Weinhaus Meyer Näkel GmbH

In the picturesque Ahr wine region, less than 3.5 hours from The Hague, you'll find Weinhaus Meyer Näkel in Dernau, a wine company that was heavily affected by a devastating flood two years ago. Despite this setback, they remain determined to build a new location high up on the mountain. Upon our arrival, we were warmly greeted by Dörte, one of the sisters currently leading the business. She guided us through the estate and treated us to various Spätburgunder (pinot noir) tastings, ranging from Orts wines to the Pfarrwingert G.G.

The Ahr wine region is renowned for its unique location. Despite its northern position and the expectation that only white wines would thrive here, it is actually exceptionally suitable for producing Spätburgunder (pinot noir) due to the interaction between the Eifel and the south-facing slate slopes.

The success story of Meyer Näkel began in 1982 when founder Werner Näkel wholeheartedly committed to producing high-quality pinot noir in the Ahr. With his dedication to Burgundian vines and advanced techniques, Werner created a new style that harmoniously combines the elegance of pinot noir with the steep slate slopes of the Ahr valley. Today, the company is passionately led by Werner's daughters Meike and Dörte, and it holds an unparalleled status in the world of pinot noir. Their awards collection boasts numerous accolades, including the prestigious Decanter Pinot Noir Of The World Trophy and the Grand Pinot Noir Award.

Dennis provided us with an extensive tour of the vineyards, taking us along the various Lages (single vineyard sites). He shared stories of how the company tackled the challenges of the flood and the resilience they demonstrated in rebuilding.

In conclusion, a visit to Weinhaus Meyer Näkel in the Ahr wine region is an extraordinary experience. The wines are of absolute top quality and reflect the dedication and craftsmanship of the Näkel family. The warm hospitality of Dörte and the passion of Dennis complete the picture. Highly recommended for every wine enthusiast seeking something special and unique in the nearby area.

Wine review of Meyer-Näkel Dernauer Pfarrwingert Spätburgunder GG 2017

This wine comes from the Ahr region, to the north of the Rhineland-Palatinate - one of the smallest wine-growing regions in Germany, with just 6% of the output of the Mosel. The region follows the Ahr river in the final stages of its journey toward the confluence of the Rhein river. In this region, 85% of the output is red wine, of which ¾ is spätburgunder. Other famous varieties in this region include the early-ripening Pinot Noir clone fruhburgunder, the fruity portugieser, and of course Riesling.

It is surprising that most of the output here is red wine because, based on where it is located at more than 50 degrees latitude north, it should be too cold for making red wine. The secret is that there is an ideal microclimate here due to special geologic conditions. The steep south-facing vineyards are perfectly angled to maximize sunlight exposure. The soil is made of greywacke (or greywacke for English speakers) and weathered slate, and are able to absorb and store heat. The best vineyards here, the GGs, are on the steepest slopes that get the highest amounts of sunlight.

Meyer-Näkel is the most famous producer in this region. A fifth-generation family estate that goes back to the marriage of first-generation Paula Meyer and Wilibald Näkel in 1950 when they joined their winery and the dortkneipe (pub) in the village of Dernau. They started with 1.5 hectares, and made a name for themselves for producing top quality dry red wine, even during the years when sweet wine was still fashionable.

Now, they own 15 hectares of vineyards and the ones in charge are two sisters, Meike and Dörte. Both of them studied at the famous wine institute in Geisenheim, and gradually took over operations for the estate. Their spätburgunders are internationally acclaimed and their top wines are not cheap.

Pfarrwingert is 1.2 hectares, and its soils are composed of stony weathered soil, coloured sandstone, blue slate and clay fragments. The name of the vineyard (which means vineyard of the priest in the local dialect) goes back to the Catholic parish church of Dernaus, which is still the landowner in this parcel. This is the earthiest and darkest of the three GG wines in their portfolio.

Spontaneous fermented and aged in 70% new barriques for 18 months, followed by 6 months of bottle ageing.

Dark brick red in colour. This wine is characterized by the aromas of dark berries, blueberries and cherries. There is a herbaceous fig-like character that emerges when decanted for a good 3-4 hours, with a pronounced forest-floor, mossy underwood note, with some darker fruits of blackberries. The tannins are silky, and the mouthfeel is quite minerally. Powerful on the palate, with taut acidity and a long finish.

Lovely winery. Lots of great wines ranging from good value for money decent wines to some outstanding never tasted before wines. Very friendly staff in the tasting room with a lot of knowledge. Definitely reccommend!

Unser absoluter Lieblingswein Illusion! Wir werden definitiv mal vorbei schauen und vor Ort verkosten. TOLL!!

Willkommen beim Pinot Pionier !
Hier fing mehr oder weniger alles an.. der fränkisch-burgundische Stil...vermutlich nicht nur an der Ahr..
Tolles Ambiente-passt zum Gesamterscheinungsbild! Wir kommen wieder!!

Sehr schoen gelegenes Weingut mit lecker Speisekarte und freundlichem Service .
Zu empfehlen das Stilkotlett und der hauseigene blanc de Noir . verschlossen noch mit echten. Korken ist ja heute nicht mehr selbstverständlich. Tischreservierung ist empfehlenswert.wir kommen gerne wieder

Das beste Weingut an der Ahr! Absolut alle verkosteten Weine waren top. Würde am liebsten jeden Wein davon kaufen.

Wir hatten einen tollen Aufenthalt. Unangemeldet kamen wir am Weingut und und wurden herzlichen begrüßt. Uns wurde eine Weinprobe für 10€ pro Personen angeboten und dann ging es auch schon los. Wir hatten eine sehr nette Dame, die uns "bedient" und durch die Weinprobe geleitet hat. Sie hat uns alle Fragen beantwortet und uns vieles empfohlen. Hier haben wirklich fast alle Weine probiert und Wasser zwischendurch gab es auch. Die 10€ sind also mehr als gerechtfertigt.
Wir hatten einen tollen, schmackhaften und interessanten Mittag. Vielen Dank dafür!
Achja, der Wein war übrigens durchweg auch spitze, natürlich ist das Geschmackssache. Alles in allem fanden wir es aber super und wir kommen gerne wieder!

Obwohl wir ohne Termin an der Türe standen, sind wir sehr, sehr freundlich empfangen worden und konnten sogar einiges probieren! Vielen Dank, es war ganz toll & wir kommen wieder! ;-)

Sehr freundlicher Empfang bei unserer kurzfristigen Einkehr. Wir haben uns für die gute Grauwacke interessiert und wurden perfekt informiert. So sollte es sein!😊

Immer gut! Meine Faves- Blanc de Noir und der traditionelle Flammkuchen!

Der Blanc de noire „Illusion“ ist eine Wucht.

Mein Geheimtipp für Ambiente, Wein (rot) und leckeres Essen

Bester deutscher Spätburgunder !!!