# Saulheim Spätburgunder Kalkstein (2025)

- **Producer:** Weingut Thörle
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Spätburgunder
- **Region:** Rheinhessen, Germany
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €23
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Later
- **Serving temperature:** 14–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, mint, violet, vanilla, cloves, cedar, smoke, forest floor, mushroom, game

## About this wine

Weingut Thörle is a historic estate located in the Rheinhessen village of Saulheim, with viticultural roots dating back to 1517. The modern era of the winery began in 2006 when brothers Christoph and Johannes Thörle took over management from their parents. They shifted the estate's focus toward high-quality, organic, and biodynamic practices, constructing a state-of-the-art cellar to craft terroir-driven wines. The Saulheim Spätburgunder Kalkstein is a village-level (Ortswein) bottling that highlights the unique calcareous limestone soils of the region, which impart a distinctive mineral tension and elegance reminiscent of classic European cool-climate regions.

## Interesting facts

- The estate's history in Saulheim dates back to 1517, but brothers Christoph and Johannes revolutionized it starting in 2006.
- The vines draw a distinct, cooling, salty-mineral character directly from the solid limestone bedrock of Saulheim.
- Thörle's single-vineyard Spätburgunder was previously named the best Pinot Noir in Germany by major critics.

## Food pairing

This medium-bodied Spätburgunder thrives alongside dishes that mirror its earthy, forest-floor undertones and vibrant acidity. The wine's fine-grained tannins and bright red fruit cut beautifully through the richness of game birds and pork, while its distinct limestone minerality acts as a perfect bridge for earthy, umami-rich dishes featuring wild mushrooms or truffles.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for this Spätburgunder emphasizes minimal intervention to preserve terroir expression. Grapes are hand-harvested and strictly selected before being destemmed. Spontaneous fermentation is carried out using native yeasts on the skins for 18 to 20 days in temperature-controlled vessels. Following fermentation, the wine is transferred to premium French oak barriques (approximately 25% to 33% new wood) where it matures for 18 months. To maintain its natural structure and complex aromatic profile, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.