The Knipser Gaudenz 2020 is a dry red wine cuvée made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Dornfelder from the Knipser winery and is classified as VDP.GUTSWEIN. The wine has light roasted aromas on the palate, an intense color, and is quite powerful. This is partly due to its grape varieties: Cabernet and Dornfelder, with the Dornfelder deliberately staying in the background, and partly due to the bleeding off of the must, meaning that a portion of the Gaudenz, specifically the first bright juice to flow from the grapes, is used for the Rosé Clarette.

On the nose, the Gaudenz shows fine notes of cassis; on the palate, it is juicy and only subtly influenced by the 18 months in used French oak barriques. An uncomplicated, yet sophisticated red wine that pairs equally well with a game dish, a charcuterie board, or a grilled steak.

The Gaudenz red wine cuvée is a tribute to an ancestor, Gaudenz Knipser, who was a city architect and council member in the South Tyrolean city of Merano in the 16th century. The awarding of the family crest, still used today, by Archduke Ferdinand in Innsbruck in 1582 also dates back to this period.

Winemaking – Knipser Winery

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

The selective hand harvesting of the grapes in late autumn usually takes place in several passes to ensure optimally ripe fruit. At the winery, all grapes are destemmed, meaning the stems are removed. The free-flowing, resulting mash drains off, and from this, the Rosé Clarette is produced. The Gaudenz is then vinified from the remaining must. First, the classic mash fermentation takes about 14 days, then it is gently pressed in a tank press and, after a short settling period where the large lees settle, it is transferred to wooden barrels. Here, malolactic fermentation then takes place, where malic acid is converted into milder lactic acid, which gives the wine softness and a good mouthfeel.

Aging always takes place in wood. The basic qualities mature in older barrique barrels. The top qualities are aged either entirely or partly in new barriques, depending on the grape variety. For Spätburgunder, 30% - 50% new barrels are used, while for Dornfelder or Cabernet, up to 100% new barrels are employed. The aging period in wood ranges from 12 to 30 months. Bottling usually takes place in August before the harvest of the year after next.

Gaudenz – A Wine and Its Values

• Origin Wine from Germany
• Growing Region Palatinate
• Grape Varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Dornfelder
• 13.5% vol. Alcohol
• 5.3 g/l Acidity
• 0.6 g/l Residual sugar