Weingut Knipser Spätburgunder -RdP- 2015

Weingut Knipser Spätburgunder -RdP- 2014 is a top-tier German Pinot Noir that showcases just how elegant and ageworthy Spätburgunder from the Pfalz can be. The “RdP” (Réserve du Patron) is the personal reserve of the estate, a blend of the finest barrique barrels selected across Knipser’s best sites. First produced in 2009, it represents the pinnacle of the estate’s Pinot Noir work and stands as a modern benchmark for German red wine.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2014 RdP shows a medium to deep ruby color, now beginning to gently brick towards the rim, a visual cue to its graceful bottle age. The nose is complex and layered, with aromas of sour cherry, ripe raspberry and wild strawberry interwoven with notes of dried rose petals, forest floor, fine cedar, tobacco leaf and a touch of baking spice and cocoa from the barrique aging. On the palate, this is refined and Burgundian in spirit: medium-bodied, with bright yet well-integrated acidity and silky, finely grained tannins. Flavors of red cherry, cranberry, and redcurrant mingle with savory hints of underbrush, truffle, leather and subtle smoked meat, all wrapped in a long, precise finish with mineral and spice nuances. At this stage, the 2014 is beautifully evolved and in a sweet spot, but well-stored bottles still have several years of positive development ahead, rewarding drinking through the end of the decade and possibly longer.

Production
Knipser’s top Spätburgunder parcels lie in the warm, dry northern Pfalz, on soils of limestone, loess and clay that are ideal for Pinot Noir, bringing both ripeness and a fine, saline minerality. Grapes for the RdP are carefully hand-harvested at optimal ripeness and strictly sorted to ensure only the very best fruit makes it into the cuvée. Fermentation typically takes place in small vats with a significant proportion of whole berries or partial whole-bunches, followed by an extended maceration to extract color, aroma and structure. The young wine is then aged in French barriques (with a judicious use of new oak), and after maturation the very best barrels from various top single vineyards are selected and blended into this “Lagencuvée” – a selection of selections – before further aging and bottling.

Food & Serving
This refined Spätburgunder pairs wonderfully with classic Pinot-friendly dishes such as roast duck, guinea fowl, coq au vin, veal chop, or herb-crusted lamb. It also shines alongside dishes with mushrooms (risotto, wild mushroom ragout), game birds, and mature hard cheeses like Comté or aged Gouda. Serve at about 15–17°C, slightly cooler than room temperature, to highlight its freshness and aromatic complexity. Decanting for 45–60 minutes is recommended to allow the evolved bouquet to fully unfurl and to soften any remaining youthful edges.

Producer
Weingut Knipser, based in Laumersheim in the Pfalz, is regarded as one of Germany’s pioneers and leading lights for high-quality red wine, particularly Spätburgunder. A long-established family estate, Knipser rose to prominence in the 1980s when they began crafting dry, barrique-aged Pinot Noir modeled on the best French examples—well before this became common in Germany. As a member of the prestigious VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter), Knipser produces an acclaimed range of Grosses Gewächs wines and has earned numerous national and international accolades. The RdP cuvée stands at the very top of their Pinot Noir portfolio, underlining the estate’s role in redefining what German Spätburgunder can be on the world stage.

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