Christmann | Pfalz | Königsbacher Ölberg Spätburgunder VDP Erste Lage | 2021 | 750ml | bio

Description

Product description for Christmann Königsbacher Ölberg Spätburgunder VDP Erste Lage 2021 (bio)

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The Christmann family owns 0.5 hectares of this VDP Erste Lage (First Vineyard). The slope slopes at a 5% gradient towards the east and southeast. The soil contains Terra Fusca, a mixture of limestone, loam, and clay. The topsoil is mixed with red sandstone scree. The Ölberg is in the immediate vicinity of the Idig mountain. The slopes here experience sun early in the morning and are then shrouded in shade over the course of the day. The cold winds from the Klausenthal in the Palatinate Forest also provide cooling. In the 2018 vintage, half of the vines were grafted to French clones. The vineyard was harvested by hand on September 22, 2021. Spontaneous fermentation with 10% whole bunches. With 10% new barriques, the wine was aged in small wooden vats until February 2022 and later bottled in May 2023.

Colour

Radiant cherry red with light elements and a very even colour.

Nose

Seductive and dark, it emerges from the glass. Cherry emerges in all its facets. Sweet and sour cherries, as well as pickled morello cherries. Violet, lilac, and forget-me-not add intense, elegant floral accents. Elderberry and plum take second place. A balsamic to ethereal note emerges very tentatively, which increases significantly with age. Juniper, pepper, parsley, and sage can be found. Hints of undergrowth and cigar box. It seems mysterious, exciting, and extremely attractive to me. Clove and cardamom crystallize with a little patience and emphasize its subtle spiciness.

Palate

It flows silky and cool over the lips. It builds on the palate with elegance and grandeur. A fine acid structure takes over. This allows the fruity and floral aromas to cling to the acid structure. This then subtly builds pressure on the palate. It stretches out and fluctuates aromatically between light and dark. Its silky mouthfeel is not at all disturbed by very shallow tannins, which also come with pleasant bitterness. The sour cherry turns the aromatic tide. With fine herbal accents, it appears very small-berry and is enormously stimulating. Its elegance and subtle spiciness linger for minutes.

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Keywords: Christmann Königsbacher Ölberg Spätburgunder VDP Erste Lage 2021 bio Pfalz Germany

Wine Advocate

Score: 91+

From vines planted in 1982 and grafted massal selections from Huber’s Schlossberg in Baden on loamy and calcareous soils, the 2021 Spätburgunder Königsbacher Ölberg VDP.Erste Lage® is deep, refined and aromatic on the nose that reveals ripe dark cherry and wild red berry aromas. Elegant, intense and savory on the palate, this is a medium to full-bodied, quite intense and persistent Pinot Noir with a remarkably fine mix of saline acidity and finely grained tannins. Also, the finish is more astringent than necessary, but there is enough substance for good development. 13% stated alcohol. Diam cork. Tasted at the domaine in December 2023.
Stephan Reinhardt

Producer website: https://weingut-christmann.de/en/