CONTEXTS

kellerbedingungen-reife

Cellar conditions

How well a wine ages is not only determined in the bottle, but also by its storage location. Three key...

→ reife-plateau

Maturity plateau

The maturity plateau is the phase during which a wine tastes balanced and stable over a longer period before it...

→ lagerfaehigkeit

Ageing potential

Ageing potential describes how long a wine can develop without falling apart — not how good it tastes. It is...

→ reife-vs-alter

Maturity vs. age

Age simply tells you how much time has passed since the vintage. Maturity is something different: the state in which...

→ trinkfenster

Drinking window

A drinking window is an estimate of the period during which a wine is expected to be most approachable, usually...

→ wann-bordeaux-trinken

When to drink Bordeaux

Bordeaux should be drunk when it is ready to drink, and that depends on the individual wine, not on the...

→ intensitaet-vs-integration

Intensity vs. integration

High intensity in wine is often mistaken for quality. A bold aroma profile, robust fruit, or pronounced tannins create an...

→ trinkreife

Drinking maturity

A wine is ready to drink when its components – fruit, acidity, tannin, and aroma – have come together in...

→ zu-jung

Too young in the glass

If a wine appears too young in the glass, it's not a fault, but an interim state: acidity, tannins, and...

→ bordeaux-jung-bis-gereift

Young to mature

Von jung zu gereift ändert sich bei einem Bordeaux weniger die Menge der Aromen als ihre Reihenfolge: Zuerst führen dunkle...

→ wein-lagern-ohne-keller

Storing without a cellar

Die meisten Flaschen im eigenen Zuhause werden nie zu einem echten Lagerungsfall. US-amerikanische Verbraucherstudien zeigen, dass rund neunzig Prozent der...

→ flaschenformat-reife

Bottle size & ageing

Zwei Flaschen desselben Weins, aus demselben Jahrgang, im selben Keller bei derselben Temperatur gelagert – eine Standardflasche und eine Magnum....

→ wein-nach-dem-transport

After transport

Der Karton steht seit einer Stunde vor der Tür, es ist ein warmer Nachmittag, und heute Abend soll die Flasche...

→ laeuft-wein-ab

Does wine expire?

Irgendwann steht man mit einer Flasche in der Hand, die seit Jahren im Schrank lag, und fragt sich, ob Wein...

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sulfite

Sulphites

Sulfites are sulfur compounds that protect wine from oxygen and unwanted microorganisms. Almost every wine contains some, as fermentation naturally...

→ abstich-soutirage

Racking (soutirage)

Racking – soutirage in French – draws the clear wine off the sediment of yeast and lees that has settled...

→ malolaktische-gaerung

Malolactic fermentation

Malolactic fermentation converts the sharp malic acid in wine into the milder lactic acid. After alcoholic fermentation it is triggered...

→ filtration-im-wein

Filtration of wine

Filtration is often discussed along moral lines: filtered or unfiltered, "pure" or "manipulated." This juxtaposition misses the point in practice....

→ truebungen-im-wein

Haze in wine

A cloudiness is initially just a visual state: the wine is not clear but slightly milky or contains suspended particles....

→ hefelager-sur-lie

Lees ageing (sur lie)

Lees aging – French sur lie – means that after fermentation a wine stays in contact with the spent yeast...

→ presswein

Press wine

Press wine is the part of a wine that does not run off the must by itself, but is obtained...

→ verschluss-und-reife

Closure & ageing

The bottle closure does not determine a wine's taste, but rather the pace of its development. Natural cork, technical cork,...

→ spontangaerung

Spontaneous fermentation

Spontaneous fermentation is considered by many to be the epitome of artisanal authenticity. At the same time, it is seen...

→ low-intervention

Low intervention

Low intervention means intervening as little as possible in the cellar, and only when there is a clear reason to...

→ ausbaugefaesse

Ageing vessels

A fermentation and aging vessel does not determine how a wine tastes, but rather the conditions under which it matures....

→ kontext-hektarertrag

Yield per hectare

In viticulture, yield is often understood as a mere quantity. It refers to the number of hectoliters per hectare that...

→ kontext-limitierung

Limited editions

Limited production in wine is often understood simply as a signal of scarcity. A small number of bottles is perceived...

→ kontext-analysewerte

Analysis values

Alcohol content and pH value appear on technical data sheets like dry facts. They seem precise, measurable, and objective. Yet...

→ tannin

Tannin

Tannin is the astringent substance in wine: a group of polyphenols that come mainly from grape skins, seeds and stems...

→ saeure-im-wein

Acidity in wine

Two acids determine almost everything that reaches the glass as freshness: tartaric acid and malic acid. Both are already present...

→ assemblage

Blending

Die eigentliche Entscheidung fällt nicht bei der Lese, sondern Monate später an einem Tisch, auf dem die getrennt vergorenen Partien...

→ bordeaux-flaschenform

Bottle shape

Anyone who carefully brings a mature Sarabande 2015 up from the cellar and tilts it against the light will often...

→ kristalle-im-wein

Crystals in wine

Man zieht den Korken einer gut gereiften Flasche, und an seiner Unterseite glitzern feine, fast durchsichtige Kristalle. Bei einem Weißwein...

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oekologische-resilienz

Ecological resilience

In viticulture, ecological resilience is often equated with resistance. This refers to a vineyard's ability to "withstand" drought, heavy rain,...

→ linkes-vs-rechtes-ufer

Left vs. right bank

Left bank and right bank are the two big drawers Bordeaux is often sorted into: the left bank with the...

→ phenolische-reife

Phenolic ripeness

Phenolic maturity is often treated as a measurable target: reached or missed, "green" or "ripe." This view underestimates the complexity....

→ mineralitaet-im-wein

Minerality in wine

Minerality is one of the most frequently used and yet least defined terms in wine terminology. In context, it is...

→ textur

Texture

Texture describes how a wine feels in the mouth – not what it tastes like. It's a matter of mouthfeel:...

→ integration

Integration

In wine, integration describes the state where acidity, tannin, alcohol, and aroma no longer stand out individually but are perceived...

→ abgang-trinkreife

Finish

The finish is the impression a wine leaves after you've swallowed it – and it often reveals more about its...

→ parzellierung-sinn

Plot division: sense and nonsense

In viticulture, vineyard parcelling is often presented as a quality indicator. Separately vinified single vineyard sites are considered an expression...

→ den-ort-lesen-terroir-als-aufgabe

Reading the place: terroir as a task

Terroir is frequently used in wine as an argument for origin. It refers to a geographical identity that supposedly guarantees...

→ klimawandel-und-reife

Climate change and ripeness

Climate change in wine is not only pushing alcohol content upward, but above all shifting the timelines of ripening: the...

→ biodiversitaet-reife-puffer

Biodiversity: the quiet buffer

Biodiversity is often described as an ecological ideal in viticulture. This refers to the greatest possible diversity of plants and...

→ struktur

Structure

Structure is the framework of a wine: the interplay of acidity, tannin, alcohol, and extract that gives it backbone. It...

→ kontext-selektion-im-weinberg

Selection in the vineyard

Selection in the vineyard is often understood as particularly strict selection. This refers to the removal of individual grapes or...

→ kontext-terroir-als-system

Terroir as a system

Terroir in wine is often reduced to soil type. Limestone, clay, or gravel are then considered the decisive explanation for...

→ cadillac-cotes-de-bordeaux

Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux

Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux is a red-wine-only appellation on the right bank of the Garonne: a band 60 kilometres long...

→ grosser-bordeaux-jahrgang

Great vintage

A great Bordeaux vintage arises less from good weather than from a particular sequence: an even flowering in June, a...

→ bordeaux-blanc

Bordeaux Blanc

Die weißen Trauben kommen zuerst herein, oft noch im Dunkeln, und zwischen der Entscheidung und der Lese liegen selten mehr...

→ rebsorten-bordeaux

Grape varieties

On the cellar floor the varieties stand apart, each in its own vessel, and after a few minutes in the...

→ bio-hve-biodynamisch-naturwein

Organic, HVE & natural wine

The four terms often appear side by side on the same wine list, yet each of them checks something different....

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analogie-der-suite-harmonie-statt-hierarchie

The analogy of the Suite

We speak of a Suite because our wines belong together like the movements of a musical work: each with its...

→ marktlogik-vs-reifephysik

Market logic vs. maturity

Understanding market logic and maturity physics is rarely straightforward. Context clarifies which interpretations are plausible in practice—and where misunderstandings arise....

→ bordeaux-vs-burgund

Bordeaux vs. Burgundy

Bordeaux vs. Burgundy: The distinction between two systems is rarely clear-cut. Context clarifies which interpretations are plausible in practice—and where...

→ second-wine-cuvee-selektion

Second wine / selection

The terms "second wine," "cuvée," and "selection" are rarely clear-cut. Context clarifies which interpretations are plausible in practice—and where misunderstandings...

→ systemische-fruehvermarktung

Early selling

The reasons why Bordeaux wines are released too early are rarely clear. Context clarifies which interpretations are plausible in practice...

→ balance

Balance: relationship, not average

Balance in wine is often understood as equilibrium in the sense of mildness. This implies a state without rough edges,...

→ warum-wir-wein-nicht-machen-sondern-begleiten

Why we accompany wine rather than make it

Every intervention in winemaking is a decision – even the seemingly small or technically necessary one.

→ praezision

Precision: deciding deliberately

In viticulture, precision means knowing before every intervention what is meant to emerge — and then deciding whether an intervention...

→ stil-im-wein

Style in wine

Style is often formulated as a goal: the desired outcome of conscious decisions. In context, however, style is more of...

→ warum-wir-dichte-nicht-mit-qualitaet-verwechseln

Why we don't confuse density with quality

Density is impressive, but says little about the inner quality and balance of a wine.

→ warum-stil-fuer-uns-eine-folge-ist-kein-ziel

Why style is a consequence, not a goal

Style arises from attitude and decisions – not from the desire for recognizability.

→ warum-details-im-weinbau-zaehlen

Why details matter in viticulture

Quality rarely arises from grand gestures, but from many small, consistent decisions.

→ entscheidungsmodelle-bordeaux

Decision models

Choosing a Bordeaux works even without deep appellation knowledge — if you know what the usual cues can do and...

→ wie-gute-entscheidungen-entstehen

Good decisions

How good wine decisions are made is rarely straightforward. Context helps determine which interpretations are plausible in practice – and...

→ moderner-bordeaux-stil

Modern style

Modern Bordeaux: Decision rather than label is rarely clear-cut. Context clarifies which interpretations are plausible in practice – and where...

→ transparenz-im-weinbau

Transparency in viticulture

Transparency: Orientation rather than marketing is rarely unambiguous. Context clarifies which interpretations are plausible in practice – and where misunderstandings...

→ trinkreif-veroeffentlicht

Released ready to drink

Ready to Drink: Responsibility and boundaries are rarely clear-cut. Context clarifies which interpretations are plausible in practice – and where...

→ moderner-bordeaux-als-haltung

Modern Bordeaux as an attitude

For us, modern Bordeaux is above all an attitude. We are less concerned with outward stylistic features such as brighter...

→ en-primeur

En primeur

En Primeur: Market logic instead of maturity is rarely clear-cut. Context clarifies which interpretations are plausible in practice – and...

→ warum-wir-erklaeren-was-wir-tun

Why we explain

We explain what we do because wine requires trust, and trust grows from transparency. Our aim is not to make...

→ sensorische-architektur-radar

Sensory architecture explained

The sensory radar is a chart that makes the build of a wine visible: along ten axes, properties such as...

→ bordeaux-klassifikationen

Classifications

Eine Bordeaux-Klassifikation bewertet ein Gut, nicht die Flasche, die man vor sich hat. Und dasselbe Wort auf dem Etikett kann...

→ wein-als-wertanlage

Wine as an investment

Früher oder später fragt sich jeder, der ein paar gute Flaschen im Keller liegen hat, ob Wein eine Geldanlage sein...

→ wie-bordeaux-verkauft-wird

How Bordeaux is sold

Wer eine berühmte Bordeaux-Flasche öffnet, hat sie fast nie vom Château gekauft. Zwischen dem Gut, das den Wein gemacht hat,...

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zugaenglichkeit

Understanding accessibility

Accessibility in wine is often equated with simplicity. An accessible wine is then considered easy to understand, uncomplicated, or ready...

→ dekantieren

Decanting

Decanting is not a ritual, but a decision based on the wine. What it is intended to achieve depends on...

→ serviertemperatur-bordeaux

Serving temperature

Serving temperature: The silent lever is rarely clear-cut. Context clarifies which interpretations are plausible in practice – and where misunderstandings...

→ offene-flasche

Open bottle

Opened bottles change upon contact with oxygen. How quickly this happens depends on the bottle's structure, temperature, and remaining volume.Cool...

→ glaswahl-bordeaux

Choosing a glass

Glass selection: Function over status is rarely clear-cut. Context clarifies which interpretations are plausible in practice – and where misunderstandings...

→ bordeaux-zu-kaese

Cheese pairing

Bordeaux and cheese: Maturity is rarely a clear-cut issue. Context helps determine which interpretations are plausible in practice – and...

→ bordeaux-zu-fisch

Fish pairing

Bordeaux to fish: Structure trumps color is rarely straightforward. Context clarifies which interpretations are plausible in practice—and where misunderstandings arise....

→ bordeaux-als-geschenk

Gift

A Bordeaux makes a lovely gift when the recipient can actually enjoy it. What matters is less the name on...

→ bordeaux-zu-rotem-fleisch

Meat pairing

Zu rotem Fleisch passt ein tanninbetonter Bordeaux verlässlicher als zu fast allem anderen, und dafür gibt es einen messbaren Grund:...

→ bordeaux-etikett

Reading the label

Auf einem Bordeaux-Etikett ist fast alles geregelt, was dort steht — und das meiste davon beantwortet die Frage nach der...

→ bordeaux-zu-wild

Game pairing

Sobald die Tage kürzer werden, kommt Wild zurück auf die Karten, und mit ihm eine Frage, die schwieriger ist, als...

→ bordeaux-zu-gefluegel

Poultry pairing

Welcher Bordeaux zu Geflügel passt, hängt weniger daran, ob das Fleisch hell oder dunkel heißt, als daran, wie fett und...

→ wein-verkosten

Tasting wine

Wer eine Flasche öffnet und sofort trinkt, verkostet nicht – er trinkt. Verkosten heißt, in einer bestimmten Reihenfolge hinzuschauen: erst...

→ wein-menge-pro-person

Wine per person

Am Nachmittag vor einem Essen für acht Personen steht man vor dem Weinregal und zählt nicht Flaschen, sondern Gläser: Wie...

→ wein-und-essen-grundregeln

Wine & food

Kaum ein Thema trägt so viele Faustregeln wie Wein und Essen: Rot zu Fleisch, Weiß zu Fisch, süß zu süß....

→ wein-korkt-korkschmecker

Cork taint

Man zieht den Korken, riecht kurz am Glas — und irgendetwas stimmt nicht. Der Wein wirkt dumpf und muffig, ein...

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