Christopher Barth 'Rot vom Grun', Rheinhessen 2020

67% Blauburgunder (Pinot Noir) & 33% Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris). 'Rot vom Grün' -red with green is a semi-carbonic chillable red made from co-fermented Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) and Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris). The Spätburgunder is picked a touch early, giving high-toned floral aromatics, and Christopher says he picks the Grauburgunder when it’s at its peak of spiciness when tasting in the vineyard. It’s eminently drinkable and there’s some complexity and depth with tasty red berry fruit, hints of red flowers and minerals.

Christopher Barth did not plan on working with wine. But when his uncle died quite unexpectedly somebody had to take over the vineyard, so Chris quit his job in IT, started wine school in Geisenhiem and became a winemaker. One of the first initiatives he implemented was converting the entire production to ecology.

Chris is fortunate enough to have a fantastic terroir to work with as the soil is of volcanic origin (Melaphyr) located at an altitude of 300 meters providing plenty of freshness and underlying minerality. The wines are bottled without filtration and with an absolutely minimal addition of sulphur if necessary at all. Christopher Barth makes wines characterized by their high acidity, freshness, great precision, and expressive aromas. For quite a young and relatively unknown winemaker it has been an impressive debut, but on top of that he has shown that he is able to raise the quality of his wines with each year passing.