Weingut Rings Spätburgunder Leistadter Kalkofen Erste Lage 2023

From one of the Pfalz region’s most dynamic estates, Weingut Rings Spätburgunder Leistadter Kalkofen Erste Lage Bio 2022 captures the finesse of Pinot Noir grown on pure limestone. This Erste Lage (premier cru) site in Leistadt delivers a wine that is at once elegant, precise, and deeply expressive of its cool, calcareous terroir. Certified organic and crafted in small quantities, it is a serious yet beautifully drinkable German Pinot for Burgundy lovers and German wine enthusiasts alike.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2022 Leistadter Kalkofen Spätburgunder shows a luminous, translucent ruby to garnet hue, with a delicate brightness at the rim that hints at its finesse and youth. The nose is refined and layered: wild red cherry, raspberry and red currant mingle with pomegranate, rose petals, and subtle notes of cranberry. Underneath the fruit, you’ll find a fine mineral dusting of crushed limestone, hints of forest floor, light smoke, and a touch of spice from sensitive oak use (think clove, white pepper and a whisper of vanilla bean). On the palate, this is a taut, finely etched Pinot Noir with a juicy, red-fruited core and a distinctly stony backbone. The texture is silky yet energetic, carried by vibrant, refreshing acidity and ultra-fine tannins. Flavours of sour cherry, red plum and wild strawberry are interwoven with savoury nuances of dried herbs, black tea, and a saline, chalky minerality that lingers long on the finish. The wine is already approachable in its youth but clearly built for development; over the next 6–10 years it should gain even more complexity, with the fruit integrating further into its mineral and savoury components.

Production
The Leistadter Kalkofen vineyard sits on limestone-rich soils in the northern Pfalz, a cooler, slightly higher-altitude zone that favours tension and elegance over sheer ripeness. Here, Rings farms organically (Bio), working with low yields and meticulous canopy management to ensure optimal ripening while preserving freshness. Grapes for this Erste Lage bottling are typically hand-harvested in small crates, carefully sorted, and often partially destemmed, with a proportion of whole bunches depending on the vintage to add aromatic lift and structure. Fermentation takes place with native yeasts in open vats, with gentle punch-downs or pump-overs to extract fine tannins rather than heaviness. The wine is then matured in predominantly used French oak barrels (with a modest share of new oak) for added texture and complexity, without overpowering the delicate Spätburgunder character, before being bottled with minimal intervention to preserve purity and terroir expression.

Food & Serving
This refined Spätburgunder is a versatile partner at the table, pairing beautifully with roast poultry (especially duck or guinea fowl), veal, pork tenderloin, or rabbit, as well as earthy dishes featuring mushrooms, root vegetables, or lentils. It also shines alongside lighter game birds, charcuterie, and semi-soft cheeses such as Tomme, Reblochon, or mild washed-rind cheeses. Serve at 14–16 °C to highlight its aromatic detail and mineral tension. A short decant of 30–45 minutes is recommended in its youth to open up the bouquet and soften the edges, while older bottles can be gently poured without extended aeration.

Producer
Weingut Rings, based in Freinsheim in the Pfalz, has rapidly risen from a local insider tip to one of Germany’s most respected modern estates, especially for Spätburgunder and dry Riesling. Run by brothers Steffen and Andreas Rings, the winery has embraced organic viticulture and a terroir-driven philosophy, focusing on top single vineyards and precise, low-intervention cellar work. Their holdings in limestone-rich sites around Leistadt have become a particular calling card, showing that the Pfalz can produce world-class Pinot Noir with real finesse and depth. Membership in the VDP and a growing list of high scores and critical acclaim underscore Rings’ status as a leading force in the region’s new quality wave, helping to redefine what German red wine can be.

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