At a recent Wine Barn tasting who have an outstanding portfolio of German wines I was again struck by the magical Spätburgunder wines coming from the Ahr region.

Tucked away in western Germany, the Ahr wine region is a remarkable anomaly in a country renowned for its white wines. Situated at over 50 degrees latitude, it is Germany’s northernmost wine-growing region. Despite its cool, continental climate, the Ahr defies expectations by producing predominantly red wines, a rarity in such northerly latitudes.

The region’s distinctive geography plays a key role in its success. The Ahr River carves a narrow, winding valley, creating a natural amphitheatre that shields the vineyards from cold winds. Steep, south-facing slopes maximize sun exposure, allowing grapes to ripen fully despite the cool conditions. The vineyards are planted on dark slate and volcanic soils, which absorb and radiate heat, aiding in grape maturation and lending a subtle mineral character to the wines.

The Ahr is renowned for its Spätburgunder (the German name for Pinot Noir), which thrives in the region’s unique microclimate. These wines are elegant and expressive, with bright red fruit flavours, delicate spice, and earthy undertones. The slate soils impart a signature minerality, giving the wines remarkable finesse and aging potential.

I loved the full range of wines of Weingut Meyer-Näkel. In particular the Sonnenberg Spätburgunder Grand Cru was superbly perfumed, with a concentrated fruit core with spicey savoury notes and tremendous length.

Sadly the region is small with just over 550 hectares of vineyards and so the production is also limited.  Although the wines are generally premium for the quality compared to the prices that red Burgundy commands they represent value.