Spätburgunder: Panel tasting results

Since sisters Meike and Dörte Näkel took over the Meyer-Näkel winery in Dernau on the river Ahr from their father Werner, the wines have become increasingly open and more pleasing. The Ahr valley widens around Dernau, creating space for the Pfarrwingert, a steep vineyard with a mixture of greywacke and slate in the soil. It is, as it were, the sisters’ gym, because handpicking there is hard physical work. The wine was fermented spontaneously and aged on the fine lees in barriques, 30% of which were new oak, for 18 months. Caro Maurer MW: Harmonious interplay of subtle spice from oak ageing and the precise fruit expression. Despite its density, it’s light and elegant. Mark Dearing: Lively and juicy with a fresh, sappy feeling and finely integrated oak. Red-fruit driven. Neat, balanced, with the substance to develop well. Stefan Neumann MS: Fresh red fruit, sweet currant and ripe cherry. Good weight and power, excellent energy and complex layers. Lots of potential, a must-buy for Pinot lovers.

The Rudolf Fürst winery has been run by Sebastian Fürst since 2018 but his father Paul laid the key groundwork, having taken over the estate in 1975. From the start, he wanted to make a Franconian ‘Musigny’: Pinot Noir of finesse, cloaking its power in silky texture. Sebastian is even more consistent in pursuing this vision. Father and son still work closely together – continuing to craft Bürgstadtstyle Burgundy side by side. Caro Maurer MW: Complex bouquet, dark fruits and oak spice. Both classic and contemporary. The full extent of its elegance is yet to be revealed. Magnificent finish. Mark Dearing: Beautifully high-toned, sweet-spiced, juicy berry fruits. Floral, spicy, complex. Intense notes of lavender and wild berry. Long and very fine. Stefan Neumann MS: Dense, tight, slowly opening up to reveal its immense potential, with fruit, floral and spice elements all in harmony. For anyone keen to touch Spätburgunder heaven.

This winery once belonged to the abbey of St-Maximin in Trier, with a winemaking history dating back more than 1,000 years. The von Schubert family has owned the estate since 1882. Sixth-generation Maximin von Schubert expanded the Riesling tradition by introducing Pinot Noir, planting the vines in 2007 on the Abtsberg – one of three historic monopole sites characterised by blue slate soil. With the 2022 vintage, this became the first red wine from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer to carry the VDP Grosses Gewächs (equivalent to Burgundy’s grand cru) classification. Caro Maurer MW: Ripe, highly concentrated fruit, but plenty of spice from ageing in new oak barrels; more graphite than toast. A very elegant, smooth, silky flow. Mark Dearing: Pulpy and sappy palate, long and spicy, slatey with an undertow of salts and stones, finishing on red plums. Neat and juicy with impressive length. Stefan Neumann MS: Wonderful energy, with equal measures of power and finesse. Juicy, vibrant yet tightly knit. It might show an unusual side of the grape, but with such refinement. Gosh, what a wine.

There are many places where viticulture is easier than on the steep terraces of the Mosel; it’s one of the most extreme wine-growing regions in the world. And yet, in 2019, Daniel Fries decided to return to the family winery after completing his studies. It has paid off: the Pinot Noir from the best plot of the Domgarten, 100m above the river on a cool, windy east-facing slope, displays the cool elegance and graceful lightness that used to be found in Burgundian wines. Caro Maurer MW: Red cherry fruit mixed with a green leafy note, and the spice of toasted oak. An elegant style that never goes out of fashion; lightness and nonchalance. Mark Dearing: Ripe and fresh, a well-proportioned blend with tender tannins and plush redcurrant and plummy fruits. Pleasure-bound, not dense or heavy. Stefan Neumann MS: A balanced palate shows a truly elegant, lifted red fruit element and intensity. Lively in the glass, joyful: very well done.

When Sebastian Fürst took over the winery in Franconia from his father Paul, he found the ideal conditions for producing fine Pinot Noir: high-quality Burgundy clones in the vineyard, a warmer climate that allows the grapes to ripen fully for whole-cluster fermentation, and a modern winery constructed from concrete and wood. The Bürgstadter Berg includes the renowned vineyards of Centgrafenberg and Hundsrück – also the source of the grapes for this Erste Lage (‘premier cru’) wine. The wine is effectively, so to speak, a small Grosses Gewächs (‘grand cru’): correspondingly complex and elegant. Caro Maurer MW: Notes of coffee, dark berries and black cherries; young and primary. A modern, complex style with an emphasis on extraction, but it still lacks inner calm; that will come with time. Mark Dearing: A spectrum of fruits and flowers, precise and elegant, succulent and open. High quality, drinking well now with a fine tannic structure; delicacy with persistence. Stefan Neumann MS: Open, fruit-forward style. A well-knit mid-palate with a layer of fresh red florals and subtle spicy undertone. A beautiful, fuss-free style.

The Kaiserstuhl, where Salwey’s vines grow, is a small volcanic mountain range in the Rhine valley of Baden, in the far south of Germany. Its unique soil and warm climate shape the character of Salwey’s wines, making them softer and more hedonistic. In 2002, Konrad Salwey took over winemaking from his father, Wolf-Dietrich. ‘You can’t make Burgundy in the Kaiserstuhl,’ Konrad once said. His ideal: a German Pinot Noir with fruit character, vibrancy and the ability to age. The barrel regime supports this vision – one third new oak, one third second-use and one third older barrels. Caro Maurer MW: Intense and expressive nose, dark berries overlaid by the oak spices, touches of mint and green leaves. Ripe and fine tannins, acidity firm but with good flow. Impressive. Mark Dearing: The slightly briny, iodine-laced, red fruit aroma feels volcanic, with a herbal core of nori, soy and dark cherry. Well integrated, long finish, mineral and high quality. Stefan Neumann MS: Dark fruit-scented perfume with subtle earthy undertones, Good concentration and a lovely balance, some delicate notes of cardamom, fresh vanilla. Truly outstanding with some time in the glass. One for the cellar.

When two winemakers marry, the name of the winery often becomes quite long – like Kühling-Gillot-Battenfeld-Spanier. The family name is Spanier. Today, Hans-Oliver is responsible for the winemaking, while Carolin manages the business. This Pinot Noir comes from a parcel of the former Kühling-Gillot estate in the Grosses Gewächs (‘grand cru’) vineyard Kreuz near Oppenheim. There, the Spaniers have grafted old vines with Burgundian clones, allowing them to combine finesse with concentration. The wine is aged in second-use French barriques, which subtly integrate the spice of the oak. Caro Maurer MW: Toasty aromas from oak ageing are dominant at first, but then the dark berry fruits unfold. It’s ambitious and needs time to fully integrate, though the finish is extremely convincing. Mark Dearing: A nice, measured, soil-driven feel to this as it offers up notes of tea and spice and red cherries with impressive salinity, structure and transparency. Stefan Neumann MS: Densely structured, lots of ripe red fruits and a profound perfume of red rose petals. Refined and exemplary, plenty of drive. Far too young to fully appreciate its ageing potential.

The history of Riffel is typical for a winery in Rheinhessen. Erik Riffel became a partner in the business with his father in 1991, converting it from a mixed farm to purely viticulture. After his father retired in 2005, Erik and his wife Carolin began working organically; achieving full certification in 2012, they then began working with biodynamic methods. Erik created the first vintage of Mariage in 2003, to commemorate their wedding that year, and it has been made every year since. It’s aged exclusively in older barrels so that the fruit can fully develop its bouquet. Caro Maurer MW: Classic and elegant, an open style with lots of fruit and spice from oak ageing. Balanced: highly concentrated without being excessive. Silky tannins, good acidity, beautifully polished. Lots of potential. Mark Dearing: Rich and spicy with flattering fruits, quite fine and easy to taste. Lots to like here. Stefan Neumann MS: Structured and pretty full-bodied, good grip with a slight herbal undertone and good mineral backbone. Lively palate with a good fruit element showing a more delicate side.

Tight and focused with a driven core of red cherry, plum and savoury soy. Hints of dried rose, leather and leaf. Energetic and salty with zesty acidity and impressive classical intensity.

A dense, dark-fruited core of plum, cherry and cassis. Suave yet forceful with ripe tannins, polished acidity and striking extraction. Glossy, long and layered. Impressive but atypical for Pinot.

Light, lifted and floral, with juicy cherries, raspberries and a hint of Black Forest gâteau. Silky tannins and linear acidity support a sappy, crunchy frame. Elegant, ethereal and subtly old-school in feel.

Refined and elegant with dark cherry, raspberry and purple florals overlaid by wild herb and balsamic hints. Sapid, stony and bright with gentle power, fine structure and a quietly unfolding complexity.

Opens reductive but evolves into a perfumed mix of roses, red cherry and currant. Oak spice, leather and sandalwood add depth. Stylish yet old-school, with grip, charm and clear potential for improvement.

Densely woven and youthful with dark and red berries, forest floor, beetroot and floral lift. Glossy yet grippy with lively acidity, leafy detail and a compact, savoury depth. Structured and sophisticated.

Well balanced and concentrated, with notes of red and dark fruits, dried rose, spice and roasted aromas. Framed by ripe tannins and a stony core, this is an ambitious, energetic and impressively executed wine.

Bright and focused with a deep core of dark plum, cherry and earthy spice. Subtle oak, dried herbs and savoury smoke add lift. Rounded tannins, lively acidity and impressive fluid intensity.

Initially muted but soon reveals dark cherry, cranberry and red florals with a subtle herbaceous edge. Silky, fresh and finely spiced with polished tannins and impressive length. Elegant, layered and ageworthy.

Spicy, floral and savoury, with dark cherry, sweet red fruit, mint, and a hint of soy and cinnamon. Silky, persistent and well balanced with smoky lift and a joyful, moreish flow.

Aromatic and floral with rose, purple flowers and Turkish delight. Dense cassis and candied fruit meet earthy tones, along with truffle and black tea notes. Bright acidity, oak spice and herbal lift shape the finish.