Vogelsang Spätburgunder GG VDP Grosse Lage 2022

Power without heaviness, silky texture, taut structure: Steffen Christmann's guiding principle of a powerful yet elegant wine with perfect balance also holds true for the Spätburgunder. The 13.0% vol. carries the ripe fruit of the 2022 vintage without ever letting it turn broad. Dry, taut, with depth.

Vogelsang is one of the VDP.GROSSE LAGEN (Grand Cru sites) of the A. Christmann estate, based in Gimmeldingen in the Palatinate since 1798. Following the reduction in size in 2021, the estate now covers 17 hectares, classified exclusively as VDP.ERSTE LAGE or VDP.GROSSE LAGE. Soils of variegated sandstone, limestone and terraced gravel shape each of the estate's wines differently.

Pure Spätburgunder, the German Pinot Noir. Riesling accounts for 70 percent of the vineyard area, with the rest split between Spätburgunder and a little Weissburgunder. The estate has farmed organically since 2002 and biodynamically since 2003: horn manure, horn silica and compost preparations replace synthetic chemistry, with all work following the lunar calendar. Steffen Christmann took over in 1996 as the seventh generation; since 2018 he has been joined by his daughter Sophie Christmann, a graduate of Geisenheim University with experience in Bordeaux and Australia.

Juicy dark cherry and wild raspberry, followed by herbs and forest floor. The tannin stays fine-grained, the acidity lively, the finish long and mineral-driven.

Duck breast with cherries, saddle of venison, herb-crusted saddle of lamb or partridge with mushrooms. The wine shows a softer side with game terrine, grilled char and porcini risotto.

Certified respekt-BIODYN and EU organic, member of respekt-BIODYN and La Renaissance des Appellations. Steffen Christmann has been president of the VDP since 2007; grandfather Fritz, now over 90, still works in the vineyard.