Winemaker Notes
Pale flashing ruby in color, effusively aromatic, juicy in the mouth, full of cran and cherry fruit that tastes like it’s seen plenty of sunshine, this is a vital, breathing Pinot expression unique to the Pfalz.
The Leiner Pinot Noir “Handwerk” is grown biodynamically in a mix of bundsandstein (colored sandstone) and alluvial soils on gentle slopes protected from inclement weather by the nearby Pfalzerwald (Pfalz forest). Harvested at low yields of 60hl/ha, fermented naturally and aged 9 months in neutral oak fuders.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
This sunny and relatively dry region served for many years as a German tourist mecca and was associated with low cost, cheerful wines. But since the 1980s, it has gained a reputation as one of Germany’s more innovative regions, which has led to increased international demand.