Spätburgunder Barrique Qualitätswein trocken 2020

This wine is not made as a "single vineyard" wine, but is of "village" level from different vineyards on more or less the same slope. The vines grow on a slightly east-facing slope, about 200 m above sea level and about 120 m above the Nahe valley. Whilst the nights are not too cold, warm winds from the valley reach the vineyards duing the day.

The soil type is "loess", a young soil formed only after the last ice age, deposited by strong winds on the eastern slopes. The soil is slightly calcareous and very fertile, as it can store water very well and gives it back to the vines. In higher areas of the slope we find red loam with gravel, which is somewhat less fertile, but hence results in smaller berries.

The grapes are harvested by hand. There is a thorough selection in the vineyards to sort out unripe grapes and those affected by disease, plus zero tolerance for botrytis. The grapes are then brought to the winery in 800 ltr vats. At the time of harvest, the grapes came in at around 100 degrees Oechsle.

The grapes are moved exclusively by gravity, tipped out of the vats into a de-stemmer and the berries are lightly crushed in the process. About 15% of the must is then extracted from the vats, also by gravity, as a "saignée". Yeast is added to start fermentation. The fermentation takes place "open" in the same vats as used for the harvest. The mash is punched down twice a day by hand. The temperature may rise above 30 degrees Celsius. The mash standing time is about two weeks. Pouring the mash into the winepress is again done by tipping. The red wine remains in a stainless steel tank for one week after pressing. Then, racking takes place in 225 ltr barriques and 300 ltr oak casks ("Viertelstück"), staying there for 18 months. Before bottling, a kieselguhr flitration takes place.

The wine goes on sale immediately after bottling and is sold within a year.