R’ Spätburgunder Im Sonnenschein GG 2018

While most of the vineyards along the Haardtrand, the transition from the Rhine plain to the Palatinate Forest, were formed as eastern slopes by the Rhine ditch running from south to north, there are also southern slopes in the Queich Valley leading from the Palatinate Forest into the Rhine Valley. This "Siebeldingen summer side" has the site designation "Im Sonnenschein". The vineyards lie 160 to 225 metres above sea level and have slopes of 5 to 20 %. The old designation of the vineyards "Am Berg", "Auf'm Berg" and "Stockwingert" describes the parcels of Rebholt Burgundy very well. Situated at the highest point of the site, these parcels are the most barren and stoniest of the site. This wine comes from plots with vines up to 60 years old on the south and south-west facing slopes.

Due to the subsidence and faulting of the Rhine Graben and the strong uplift of the Palatinate Forest, the soil conditions around Siebeldingen vary greatly. The parcel of the VDP Grand Cru site "Im Sonnenschein" stands on shell limestone soil from the Triassic period. The limestones are marine sediments in which fossilised marine flora and fauna can be found time and again. Limestone soil is the best prerequisite for all the world's great Burgundies / Pinots!

Healthy, ripe grapes were the key prerequisite for this great red wine. After selective manual harvesting, the grapes were destemmed. The mash is kept cool until spontaneous fermentation begins. This "cold maceration" is intended to bind as many Pinot Noir and site-typical flavours as possible before fermentation. During the subsequent mash fermentation, the aim is to preserve the varietal freshness and fruit, but also to extract the necessary substance and complexity from the grape skins. This goal requires individual attention and repeated checks of the fermentation containers. The time of pressing is also determined individually for each container. This point is often reached after just under three weeks. The coarsest lees are separated by natural sedimentation before the 19-20 months of ageing in barriques. During the almost two years of ageing, malolactic fermentation also takes place spontaneously. Thanks to 30 years of experience in working with French barrique barrels, a balanced ratio between different producers from Austria and France, oak from Germany and France and different types of barrels is selected in order to support but not dominate the wine.

Muted cranberry red colour with purple highlights towards the rim.

The 2018 Pinot Noir "im Sonnenschein" GG presents itself with beautiful, seductive fruit, wild raspberry, sour cherry, sweet and ripe blackberries combine with violets, roses and wild herbs such as thyme, tarragon and boxwood. Fine tobacco and cedar wood notes point to the skilful ageing in wood and its striking minerality is omnipresent.

On the palate, it shows the same fruit as on the nose and with a fresh acidity and the stimulating herbal notes that we already perceived on the nose. Its tannin structure is pithy and polished at the same time. A Burgundian and earthy representative, the absolute top class of German Pinot Noirs, can already be drunk now, but it can be left to mature.