Muted, dark cherry red with subtle lightening towards the rim.
Nose
Juicy cherry, damson, plum and pomegranate, accompanied by a hint of cassis; with air, fresh herbs, vanilla and graphite emerge.
Palate
Fruit-driven, juicy and charming, with a polished structure and fine fruit sweetness – dry, light-footed and engaging.
Character
A cohesive, Burgundian-style red wine that shows depth and concentration despite its modest alcohol – best served slightly chilled and decanted in Burgundy glasses.
Pairing
Feta in barbecue marinade on rocket with pomegranate, lamb fillet with yellow curry rice and coriander, or tortillas with monkfish and salsa.
Notes
Hand-harvested grapes from the steep slopes of the Ahr Valley, spontaneously fermented in casks of local oak, bottled unfined and unfiltered – a testament to the remarkable new beginning following the 2021 Ahr flood.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Muted, dark cherry red, lightening delicately towards the rim – even visually a promise of Burgundian grace.
Nose
Juicy cherry and plum at first, followed by hints of cassis, damson and pomegranate. With air, fresh herbs join in, along with a touch of vanilla and a cool graphite note. A cohesive and utterly inviting bouquet.
Palate
Juicy, fruit-driven, charming – yet possessed of a remarkably polished structure. The fine fruit sweetness glides feather-light across the tongue; at just 11.5 per cent alcohol, the wine remains cool, taut and most agreeably moreish.
Finish
Clear and fruit-led, with gentle spice and a lingering finish that beckons the next sip.
Terroir & origin
The Neuenahrer Sonnenberg is among the steep vineyard sites of the Ahr Valley: weathered slate soils store the day’s warmth, whilst cool nights from the valley preserve freshness. Bertram-Baltes cultivates around four hectares in the finest vineyard sites of Dernau, Ahrweiler and Mayschoß – entirely manual work on slopes with gradients of up to 70 per cent, yields a modest 30 to 40 hectolitres per hectare. Since 2020, the estate has been farmed entirely organically.
Grape variety & vinification
Frühburgunder is the early-ripening sibling of Spätburgunder – perfectly suited to the style of Julia Bertram and Benedikt Baltes, whose red wines reach a natural 11 to 12 per cent alcohol without chaptalisation. The hand-harvested grapes were spontaneously fermented in casks of local oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Food recommendations
It loves dishes that provide a counterpoint of heat and acidity: feta in barbecue marinade on rocket with pomegranate, tortillas with monkfish, pointed cabbage and salsa, or lamb fillet with yellow curry rice and coriander. Enjoy lightly chilled and decanted in Burgundy glasses.
Special notes
This 2022 vintage carries a particular story: the 2021 Ahr floods destroyed the estate’s cellars and casks – that Bertram-Baltes managed to bottle wines of this calibre afterwards bears witness to the indomitable spirit of the young generation of winemakers. And it demonstrates emphatically: light-footed does not mean lightweight – concentration and depth are entirely possible below twelve per cent alcohol.
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