Dernauer Spätburgunder 2023

Wine Description for Dernauer Spätburgunder 2023 by Bertram-Baltes

Colour & Appearance

Transparent, luminous cherry red – pale and clear in the glass, without any heaviness. The colour already reveals the philosophy behind it: not a gram too much.

Nose

This wine demands patience – and ideally a decanter. Initially, a pronounced reduction dominates, hanging like a curtain before the actual event. Those who wait will be rewarded: earthy and stony notes emerge, accompanied by undergrowth, damp leaves and a hint of aged game bird. Cool fruit accents join in – sloes, crisp damsons and dark cherries. A Pinot Noir that whispers rather than shouts.

Palate

On the palate, the wine reveals itself in its full mineral clarity: lean, cool and precise. A note of gunpowder and flint lends it tension. The dark fruit remains crisp and clear, embedded in leaves, undergrowth and pure stone. Add to this a mouth-watering salinity that stimulates the flow of saliva and keeps the wine alive. The structure is firm and gripping – a wine with backbone.

Finish

Long, saline-mineral and dry. The finish is characterised by a cool, almost ascetic directness that lingers long and virtually compels you to reach for the next sip.

Terroir & Origin

The grapes come from the steep slate and graywacke terraces around Dernau on the Ahr – one of Germany’s northernmost red wine regions. Vines averaging 25 years old give the wine depth and concentration. The terroir is unmistakable: cool, mineral, threaded through with volcanic stone.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), farmed organically and biodynamically. Spontaneous fermentation in open stainless steel fermenters, maturation in used large and medium oak casks over two winters. No chaptalization, no frills – only minimal sulphur added before bottling. The deliberately reductive maturation is both programme and signature.

Food Pairing Suggestions

An ideal companion to game birds such as pigeon or partridge, to grilled salmon or mushroom dishes with wild mushrooms. It also cuts a fine figure with goat’s cheese or a simple charcuterie board. At table it unfolds far better than in the glass alone.

Special Features

At just 11.0% alcohol, this Spätburgunder ranks among the most light-footed of its class – a deliberate commitment to elegance over extraction. Julia Bertram and Benedikt Baltes count among the most exciting winemakers of the Ahr and consistently champion artisanal reduction in the best sense of the word.