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Pinot Noir Asselheim 2017

Producer: Matthias Gaul
Region: Pfalz
Country: Germany
Classification: QmP
Wine Type: Red
Variety: Pinot Noir
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Alcohol: 13.5%
Soil: Loamy limestone
Farming Practices: Sustainable
Awards: 92-Michael Godel
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Cellar Profile


Region


Situated in southern Germany, 50 miles long and with over 23,000 hectares under vines, the Pfalz is Germany’s second largest wine growing region. Famous for its plethora of soil types, the Pfalz can lay claim to almost every soil type in which vines will grow. The Pfalz is split into two main regions: the Mittelhaardt area and the Southern Pfalz. The Mittelhaardt lays claim to the highest quality grapes and includes Matthias Gaul. While Riesling dominates the plantings, Spätburgunder accounts for super high quality, low yield plantings. High technical specifications allow for only free run and first press juice, from the grapes grown at approximately 700 metres above sea level.

Vineyard


Sourced from sustainably-farmed vineyards on the Asselheim Mountain, the soils here are extremely poor with a limestone base. Vines are between 10 and 20 years old and are interspersed widely with multiple cover crops to encourage greater biodiversity and healthier soils. The particular Burgundian clone that has been planted by Matthias has fewer grapes per cluster. The grapes are also less densely bunched together than most Pinot Noir clones, allowing for greater airflow and, in turn, healthier grapes.

Varieties


German Spätburgunder defies expectations. Grown over four degrees of latitude and in many types of soil, styles can vary greatly. Regionality takes a backseat to geology when it comes to this luxurious grape. While the taste profile changes depending on the soil, one can always count on a savoury, elegant flavour from German Pinot Noir. The first plantings can be traced back to monastic settlements in the early middle ages, but yields have doubled since the 1990s, as Spätburgunder has achieved world renown.

Winemaking


Grapes are hand-harvested and undergo traditional fermentation on skins in open vats. Following malolactic conversion, the wine is aged in French oak.

Tasting Notes 


An elegant and mineral-inflected Pinot Noir. It is highly aromatic and leans towards darker fruit notes: blackcurrant, black cherry. The palate adds a mineral freshness with ripe, soft tannins and bright acidity.