Raumland Sekthaus, established in the 1980s in Germany's Rheinhessen region, has carved a niche in the world of winemaking. The winery, founded by Volker Raumland, spans approximately 10 hectares, focusing primarily on traditional method sparkling wines, taking a page straight out of the book of Champagne. Raumland follows the same methods involving a second fermentation in the bottle, a labor-intensive process that Raumland embraces to enhance complexity and flavor, as well as hand riddling and extended aging on the lees. All fruit here is cultivated organically, with fermentation in a combination of older oak and stainless steel. Each parcel is vinified separately and blended together after several months of tasting. The reserve wines spend an impressive 90 months on the lees before disgorgement and, as mentioned previously, are hand-riddled, a labor-intensive process yet is more exact and gentle, which many believe promotes a better finished product and also amplifies the overall artistry of the craft. Of the sparkling wines here, the Rose is particularly good, made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, with the 2014 being the current release, which was just disgorged earlier this year.
While sparkling wines from outside of Champagne can be hit or miss, with a tendency to lack the minerality, this is an outlier and captures the best of what a sparkling wine should be in the Champagneois style as a refined and elegant rose. The overachieving care taken is clearly reflected in the bottle with superb balance and still very fresh after 7.5 years on the lees but with a bit of Selosse-like oxidation that adds tremendous depth. It is truly impressive and one of the best sparkling wines we have offered outside of Champagne. There is a reason Raumland is the best sparkling producer in Germany, and the Rose Reserve clearly tells the tale of this great address. These wines are very rare in the USA, and right now, we have the only bottles available of this 2014 Rose.
Wine Advocate (Stephan Reinhardt) 95 pts! "The pale salmon or antique pink 2014 Rosé Brut Réserve blends 22% of Pinot Blanc to the Pinot Noir base. Vinified in stainless steel and aged on the bottle lees for 90 months, the wine is pure, delicate and fresh on the nose that intertwines red berries with floral and even iodine aromas. This pink sparkling wine is pure yet intense and complex on the palate, enormously saline and with lovely oxidative nuances like a table wine from Jerez. The finish is pure, structured and very intense. Disgorged in February this year. 12% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2023."
2014 Sekthaus Raumland Rosé Brut Réserve
2014 Sekthaus Raumland Rosé Brut Réserve
Raumland Sekthaus, established in the 1980s in Germany's Rheinhessen region, has carved a niche in the world of winemaking. The winery, founded by Volker Raumland, spans approximately 10 hectares, focusing primarily on traditional method sparkling wines, taking a page straight out of the book of Champagne. Raumland follows the same methods involving a second fermentation in the bottle, a labor-intensive process that Raumland embraces to enhance complexity and flavor, as well as hand riddling and extended aging on the lees. All fruit here is cultivated organically, with fermentation in a combination of older oak and stainless steel. Each parcel is vinified separately and blended together after several months of tasting. The reserve wines spend an impressive 90 months on the lees before disgorgement and, as mentioned previously, are hand-riddled, a labor-intensive process yet is more exact and gentle, which many believe promotes a better finished product and also amplifies the overall artistry of the craft. Of the sparkling wines here, the Rose is particularly good, made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, with the 2014 being the current release, which was just disgorged earlier this year.
While sparkling wines from outside of Champagne can be hit or miss, with a tendency to lack the minerality, this is an outlier and captures the best of what a sparkling wine should be in the Champagneois style as a refined and elegant rose. The overachieving care taken is clearly reflected in the bottle with superb balance and still very fresh after 7.5 years on the lees but with a bit of Selosse-like oxidation that adds tremendous depth. It is truly impressive and one of the best sparkling wines we have offered outside of Champagne. There is a reason Raumland is the best sparkling producer in Germany, and the Rose Reserve clearly tells the tale of this great address. These wines are very rare in the USA, and right now, we have the only bottles available of this 2014 Rose.
Wine Advocate (Stephan Reinhardt) 95 pts! "The pale salmon or antique pink 2014 Rosé Brut Réserve blends 22% of Pinot Blanc to the Pinot Noir base. Vinified in stainless steel and aged on the bottle lees for 90 months, the wine is pure, delicate and fresh on the nose that intertwines red berries with floral and even iodine aromas. This pink sparkling wine is pure yet intense and complex on the palate, enormously saline and with lovely oxidative nuances like a table wine from Jerez. The finish is pure, structured and very intense. Disgorged in February this year. 12% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted at the domaine in July 2023."
