Handwerk Spätburgunder 2023

Wine Description for Handwerk Spätburgunder 2023 by Bertram-Baltes

Colour & Appearance

Transparent, luminous ruby red – thin-skinned and clear, exactly as one expects from a consistently reductive Pinot Noir. Not a trace of artifice.

Nose

The nose is complex and multi-layered – and unmistakably bears the signature of Bertram-Baltes. An initial reductive note of sulphur wood and blackcurrant gives way, with a little air, to a fascinating bouquet of violets, sloe, sour cherry and barberry. Mineral accents join in – petrichor, wet stone – along with a hint of juniper and white pepper. Cool, precise, immensely engaging.

Palate

At just 10.5% alcohol, this Spätburgunder unfolds remarkable energy. Juicy, vibrant and driven by present, crisp acidity, it displays a fine, gripping tannin that provides structure without being austere. A touch of sweet extract lends smoothness and charm without compromising freshness. Here cherry fruit, herbal spice and minerality reign – no heaviness, no warmth, just pure drinkability.

Finish

Long, saline-mineral and characterised by an invigorating acidity tension. The finish makes you want the next sip – an infallible sign of a great drinking wine.

Terroir & Origin

Grapes from younger vineyards in Ahrweiler, Dernau and Mayschoss – the heartland of the Ahr. The vineyards are managed according to organic, biodynamic and permacultural principles. The result: a wine that makes the volcanic slate and cool elegance of the Ahr immediately tangible.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pure Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), spontaneously fermented in open stainless steel fermenters. Maturation in used large and medium oak casks over two winters. No chaptalization, no enzymes – merely minimal sulphur additions before bottling. An estate wine produced with the same care as the great vineyard wines of the house.

Food Pairing Suggestions

An ideal companion for grilled salmon, duck breast with sour cherry sauce, lentil dishes with bacon or simply a good charcuterie board. Also a delight with goat’s cheese or mushroom risotto.

Special Features

The “Handwerk” is the estate wine of Julia Bertram and Benedikt Baltes – two of the most exciting winemakers on the Ahr. That an estate wine combines this depth, precision and drinking pleasure is anything but a given. A wine that demonstrates that restraint in alcohol and uncompromising philosophy are not a contradiction.