Flaskehalsen (DK)
Kaffelstein Pinot Noir 2020 - 96/100 – Mageløs
Lagret på en blanding af nye og gamle egetræsfade med alle de elementer, der kan bidrage til smagseksplosionen, er der skruet op på alle knapper, men på en måde hvor der konstant er balance og plads til selv de fineste, små finesser. Den kan sikkert (teoretisk set) holde nogle år endnu, men samtidig er Alte Grafschaft Kaffelstein perfekt drikkemoden – og så uimodståelig, at du sikkert ikke kan lade den ligge.
See the full review at: https://www.flaskehalsen.nu/?p=25288
Gault&Millau Wineguide 2025
‘We are still the crazy ones who cultivate the steep slopes,’ says Norbert Spielmann. It's great that these winegrowers still exist. Even if they work very seriously here in Kreuzwertheim, of course. Ten years ago it was THE discovery in Gault&Millau, but the estate has long been at the forefront. One guarantee of success is the time given to the wines. The Satzenberg monopollage not only produces unique Rieslings and Pinot Blancs, the vineyard cottage there is also one of the family's favourite places: ‘You can feel the energy here!’
JamesSuckling.com 12/24
Kaffelstein Riesling 2021 - 93/100
This striking dry riesling from the 2021 vintage has an excellent balance of cool herbal freshness with candied citrus peel aromas and leesy textural complexity. Still a bit challenging at the end, but this develops very well in the glass. Quite firm, slightly malic finish. Matured for 32 months in stainless steel, of which the first 19 months were on the full lees. Bottled in June 2024. Drink or hold.
Kaffelstein Silvaner 2022 - 93/100
Here’s a silvaner for lovers of minerally chardonnays. It shows an intensely flinty personality and a firm structure, plus restrained yellow apple and caramelized pear character. Impressive depth, but this is still very youthful and quite firm. Wild-fermented and matured in barriques for a full year, then bottled unfiltered in June 2024. Drinkable now, but best from 2026.
Satzenberg Pinot Blanc 2022 - 93/100
Both cool and smoky, this youthful dry pinot blanc has enough structure for long aging. A delicate flinty character is married to white tree fruit and healthy tannins on the medium-bodied palate. Still youthful, but this already stands out in the crowd of German wines from this grape. Long, stony, positively austere finish. Wild-fermented and matured in 500-liter oak casks for a full year, then bottled unfiltered in June 2024. Drinkable now, but best from 2026.
Ebenrain Pinot Noir 2021 - 90/100
Intensely earthy and savory, this is a very unusual pinot noir for the 2021 vintage. Cool, sleek and crisp with a pronounced flinty character, it is still youthful. With aeration sun-dried tomato character develops, and both the smoky oak and the firm core of the medium-bodied palate become more obvious. The well-crafted tannins will surely give this a long life. Just don’t expect this to turn fruity. Matured in barrique casks (of which 50% were new) for 24 months. Drink or hold.
Gault&Millau Wineguide 2025
Ebenrain Pinot Noir 2020 - 4 red Grapes
A very unique world of flavours with warm forest floor, floral notes, raspberry leaf and mallow. Opens slowly and then becomes juicy, dense and flattering with a fullness of extract that almost has a sweetish flavour.
Food pairing: Braised leg of hare with porcini mushroom sauce
Kaffelstein Pinot Noir 2020 - 4 red Grapes
Wildly spicy and fine at the same time with powerful roasted notes, wild berries, cool ethereal flavours and cocoa. Juicy and firm on the palate with vital acidity and a fine tannin structure. Good tartness in the finish, like dark chocolate.
Food pairing: Quail with black truffle and aubergine rolls
Kaffelstein Riesling 2020 - 4 red Grapes
Spicy, warmly fruity and juicy with apple peel, citrus, lots of salty notes and warm stone.The spiciness persists from the nose to the palate.Straightforward.
Food pairing: Fried fillet of pike-perch on creamed cabbage
Satzenberg Pinot Blanc 2020 - 3 red Grabes
Ripe and set with ripe tropical fruit, warm apple and intense nuttiness with a tart, warming extract. Wine for the special course in the menu.
Food pairing: Veal kidneys in mushroom and mustard sauce with spaetzle
Satzenberg Riesling 2020 - 4 red Grapes
Initially summer-warm pome fruit, then clearly green herbs, lemon balm and delicate smoke. Rich in extract and pleasantly citrusy on the palate with a stimulating saltiness.
Food pairing: Fried skate wing with capers
Kaffelstein Silvaner 2021 - 3 Grapes
Warm, creamy style with pineapple, honeydew melon and ripe mango on the nose. Melts in the mouth and finishes with a tangy herbal flavour.
Foodpairing: Badrichani aubergine rolls with walnut filling
Top 30 Gourmetwelten 2024
Platz 17 - Ebenrain Pinot Noir 2020 - 93,2 Punkte
Platz 29 - Kaffelstein Pinot Noir 2020 - 92,0 Punkte
https://www.nikos-weinwelten.de/beitrag/rotwein_cup_der_gourmetwelten_2024_grandiose_rote/
Top 100 Wines of Germany 2023
Platz 27 - Kaffelstein Riesling 2020
What a deep and mysteriously smoky nose this great dry riesling has! Gigantic minerality on the vibrant palate makes this one of the most exciting wines of the vintage in Germany! Simultaneously compact and sleek with crystalline clarity at the super-long and focused finish. From over 50-year-old vines in an extreme terraced site with red sandstone soil where no mechanization is possible. Fermented in stainless steel where it spent one year on the full lees. Enormous aging potential. Drinkable now, but best from 2025. 98/100
https://www.jamessuckling.com/wine-tasting-reports/top-100-wines-germany-2023/
JamesSuckling.com 09/23
Tasting reports
Tasting Notes
Kaffelstein Riesling 2020 - 98/100
What a deep and mysteriously smoky nose this great dry riesling has! Gigantic minerality on the vibrant palate makes this one of the most exciting wines of the vintage in Germany! Simultaneously compact and sleek with crystalline clarity at the super-long and focused finish. From over 50-year-old vines in an extreme terraced site with red sandstone soil where no mechanization is possible. Fermented in stainless steel where it spent one year on the full lees. Enormous aging potential. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.
Satzenberg Riesling 2020 - 96/100
For this warm and usually charming vintage this is a very serious wine that starts out extremely flinty. With a little aeration in the glass the crisp pear and Amalfi lemon aromas open up nicely. Still tightly wound but with a massive wet stone minerality, this is a very concentrated wine in spite of the sleekness of the super-focused finish. From an extreme terraced site with red sandstone soil where no mechanization is possible. Fermented in stainless steel where it spent one year on the full lees. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.
Kaffelstein Silvaner 2021 - 93/100
Stacks of butterscotch and toast are married to leesy complexity to create a very unusual dry silvaner that’s closer to a white Burgundy from a modest appellation that’s been given the full oak treatment. Good structure and stony minerality at the bone dry finish. Should improve with a bit more time in the bottle. Drink or hold.
Satzenberg Pinot Blanc 2020 - 93/100
The floral honey and toasty aromas are beautifully matched on the nose of this generous, but rather cool and well-structured dry pinot blanc. Plenty of dried sage, tarragon and parsley complexity at the firm finish. Drink or hold.
Kaffelstein Pinot Noir 2020 - 97/100
A unique and totally original Franken pinot noir! Great wild herb, grilled artichoke and ripest red berry complexity, but those are only the most obvious aromas. Such a cool personality for the super-ripe 2020 vintage with staggering mineral freshness and energetic fine tannins on the very concentrated palate. Literally breathtaking finish with the brightness of a lightning strike. From a high altitude vineyard site, then matured in barrique casks for two full years on fine lees. Drink or hold.
Ebenrain Pinot Noir 2020 - 94/100
This stunning Franken pinot noir combines richness, excellent tannin structure and a mineral freshness to create a completely convincing whole. More wild herb, licorice and meat extract character than the blackberry fruit typical of the vintage. A surprisingly light touch for 14% alcohol. Long, very harmonious finish. From a high altitude vineyard site, then matured in barrique casks for two full years on fine lees. Bottled in February 2023. Drink or hold.
Wines of Franken in Sweden
We represent wines of Franken in Sweden!
We are happy to announce that our winery was recently published in the winetourism.com website. We are happy to work closely with them as they are the rapidly growing listing site for major wineries from all over the world dedicated to becoming a leading player in helping wine lovers find the best wineries to visit and aid wine tourism.
To commemorate the addition of our winery in their website, we collaborated in another one of their projects and were listed on an article on Vinjournalen.se, the leading wine magazine in Sweden. The article talks about the wine region of Franken and is titled Vinregionen Franken i Tyskland – Din insider guide till de bästa vingårdarna i området.
Our winery was listed as a must visit winery in the region and we are proud to represent the wines from our beautiful region. Please do check out the profile of Weingut Alte Grafschaft in winetourism.com. We have various activities we offer our visitors along with guided tasting of our best wines. Follow the link to see what we offer. Food and Wine Pairing at Weingut Alte Grafschaft we invite everyone to visit of our winery and enjoy some of the best wines in Franken.
