We tasted this 2022 Weingut Dautel "Forstberg" GG at an SF trade event in June, and hands down, it’s one of the most riveting Pinot Noirs we’ve had in 2026. Sipping it is like drinking a high-altitude, muscular Corton or a stony Clos de la Roche, but charged with electric drive and laser-like crushed-rock minerality. It delivers a focused beam of tart red berries, fine-grained tannins, and wild herbal lift framed by a subtle kiss of oak. At a fraction of the cost of typical Grand Cru Burgundy, this is an absolute steal for serious Pinot lovers—and with our allocation so tight, it will be a one day sellout!

While Württemberg remains an insider secret, the Dautel family holds a 500-year grape-growing lineage. Ernst Dautel famously broke away from local bulk co-ops in the 1970s to estate-bottle his own terroir-driven wines. His son, Christian, grew up visiting Europe's top cellars, studied at Geisenheim, and staged at legendary estates—including Meursault’s Domaine Comte Lafon under Dominique Lafon—before returning home in 2010 to bring Burgundian precision to their ancient, steep terraced slopes.

The Forstberg Grosse Lage site—steep slopes of colored marl, stony clay, and limestone—shows off Christian’s vineyard-first philosophy. In the glass, forest floor, rich wild berries, and damp earth weave seamlessly with wild mushroom and mouthwatering acidity. It’s a thrilling bottle that proves why we do what we do—and confirms Germany's standing as the #3 Pinot Noir producer in the world making truly world-class reds.

Prost!

Critical Acclaim:

98 points, James Suckling:

"#50 Top 100 Wines of Germany 2025: Welcome to a pinot noir supernova with an ever-expanding bubble of forest berry aromas and wet-stone freshness driven by the concentration at its core. The way that mineral acidity and vibrant tannins interlock on the medium-bodied palate is dazzling. Still so young, but already so delicious. Drink or hold."