Meyer-Näkel Dernauer Pfarrwingert Ahr Spätburgunder 2014 (VDP GG)

Weingut Meyer-Näkel is a producer in Dernau in the Ahr region of Germany. The estate dates back to the marriage in 1950 of Paula Meyer and Willibald Näkel. As of 2021 the vineyard holdings had grown to 15 hectares of Pinot Noir. The business was managed by Willibald’s son Werner, his wife Claudia and their daughters Meike and Dörte.

Ahr wine region of Germany, having its name derived from the river flowing through it, is one of very few wine regions in the world situates above 50° latitude. The region not only have wines produced consistently, there are actually seven members of VDP wines in it, representing some best Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) produced in Germany. The Ahr region’s annual wine output is tiny. In 2014, the region’s entire vineyard area amounted to just 545 hectares. And this number had been further reduced after the flood of 2021. (It severely damaged many vineyards and wineries, including Weingut Meyer-Näkel.)

Ahr’s capability to yield high quality Spätburgunder has much to do with local meso-climate. Throughout the day the sunshine warms their dark volcanic soils, which retain the warmth into the night, leveling out the temperatures somewhat. The woodland-capped hills and craggy outcrops also offer protection from the cold north winds, which would otherwise whip the warmth away. Most of highest quality wines are produced at upper and mid stream of Ahr. At the region’s mid-point, the river makes tight, sweeping turns around the villages of Mayschoss, Rech and Dernau (where this wine was produced), before sweeping around one last tight bend into Walporzheim. After Walporzheim the valley widens out into flatter, gentler terrain towards Neuenahr-Ahrweiler. The river eventually joins into Rhine.

The winery had been a VDP member since 1994, Pfarrwingert Spätburgunder is one of its three Grosse Lage.

Possibly due to the warm slate and higher gradient of slopes, soaked in long hours of summer sun. The wine is amongst the more earthy side of Pinot Noir. It offers some dark cherry, plum and bramble notes, but what’s lingering is cocoa, forrest floor, sweet scent of tree bucks, mushroom and truffle oil. The wine usually reaches maturity 10 years after the vintage, but its wonderful palate can last for decades.