Ahr

Main Varieties

52% Spätburgunder,
18% Portugieser
 9% Riesling
11% Müller Thurgau (?)

632 ha under vine

Comment

The Ahr region is a little known, small, northerly region around the river Ahr, a tributary to the Rhein. It is producing largely Spätburgunder (pinot noir), mostly of questionable merit, made in the traditional German pseudo-red-wine style. Some serious wines have emerged though. If the more ambitious Ahr vintners could only be convinced that a fine pinot noir does not need loads of alcohol and new wood. The strenght of the Ahr lies in the elegance and subtlety that its finest pinots can achieve. Overall, this is no serious competition for pinot noir from Burgundy, despite the impressive prices some of these new Ahr wines can fetch.

Top Growers

J.J. Adeneuer, 53474 Ahrweiler, Max_plank-Str. 8, Phone (0)2641-34473.
Deutzerhof Cossmann-Hehle, 53508 Mayschoss, Phone (0)2643-7264.
Meyer-Näkel, Hardtberstrasse 20, 53507 Dernau, Phone (0)2643-1628.