it from cold winds. The soil consists of terra fusca resting on a massive limestone bedrock.

The vines stand on two parcels in the upper part of the vineyard, some old vines, some French clones. Hand-harvested, fully ripe, healthy berries only, yields of 25 to 30 hl/ha. Between 30 and 50 percent of the grapes remain undestemmed and ferment as whole clusters, giving finer tannin. After five days of cold maceration at 12 °C with gentle daily pump-overs, the wine ferments on the skins for two weeks, peaking at 30 °C. This is followed by 18 months in barrique, mostly 10 percent new oak, and after blending the barrels, roughly another three months in stainless steel.

Rich fruit with refreshing sour cherry and lively acidity, carried by a fine-grained tannin structure. 12.5% ABV, dry.

Since 2003, the estate, founded in 1798, has worked biodynamically, certified respekt-BIODYN and EU organic. Steffen Christmann, president of the VDP since 2007, runs it together with his daughter Sophie; across 17 hectares, only single-vineyard wines from Riesling and Pinot are grown.