Jean Stodden - Spätburgunder 'J', Ahr, Germany (2021)

TASTING NOTES

Ripe red fruits, delicate spices and subtle mineral notes accompanied by a long finish.

Alexander Stodden’s father Bernhard was one of the first producers from the Ahr to frequent Burgundy in the 1980s for inspiration. He was able to gain a French perspective on making Pinot Noir, particularly around oak use. While these wines have structure and an essence reminiscent of Burgundy, they are innately German. The Stoddens have been making wine since 1578. This is almost exclusively a red wine estate, while 3% of their 9 hectares are old vines Riesling, Alexander said that neither he nor his father ever planted white grapes.

The style here is pure-fruited, polished, and elegant. Their Spätburgunder is completely destemmed and sees a cold soak before fermentation. There is new barrique aging on top cuvées, but the reliance on new oak has been dialed back in recent years. Stodden has 6 hectares of Grosses Gewachs vineyards including Neuenahrer Sonnenberg, Mayschosser Mönchberg, and Recher Herrenberg. His top cuvée, Alte Reben, is a wine of incredible intensity and layered complexity. It’s made from 100-year-old ungrafted vines in the Recher Herrenberg. VDP estate.