Bertram Baltes Dernauer Ahr Spatburgunder 2019

Lovers of pure, finesse and authentic wines have come to the right place with the young Bertram-Baltes couple. Together the two talented winemakers Julia Bertram and Benedikt Baltes make unparalleled, puristic and delicate Spätburgunders in the Ahr, one of the northernmost red wine regions in Germany and worldwide.

This Ortswein (or village wine) is made from Spätburgunder grapes harvested in Dernau. The soil here is predominantly characterized by Schiefer (slate). To express this as much as possible in the wine, the two emphasize the work in the vineyards. For example, Julia and Bennie grow their grapes biodynamically and leave weed management to their sheep.

In the basement, the approach is as minimalist as possible. The fermentation takes place spontaneously, with yeasts present on the grapes. After fermentation, the wine matures in used German oak barrels, which do not so much impart flavor to the wine as contribute to its storage potential. Hardly any sulfite is added and bottled without filtering.

And that results in wine with soul. The Dernauer Spätburgunder has a delicate perfume of raspberries, rosehip, toast plus flint and is almost bursting at the seams with vibrancy. It is beautifully dry, thirst-quenchingly fresh and juicy, delicate in structure and super intense in taste. Moreover, with its modest alcohol content, the bottle is empty before you know it. Love at first sight!