Achkarren Spätburgunder 2023

Wine Description for Achkarren Spätburgunder 2023 by Franz Keller

Colour & Appearance

Medium garnet red, clear and luminous in the glass – a colour that favours elegance over opulence.

Nose

Seductively complex: sweet cherries and sour cherries form the fruity core, playfully interwoven with smoke and black tea notes. These are joined by nutty wood and a pronounced mineral stoniness. Subtle hints of game, leather and cloves lend the bouquet a fascinating multi-layered character – classic Burgundy style with a Baden signature.

Palate

Juicy, gripping and of remarkable clarity. The mineral character of the volcanic rock lends the wine an almost cool precision. The fine tannins are structurally reminiscent of a long-steeped Assam tea – elegant, yet with grip. The sweet fruit core balances perfectly with the mineral tension. Here we see a finesse and length that far transcends the formal village wine classification.

Finish

Long and precise with lingering minerality and fine fruit. The tea notes resonate, underpinned by subtle spice.

Terroir & Origin

The grapes come predominantly from the prestigious vineyard sites Schlossberg (approximately 50%) and Castelberg – Grand and First Growths of the Kaiserstuhl. The soils of tephrite (volcanic rock), black earth and loess fundamentally shape the mineral character of this Spätburgunder.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Largely destemmed Pinot Noir grapes, classically fermented spontaneously. 18 months maturation in French barriques with approximately 30% new wood – a bold approach that gives the wine structure without masking the fruit. The wood integration is already remarkably successful.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Roasted duck breast with cherry sauce, venison loin with lingonberries, Coq au Vin, aged Comté or Greyerzer. Also an excellent choice with braised oxtail or mushroom risotto with porcini.

Special Characteristics

A village wine that qualitatively plays in the First Growth league – characteristic of the winemaking prowess of Franz Keller. The 2023 vintage already shows accessible finesse, yet promises good ageing potential for the coming 5-8 years.