The Ahr is one of Germany’s smallest wine regions, and it is also the most northerly. Given its northern location, sitting on the steep slopes of the Ahr river before it joins the Rhine just above the famous Mosel region, you would expect that it would favor Riesling and other white grapes. Not so. Spätburgunder, aka Pinot Noir, is by far the dominant grape here, at about 85% of all plantings, and has been for generations. Historically these were very light, pale reds (unsurprisingly), but with a rise in average temperatures as well as a push towards innovation and more “international” styles that began changing a couple of decades ago. A couple of warm, and excellent vintages helped to accelerate the trend, one of them being 2009–that generous, powerful, and generationally great vintage is readily apparent in our special library offering today.

Weingut Nelles is situated in the Heimersheim commune near the western edge of the Ahr. Here, large, volcanic rocks jut out from the steep slopes that fall to the river below. One of the steepest and most sun-drenched vineyards is the Grosse Lage (“Grand Cru”) of “Landskrone.” With a mix of volcanic rocks and clay loam this site has long produced Pinots of more depth, power, and age-ability than what the Ahr has typically experienced, and that was doubly true in 2009. Treat this rich, complex gem much as you would Grand Cru Burgundy: Serve cool in large bowl stems after a 20-30 minute decant. The nose is laden with black and red cherries, kirsch, bitter chocolate, baking spices, vanilla bean, leather, and damp earth. The palate confirms the nose, and the silky, rich texture is balanced by a finish of bright acidity and volcanic minerals. It’s a tour-de-force of a Spätburgunder, and it will be delicious with a hearty stew or a braised pot-roast German style.