Location and orientation
Goldkaul is a vineyard site with an individual name in Dernau in the wine-growing region Ahr. The site lies in a small side valley above Dernau and extends from about 125 to 260 metres above sea level. Its orientation ranges from south to west; 85 per cent are steep, 10 per cent are sloping and 5 per cent are flat.
Climate and soils
Goldkaul receives sunshine as soon as the morning mist has dispersed, continuing into the late course of the day; parts of the site are partly shaded. The soils consist of light to medium-weight slate weathering soils, with areas of greywacke and of hillside and alluvial loess. In flatter sections near the Ahr, sandy loam lies over gravel. Especially steep plots are cultivated mostly by hand.
Plots and grape varieties
The site is not parcelled under land consolidation and therefore comprises very small plots belonging to different owners. Alongside larger fallow areas, old vineyard paths have been preserved; steep areas have been replanted again from 2001. A local description gives, within the designated 50 hectares, 14 hectares of Spätburgunder, 3 hectares of Riesling, and 1 hectare each of Acolon, Portugieser and Regent. A documented plot from 2022 was planted with the compact Spätburgunder clone 777; the vines were stated at an age of 14 years at that time.
Wine style and history of the name
The site is associated with fragrant, powerful wines ranging from full-bodied to rich. On soils formed from weathered greywacke, the fuller style is particularly emphasised; the wines are also described as mineral, dense and expressive, with restraint in their youth. Locally, the name Goldkaul is explained as a reference to a gold pit, with “Kaul” standing for pit. The south-southwesterly oriented area is also meant, which is referred to as the actual gold pit.
Documented vinification
For a documented Goldkaul plot from the 2022 vintage, the whole grapes were stored for one week under carbon dioxide and a covering, then de-stemmed and fermented. Fermentation took place spontaneously in small vessels. After that, the wine matured for nine months in small wooden casks and was bottled in September 2023 unfiltered, unclarified and only lightly sulphured.
