Mussbacher Eselshaut Spätburgunder VDP Erste Lage 2022 1500ml Magnum

Steffen Christmann describes his ideal as a "Primaballerino": powerful yet elegant, with perfect balance. This Pinot Noir follows that line, with dark cherry and wild raspberry, fine spice and that saline note which Christmann traces back to the soils of his sites, lending the wines a silky texture.

The Eselshaut in Mussbach is classified as a VDP.ERSTE LAGE (Grand Cru). The A. Christmann estate in Gimmeldingen farms exclusively classified parcels across 17 hectares; the Palatinate soils of variegated sandstone, limestone and terraced gravel shape each wine differently. The family estate, founded in 1798, is run by Steffen Christmann, a lawyer and president of the VDP since 2007, and his daughter Sophie Christmann, who joined in 2018 after stints in Geisenheim, Bordeaux and Australia.

Pure Pinot Noir. 70 percent of the estate's area is planted with Riesling, the rest with Pinot Noir and a little Pinot Blanc; there are no other varieties here. The estate has farmed organically since 2002 and biodynamically since 2003: horn manure, horn silica and compost preparations instead of synthetic chemistry, with all work following the lunar calendar. "The roots reach deeper and the vineyards have found their balance," says Steffen Christmann of two decades of this work.

Juicy red and dark fruit, with damson plum, violet and a touch of black pepper. The tannin stays fine-grained, the acidity vibrant, the finish saline and long. 13.0% ABV, vinified dry.

Certified respekt-BIODYN and EU organic, explicitly not Demeter. Christmann belongs to respekt-BIODYN and La Renaissance des Appellations. The 1500 ml magnum format allows the wine to age more slowly.