Ottenbreit – Unleashed 2024
Grauburgunder
Obernbreit, Franken, Germany

Crafted by Christian Ottenbreit, Unleashed 2024 is a vibrant, skin-contact Grauburgunder that brilliantly showcases the potential of Germany’s Franken region.

Ottenbreit’s skillful use of extended maceration and subtle oak aging gives the wine remarkable structure and depth. The local terroir, defined by fossil-rich Muschelkalk limestone, imparts a distinct minerality and its signature character.

Muschelkalk, German for "shell limestone," is a type of sedimentary rock formed during the Triassic period, approximately 240 million years ago. It is particularly rich in fossilized shells and marine organisms. In viticulture, especially in regions like Germany's Franken, these soils are prized for their excellent drainage and ability to impart a distinct, flinty minerality to wines.

While the chart-topping 2023 vintage is long sold out, the 2024 vintage tells a unique story of resilience.

A severe late-April frost drastically reduced yields, but the surviving grapes show exceptional quality. The result is a vintage of great elegance and purity, characterized by its vibrant freshness and moderate alcohol.

To combat devastating spring frosts, winemakers undertake a sleepless, fiery defense of their vines. By lighting hundreds of large candles, called bougies, or small bonfires between the rows, they create a stunning but crucial spectacle. This technique raises the ambient temperature by a few degrees and, importantly, generates air movement, preventing cold air from settling and destroying the delicate new buds.

The wine presents an intense, deep copper-pink hue from its skin-contact vinification.
Its "unleashed" bouquet offers a captivating interplay of rich floral notes, bright citrus, ripe peach, rosehip, and a crush of fresh raspberries, all layered with a sprinkle of white pepper and cinnamon.

The palate is dry and textured with delicate tannins and refreshing acidity. A primary sensation of vibrant cranberry and cherry fruit leads to a sophisticated, smoky vanilla and resinous underlayer from the oak.

The wine culminates in a remarkably long, crystal-clear finish of ripe red apples.

This wine is a siren call to those who love the textural depth of macerated Pinot Gris, a captivating, pleasurable experience, perfectly encapsulating Christian's signature style.

Christian Ottenbreit

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