Oliver Zeter Pinot Noir Reserve is a wine that doesn’t faunt its German origin but stylistically corresponds to a Burgundy. It takes its time before presenting itself and is elegant rather than sturdy. A wine that speaks to you instead of shouting and more importantly it speaks for itself.  The combination of complex fruit characteristics with a firm structure defines this multifaceted, dense wine with its layered finish.

About the Producer

Oliver Zeter is not your typical winemaker, forced to balance a family winemaking tradition against his own vision. He considers himself lucky to have started from scratch, as it lets him do as he wants, with no worries about stepping on anyone else's toes.
Oliver bottled his first vintage in 2007 and has already earned himself a place in the wine world whilst being one of the rising stars of the Pfalz. An importer first, he was converted to winemaking during a visit to South Africa where he lost his heart to Sauvignon Blanc, his passion for which manifested itself in the planting of seven clones on soil that was perfectly suited to the variety. Oliver has been among the leaders in German viticulture for some time now and his portfolio comprises Burgundy varieties and other specialties.

Vineyard and Winery

Two different locations are crucial for the quality and character of the Pinot Noir Réserve. One vineyard features old vines planted in clay-limestone and stony slate soils in the Münzberg area of Godramstein, while the other consists of grapes from Burgundy clones grown in the Im Sonnenschein site in Siebeldingen. The grapes are handpicked at optimal ripeness, partially destemmed, then crushed and fermented in small wooden cuves (fermentation tanks). The cap is punched down by hand a maximum of twice a day until pressing occurs after approximately 12 days. The wine undergoes fine-tuning during 14 months of aging in 500-liter tonneaux and 228-liter pièce barrels sourced from the forests of the Palatinate, Vosges, and Allier. A new wood proportion of no more than 25% supports the perfect balance between fresh fruit and subtle wood spice. The bottling takes place without fining or filtration, and the wine then undergoes at least 12 months of bottle aging before it is finally released to the market.