Bottler: Winery Forgeurac, Leostr. 1, 68789 St. Leon-Rot / Germany
In the glass
Colour
Muted garnet red with subtle lightening towards the rim.
Nose
Juicy black cherries, blackberries and dark plum compote meet refined dark chocolate, clove, cinnamon, aniseed and cardamom – underpinned by smoky minerality and floral perfume.
Palate
Concentrated and profound with dark fruit, mineral finesse and perfect grip; charming and food-friendly with an intense finish.
Character
Idiosyncratic and stubborn – a Spätburgunder that tastes of its stony Keuper soil rather than regional clichés; powerful yet possessing Burgundian elegance.
Pairing
Braised beef cheeks with red wine jus, wild game goulash with mushrooms, hearty mushroom dishes or duck breast with a spiced sauce.
Notes
Spontaneously fermented from 100% whole bunches, pressed on an antique basket press and aged in used barriques; unfined and unfiltered, maximum 30 mg sulphur – radically artisanal, produced in the vaulted cellar of an old smithy.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Deep garnet red, lightening gently towards the rim – a promise of concentration coupled with youthful freshness.
Nose
A bouquet of beguiling depth: juicy black cherries and blackberries meet dark plum compote and fine dark chocolate. Beneath lies a delicate weave of clove, cinnamon, aniseed and cardamom, interlaced with a smoky minerality reminiscent of damp slate and a floral lift that makes the first sip inevitable.
Palate
Here the wine reveals its distinctive stature: concentrated, with deep fruit and a mineral finesse evocative of Burgundy, yet without the accompanying price tag. The tannins possess perfect grip – structured but never harsh. A Spätburgunder of genuine substance, balancing power and elegance at 13.5% alcohol.
Finish
Long and precise, marked by dark berries and a lingering echo of spice and stone. A finale that calls for rich sauces and hearty accompaniments.
Terroir & origin
The vineyard site Stein in Rauenberg in the Kraichgau is a relic: an old Spätburgunder parcel rooted in Keuper soils. Red claystone merges here with dolomite, a hard limestone that weathers slowly. The soil is extremely stony, rich in pebbles, whilst the clay layers are abundant in minerals, reliably nourishing the vines. It is a terroir that smells of celeriac and carrots – yielding wines of unusual mineral character.
Grape variety & vinification
100% Spätburgunder, vinified with a radical approach second to none. The grapes were fermented as 100% whole bunches in small wooden vats, briefly foot-trodden and left on the skins for around three weeks with moderate pigeage. Pressing was carried out using an antique basket press, with the juice drawn off by gravity via the Broquereau. Maturation took place exclusively in used barriques and pièces – without added yeasts, enzymes, fining or filtration. A maximum of 30 mg of sulphur was added.
Food recommendations
A wine that demands bold cuisine: braised leg of lamb with dark jus, game terrine with lingonberries, duck breast with red cabbage or hearty mushroom ragout with polenta. Equally revelatory alongside hard mountain cheese.
Special characteristics
What sets this wine apart is the union of radical craftsmanship and a forgotten vineyard site. Forgeurac works without machinery, pumps or filters – in a seventeenth-century cellar beneath an old smithy. Stein is a Spätburgunder that seeks not to taste German, but rather of its soil: of red clay, dolomite and pebbles. A wine of Henri Jayer-esque precision, crafted by two musicians who have changed their instrument.
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