Bernhard Huber

Based in Malterdingen, in Baden, the estate sits in a place with a long Pinot history: Cistercian monks brought the variety here more than 700 years ago, and the local term “Malterdinger” was once used almost synonymously with Pinot Noir.

Antoine Berthelot

Antoine Berthelot is one of those young Côte des Bar names that immediately feels worth paying attention to.

Based in Verpillières-sur-Ource, in the Aube, his family has been growing Pinot Noir since the 1980s, but 2023 marked a real turning point: after decades of selling the grapes, Antoine began vinifying the fruit himself. With experience in Gevrey-Chambertin, Corsica, and Les Riceys, his approach is shaped by a clear idea — no compromise, neither in the vineyard nor in the cellar.

Drop 23 – THE goat series – Chapter 1

For Drop 23, I’m starting something new — and honestly, something I’ve wanted to do for a while: the very first chapter of the GOAT Series.

The idea behind it is simple. In each edition, I want to bring together one exciting talent from Burgundy and one outstanding German Pinot Noir producer — bottles with identity, energy, tension and real character. For this opening chapter, I went with Domaine Jülg and Maison Glandien. A combination that feels incredibly strong right from the start.

Domaine Jülg

Jülg is one of those estates that shows just how far German Pinot has come. Based in Schweigen-Rechtenbach in the southern Pfalz, right on the border to France, the winery naturally carries a strong tension between German precision and a more Burgundian feel. You can sense that dual identity in the wines straight away. They feel clear, fine-boned and polished, but never in a cold or overly constructed way.

Drop 22 – Tu dors – Reveille Toi!

For Drop 22, I went for a combination I’m genuinely excited about: 2 bottles of Romain Henin’s Meunier Tu dors and 1 bottle of Maison Glandien’s Les Callioux 2024 — also the first Chardonnay from Tino Kuban this year.

Romain Henin is one of those growers who immediately caught my attention. There is something incredibly alive and exciting about the way he works, and I have to say: I am absolutely impressed by this Meunier. It has tension, energy, and so much character. Next to it, Tino Kuban’s Chardonnay brings freshness, precision, and the perfect counterpoint.

Drop 21 – The Unusual Suspects

The Unusual Suspects brings together three winemakers who each approach Pinot from a completely different angle — and that is exactly why this lineup feels so strong. Tino Kuban opens the drop with La Leux 2024, a wine full of energy, edge, movement, and that slightly wild precision that makes his style so unmistakable. Then comes Louis Mathieu, one of Burgundy’s most exciting new names. His Fixin already shows real intent, serious finesse, and the kind of promise that makes you pay very close attention from the very first sip.

Louis Mathieu

Louis Mathieu is not your classic Burgundy story. Born just outside Paris and not into a winemaking family, his path into wine began unusually early. He was already joining harvests as a child and made his first wines long before most people even knew his name. What started as a deeply personal side project slowly turned into something much bigger, shaped by curiosity, instinct, and a clear sense of direction.

Formative experiences with top estates in Burgundy and Germany helped refine that vision, but the signature is unmistakably his own. Louis is not chasing power or heaviness. He is after finesse, tension, and purity. His wines are built on freshness, gentle extraction, and a kind of quiet precision that speaks softly but leaves a lasting impression. There is elegance here, but never in a polished or artificial way — it feels honest, vivid, and full of energy.

Drop 20 – Structure in PINK

Guys… this is not your f* Nicki Beach rosé. This is rosé with backbone. Drop 20 brings together three bottles built around freshness, depth, and real character. First up: ORIGINE Line Rosé by Mr. Kuban, carrying all that Les Jardins Vivants energy — precise, tense, quietly powerful, with a reduction finish that stays with you. Then Maison Glandien’s L’Ouverture Rosé 2024, the perfect entry into Tino’s world: vibrant, textured, pure, and full of that calm confidence that makes you stop mid-sip and pay attention.

Drop 19 – IT IS SEXY AND YOU KNOW IT!

Carsten Saalwächter stands for a calm, thoughtful approach to German wine — precision and restraint over loud gestures. His work is rooted in deep respect for the vineyard and a clear belief that balance and longevity come from patience, not intervention. Farming is carried out with great care, and in the cellar he keeps things deliberately minimal, letting time do the heavy lifting. The result is a signature style that feels effortless but deeply structured: quietly complex wines with tension, depth, and that salty, composed energy that turns heads without trying. I am a Fangirl since 2018!

Carsten Saalwächter

WINEMAKER Winery Carsten Saalwächter Established in 2018 in Ingelsheim, Rheinhessen Carsten Saalwächter stands for a calm, thoughtful approach to German wine, rooted in precision and restraint rather than expressionism. His work is shaped by a deep respect for vineyards and a clear belief that balance and longevity come from patience, not intervention. Farming is carried […]