Walis Badischer Landwein 2022

A Pinot Noir built for liveliness: 13.0% ABV, dry, with sweetish fruit over an earthy, smoky base. Nose and palate pull in the same direction, subtle, charming and layered with depth.

The Walis vineyard, formerly Wallis, lies in Baden, in the Markgräflerland near Efringen-Kirchen in Blansingen. It sits high up on Jurassic limestone, directly above an old limestone quarry, faces south and looks out over the Rhine.

Pinot Noir. Depending on the vintage, partially destemmed or as whole clusters, filled into small wooden vats, briefly foot-trodden and fermented on the skins for around three weeks with moderate pigeage. Pressing took place on an old basket press, with the juice drawn off via the broquereau by gravity. Aging took place exclusively in used wooden barrels, mainly barriques and pièces. No yeasts, no enzymes, no fining, no filtration, maximum 30 mg sulfur.

Garnet red with mahogany highlights at the rim. On the nose, graphite, smoke, spice and dried fruit, mineral and complex. On the palate, plenty of fresh acidity meets sweetish fruit and fine tannin, along with earthy and smoky components. Very good aging potential.

With spicy and fruity dishes it truly shines, though it's already a pleasure enjoyed solo.

Marco Pfliehinger and Uwe Lange have been making wine since 2015 in St. Leon-Rot, in the vaulted cellar of a 17th-century village smithy. They farm their 2.5 hectares entirely by hand according to biodynamic principles, ferment spontaneously, bottle by gravity and cork by hand. There are no pumps, filters or tractors on the estate.