Mayschosser Mönchberg 2023

A finely structured Pinot Noir of precision and naturalness, with dark fruit, vibrant acidity and 11.5% ABV. Julia Bertram and Benedikt Baltes harvest earlier and do not chaptalise, allowing depth to develop without alcoholic weight.

The Mönchberg lies above the village of Mayschoss on terraced, steep slopes between 140 and 260 metres. The vineyard faces south and is sheltered to the north by forest. It is shaped by very stony to slightly loamy slate-weathered soils that store the day's warmth, while cool nights from the Ahr valley preserve freshness. Some of the estate's plots reach gradients of up to 70 percent and demand entirely manual labour.

Pure Pinot Noir. The grapes are meticulously selected, fermented spontaneously in open stainless steel tanks and aged in used barrels and half-barrels, where the Pinot Noir remains for two winters. The barrels come from German coopers using Franconian oak. There is no chaptalisation, the winemaking is deliberately reductive, and the only addition is a minimal amount of sulphur before bottling. No fining, bottled unfiltered.

On the nose, blackcurrant with a touch of gunpowder, along with sweet dark berry fruit, pencil lead and undergrowth, a hint of cinnamon and aniseed. On the palate, deep, fine-grained and supple, with vibrant acidity and again rather dark fruit notes. Juiciness and a certain fullness meet clear freshness, minerality and precision.

Julia Bertram and Benedikt Baltes bottled their first vintage in 2014 and were named discovery of the year. The estate farms around 4 hectares, fully organic since 2020, with all plots managed according to organic and biodynamic principles, at yields of 30 to 40 hectolitres per hectare. The 2021 Ahr flood hit Dernau with full force; rebuilding proceeded without compromising on quality.