Andreas Bender, Pinot Noir, Pfalz, Germany

Andreas Bender's wines are a constant at Iron & Rose. "Dajoar" has been a go to Riesling for so many Riesling fans for a number of years - and made many Riesling converts. 

Andreas was only 13 years old when he made his first wine, learning about viticulture, soil and terroir from his father who was a vine propagator. From then on he knew he was destined to be a wine maker. He studied and then hit the road, working at wineries in Germany, France Italy and the US before he settled back home in 2008 to start his own project on his family vineyards. 

Andreas' philosophy is unusual in that he doesn't commercialise his top single vineyards separately. This doesn't mean he's not a traditionalist though and actually vinifies grapes from each individual vineyard site separately every year, resulting in a multitude of different cuvées which are later blended to make the best of each vintage into a number of different wines. He believes careful cellar work, simple techniques and natural fermentation are key.

Andreas' own vineyards are farmed organically and he also works with trusted growers who farm to his specifications. The grapes for this wine are sourced from a grower in the Pfalz region from a single, south-facing vineyard in the Haardt mountains, rather than Andrea's Mosel, Pfalz being warmer and drier, sheltered from cold and wet Atlantic weather by the mountains, and better for consistency ripening red varieties. This Pinot was fermented in old oak barrels using wild yeasts and then matured in French and American oak barriques. Wine making is low intervention and the wine is bright and well structured with soft tannins.