Steinsatz Badischer Landwein 2018

Steinsatz is an old Pinot Noir vineyard near Rauenberg in Kraichgau. The soil formation belongs to the Keuper, which occurs here in combination with red clay rock as dolomite stone. The soil is indeed very stony, but thus also skeletal and loose. The hard dolomite stone weathers only very slowly. The embedded clay layers are extremely rich in minerals and ensure a good supply of the vines. Depending on the vintage, the grapes are partially destemmed or fermented as whole clusters, then briefly foot-crushed in small wooden vats and fermented on the skins for about three weeks in moderate pigeage. The wine is then pressed on an old basket press. The wine is drawn off with hose and by fall pressure, is aged exclusively in used wooden barrels, predominantly Pièces and tonneaux. No yeasts, no enzymes, no fining, no filtration and, depending on the vintage, a maximum of 30 mg of added sulphur, usually less.

Garnet Red

The Stake 2018 offers an inviting and charming nose from the first moment, mixing notes of ripe sweet and sour cherries with a little tomato essence, stone and undergrowth. Notes of honeysuckle and peony lie over a bed of stone and a little verbena. The warm vintage already makes the Pinot Noir seem inviting, yet it shows a cool streak here.

On the palate, this Pinot Noir combines power and suppleness, youthful austerity and a vibrant minerality to create a wine full of tension and depth. The fruit is quite red and is dominated by cherries, although a little red plums and red currants are also present. Most importantly, you taste those notes reminiscent of tomato essence and verbena here as well, without the wine showing itself to be green or bitter in any way. No, not at all. But at the same time, even though it's from 2018 and from Baden, it doesn't seem hot or concentrated at all. Rather, the Stone insert with supple tannin and pleasant grip over the tongue, appears bright as well as fresh and at the same time as approachable as an Cru from the Côte de Beaune.