Weingut Steintal

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Weingut Steintal 2020 'Buntsandstein' Spatburgunder, Franken

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Benedikt Baltes took over the historic Stadt Klingenberg winery in 2010 with a simple goal: see what Spätburgunder could do on the steep red sandstone terraces of Churfranken. The region is a tiny red wine outpost in Franconia, tucked into the Main Valley at nearly 50 degrees north. Steintal now farms 12 hectares, including the Klingenberger Schlossberg and Großheubacher Bischofsberg, with old vines planted on terraces that date back centuries. These are warm, exposed sites, but the red sandstone drains quickly and the big swings between daytime and nighttime temperatures help preserve the freshness and tension that define the wines.

Baltes farms organically and does almost everything by hand, including work on the steep terraces. Sheep replace tractors in the vineyards, and native yeasts, long élevage and local oak are central to the cellar. His approach to Pinot Noir is deliberately different from the pursuit of ripe, plush German Spätburgunder. He looks to Riesling for inspiration, aiming for moderate alcohol, fine extraction, acidity and transparency rather than sheer power. The wines are cool, taut and deeply mineral, with plenty of structure beneath the delicate fruit. Steintal is a small estate working in an obscure corner of Germany, but the wines belong in the conversation with the country’s most serious Pinot producers.