Gaudenz – 2020

The 2020 Knipser Gaudenz is a dry red wine cuvée made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Dornfelder by the Knipser winery and is classified as a VDP.GUTSWEIN. The wine has light roasted aromas on the palate, an intense color, and is quite robust. This is due in part to its grape varieties: Cabernet and Dornfelder, with the Dornfelder deliberately kept in the background, and in part to the bleeding of the must (saignée)—meaning that a portion of the Gaudenz, specifically the clear juice that runs off first, is used for the Rosé Clarette.

On the nose, the Gaudenz reveals fine notes of cassis; on the palate, it is juicy and only slightly influenced by the 18 months spent in used French oak barriques. An uncomplicated yet sophisticated red wine that pairs just as well with a game dish as it does with a snack platter or a grilled steak.

The Gaudenz red wine cuvée is a tribute to an ancestor, Gaudenz Knipser, who was a municipal architect and council member in the South Tyrolean city of Merano in the 16th century. This period also marks the granting of the family coat of arms, which is still used today, by Archduke Ferdinand in Innsbruck in 1582.

Winemaking – Knipser Winery

Good vineyard management is a prerequisite for the best wines, which is why important steps are taken at the Knipser winery to reduce yields through short winter pruning and green harvesting (vendange verte) in the summer. The vines for this red wine cuvée grow in the best vineyards around Laumersheim, characterized by calcareous marl soil. This limestone was formed from deposits of calcareous algae that created reefs in a tropical sea during the Miocene; it is found in the subsoil of the Großkarlbacher Burgweg, Laumersheimer Kirschgarten, Laumersheimer Steinbuckel, and Dirmsteiner Mandelpfad sites. These locations are ideal for all grape varieties that rely on body and benefit from well-buffered acidity.

The selective hand-picking of the grapes in late autumn usually takes place in several passes to harvest optimally ripe fruit. At the winery, all grapes are destemmed. The free-run must flows off and is used to create the Rosé Clarette. The remaining must is then vinified into Gaudenz. First, a classic maceration follows, which takes about 14 days, then it is gently pressed in a tank press and, after a short settling period during which the heavy lees settle, transferred into wooden barrels. Here, malolactic fermentation takes place, in which malic acid is converted into milder lactic acid, giving the wine softness and a good mouthfeel.

Maturation always takes place in wood. The basic qualities mature in older barrique barrels. The top qualities are aged entirely or partially in new barriques, depending on the grape variety. For Pinot Noir, 30% - 50% new barrels are used, while for Dornfelder or Cabernet, up to 100% new barrels are used. The aging period in wood lasts between 12 and 30 months. Bottling usually takes place in August before the harvest after next.

Gaudenz – a wine and its values

• Origin: Wine from Germany
• Region: Pfalz
• Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon and Dornfelder
• 13.5% alc./vol. alcohol
• 5.3 g/l acidity
• 0.6 g/l residual sugar