Michael Andres Winery - Spätburgunder 'N-Linie' 2023

ID:
• Origin: Pfalz, Germany
• Appellation: Pfalz QbA (Landwein style, natural approach)
• Grape variety: 100% Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir)
• Alcohol percentage: approx. 12.5%
• Style: Light-bodied, juicy, pure, natural expression
• Cellaring potential: Now until 2030
• Rating: 92/100 Wine Advocate (reference vintage 2022)

The Spätburgunder "N Linie" 2023 is a free, minimalist interpretation of Pinot Noir from the Pfalz. In the glass, it has a light colour, but an intense nose of red fruit (cherry, raspberry), rose petals, and a hint of herbs and undergrowth.

The taste is fresh, energetic and juicy, with lively acidity, extremely fine tannins and an almost weightless texture. This is Spätburgunder in a very drinkable, natural style: lightly chilled, it makes a fantastic table wine, but is also particularly charming on its own.

Vinification.
The grapes are organically grown in parcels around Ruppertsberg and harvested by hand. Fermentation occurs spontaneously with wild yeasts, often partly with whole bunches to give extra freshness and structure. Maceration is gentle, with minimal mechanical intervention. The wine then matures for about 12 months in used barriques and larger wooden barrels, on fine lees, to build complexity without noticeable oak influence. It is bottled unfiltered and with minimal sulphite dosage, after which it rests for a few months in the bottle before release.

The domain.
Weingut Michael Andres is a small-scale, organic estate of about seven hectares in Ruppertsberg (Pfalz). Andres works completely in line with nature: no herbicides, a lot of manual labour in the vineyard, and a strong focus on soil life and biodiversity.

All wines ferment with wild yeasts; the "N Linie" stands for Natural / No-nonsense: unfiltered, minimalist wines that reflect the grape and terroir as purely as possible. The style is always lively and energetic, with a lot of tension and a strikingly fresh signature for the often sunny Pfalz.