Pinot Noir 2023 - Organic Pinot Noir from Weingut Karl May

The Karl May Pinot Noir 2023, the estate's entry-level Pinot Noir, is a ruby-colored, full-bodied, spicy-fruity, dry wine with a slight hint of almond aromas. If decanted beforehand, the Pinot Noir achieves a rich complexity in the glass, making it a harmonious accompaniment to steak or duck. Its fruitiness, combined with robust aromas and minerality, makes it a good food companion. A true all-rounder: dry, with a medium body and good acid balance and moderate alcohol content.

Winemaking – Karl May

The Pinot Noir from Weingut Karl May is a dry red wine from Rheinhessen, from the wine-growing community of Bechtheim, which lies on the edge of the Wonnegau. There, on sandy loess-loam soil with a south-southeast exposure, the grapes for Karl May's Pinot Noir grow in the Heligkreuz vineyard site in organically farmed vineyards.

In order to harvest ripe grapes in autumn, Fritz and Peter May begin as early as January with the gentle pruning of the 28-year-old vines and an early defoliation of the grape zone for optimal sun exposure, as well as yield reduction through green harvesting in early summer. The selective hand-picking of the grapes often takes place in several passes. The journey to the new winery is not far; there, the grapes are gently processed further. After 18 days of mash fermentation in open vats, the mash was gently pressed and the must fermented spontaneously. It then remains on the lees for a long time. Afterwards, it is aged for 10 months in large wooden barrels and older barriques, which brings complexity, fullness, and creaminess to the estate wine.

Pinot Noir Estate Wine – a wine and its characteristics

• Origin Germany
• Growing region Rheinhessen
• Winery Karl May - Fritz and Peter
• Vintage 2023
• Grape variety Pinot Noir
• Screw cap
• 12.5% vol. Alcohol
• 5.2 g/l Acidity
• 0.6 g/l Residual sugar

Organic inspection body DE-ÖKO-039 – German Agriculture