Battenfeld-Spanier 2020 Spatburgunder

Hohen-Sülzen is a wine producing village west of Worms, in Rheinhessen, Germany. It is located just north of the Pfalz, with soils of deep limestone and a crumbly chalk toplayer, perfect for mineral laden whites and pinot noirs. The southern Wonnegau has been known since medieval times for achieving ripeness in grape varieties that fail to thrive in cooler places. Spätburgunder has always been part of that equation, and can virtually be counted as a native of this place. While days in the Wonnegau can be very hot, the cool nights mean overall higher diurnal temperature swings than in other districts. Harvested ripe — but never overripe — the estate-level Spätburgunder Gutswein is aged in barrique and French tonneaux. This provides the first encounter between wine and oxygen, accentuating the delicate fruit of the Spätburgunder with earthy spice. As per Olivier Spanier: " The vines must root deep  in this porous and water-storing rock to obtain nourishment. Due to the Donnersberg mountain, which intercepts the weather from the west, Hohen Sulzen is in the rain shadow and summers are drier than elsewhere. The water-storing limestone exhibits its virtues and yields wines that are ripe and vibrant. The deeply rooted vines bring out the stone aromas rather than the fruit aromas. This is what interests me:  Dancing minerals. Salty character of origin. " The Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) is extremely Burgundian in profile with cool minerality, dark berries and forest floor, perfect for all manner of charcuterie, duck and pork dishes. -Giselle Hamburg